A HEREFORDSHIRE rally star is looking forward to an American adventure later this month,

Co-driver Keaton Williams will be off across the water for the Dirtfish Olympus Rally together with regular driver Josh McErlean.

McErlean has just been selected to join the prestigious Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing Junior Driver team together with Williams so the Korean manufacturer can guide the careers of the duo.

Due to the efforts of both Team Ireland Motorsports Foundation and the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy the opportunity became available to contest the event based near Seattle Washington which takes place on April 24 and 25, this will be the first event under the Hyundai Junior Driver banner.

The duo will use Enda McCormack's Hyundai i20R5 run by the PCRS team, the USA based Irishman offered them the use of his car, and it will be a busy few weeks for the team as they will fly directly from Washington to the opening FIA European Rally Championship round on the Azores the following weekend.

"I'm still letting my Hyundai Junior Driver selection sink in, and I've been busy firming up our plans for the season ahead so the opportunity to go to America is one I'm relishing," said Williams

"The Olympus Rally means I get mileage in the Hyundai on gravel coupled with the opportunity to gain experience on a different surface, a new event, and hopefully we can hit the ground running when we get to the Azores Rally the following week."

The Olympus Rally is a qualifying round of the ARA National championship offering some 12 stages totalling 140 miles on a wide variety of surfaces from tight roads to very loose gravel.

McErlean believes that tackling different events can only help his career development.

"Its mega exciting I want to push boundaries and contest new events, its going to be a very busy few weeks but I can't wait to get our there now," said the 21-year-old Irishman.

Williams has also been selected for Motorsport UK Academy along with eight other young co-drivers to be guided by Nicky Grist and Paul Spooner.

Williams added: "It's all been a bit of a whirlwind it has come together very quickly, and I'm looking forward to competing on the Olympus rally and then straight to the Azores, plus the Hyundai Customer Racing junior driver selection and the Motorsport UK Academy which I'm really looking forward to working with these guys is unreal."