Martell Secures Fifth Consecutive Podium at Olympus Rally
April 13, 2025
Shelton, Wash. — Rising U.S. rally star Conner Martell put in a strong performance on his Olympus Rally debut last weekend, securing second place on the tight, twisty, and technical Washington stages. The result marked his fifth consecutive American Rally Association (ARA) National podium, and came on what he called the hardest rally he’s ever done.
One of the most iconic events on the ARA calendar, the Olympus Rally dates back to 1968 and is best known as a former World Rally Championship round during the beloved Group B era. Now held in Shelton, Washington, its mountain logging roads are among the most technical and demanding in the series, challenging drivers with twisting paths, precise pacenotes, and stages that sometimes stretch over 17 miles.
With 12-time Olympus veteran co-driver Alex Gelsomino by his side, Martell attacked the stages with confidence on Saturday morning, quickly climbing near the front of the field due to his clean driving style and measured approach.
While the event was always intended as a learning opportunity for Martell and Gelsomino, the duo held strong in second place throughout day one, trailing only three-time national champions Brandon Semenuk and Keaton Williams, all while fine-tuning their notes, setup, and driving approach to improve on day two and in future events.
Their hard work and persistence paid off on the second day of the rally when Semenuk encountered trouble on SS10, giving Martell a stage win and putting the No. 21 Kubota Subaru WRX STI into the overall lead by 8.8 seconds.
A tight battle with Semenuk over the final two stages ended with Martell provisionally second overall, just 6.9 seconds off the top spot. He also earned four additional championship points with a second-place finish on the Power Stage. The results remain provisional as Martell has filed an appeal concerning time lost due to being stuck behind a limping Semenuk on SS10.
Martell Reflects on a Weekend of Growth
“It was a pretty good weekend!” Martell said after the final stage. “I’ve got a lot to learn. I made a lot of mistakes and learned a lot about notes. It was a really tricky first day, and a tricky second day, too. The second day was just really fast. Still technical, but we did very well.”
“It was a really awesome rally. I’m excited for next year—and for Oregon.”
“Thank you very much to Kubota for all the support, and Alex for keeping me on the road.”
Gelsomino Reflects on a Hard-Fought Weekend
“Man, what a rally this has been,” Gelsomino said. “The stages have been absolutely fantastic. Conner and I finished in second place overall, although the result at this moment is under inquiry, so we will probably know more about the final decision in a couple of weeks, unfortunately.”
“But today we go home on the podium in second place. A great job to our team, the Kubota car was faultless all weekend long,and yeah, I’m stoked. It’s always a difficult event to finish.”
“I’m looking forward to Oregon. It’s one of my favorite events.”
Conner Martell is proudly supported by Kubota Tractor Corporation, Yokohama Tires, DirtFish, and Backroads of Appalachia. Fans can follow Martell and Gelsomino’s journey online at @connermartell21 and @alexgelsomino. For the latest stage results and ARA news, follow the ARA series at @ara_rally or visit www.americanrallyassociation.org. For more information about Kubota, visit www.KubotaUSA.com.
About Conner Martell:
Conner Martell is a 28-year-old rally driver and a rising star in the motorsport world with a versatile background in rallycross, stage rally, and circuit racing. Martell dominated the 2018 ARX2 rallycross season, claiming the championship, before competing in the high-tech Nitrocross Group E category. Over the past two seasons, he has shifted his focus to stage rally, earning victories at the Boone Forest Rally in 2023 and 2024, along with podium finishes at the Lake Superior Performance Rally, Sno*Drift Rally, the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood, and Olympus Rally. When not racing, Martell serves as a test and development driver for Vermont SportsCar and enjoys outdoor adventures in his home state of Vermont.
