Chris Cyr, CEO of Team O’Neil Rally School located in Dalton, NH continued his Rally championship chase and returned to the West Coast. On the very same weekend, and on the other half of the world, the rally school’s founder Tim O’Neil raced in the Finnish Gravel Championship. They both challenged themselves and their driving skill throughout unfamiliar terrain and unpredictable scenarios always present in the sport. Rally is a motorsport where teams of Drivers and Co-Drivers compete on dirt roads against the clock in specially built cars.
Cyr brought his Ford Fiesta to Oregon’s high desert, home to fast gravel roads with big drop offs and sparse trees. Far from the familiar roads in New Hampshire, Cyr and his co-driver Glen Ray had to turn up their bravery to finish at the Oregon Trail Rally. A unique road that they faced twice throughout the rally was the famous Maryhill Loop. The road is a section of an experimental highway, and rises 850 feet in a series of 25 curves, eight of them hairpin turns.
O’Neil spent his race day in the challenging dirt roads in Mäntsälä Finland, where historic cars raced between red barns and farmer’s fields. He piloted a 1987 Volkswagen Golf imported from Sweden. Although familiar with driving Golfs, O’Neil only had a few days of practice when he arrived abroad, and spent them working out mechanical issues and making adjustments.
He said the experience is, “Like a high speed car show.” The drivers and the cars represent a historic era of the sport, from 1960s Beetles to iconic Ford Escorts and Volvo sedans. Instead of saving the vintage cars for a Sunday afternoon cruise, these drivers race them as they would any rally car–as fast as they can.
The weekend was a success for both drivers. Cyr celebrated yet another class win, making this the fourth in the season. Cyr and his co-driver have completed 10 events together as a team, which has contributed to their consistent success. O’Neil surprised himself and the competition by finishing 3rd place in his class in a race with over 150 entrants. Due to the short nature of the event, he was only able to preview some stages once. But he trusted his co-driver and committed to their notes, and ended up doing very well. His highlight was the challenge that this racing environment brings.
Both Cyr and O’Neil race for the enjoyment of the sport, but their overall goals are very different. Cyr continues to chase the Open Two-Wheel Drive Championship, while O’Neil is racing to hone his craft in a new context. The 65 year old also “just likes old cars” and values being immersed in Finnish rally culture. O’Neil used this race as development and preparation for the larger FIA historic rally later in the summer. Cyr hopes to follow this Oregon success and secure the championship in the next two races, starting with southern Ohio the second week of June.
Team O’Neil Rally School in Dalton, NH is home to a 585 acre campus and specializes in driver training in all the worst case scenarios. Find out more information about Team O’Neil at teamoneil.com. Cyr will be traveling all over the United States in the rest of 2025. Follow his championship journey on social media @chriscyr965 and @teamoneil
By Sarah O’Neil
