Dorothy, 97, in rally challenge

The world’s oldest rally navigator. 97-year-old Dorothy Caldwell, takes on the  5,810-mile  Trans-America Challenge.

Setting off from Halifax, Nova Scotia, on June 7, Dorothy and her son Alastair will finish the event in San Francisco, California, on June 28.

There will be 45 participants in cars ranging from a 1927 Bentley 4.5 litre to a 1973 MGB GT. Dorothy and Alastair will compete in a 1963 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III.

“When we lived in England, my family was into racing – my brother did it, and then both of my sons in New Zealand,” explained Dorothy.

“The first rally I did with Alastair was in Suffolk in 2011. It seemed like quite a simple thing to me, so when he asked if I would navigate for him on the first Trans-America Challenge back in 2012, I said I would!

“Since then, we’ve been to Burma for a rally and I’m about to leave for the second Trans-America Challenge as we speak.”

Dorothy’s son Alastair, a former manager of the McLaren Formula One team, insists his mother has never attempted to ‘pull rank’ from behind the map. “We’ve never had a cross word on a rally, it’s a team effort and we work very well together.”

As navigator, Dorothy looks after the maps, updates and trip meter – a role that requires dedication and a constant state of alert; as the rally navigates a difficult route through challenging terrain.