I was asked on another thread to explain a bit about how to get involved in rallying. If someone wants to copy this to "How To," that would be fine...or just leave it here.
There is no one way to dive in, but here is a logical way to get involved. The person asking apparently really wants to drive. Here is my advice. Take it or leave it.
First rallying, like all racing is expensive. You knew that. Just getting that one out of the way first.
You are on the right track. Autocrossing is kinda fun, but realistically, I don't consider it real beneficial compared to other activities you could be doing. You blow a whole day and get MAYBE 5 minutes of seat time at an autocross/solo?
It seems to me that to get good at something you need to spend time doing it or something similar to the activity. I would suggest for a cheap racing fix...karting. Go to an indoor karting center and try that first. Dromo is in Anaheim, Kart2Kart is in Detroit, Stefan Johansens and another one are in Indy...they are starting to pop up in different cities. You can buy 3 8-minute sessions and boom, you just got yourself 5 times the seat time in one evening than you would have gotten at a full day on the parking lot doing an autocross. If you are hooked, get a 100cc or 4 stroke kart and learn the basics of conserving momentum through the corners and being a smooth driver.
For rally, in particular, I would also suggest trying a dirt bike. Many rallyists were or still are dirt bikers. Find some legal trails (easy here in Michigan) and go trail riding with your buddies. It is relatively inexpensive...just a bike, safety gear and gas. No speed limits on the trails, so you can learn a lot about braking on loose surfaces, weight transfer, the limits of adhesion on different types of dirt/gravel, etc.
That covers getting your skills primed with fuel driven madness prior to rallying. Other activities on loose surfaces can prove beneficial and can help you stay in shape...mountain biking and skiing for example.
All of the above activities are much cheaper than rallying, but will serve to provide some foundation of skills...so if you can't afford to go rallying...there is something up there that you can afford to do that is going to help down the road when you can afford that first rally car.
As for rallying, get on Sports Car Club of America's site www.scca.com and click on the Performance Rally link. You will learn basics about the sport and the classes involved (in the US).
Then head over to www.specialstage.com
There you will find a Forums section something like this one. Many of the drivers, codrivers, crews, organizers, workers, photographers, and fans alike post on there. Now, you may see a lot of ranting and arguing. As I mentioned on the other thread, there are different people who want to see this sport go in different directions. This prompts some heated debates, but in the end, we all just want to go fast on dirt roads. There is a Car Construction forum where you can ask questions and MAY get a reasonable answer (this is still a public forum, you know
). There is also a Classifieds section with cars and parts for sale/wanted. As with any forum, search the archives before asking a question that has been asked a hundred times before and, again, take the naysayers with a grain of salt.
Next, go to a rally! Links to schedules should be found on one or both of the above sites. ClubRallies are divisional rallies...usually shorter, cheaper, more local...split up into 5-10 state SCCA "divisions." These usually don't draw the factory teams, but the atmosphere is often nearly as informal as an autocross, so it is very low key. ProRallies draw the multimillion dollar Subaru/Prodrive and Mitsubishi/Ralliart teams as well as many other national contenders for different class title chases. Mazda and Dodge, for example, are involved in the 2wd classes. Many independents are involved in both the 4wd and 2wd classes.
As was mentioned on the other thread, spectating is more limited these days, so you may want to WORK the rally instead. If you marshall a road crossing, you will likely have a pretty good spot to watch the action on your stage...most stages end up being run twice...often once in each direction, and no crowds! We all need and very much appreciate the workers. They are what allows the show to happen. Links from the above sites should clue you in as to what to bring to spectate or work...plan on a day in the woods...mosquito repellent, snacks, rain gear, etc. If you work at an arrival or finish time control, you may give up seeing much action, but you will learn about the timing system used in rallying and how the control zones work...and get to interface directly with the teams. I did this with my dad before we started rallying. It was a good experience.
