TGR-WRT’s Quintero Aims to Carry Momentum into Ohio

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team (TGR-WRT) continues its American Rally Association (ARA) National Championship campaign at the Southern Ohio Forest Rally (SOFR) (June 11–13), where Seth Quintero and co-driver Topi Luhtinen will contest the fourth round of the season in the GR Corolla Rally RC2.

Quintero arrives in Ohio following a breakthrough performance at Olympus Rally, where he secured his first ARA podium to help lock out the top two spots for TGR-WRT’s 1-2 finish. The American also comes into the event on the back of victory at the recent World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) at the Desafío Ruta 40 in Argentina with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing W2RC.

SOFR marks Quintero’s third ARA start and another opportunity to build on the confidence and pace shown at Olympus. Having made rapid progress across his first two events, the American driver now faces a very different challenge on the forest roads of Southern Ohio.

The event also serves as the next step in the development of the GR Corolla Rally RC2 in North American rally conditions. Following a faultless performance on the demanding roads of the Olympus Rally, the team will look to further validate the car in the foothills of the Buckeye State.

Headquartered in Chillicothe, Ohio, the Southern Ohio Forest Rally has been part of the ARA National Championship for seven years, although rallying in the region dates back to the late 1960s. The stages in the Shawnee and Zaleski State Forests have long been favorites among competitors.

Fast and flowing sections are mixed with technical switchbacks and tight corners, while smooth gravel transitions to short tarmac sections multiple times throughout the rally. Together, they present a distinct test compared to Olympus and require a new approach from drivers and teams alike.

For 2026, the itinerary consists of 120 stage miles across three days and 20 stages. Thursday’s Super Special spectator stage kicks off the action with a double running before the forest stages begin on Friday with stages including “Diagon Alley” and “Disco Inferno.” Saturday the competition moves to the Zaleski State Forest for another full day of competition, and the rally-ending power stage, “Church of the Raccoons.”

Quotes:
Seth Quintero (Driver, car No. 103)
“I’m really excited to do the Southern Ohio Forest Rally with the TGR-WRT crew. I’m feeling really confident in the car and feel like I’ve gained a lot of knowledge in a short amount of time. I’m also coming straight from Argentina in my W2RC Hilux where we had some great success, so hopefully we can carry that over.

“I’m looking forward to trying to get back in the championship hunt, and we’ll be pretty close if we can get a good result here. The plan is to finish every mile and learn as much as we can throughout the year. Maybe we can put the GR Corolla on top and see how we do.”

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