The Bronco Sport has done it again –– a third win in a row in the Rebelle Rally X-Cross class –– thanks to ladies like Christine Benzie and Melissa Clark.
X-Cross Champs
Bronco Off-Roadeo Moab trail guide Melissa Clark has competed in the all-women rally every year since its founding in 2015. This marks her second first-place win in the Sport. Last year, she and partner Cora Jokinen took on the rally, alternating driving and navigating for a gold-medal finish.
Chris Benzie, seasoned Rebelle navigator, hopped in the Sport with Melissa for 2022. The ladies led their class 5 out of 7 rally days and finished the rally with a substantial lead in total points as well.
Bone-Stock Badlands Sport
A good vehicle is nothing without a great team at the wheel, but the stock 2022 Bronco Sport Badlands shone nonetheless. The rally is an excellent proving ground for vehicles, covering 1,500+ miles of rugged terrain. Competitors must be strategic and can choose between the regular route for less points or higher-rated checkpoint challenges. Melissa and Chris took on many of the optional checkpoints.
“I actually get chills when Emily [Miller] says a route is technical,” Melissa told Rebelle. “My mind just goes, well, that’s where we’re headed today. It can be technical rock crawling, technical dune driving, technical anything. I guess technically, I’m a little crazy for the challenging route.”
The strategy, combined with the vehicle’s abilities and the ladies’ experience, served them well. Congratulations to these women for a fantastically ran rally!
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