Sooner or later in your rally adventures you will want a 2-meter ham radio. I just have a cheezy Radio Shack model. This will let you listen to the net control...the entire brains behind the whole event. It is an amazing feat they put on. The first cars may be starting stage 10 while the 80th or 90th cars may be starting stage 5. That is 5 "hot" stages at once, which means 5 leapfrogging emergency services crews, stage crews, etc. An organizational accomplishment!
Don't be afraid to ask questions and talk with the teams if they are not too busy. Understand that if they have to change a transmission in a 20 minute service, you will probably be ignored if you ask what the wattage of their bulbs are. They have a job to do. But if there is a lull or the work is done and the service is just dragging on for a team for another 15 minutes, don't be afraid to ask questions and say hi. Most of us are happy to take time to talk to fans, sign autographs, give away goodies/pics, talk about the car, etc. Little kids and hot chicks stand a good chance of getting to sit in the car.
But don't be offended if they just kinda zone out or try to brush you off or something...remember, they probably have a LOT on their minds during the race.
Next, you are gonna probly want to give it a whirl! A rally school is a VERY worthwhile investment. Tim O'Neil's is incredible. www.teamoneil.com Tim is a character and is an excellent teacher. He has a lot of knowledge and a very good facility. I tested there in sat in on some things in July and was very impressed.
Rally schools are not cheap. I figure you can pay now by getting the skills at the rally school, or you can pay later with bent sheet metal, broken cars, and wasted entry fees/weekends. I chose the latter path. I would suggest anyone else should choose the former path. You will see your driving improve so much in one weekend, you will be amazed. Other good schooly type things are karting schools, winter driving schools, etc.
Next you are faced with the BIG DECISION. Should I buy a car...or should I build one? For some it is a challenge to build it. Some want to race in something they created with their own two hands. Some narcisistic souls even get enjoyment out of working on cars. This is my advice...Ask yourself, "do I wanna be a driver or do I wanna be a racecar engineer?" No problem with being both, but if you choose that route, one task will slow the progress of the other.
For me, it was no contest. I grew up in a machine shop, can weld, can machine things, work as an automotive designer, etc. So I'm gonna build, right? Wrong. Yes, I know I CAN build my own car, but I ain't getting any younger and I wanna race next season! Projects like car building are alot like car restoration...they often take much longer than anticipated. If you buy a used rally car, trust me, there will be a number of things that need fixing or you will want to change to make it easier to work on, etc. You will get your fill of working on cars even with a used one.
My advice is to buy something cheap, 2wd, fairly low hp, with lots of examples in the junkyard for parts. For me it was an 85 VW GTI rally car. A2 (85-92) Golfs make popular rally cars because of the availability of performance parts on the market, availability of off the shelf economical rally-worthy suspension, and cheapness of parts in junkyards or otherwise. The stock brakes are good enough, the suspension arms are up to the task with a little reinforcing, and the cars handle very well on dirt. Other small cars would be fine, including Proteges, Sentras, Civics, Neons, Focii, Escorts, etc.
By buying used, you will likely have a workable cage, seats, a rally odometer, nav. light, driving light pod/bar, skidplates, some wheels and tires, and maybe some goodies under the hood. BUYER BEWARE, THOUGH. There is a lot of crap out there for sale. Take one of your new rally buddies that you met at one of the above rallies who knows what to look for like worn out parts and stressed/cracked shells. If the cage looks like tinkertoys put together with bubblegum, DON'T BUY IT just cuz its a "steal." You will find a better one soon. Remember, you want to walk away from this car when you roll it. Notice I said "when," not "if."
Also, you need a dependable tow rig. I would suggest putting more thought and money into the truck than into the car. Make sure the car is safe and will finish rallies. Then buy the most reliable van and trailer you can afford. When I started out, I broke down on the way to rallies a few times. Not fun.
Once you get the car, fix it up to your standards and get it inspected, get a trusted friend to sit in the codrivers seat. Make sure you are compatible. Some people like a businesslike environment and others like it chattier. Overall, you are trusting each other with your lives. You need to know that they are on top of things. It usually helps to find someone who really wants to be in that right seat, not someone who is just doing it cuz they can't afford a car of their own to drive.
