Takamoto Katsuta's co-driver will take the wheel of a Toyota Starlet at his local Bushwhacker Rally
Photography by Toyota
Words by Luke Barry
Aaron Johnston will swap the pacenote book for a steering wheel when he drives his first ever rally this weekend.
The Toyota World Rally Championship co-driver (to Takamoto Katsuta) will compete in a Toyota Starlet at Ireland’s Bushwhacker Rally, based in Omagh.
Johnston told DirtFish: “It’s the 50th anniversary of my home rally, so a few weeks ago they asked me if I would have any interest in doing the race and, of course, it’s something that I haven’t tried before but I’m looking forward to just going out and having some fun.
“There are stages in the dark as well, so it will be a bit of a challenge I would say for your first time driving, but I’m looking forward to it.
“I’m doing it in a little 1600 Toyota Starlet so keeping on-brand as well and yeah looking forward to it. Hopefully we’ll try to get a test on Wednesday or Thursday once I get home [from Chile].”
Johnston has no experience of driving at a “proper level” so is aware he’s “really going in at the deep end for the first time”. But the Bushwhacker will offer him a rare opportunity to do a rally purely for fun.
“We’ve been in South America for a month and it only really materialized a week or two ago when I was over here, so there will be a bit of prep to do when I get home on Tuesday,” he said.
“There is no recce, it’s just organizer videos and organizer DVDs, or pacenotes, so just try to amend them so that I can understand them as well when I have to listen to them instead of reading them.
“I think I will adopt some of the things that we use with Taka and add them into the organizer notes that I get now for the weekend. And hopefully the notes should be OK.
“It’s my local motor club and home rally, so I’m really looking forward to the opportunity and can’t wait to get going on Friday night.”
The Bushwhacker is the final round of the Irish Forestry Championship, and the entire top-20 is filled with R5/Rally2 cars.
Last year’s winner (and four-time victor) Patrick O’Brien starts as the top seed in his Škoda Fabia R5 ahead of the younger RS Rally2 variants of Cathan McCourt and Jason Mitchell.
Words:Luke Barry
Tags: Aaron Johnston, Bushwacker Rally
Publish Date September 16, 2025 DirtFish 
https://dirtfish-editorial.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/2025/09/zvZAKQ6V-Johnston09FIN25cm676-780x520.jpg September 16, 2025
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