Is it a Subaru? An Evo? Nope.
The blur flying through the dirt is the unorthodox chassis of a 1985 Toyota Tercel Wagon.
Meet Steven and Lauren Olona, the husband-and-wife duo who emerged second overall and first in class at this year’s Rally Colorado driving their Tercel. Why did this second- and first-place finish mean so much? Let’s delve into this couple’s journey in rally with their restored, wrecked and rebuilt Tercel.
Steven’s interest in modern motorcycles and Lauren’s passion for vintage bikes led to a strong connection point when they met. For this duo, their love for cars and each other blossomed in Columbus, Ohio. This is also where Stevens’ rally journey began.
When they met, Steven worked at Honda and the company had programs, providing employees with the chance to join their racing teams at no extra cost. Steven took advantage of this to the fullest. Although he first joined the Pikes Peak team, Steven soon moved to the rally division, where he served as co-driver four times.
[The most startling part of Pikes Peak? The drive down]
Lauren, on the other hand, had never really thought about racing herself. Instead, the culture and community that surrounded racing fascinated her.
A few years after meeting, Steven and Lauren began the move to Colorado where Lauren began her new job as a design researcher for Ford. For Steven, the move meant leaving Honda and becoming temporally unemployed. With newfound time on his hands, Steven decided to begin building their rally car.
When asked why the Toyota, Steven says, “Well I’m honestly a Toyota fanboy and I owned a Tercel wagon in the past, so I already had a plan in mind.” Only 900 bucks later, Lauren and Steven had the Tercel and were ready to begin their journey.
Photograph Courtesy Steven and Laura Olona
From a cramped apartment garage to their first home with a decent-sized shop, the pair put in the work, with cost and durability being at the forefront of their minds. In just 10 months, the Tercel had a new engine, modified suspension, steering and so much more. What event did they tackle first? None other than their new home race, an ARA Super Regional, Rally Colorado.
During their debut race in the Toyota, Lauren and Steven clinched a third-place spot in the O2WD class and finished seventh overall. They continued their success at the 2020 Show-Me Rally and the 2021 Rally in the 100 Acre Wood. Their forward progress came to a…
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