Oh yeah...your friends are important. You are going to need a crew at the rallies and someone to help drive the rig to and from the events. Treat them well. Even if you can't afford for them to sleep in beds and they have to sleep on the hotel floor, try to take them all out to dinner one night at the rally for a crew bonding night. Have fun with them. You are asking them to give up a weekend of their time to crawl around in the mud to fix the car you just stuffed in the ditch. They will feel a part of something bigger than any one person and will take pride in your team...as should you.
That is a lot to digest for the first installment. I will add more to the thread about the first rallies, realistic goals, and progress in a future post.
I will go out by telling what I love about rallying compared to circuit racing...
-I love being outdoors and being in the woods.
-I love driving as hard as you can down roads you have never seen before.
-I love the grittiness and "never say die" attitude it takes to be successful at this sport...I think most roadracers would give up long before a rallyist will.
-I love the people in the sport and the towns we visit. Many are beautiful mountainous areas. Not a dirty track with no shade.
-I love the unpredictability.
-I love working with a co-driver...it is a team sport.
Things that could be better...
-I wish we had more groupies or hot babes around.
-I sometimes wish I was not responsible for the life of another human being in the car...that they may have to suffer consequences from my mistakes.
-I wish it was more spectator friendly.
-I hate working on cars...cuz I do it SOOOOOOOOO much. We are doing things with cars that they weren't designed to do.
-I wish I could make a living at it.
I will leave you with this thought. Rallying, much like many types of racing, I suppose, can be an addiction. That word is tossed around too easily these days. Think about what it means. An addiction is something that takes ALL of your time, makes you spend money you don't have to spend, can cause stress and even destroy families and friendships. I have seen racing do all of that. For some of us, though, it is not a choice. It is DEFINITELY not a hobby. I consider my career in driving much more important than what I do for a day job. It is a lifestyle. One that costs dearly for sure, but the high after doing an incredible stage (like the paved Brockway Mtn. stage with 20+ jumps...where the jump pics were taken) is something that makes you laugh every time you think about it and makes you say, THIS is why we rally, even after losing friends from it and working so hard and having bad luck...it is all worth it.
Cheers,
Eric
There is no one way to dive in, but here is a logical way to get involved. The person asking apparently really wants to drive. Here is my advice. Take it or leave it.
First rallying, like all racing is expensive. You knew that. Just getting that one out of the way first.
You are on the right track. Autocrossing is kinda fun, but realistically, I don't consider it real beneficial compared to other activities you could be doing. You blow a whole day and get MAYBE 5 minutes of seat time at an autocross/solo?
It seems to me that to get good at something you need to spend time doing it or something similar to the activity. I would suggest for a cheap racing fix...karting. Go to an indoor karting center and try that first. Dromo is in Anaheim, Kart2Kart is in Detroit, Stefan Johansens and another one are in Indy...they are starting to pop up in different cities. You can buy 3 8-minute sessions and boom, you just got yourself 5 times the seat time in one evening than you would have gotten at a full day on the parking lot doing an autocross. If you are hooked, get a 100cc or 4 stroke kart and learn the basics of conserving momentum through the corners and being a smooth driver.
For rally, in particular, I would also suggest trying a dirt bike. Many rallyists were or still are dirt bikers. Find some legal trails (easy here in Michigan) and go trail riding with your buddies. It is relatively inexpensive...just a bike, safety gear and gas. No speed limits on the trails, so you can learn a lot about braking on loose surfaces, weight transfer, the limits of adhesion on different types of dirt/gravel, etc.
That covers getting your skills primed with fuel driven madness prior to rallying. Other activities on loose surfaces can prove beneficial and can help you stay in shape...mountain biking and skiing for example.
All of the above activities are much cheaper than rallying, but will serve to provide some foundation of skills...so if you can't afford to go rallying...there is something up there that you can afford to do that is going to help down the road when you can afford that first rally car.
As for rallying, get on Sports Car Club of America's site www.scca.com and click on the Performance Rally link. You will learn basics about the sport and the classes involved (in the US).
