Sarah Burgess will not be taking part in the upcoming Rallycross event at X Games Austin after mechanical issues developed during the shake-down of her BMI Racing Chevrolet Sonic.
The Australian was set to make her debut as one of two female drivers, but a spokesperson for Red Bull Global Rallycross confirmed on Tuesday that she would not be taking part.
“They encountered an issue in testing, unfortunately,” Andrea Sobel, a spokeswoman for Red Bully Global RallyCross, confirmed on Tuesday. There are no plans to replace Burgess, so the field will be reduced to 19 drivers.
With Burgess out, Emma Gilmour will become the first female to take part in Rallycross in the X Games.
Gilmour has said that “there are no physical limitations” for women competing against men in RallyCross, and is out to prove it. “I know that I’m fast,” she told XGames.com last month. “Not just: ‘fast, for a female.’ I’m outright fast.”
The New Zealander made her GRC debut last month at the Top Gear Festival in Barbados and learned a lot from the event.
“I learned heaps and kept improving throughout the practice, qualifying and heats,” Gilmour said following the LCQ in Barbados. “Despite the racing being a big learning curve, I really enjoyed it. I can’t wait for the next round at the X Games in Austin.”
