BETHEL—  Chris Duplessis, 24, grew up in Bethel with a love of racing. It’s a passion that is allowing him to travel to Great Britain to compete.

Duplessis has been selected to compete in the Wales Rally of Great Britain scheduled for Nov. 10 through Nov. 13. He will represent Rally America.

The race dates back to 1932 and is a popular event in Great Britain.

“I feel honored that I was selected,” Duplessis said. “As a young guy starting out, I wouldn’t have had the money to compete, so I am fortunate that Ford has noticed me and is helping me.”

The gravel event runs over a new route from north Wales to the capital of Cardiff in the south and has 78 registrations with 20 World Rally Cars participating.

Duplessis will travel with his wife, Sarah, on Wednesday night to Great Britain. They met through rally car racing in which she was a co-driver.

The couple recently rode together in the 2011 Climb to the Clouds race to the summit of Mount Washington and won first place in the R2 Two Wheel Drive division.

Duplessis grew up in Bethel and is a 2005 graduate of Telstar High School.

“My dad was the one who got me and my brother Forrest interested in go-cart racing when we were little,” Duplessis said. “We then moved to motor cars and rally racing after that.”

Duplessis teaches racing at Team O’Neil Rally School and Car Control Center in Dalton, N.H.

The company provides a safe and realistic environment for students of all abilities to develop a high level of driving performance and automotive awareness through world-class instruction, teamwork and development of state-of-the art technology.

Ford will supply a Ford Fiesta and crew for Duplessis in Great Britain. The car is the same one he uses to teach at the Team O’Neil Rally School.

Duplessis has won several race events, including this year’s New England Forest Rally. He also competed in the 2010 X Games in California.

“I have kind of proven myself the last few years,” Duplessis said. “This is one of the biggest rallies around and my first time competing in another country. I’m pretty excited about it.”

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