OXFORD COUNTY, Maine — One person has died after the rally car they were in crashed during the annual New England Forest Rally Race.
Oxford County sheriff's deputies, Maine State Police, Med-Care Ambulance, and Andover Fire Department reportedly responded to a call Friday about a single-vehicle crash on the South Arm Road in Township C in the area of Lower Richardson Lake, the sheriff's office said Saturday in a news release.
Initial investigation indicates that the car failed to negotiate a left-hand turn and lost control, causing it to crash into a tree on the passenger's side of the car, according to the release. A release from the American Rally Association stated that the crash occurred during the final stage of the competition Friday.
Erin Kelly, 48, of Marshall, Virginia, was the co-driver in the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Chris Cyr, the CEO of Team O'Neil, a rally car driving school, said Kelly has been in the sport for around a decade.
"It's very tough on me personally and tough also for me on organization. ... My thoughts are constantly with her family," Cyr said. "They're so known in our community, so it's a big loss for everyone for sure."
According to a release from the American Rally Association, Kelly was co-driving with her long-time driver and rally partner, Thomas "TJ" Pullen, 41, of Northwood New Hampshire.
According to a flyer for the event, they were operating a 1998 Subaru Impreza OBS.
Pullen and Kelly were winners of the 2018 ARA East Regional NA4WD championship, the release stated.
A co-driver is an essential part of a two-person team in a rally car. Teams go out before every race and map out every turn on the course, giving each corner a degree of severity, so the co-driver can call out the direction and severity of the next turns to the driver during the race.
Kelly and Pullen were wearing helmets and restraining devices at the time of the crash, the sheriff's office said.
The crash remains under investigation.
NEWS CENTER Maine has sent a crew to the rally.
Just this last winter, one of the most famous rally drivers, Ken Block, died in a snowmobile accident. His death sent shockwaves through the rally community and the 2023 Forest Rally was supposed to be a big celebration having everyone together, Cyr said.
"It's very rare to have a fatality, and something just feels off right now for sure," Cyr said. "We hope Erin's family can get some peace in this time. ... We are just going to take some time and hopefully be back in the future."
New England Forest Rally officials announced plans to cancel the rest of the rally, according to a statement they posted on Facebook. The second part of the rally was set to take part Saturday in the area of Errol, New Hampshire.
"The American Rally Association and New England Forest Rally continue to express its deepest condolences to Erin's family, team, and many friends throughout the rally community," the statement said.
The organization also stated plans to continue with a get-together and cookout Saturday afternoon at Sunday River.
“Our focus right now is on Erin, TJ, and their families,” ARA Series Director Preston Osborn said in a release. “Erin was an accomplished co-driver and a well-loved member of our rally community. We send our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and our competitors and fans.”
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