Imagine driving off-road through the California desert. Now imagine doing that for over 1,500 miles and eight days—in a race against 60 other teams. Oh, and there’s no cell phones, no GPS, no connectivity at all—your only guide is a compass and a paper map. Driver team Sedona Blinson and Rebecca Donaghe rose to the challenge and placed second overall, a testament to the growing popularity of the sport, their “third teammate,” aka the car they competed in—the BMW X2—and their truly astounding efforts.
@team.wild.graceThe race is the famous all-female Rebelle Rally, the longest competitive off-road race in the U.S. Donaghe, a California-based, award-winning film producer, was the driver while Blinson, an Arizona-based marketer, was the navigator in the BMW X2: “An elegant workhorse that perfectly balances style and performance. It made driving through the western desert an absolute breeze with the X2’s exceptional handling and remarkable power,” Blinson told us.
The ladies, who have a combined 15 years of experience, drove under team name Wild Grace (the name comes from “granting ourselves grace in the wildness of motherhood,” Blinson told us). “Women are truly brilliant in this space, and every woman in the automotive industry is pulling out a chair for other women to join us,” Blinson says. “The competition fosters a culture of women supporting women. We are all out there tackling the challenges of the rally and facing our own demons while doing it, so the comradery of wanting everyone to succeed is inspiring,” Donaghe added.
Navigating without GPS 101: Compasses will read differently inside the car because of the magnetic pull. For a more accurate directional reading, you must step away from your vehicle.
