Following more than 20 successful years of driver training, Team O’Neil Rally School has announced changes to its ownership structure. Founder and Owner Tim O’Neil has announced Chris Cyr as partner and CEO of Team O’Neil. The change, effective immediately, will allow for the continued growth of the business and ensure solidified long-term ownership with O’Neil remaining co-owner of the business. Students can expect to experience the same quality of training that the business is internationally known for.
O’Neil opened the school in 1997 with the vision of building the best driving school in the world. More than 20 years later, Team O’Neil Rally School is considered the preeminent advanced driving school in the country. The addition of Cyr as a partner will allow O’Neil to spend more time focusing on his newly created role of brand ambassador. He will continue to contribute to day-to-day operations, while having more time to pursue creative projects such as vintage rally, teen driver training, safety advocate and more.
“While I wanted more time to pursue other interests, my primary goal was to maintain the quality of training moving forward that has built this business. By retaining a portion of ownership and working with Chris to ensure continued quality, I’ve checked both boxes,” said Tim O’Neil.
Cyr has served as general manager since joining Team O’Neil in 2014. He came to Team O’Neil following a successful career in business development. While serving as General Manager, Cyr successfully incorporated a new business structure at the school, which led to healthy growth. Moving forward, Travis Hanson will take over as director of operations.
“Having the opportunity to be co-owner of such a prestigious business is a dream come true. Having Tim coach me for the past five years, I feel ready to take on this new challenge,” said Cyr.
Team O’Neil courses vary in length from introductory single-day to in-depth five-day courses that are considered the most advanced and exhilarating driving courses of their kind in North America. While the courses have a focus on learning, there is also a strong emphasis on enjoyment and ensuring students spend plenty of time behind the wheel. Students of the school include automotive enthusiasts and racers, every branch of the military, celebrities, and the starting place for action sports stars including Ken Block and Travis Pastrana. Students improve their confidence in car control while learning more aggressive maneuvers such as skidding through turns.
