Exclusive Interview with Top Italian Co-driver Alex Gelsomino

Personal
Name:	Alex Gelsomino
Age:	**** 32
Marital status:	Married
Children:	None
Occupation:	****Automotive business owner / Codriver
Place of birth:	Palermo, Italy.
Country or county where you live:	****Los Angeles, California
Does your spouse / partner like rallying	**** She tolerates it.
Any other hobbies?	****Mountain biking, R/C cars, reading, running
Your opinions
Favourite food:	****Mexican and of course Italian.
Favourite drink:	Sparkling water
Favourite motorsport paper / magazine:.	****Autosport.
Favourite sports person (other than rallying):	****Travis Pastrana
Favourite film star:	Morgan Freeman
Favourite holiday destination:	Key West, Florida.
Which TV sports programmes do you watch?	****Xtreme sports
Starting out
How did you start out?	I did a Co-driver’s school when I was 17 at the local Motor Club. They did find me a ride after couple weeks. But the fever for Rallying started years before....
First driver you sat with:	Riccardo Cammarata, back in Italy.
First event:	Rally Proserpina 1992 with a Corsa Gsi.
Rallying background
Type of licence held:	****FIA International, Rally America, USAC.
Which motor club do you belong to?	None. Unfortunately there aren't any in the USA yet.
Do you contribute towards your rallying?	****No
Have you ever driven on a rally?	****I did, finally, in 2005. Shared a hired Mitsubishi with my teammate Christian Edstrom at a Club event. We drove (and co-drove) one stage each.
Did you ever marshal on events? When and where?	****I did in few historic races, as a teenager.
How many events do you get to watch? (eg. per year).	None, I try to compete in as many as I can.
How many rallies do you take part in? (eg. per year)	** An average of 12 - 15
Have you competed abroad? Where and when?	Italy (92 to 95) and USA (99 to present). ** Wales (2002)
Your opinions (rallying)
Favourite rally car:	****Subaru Impreza WRC.
Favourite rally driver:	**** Met Markku Alen at the Costa Smeralda Rally, in 2002. He's a great person.
Favourite rally co-driver:	Fabrizia Pons **** also Jakke Honkanen, because of what he has taught me.
Favourite bit of road or forest:	All the Targa Florio Stages. Legendary roads! ** Sweet Lamb was fun to run too.
Do you prefer pace notes or map reading events?	****Pacenotes
Things you dislike about rallying?	The high costs. Also, mediocre organizers.
Who do you think will win the World Rally Championship in 2002?	It's really hard to predict but I have to say that is wonderful to have a championship with five or six different drivers (and co-drivers), that can aim to the world crown. Hats off to David Richards.
.... and in 2003?	** Hard to predict, but the Finns must have something in their blood…..
.... and in 2006?	****Marcus Gronholm will be strong.
Rallying history
Drivers you have sat with:	****Riccardo Cammarata, Mario La Barbera, George Plsek, Mark Nelson, Guy Anderson, Richard Tuthill, David Higgins, Bill Malik, Tim O'Neil, Alfredo DeDominicis, Andy Brown, Peter Workum, Ken Block, Travis Pastrana.
Best driver you have ever sat with?	**** David Higgins.
Best result:	****Winning the Ramada International Rally in 2002 with Mark Nelson in front of the works Mitsubishi Team. Repeating the same result in 2004 with Peter Workum.
Worst result:	Messina International Rally in 93. We were leading the class over 21 competitors when our Renault 5 Turbo caught on fire due to a busted oil pipe, 2 stages from the end.
Championships contested:	****Opel Challenge in 92 and 93 Italian Rally Championship in 94 Various North American championships in the past 7 years.
Best Championship result:	SCCA-Southern Pacific Champion in 2001 **** California Rally Champion in 2001 and 2004
Best rally memory:	****Many. Maybe, having Italian rally magazine "Tuttorally" do an 8 page report on my rally experience in the USA in the March 2001 issue.
Strangest incident on a rally:	****Ending up on a fountain with a Corsa GSI at the Tre Valli Rally in 92. Spectators put us back on the road within seconds with only minor damage. Being stabbed by a bee while on stage at Gorman Ridge Rally 2004, deserves a mention too..
Biggest accident:	Rally Internazionale di Roma in 94. We hit a tree "head on" with a rented Peugeot 205 so hard, that the engine fell off the supports....We both had sore necks for the following couple weeks.
Achievements gained from rallying:	****Made lots of friends and visited lots of places. Reaching the top of the sport in an English-speaking country, considering that I didn't speak any English until 1995.
Your current performance
Your current driver(s) and events or Championships being contested in 2002.	** I’ve contested the 02 SCCA Prorally championship sitting with couple different AVSport customers. Did the PRB Rally of Wales with Barrett’s Motorsports, sitting with Peter Workum
.... and in 2003?	*** I will co-drive for Tim O'Neil in the ProRally Series in an Open Class Focus for AV Sport and the Air Force Reserve
.... and in 2006?	****Co-driver for Subaru Rally Team USA and Ken Block, 2006 Rally America Championship as well as couple WRC events.
How could you improve your ‘own’ current performance?	Doing even more events every year.
How could you improve your current driver’s performance?	Same as above.
If you had £50,000 to spend on rallying, what would you do?	****Buy myself an old Group B car.
Your future in rallying
Where would you most like to compete (in the world):	The Asia-Pacific championship looks interesting. I also miss Tarmac stages a lot, so any European Tarmac series.
Which rally would you most like to compete in?	****Montecarlo, Sweden.
Which driver(s) would you most like to co-drive for?	****Colin McRae in his Mk2 Escort.
Ambition in rallying for the future:	****Progress into the sport as much as I can.
What would you like to put back into rallying?	I actually like rallying the way it is now.
The future of rallying
Which up-and-coming rally driver can you recommend?.	****SRTUSA is putting a lot of effort developing Travis Pastrana as a driver. I think very soon that will pay off. Also my current driver Ken Block, his speed progression in the past 12 months has been impressive.
Which up-and-coming rally co-driver can you recommend?	****My teammate Christian Edstrom belongs in PWRC or JWRC..too bad he won't give up his 6 figures daily job to give it a try.
What would be the best tip you could give to other co-drivers? Think ahead, be prepared, keep your eyes open for opportunities.	Think ahead, be prepared, keep your eyes open for opportunities.
Any other comments posted 17/11/01 updated 10/2/02 updated 20/12/02 (items marked ) updated 31/12/02 (items marked ) updated 25/2/06 (items marked ***)	****Kim, thanks for having a nice webpage devoted to co-drivers from around the world.
Check out Alex's new website at www.alexgelsomino.com

