Need Advice on getting into a Rally Race

This is how I should have gone about getting into a rally race instead of ranting and getting angry over my car not fitting into a rally catagory. I apologize for the Newsflash post, typed before I thought it thru, I have since written a letter to the people at SCCA apologizing to them, sorry again.

I have had a desire to run Pikes Peak race for 2 1/2 decades, back in the 70's I raced dirt late models in northern calif, off season some fellow racers and I would take our cars to a place called "the forest of Nisene Marks state park", there we would race 2 cars at a time up a 10 mile section of forest service road, the road dead ended at the end of this section and it was quite safe other than going into the trees or off into a ravine which happened on occasion. this type of thing is where "Drifting" really was derived from. a dirt late model does not hook up worth a dam on a dry dirt road. back then this was quite legal because during those years no car licence was required to drive on forest service roads, once in a while a ranger would see us and tell us to slow down but the speed limit was 55 anywhere not posted so they really couldnt do anything. anyway I raced dirt cars then asphalt late models on and off for 20 years the last in 96, then got back into racing MX and had a great time, won the senior div AMA in 99 then got hurt real bad at Glen Helen, MX days over I decided to go race SCCA. That brings me to now, my one goal in Road Racing is to run the runoffs, which ill do next year in E Production. I have a bunch of cars in the works but since national races are spread out maybe I can work on getting into this "Race to the Clouds" race. any advice on getting into and getting licenced for this would be geatly appreciated.


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Daryl Brightwell
ITA RX7 #11
NORPAC
ITA RX7 #77
SOPAC

[This message has been edited by 7'sRracing (edited December 14, 2003).]

[Diane]

Daryl,

Start here: http://scca.org/amateur/performance_rally/index.html

You'll need a rulebook of course.

The 2004 calendar is published http://scca.org/amateur/performance_rally/...2004/index.html

See if there is one near you, that will give you a lot of things to look at and people to talk to.

There has just been a leadership change in rally, but providing the structure stays the same, you will not be able to run a Pro event until you meet the requirements. So take a look at the Club schedule as this is where you will start. http://scca.org/amateur/performance_rally/...ally/index.html

Also check out http://www.specialstage.com, there is a ton of info over there, similar to what is here on Improved Touring, forums for drivers and co-drivers, events, regions, etc.

Good luck and have fun!

Diane

Thanks Diane, looks like a great deal of starting info. thanks again

Daryl

[Quickshoe]

Daryl,

I have very limited knowledge about rallying, but I entered (as a service crew lead) last season with my eyes and ears wide open. Contemplating a future in the sport while continuing to road race my FF as a hobby.

I believe that you need to advance to a "Seed 5" before you can be granted a pro license. I'm not crystal clear on the speed factor vs. seed deal but they both are used to determine the starting order of a rally.

You start as a Seed 9 (like a novice permit), as you complete ground school and events you advance up seeds, eventually to a seed 1 or 0. You can advance to a seed 5 (pro license eligible) by finishing in the top 50% (I believe) in two coef2 or coef3 rallies.

The coef of a rally, in road racing terms is like a single, double or triple regional. A coef 2 is 'like' a double. It has to have a certain number of stages (laps) covering a certain amount of distance. A coef 1 is a very short rally taking place over one day. It is possible/likely that seeds can be skipped.

Seed 8 and 9 drivers aren't allowed to use detailed notes. The theory, I guess, is that it is safer for them to NOT tell you what dangers lie ahead as you are likely to drive slower if you don't know what lies around the next corner or over the next crest.

Maybe last season was unique, I let you know after next year is over. But the rally world doesn't seem too stable. Some of our events were SCCA, some NASA and some CRS. Some were cancelled at the last minute due to environmental problems. All of SCCA performance rally was suspended in late May IIRC after spectator fatalities. NASA picked up the ball and ran with it. Now I hear that Mitsubishi is suspending its involvment in Pro Rally after winning the Championship.

Spend some time reading through the specialstage forums. See what kind of questions/answers are out there. What events were cancelled. Look at the number of entries at some of the California Rally events. I went to one in Nevada and something like 17 cars entered!!! How in the heck do you make money on that?

Have fun!! Your Rx7 better have some serious (non EP) type suspension underneath it. Good lighting, charging, cooling, systems. Windshield washers, wipers and horn. Basically it won't be anything like an EP car when you are done. Start from scratch. If you really like the rotary (as I do) and want to go that route go with a rotary truck.

--Daryl DeArman


[This message has been edited by Quickshoe (edited December 14, 2003).]

[Knestis]

There is no reason that you couldn't build a rally-legal and -appropriate first-generation RX7 for something more than the cost of a spec RX7.

There used to be a ton of them out there but they have faded from popularity. Even at that there should be a good knowledge base from which to work. You would need a sound shell (a consumable in the world of rallying), twice the amount of safety equipment, a rally-legal cage (a little different than for road racing), a computer, basic suspension, and rally tires - which are expensive and can get gobbled up even with modest horsepower.

Initial licensing is easier than club racing, probably because a driver can be a loon and be a threat only to him/herself. In essence, you attend a ground school of sorts and then its on-the-job training.

Logistics are a pain in the butt so start calling in markers for help, not the least of which being someone to serve as balast and on-board navigation system. Don't call me: I'm retired after 10 or so years in the right seat.

Kirk

thanks guys, I went over this years "Rim" entries and I think the concept of the V8 rx7 may be the way to go for group 5 with some serious suspension mods, cant wait to get my rulebook. I have a victim, I mean co-driver already whos eager to go, hes seen this stuff on tv so he must know what hes getting himself into, hehe.. unfortunatly the specialstage site is down and I havnt been able to soak any of that up. From what I read at the "RIM" site parts of that course are 4wd goat trails while other parts are very fast, some at night and some at day, sounds very interesting.



[This message has been edited by 7'sRracing (edited December 15, 2003).]