SCCA puts a lot of effort into finding ways to lower entry barriers for those who want to have fun with cars, Track Night in America Driven by Tire Rack being one great example. But perhaps the very easiest way to have fun with cars is through SCCA RoadRally. All you need is a legal street car and a friend, or a friend with a legal street car. That’s it. No helmet, no safety cage, no fireproof suit, no souped-up vehicle that devours tires and brakes. Just a friend and a car.
Zoom On In To RoadRally
Getting involved in RoadRally is super simple. Just use an internet-connected device to join the upcoming RoadRally Zoom Get-Together taking place Thursday, July 15 from 7 pm to 9 pm CT. This is where you can learn directly from experienced RoadRally participants on how to get involved and what you’ll need to know in advance.
The other option is to find your local SCCA region, check out their website’s calendar of events for an upcoming RoadRally, then show up and talk to some of the nice folks there to learn more. Or you can find a contact phone number or email at your local region’s website and leave/send a message saying, “Hey, I want to get started in RoadRally. Can you help?”
Info for RoadRally Beginners and Organizers
RoadRally, an SCCA activity for most of the Club’s 75+ years of existence, is a scenic drive with a purpose. Conducted on public roads, entry fees are typically less than $40 per event. Two-person teams compete to see who is best at reading route instructions carefully, following the route, and, for Time Speed Distance (TSD} events, maintaining an assigned average speed. Competition is measured by points scored answering questions or by when teams arrive at precise checkpoints with exact travel times calculated. For Time Speed Distance (TSD} events, penalty points are assigned if a team arrives at a checkpoint late or early. The further off the base time, the more points a team gets — and the team with the lowest score “wins” at day’s end.
The above description is slightly oversimplified for brevity’s sake. But you’ll learn a lot more during the RoadRally Zoom gathering during which Wendy Harrison will present a “Beginners Guide to TSD RoadRally” session and discuss how easy it is to get involved. Rallymasters will also want to join this special Zoom confab for advice on making events more welcoming to beginners. Some of the topics to be discussed include:
- Different types of Time/Speed/Distance RoadRallys
- RoadRally Basics
- General instructions and route instructions
- Equipment needed
- Event registration process
- Tips for novices
“Be you a beginner or experienced Rallymaster, the RoadRally Zoom Get-Together on July 15 will have a little something for everyone,” said Harrison, who has been involved in the motoring activity for more than a dozen years and is a member of SCCA’s National RoadRally Board. “For novices, the information offered will make you more comfortable at your first event, plus you’ll have a chance to ask questions during the Zoom meeting. For those more familiar with RoadRally, the Zoom Get-Together is a way to support the community, welcome new people to the fold, and chime in with other helpful hints to get people out and on their way at local RoadRallys.”
Events Shortcut
Don’t’ feel like scrolling through your local SCCA region website to find a RoadRally event? You can always visit the RoadRally page at SCCA.com <https://www.scca.com/pages/road-rally-events> for a list of some RoadRally activities happening around the United States. From there, you can click “What is RoadRally” for a full explanation of RoadRally and a more thorough description of the types of RoadRallys taking place.
It should also be noted that the annual United States Road Rally Challenge is only a few weeks away. This year’s event, being held July 30 through August 1, will take place around Sparta, Wisconsin. Learn more about that event, or register today, by clicking right here!
Photo by Scott Harvey