Then head over to www.specialstage.com
There you will find a Forums section something like this one. Many of the drivers, codrivers, crews, organizers, workers, photographers, and fans alike post on there. Now, you may see a lot of ranting and arguing. As I mentioned on the other thread, there are different people who want to see this sport go in different directions. This prompts some heated debates, but in the end, we all just want to go fast on dirt roads. There is a Car Construction forum where you can ask questions and MAY get a reasonable answer (this is still a public forum, you know
). There is also a Classifieds section with cars and parts for sale/wanted. As with any forum, search the archives before asking a question that has been asked a hundred times before and, again, take the naysayers with a grain of salt.Next, go to a rally! Links to schedules should be found on one or both of the above sites. ClubRallies are divisional rallies...usually shorter, cheaper, more local...split up into 5-10 state SCCA "divisions." These usually don't draw the factory teams, but the atmosphere is often nearly as informal as an autocross, so it is very low key. ProRallies draw the multimillion dollar Subaru/Prodrive and Mitsubishi/Ralliart teams as well as many other national contenders for different class title chases. Mazda and Dodge, for example, are involved in the 2wd classes. Many independents are involved in both the 4wd and 2wd classes.
As was mentioned on the other thread, spectating is more limited these days, so you may want to WORK the rally instead. If you marshall a road crossing, you will likely have a pretty good spot to watch the action on your stage...most stages end up being run twice...often once in each direction, and no crowds! We all need and very much appreciate the workers. They are what allows the show to happen. Links from the above sites should clue you in as to what to bring to spectate or work...plan on a day in the woods...mosquito repellent, snacks, rain gear, etc. If you work at an arrival or finish time control, you may give up seeing much action, but you will learn about the timing system used in rallying and how the control zones work...and get to interface directly with the teams. I did this with my dad before we started rallying. It was a good experience.
Sooner or later in your rally adventures you will want a 2-meter ham radio. I just have a cheezy Radio Shack model. This will let you listen to the net control...the entire brains behind the whole event. It is an amazing feat they put on. The first cars may be starting stage 10 while the 80th or 90th cars may be starting stage 5. That is 5 "hot" stages at once, which means 5 leapfrogging emergency services crews, stage crews, etc. An organizational accomplishment!
Don't be afraid to ask questions and talk with the teams if they are not too busy. Understand that if they have to change a transmission in a 20 minute service, you will probably be ignored if you ask what the wattage of their bulbs are. They have a job to do. But if there is a lull or the work is done and the service is just dragging on for a team for another 15 minutes, don't be afraid to ask questions and say hi. Most of us are happy to take time to talk to fans, sign autographs, give away goodies/pics, talk about the car, etc. Little kids and hot chicks stand a good chance of getting to sit in the car.
But don't be offended if they just kinda zone out or try to brush you off or something...remember, they probably have a LOT on their minds during the race.Next, you are gonna probly want to give it a whirl! A rally school is a VERY worthwhile investment. Tim O'Neil's is incredible. www.teamoneil.com Tim is a character and is an excellent teacher. He has a lot of knowledge and a very good facility. I tested there in sat in on some things in July and was very impressed.
Rally schools are not cheap. I figure you can pay now by getting the skills at the rally school, or you can pay later with bent sheet metal, broken cars, and wasted entry fees/weekends. I chose the latter path. I would suggest anyone else should choose the former path. You will see your driving improve so much in one weekend, you will be amazed. Other good schooly type things are karting schools, winter driving schools, etc.
Next you are faced with the BIG DECISION. Should I buy a car...or should I build one? For some it is a challenge to build it. Some want to race in something they created with their own two hands. Some narcisistic souls even get enjoyment out of working on cars. This is my advice...Ask yourself, "do I wanna be a driver or do I wanna be a racecar engineer?" No problem with being both, but if you choose that route, one task will slow the progress of the other.
For me, it was no contest. I grew up in a machine shop, can weld, can machine things, work as an automotive designer, etc. So I'm gonna build, right? Wrong. Yes, I know I CAN build my own car, but I ain't getting any younger and I wanna race next season! Projects like car building are alot like car restoration...they often take much longer than anticipated. If you buy a used rally car, trust me, there will be a number of things that need fixing or you will want to change to make it easier to work on, etc. You will get your fill of working on cars even with a used one.
