Welcome
to....
RALLY
There are several types of Rally. This gives a basic overview.
Northwest Region in the past has held all levels of Rally and is currently
looking for sites for RallyCross and for people interested in
RoadRally.
RoadRally
--
April 1st, 2012 RoadRally
SCHEDULED
Two people (a driver and a navigator) in ordinary cars make up a rally
team.
A RoadRally is traversed over public roads within the legal speed limit.
The challenge is to drive on time, arriving at points along the route
neither early nor late (it's NOT a race). Each team needs a simple watch
which can be synchronized to match official time, as well as something
to write on and with. Interior lighting (map lights, a flashlight, etc)
is also a good idea for night rallies.
A Touring rally is a
time-speed-distance contest with straight-forward course following.
There is never a deliberate attempt to lead the contestant off course,
and typically redundant/confirming instructions are provided if there is
an apparent opportunity to get lost. Since there is less challenge in
staying on course, the competition usually either tests the driver with
challenging roads, and/or tests the navigator with precise calculations.
A typical National Tour rally with a minimum of 24 controls is won with
an average of less than one point per control, and often with less than
10 points total (or a total error for the day of under 6 seconds!).
A Course rally is also a time-speed-distance event, but requires logic
to determine where the course goes, as well as the skills to remain at
the assigned average speed. These contests emphasize mental agility as
much as on the road skills. The ability to think quickly is necessary,
often described as "Chess on wheels." If you are a "puzzle" person, then
Course rallying is for you. Scores are generally higher as navigating
the course correctly by solving the "traps" laid by the rallymaster
plays a much bigger role in final scores than very accurate timekeeping.
A GTA rally is not a time-speed-distance event, but following the
course may be as challenging as a Course rally. Or it may be simple, but
finding certain signs and landmarks may be the challenge. From knowing
Santa’s reindeer on a Christmas rally to finding the oldest gravestone
in an old cemetery at night on a Halloween rally, GTA rallies have a
wide range of formats and challenges.
RallyCross
RallyCross is the most widespread and readily accessible form of extreme
dirt motorsport in the Sports Car Club of America, and the perfect place
to see if you have what it takes to powerslide your way to victory.
Imagine a scaled down version of a rally stage laid out on a non-paved
plot of land where the course is delineated by traffic cones instead of
trees or rocks. The entry fees and equipment requirements are
considerably less than those necessary to enter any other forms of
performance rally, so in most locations one need only arrive at event
registration with a sound, hardtop vehicle and the entry fee. Many SCCA
Regions have helmets to loan and will assist the first time competitor
with entering the appropriate class, making their way through technical
inspection and finding their way around the course. Best of all, it's
great fun!
Want to be involved in Rally?
Sign up to become a rally volunteer!!
Stage Rally - Organized and supported by Rally America (and
others).
RALLYING: A SPORT LIKE NO OTHER!
There are no ovals, pace cars or rain delays. Rally racing features real
cars racing against the clock on closed-off sections of real roads that
are usually unpaved and unforgiving. Events can last several days and
cover hundreds of miles through rain, snow, day or night. This extreme
test of skill, speed and endurance is what makes rally racing the
world's premiere and most exciting motor sport, and one that is quickly
growing in North America.
DRIVERS
Insiders and even casual fans consider
rally drivers to be the best all around drivers on the planet. They must
master every road surface and every weather condition while possessing
the endurance and stamina needed to make it through long hours and
hundreds of miles. As the old saying goes, "Circuit racers see 10 turns
1000 times while rally drivers see 1000 turns 1 time!"
CO-DRIVERS
The key to a rally driver's success is
their co-driver. Rally drivers cannot practice the course and must rely
on their navigator (or co-driver) to survive. The co-driver uses a
computerized odometer along with a supplied route book to communicate to
the driver what lies ahead on the road. The route book describes in
detail the road ahead and includes warnings for hazards such as cliffs,
trees and junctions. Rally drivers determine what speed and angle to
enter each turn or crest in the road by listening to their co-driver's
constant instructions.
EVENTS
Gravel logging roads, mountain passes,
well groomed forest roads - these are what make up the tracks for rally
drivers. They are temporarily closed, actual public roads on which rally
drivers can go flat out. With eight events held across the country, the
Rally America Championship has a mix of everything from ice and snow in
Michigan to super fast, smooth gravel in Pennsylvania. A typical Rally
America Championship event will last two days and feature over 250 miles
of roads split up into competitive stages and transit sections. The
competitive stages, or "special stages" are where the action lies; these
are timed sprints on roads that vary from 5 to 30 miles in length. The
lowest cumulative time wins.
THE CARS
A rally car is the ultimate real world sports
car; one that is capable of high speed and incredible handling on any
road surface and in every weather condition. Fast yet strong, they must
survive hundred of miles and several days of torture. As an additional
challenge, all rally cars must be street legal, since they must traverse
public roads with traffic between the competitive timed sections. The
Rally America Championship features a lineup of cars that the average
fan could buy from their local dealer, including Subaru WRX STis,
Mitsubishi Evos, Ford Focuses and VW Golfs!
FANS
Watching rally on TV is a spectacle, but
seeing it in person is an awe inspiring experience. Fans get to line the
road, mere feet from the sliding, jumping and gravel spraying action.
Fans can also freely check out the service areas where drivers and their
teams repair the cars. Meeting your favorite driver and touching your
favorite rally car are guaranteed. Tickets? Most rally events are
totally free!