News from Alex

Alex Gelsomino, top Italian/American co-driver on the Rally of Wales 2002

Alex co-drives for Tim O'Neil in the SCCA ProRally Series 2003 for AV Sport and the Air Force Reserve

Alex Gelsomino with the Air Force Reserve Ford Focus at a recent photo shoot at the Luke Air Force Base, Arizona - added 30/3/03

I will codrive for Tim O'Neil in the Air Force Reserve - AVSport Ford Focus SVT for the 2003 SCCA Prorally Championship.

Alex
31/12//02

Read all about it

Photo by Lorne Trezise

It was really nice to meet you on the PBRC Rally of Wales and racing in UK for me was a fantastic and priceless experience. The schedule (flying on Wed, leaving on Mon) was a little tough but everything worked out really well.

I was able to do a 1-2-1 training with Chris Patterson on Thursday at David Higgins' Forest Experience Rally School, and was really worth it.

It would be great to do another event in UK before the end of the year. Hopefully we will.
Thanks very much for the pictures and for the attention you and Neil gave us in the Gallery.

Yes, I did sleep a lot, coming back..... ;)
Best Regards and hope to see you real soon.

Alex
30/5//02

Check out Peter and Alex's results on the Rally of Wales

I've been hired by AV Sport to co-drive for Peter Workum (the team owner) in their Group "N" Impreza in the '02 SCCA Championship, starting from Cherokee Trails.

It's an exciting deal because I'll be able to gain a lot of experience working side by side with team-mates David Higgins and Calvin Cooledge, team director Andy Brown and driver Peter Workum, that has been improving a lot in the past few races.

Alex
9/2/02

The Ramada went well for Alfredo De Dominicis and myself.

Second overall behind David Higgins with 4 stage wins in three days, is a good
result. I'm very happy, but tired....

My rally will resume in March at the Cherokee Trails in Tennessee with Mark Nelson, unless I get a call for some other event between now and then.

I send you my best for the Christmas holidays and very happy new year.

Alex
21/12/01

Alex will be co-driving for Alfredo de Dominicis on the Ramada Rally, Dec 13 - 16. Read more..

17/11/01

Alex Gelsomino, top Italian Co-driver