Special Stage Rallies
Introduction
These are far more
expensive than road rallies,
with more emphasis upon car preparation, speed and driver ability,
rather than navigational skills. Most famous rallies are special stage
events, like the Wales Rally GB , Britain's round of the FIA World
Rally Championship . At a national level the British Rally Championship
is the most significant challenge and incorporates rounds across the
country. The basis of such events - the special stage - is a stretch of
road closed to all other traffic, which must be covered at a high
average speed.
In most of Great Britain (the exceptions are Northern
Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, the Isle of Mull, the Channel
Islands and the roads used by the SEAT Jim Clark Memorial Rally),
public roads are not available for this purpose, so special stage
events use private land, frequently Forestry Commission roads or
disused airfields. Linking the special stages are sections of public
road, where the required average speed is low (usually 30mph or
slower). Because of these sections, all competing cars must be properly
taxed, tested and insured.
Major UK Events British Rally Championship (Events in England, Scotland, Wales and Isle of Man). Wales Rally GB (FIA World Rally Championship) in November. If you require further information about the Wales Rally GB please contact us at: rallygb@msaevents.co.uk Minimum Requirements
The Driver must be at least
17 years old and must hold a valid
Road
Traffic Driving Licence. Before you can apply for your first Stage
Rally Driver Licence, you must do the following:
1. Purchase a "Go
Rallying" starter pack from MSA which includes a VHS video, a
copy of
the Motor Sports Yearbook, the necessary application form, plus various
other useful items.
2. Complete a one-day MSA course for novice
drivers, run only by members of the British Association of Rally
Schools (BARS).
Contact your local school for costs. When you have obtained a Competition Licence, you will require the following: A car with added safety equipment (rollcage, fire extinguishers fireproofing, etc). An MSA Log Book. A navigator or co-driver who is at least 16 years old and holds a valid club membership card.crash helmets and flame-resistant overalls.
Rally Driver Schools All rally schools teach driving techniques for special stage rallying. A one-day course offers a chance to try rallying in someone else's car, to discover whether you enjoy the sport before spending your own money! Some schools offer courses for front-, rear- and four-wheel drive cars, or for driving on asphalt and loose surfaces. A few schools offer courses for co-drivers, teaching advance skills such as pacenotes and services planning.
Click here for schools
who are members of the British Association of Rally Schools (BARS) and
are registered with the MSA Rally Driving School Assessment The driving
assessment part of the test is quite straight forward. The Assessor
will be looking for a safe and competent attitude behind the wheel
rather than any advanced rallying techniques (hand brake turns etc.).
For example, the following points will be assessed:
Driving position
Hold on steering wheel
Use of brakes
Car positioning
Throttle control
Anticipation of hazards
Driving attitude & confidence on the relevant stage surface
Drives a "clean" Special Stage at a "reasonable" speed without hitting
any marker cones.
Car sympathy It is assumed that applications may not have had any
formal rally driving training before this assessment. .
Start Motor Racing
Have you ever wanted to start motorsport but never known how too or where to start, the thing is it dose not have to be expensive as you can use a normal everyday car. But the most important thing of all is to know exactly what type of motorsport you want to do for there are so many different types of competition out there that every vehicle has to be built different for the use to which it is put. My main interest is stage rallying an this can be very expensive, an the car is just to fast for road use so it dose not see the light of day very much apart from only doing 12 to the gallon don’t help [ some times 4 ]so it is not that practical ever an it is only a 1600 escort.[ by heck it is fun though ]
At the clubman’s end of motorsport there are events such as autotests , autocross , sprints , 4><4 off roading , an road rally’s all of which are great fun an not that expensive ever , but you have to belong to a motor club to be able to do these events. There are many motor clubs throughout the country ,an are more than happy to have new members too.
When you start to do things like circuit racing an drag racing an stage rallying it can become expensive for it is habit forming an can cause divorce. [ why would you not want to spend money on the car an not the wife]
Lets face it the would is
going backwards now an the modern cars are crap , an when was the last
time you went out on the roads to enjoy a drive? Without having you
picture taken or running kids over in the middle of a industrial estate
late at night . An if you drive a hatchback with a thump in the boot
while holding the roof on you probably would not be reading this ether.
after all what would you have a new radio or something to make the car
go faster.
I have done many different types of motorsport but stage rallying is my
speciality , 4>< 4 is great fun an inexpensive too . for
you can really enjoy yourself an you don’t have to much
danger involved ever. An the best part is you don’t need a
big vehicle for I used a fiat panda 4><4 an many people
would laugh at it but it would do everything a range rover could an put
shame to many others too.[ great fun ]an it cost virtually nothing to
run an did not matter if it got damaged ever unlike some [ ho I would
not be see driving it on the road though ].
If you want to use a every day car without t6o much expense then I would recommend autotests an sprints or road rally’s for you can use any vehicle an have great fun to plus you don’t always have to be going fast to enjoy it. .If you are keen to get more involved in racing an have decided what to do then go an enjoy it after all 30 sucks . Something that I never compromise on is safety , this is never to be overlooked both for the competitor an the spectator . I have built several rally cars over the years an used then an destroyed then too, although the rally cars look normal they are not , there is a lot of preparation that goes into them before hand , they are fully seam welded an have some safety equipment fitted in them too like a cage , harnesses an fire extinguishers ,apart from that everything else is modified the engine has apx twice as much power an brakes are bigger.
There is no limit to the things you can do to them but it depends on 2 things , you have to decide on what class you are going to be i. for some classes you can modify an some you cannot the other is money .so find a club an enjoy…. If you are not sure then I would recommend a driving experience day doing some motorsport , for these are very good for a taste of what you can expect , also there is a wide range as to the different types of sport out there , to help you decide what area you would like to do .for good value for money too an then go to the racmsa homepage to get a licence an get doing it
