RoadRally

RoadRally or simply road rally at its most basic level is an excursion, a cruise, or a scenic drive with a purpose. It is a chance to exercise your favorite set of wheels and enjoy a day with a colleague, a friend, a sibling, a son or daughter, a spouse, or other family member. It also is an entertaining, fun, inexpensive form of motorsport that can offer a doorway to other motorsports activities.

A driver and navigator and a car (or truck or SUV, etc.) that is registered properly and on the road legally, is insured, and meets required national safety standards. You also may need, depending on the event, a clipboard, a calculator, a cell phone, a compass (on rare occasions), paper, and pencils or pens for writing. For an event run at night, add interior lighting—i.e., a map light, flashlight, or other device—to read your route instructions. (Also, for night rallies, driving lights may make your car look cool and more like a rally car, but you likely won’t need them, because your high-beam headlights will work just fine.)

SCCA rules mandate that a rally team must be composed of two people, i.e., a driver and navigator (or co-driver). Some local events may allow more than two people in a vehicle, with the stipulation that the number of persons in the vehicle not exceed the number of safety belts available. (Kids, of course, must be buckled into the appropriate child seats.)

SCCA rules mandate that a rally team must be composed of two people, i.e., a driver and navigator (or co-driver). Some local events may allow more than two people in a vehicle, with the stipulation that the number of persons in the vehicle not exceed the number of safety belts available. (Kids, of course, must be buckled into the appropriate child seats.)

A prepared race car or rally car, roll bars or other off-road safety or competition equipment. Your everyday driver or beloved weekend cruiser with regular seatbelts and a working speedometer and odometer will do just fine.

SCCA rallies are organized under the everyday rules of the road and under the rules SCCA has established for road rallies. Weeks or even months before an event, a rallymaster or rally committee will create the rules for the event, establish a start and finish and a route for you to follow, and determine what you are to do while you’re following the route. On rally day, he, she, or they will ensure that all the SCCA rally requirements are met and that the event can be conducted safely.

For local events, check this website frequently. Another good resource is scca.com’s road-rally calendar: https://www.scca.com/pages/road-rally-events.

Review preliminary information about a rally carefully. If after reviewing the material you have questions, contact the organizers. They can provide answers. If check-in/registration opens at, say, 10 a.m., arrive promptly at ten so you will have as much time as possible to fill out the required forms and review the information provided. Again, ask questions.

Make sure your vehicle is ready to rally. Road rallies don’t require a competition-prepared car, but a vehicle in good working order is essential. Fill the gas tank; check belts, hoses, and fluid levels; clean the windows, inspect the tires and lights. On the rally, you will have enough to keep you busy without wondering whether you’ll make it to the next gas station, or if your car will get you to the end.

What kind of vehicle do you need? You can rally in a minivan or an SUV, but the more sporting your transportation, the more fun you will have. Remember, too, that comfort is more important than horsepower. You will find yourself in your vehicle for an extended period. A comfortable cockpit makes teamwork and paying attention to the job at hand easier.

Have the equipment you will need. This includes pencils, pens, highlighters, notepaper, a clipboard, maps, map lights, whatever the event requires. However, don’t become a pack rat. Take along only what you need. Clean the junk out of your car, too. You will accumulate enough clutter as the rally progresses.

Stay on the rally route. The most common mistake new rally teams make is getting too wrapped up in the timekeeping or sign-hunting or question-answering aspects of an event. For your initial forays into rallying, focus on the route-following and the teamwork. This will get you to the end in a happy mood. And you’ll be surprised at how well you do.

The SCCA’s RoadRally page offers a good overview of the sport as well as some how-to helps.

• “What Is a RoadRally”: https://www.scca.com/pages/what-is-roadrally
• “How Do I RoadRally”: https://www.scca.com/pages/i-want-to-road-rally
• “RoadRally Supplies and Equipment”: https://www.scca.com/pages/roadrally-supplies-and-equipment
• Road Rally Rules: The official document for SCCA RoadRallying is the annual edition of Road Rally Rules (the RRRs). The booklet is available from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTTPX7JH) or you may find a PDF copy at https://www.scca.com/pages/roadrally-rules, where you may print it out without charge. Actually, unless you are contemplating a National Championship event, it’s probably not an essential part of your road-rally equipment.