In 2006 I had the pleasure of competing in the Rally America championship with Kim DeMotte by my side. Before we ever stepped in the car together we spent time on the phone sharing views and comparing goals and I knew good things would come of our time together. By staying present and keeping each other clear and present, focusing on our goals and on the process of learning, we soared out of 2006 with a Production GT national class championship. I'm positive that what made the difference in our performance often came from the right seat (Kim's seat), he kept the space free of stress and open to what we were out to accomplish. Thanks Kim! - Matthew Johnson, Professional Rally Driver

I knew Kim from his days with Dennis Martin in the Evo IV. Dennis and I had similar cars and compared notes often. In 2006 I had just bought a Dodge SRT-4 from another team and Kim was available for a "sort-out" run at Headwaters Regional Rally in Minnesota. I'll tell you that SRT-4 with however many horsepower it had was a handful! Having come from high horsepower 4WD to high horsepower 2WD was a radical change for me. And I wasn't going to have any time for "extraneous issues." I needed to focus on keeping this car on the road! It had to be a odometer/computer nightmare for the co-driver, because of all the uphill starts and wheelspin, but Kim kept it all under control. His experience and inherent calm in the car let me deal with all the issues I was having getting used to not being able to power out of all difficulties! We finished well in Gr5 as I recall, but mostly had a blast. I sold the car. But I'd take the co-driver again! Paul Dunn

The first time I had any personal experience with Kim, the second hand reached zero on the start clock at the 2007 Rally Colorado and Kim said "GO" on the first stage . Martin Headland, my co-driver for the 2007 season was unavailable for that event and had worked a deal with Kim to sit in for him. It was as if Martin was still sitting in the car. Kim's stage note delivery was exactly like Martin's and his competence in the car let me do what I do best and that's drive front wheel cars deep into corners and blast to our Gr2 win at Colorado. I also wrapped up the Rally America Group 2 Championship for 2007 with that win. THANKS KIM! I can't imagine a more stress-free way to go. Now my Mom has two co-drivers she can count on to keep me alive. Chris Duplessis

I had a great time sitting with Kim at the New England Forest Rally 2008. Kim is a very professional co-driver with years of experience under his belt. His experience is the reason why we were successful at the rally. His quick decision making and ability to keep everything on a tight schedule truly benefited the team. Beginning the rally Kim gave me a couple rules; finish, learn, and have fun. This relieved me of the nerves and expectations, and helped me to relax and focus on driving. I had an awesome weekend with Kim and would recommend him to any driver who wants to have fun and succeed in rally. Eric Hansen, Production Class winner of the 2008 Mexico and Berlin Regional Rallies, his first outings of many to come.

"Any driver worth his salt will be the first to admit that his performance in a rally car could never reach a high level without a similarly skilled co-driver. He is arguably just as much in control as the driver is, so it follows that the better the co-driver, the better the driver. Kim DeMotte's years of experience and impressive record speak for themselves, but there is no doubt in my mind that rookie driver Eric Hansen owes a great deal of the credit to Kim for his maiden rally successes at the New England Forest Rally." Andrew Havas, owner HavSpeed

When Kim and I got together for the first time for Olympus and Oregon in Spring of 2008, I really didn't know what to anticipate. I had heard that he is good, knew he'd been around a long time and had a lot of organizer experience, but I really didn't expect the adventure to be so successful right out of the box. Kim pretty much knows EVERYTHING about rally. He takes all the pressure off the driver, and adds a ton of confidence in the car. There's not much an event can throw at Kim he hasn't figured out how to handle; he is laid-back and very down-to-business at the same time. Oh, and I took the first ever trophy in my Evo at Olympus with Kim - thanks to him in no small part!! Dmitri Kishkarev

I've been privileged to race with some really great co-drivers (and one or two not so great ones as well), but Kim is hands down the best, period. Rally is sport where experience matter, and Kim has it in spades. He knows all the tricks, including the dirty ones, yet he always maintains a professional style. He has an ability to make road points disappear (one of which coincided with the engagement of his daughter, hmm....). We started on stage notes together, a skill he quickly mastered, to the point where he can anticipate my needs and pace before even I know it. Kim helped guide me from a mid-pack maniac with a reputation for crashing all the way up to a top ranked contender...with a reputation for crashing. Perhaps his greatest attribute is his fearlessness, literally laughing as we roll off mountains or plow into trees. In fact, over six years of racing I only managed to scare him once (sorry Kim, we have it on tape), despite scaring myself numerous times! He's a fierce competitor in the car, and a genial guy out of the car. But above all, he never ceases to enjoy himself...and that's what it's really all about. Dennis Martin

I first met Kim DeMotte in 2006 at the Ojibwe rally in Minnesota. Codriving at the time for Matthew Johnson (2006/2007 PGT Champion), it was quickly apparent that Kim's experience, knowledge, and enthusiasm put him among an already short list of the country's best navies. Finally getting the opportunity to sit with Kim at the 100 Acre Wood rally in 2008, my suspicions of Kim's codriving prowess were quickly confirmed while setting numerous second and third-fastest PGT times during our first outing together. Kim has an unparalleled ability to not only read notes flawlessly, but also to instill a confidence-boosting atmosphere both in and outside the car. Heath Nunnemacher

I can't tell you how important the right co-driver is. My rally career almost ended out of sheer frustration with my good friend and mechanic as my first co-driver! He was also a friend of Kim DeMotte's who quietly told me that if I ever wanted to take this game seriously....call him. So I did. Kim and I have rallied in the Golf (and won the two Regionals at Sno*Drift), my beloved '66 Mini (and had fun at Tall Pines), and the PGT Subaru I've been campaigning for the past 2 seasons on and off. His biggest regret (and mine) was that I sold the MKII European Ford Escort before he had a ride in that. I have been a particular challenge to Kim, I think, because I come with an entire set of racing skills that aren't necessarily appropriate for rally at speed on a gravel road. Kim has provided me with exactly what I needed, when I needed it, to learn this craft on my terms. He knows when to give me data and he knows when to shut up. What I'm most struck with is his ability to change the timing of the pace notes to when I need them and his ability to know what to do in any situation which leaves the driving (and only the driving) to me. That's the value of experience. Justin Pritchard

Like I have always said, it is better to be lucky than to be good. Finding Kim and having him agree to co-drive for me on my first rally was definitely lucky. Kim was exactly what I needed - even though I did not know what I needed until after the rally. He really knew every aspect of the entire race event and that put me at ease to say the least. He even beat the (rally community) bushes and got us some decent tires to run on the evening before the race. As far as co-driving Kim knew his stuff. He had my computer tuned in and ready to go before I could understand what he was doing. I had only had notes read to me on one hill climb before plugging in with Kim. But the "Pro" had me up to speed in no time. We had a successful rally (we finished) and I had a great time. Kim said his mission was to turn me in to a rally racing addict. Well, mission accomplished, Kim! Bryan Short