My advice is to buy something cheap, 2wd, fairly low hp, with lots of examples in the junkyard for parts. For me it was an 85 VW GTI rally car. A2 (85-92) Golfs make popular rally cars because of the availability of performance parts on the market, availability of off the shelf economical rally-worthy suspension, and cheapness of parts in junkyards or otherwise. The stock brakes are good enough, the suspension arms are up to the task with a little reinforcing, and the cars handle very well on dirt. Other small cars would be fine, including Proteges, Sentras, Civics, Neons, Focii, Escorts, etc.
By buying used, you will likely have a workable cage, seats, a rally odometer, nav. light, driving light pod/bar, skidplates, some wheels and tires, and maybe some goodies under the hood. BUYER BEWARE, THOUGH. There is a lot of crap out there for sale. Take one of your new rally buddies that you met at one of the above rallies who knows what to look for like worn out parts and stressed/cracked shells. If the cage looks like tinkertoys put together with bubblegum, DON'T BUY IT just cuz its a "steal." You will find a better one soon. Remember, you want to walk away from this car when you roll it. Notice I said "when," not "if."
Also, you need a dependable tow rig. I would suggest putting more thought and money into the truck than into the car. Make sure the car is safe and will finish rallies. Then buy the most reliable van and trailer you can afford. When I started out, I broke down on the way to rallies a few times. Not fun.
Once you get the car, fix it up to your standards and get it inspected, get a trusted friend to sit in the codrivers seat. Make sure you are compatible. Some people like a businesslike environment and others like it chattier. Overall, you are trusting each other with your lives. You need to know that they are on top of things. It usually helps to find someone who really wants to be in that right seat, not someone who is just doing it cuz they can't afford a car of their own to drive.
Oh yeah...your friends are important. You are going to need a crew at the rallies and someone to help drive the rig to and from the events. Treat them well. Even if you can't afford for them to sleep in beds and they have to sleep on the hotel floor, try to take them all out to dinner one night at the rally for a crew bonding night. Have fun with them. You are asking them to give up a weekend of their time to crawl around in the mud to fix the car you just stuffed in the ditch. They will feel a part of something bigger than any one person and will take pride in your team...as should you.
That is a lot to digest for the first installment. I will add more to the thread about the first rallies, realistic goals, and progress in a future post.
I will go out by telling what I love about rallying compared to circuit racing...
-I love being outdoors and being in the woods.
-I love driving as hard as you can down roads you have never seen before.
-I love the grittiness and "never say die" attitude it takes to be successful at this sport...I think most roadracers would give up long before a rallyist will.
-I love the people in the sport and the towns we visit. Many are beautiful mountainous areas. Not a dirty track with no shade.
-I love the unpredictability.
-I love working with a co-driver...it is a team sport.
Things that could be better...
-I wish we had more groupies or hot babes around.
-I sometimes wish I was not responsible for the life of another human being in the car...that they may have to suffer consequences from my mistakes.
-I wish it was more spectator friendly.
-I hate working on cars...cuz I do it SOOOOOOOOO much. We are doing things with cars that they weren't designed to do.
-I wish I could make a living at it.
I will leave you with this thought. Rallying, much like many types of racing, I suppose, can be an addiction. That word is tossed around too easily these days. Think about what it means. An addiction is something that takes ALL of your time, makes you spend money you don't have to spend, can cause stress and even destroy families and friendships. I have seen racing do all of that. For some of us, though, it is not a choice. It is DEFINITELY not a hobby. I consider my career in driving much more important than what I do for a day job. It is a lifestyle. One that costs dearly for sure, but the high after doing an incredible stage (like the paved Brockway Mtn. stage with 20+ jumps...where the jump pics were taken) is something that makes you laugh every time you think about it and makes you say, THIS is why we rally, even after losing friends from it and working so hard and having bad luck...it is all worth it.
Cheers,
Eric
