It depends on the event! Some events yes, others, the roles are set at the start. But nothing stops you from swapping seats between events, and plenty of regular teams alternate to keep both people sharp on both jobs.

Time-Speed-Distance, or TSD, events — focus purely on hitting average speeds and checkpoint times. Course, or Trap rallies add rules about how you’re allowed to follow the route, layering a navigation puzzle on top of the timing challenge. GTA rallies (“Game, Tour, Adventure”) drop the timing element entirely and score you on questions about what you see along the way. Treks are non-competitive, convoy-style drives meant purely for social fun and are a great first event for someone unsure about competition.

Checkpoints are hidden along the route at positions where your exact arrival time can be calculated from the route’s average speeds. You’re scored on how close you arrive to that calculated time — arrive early or late and you collect penalty points. Lowest score at the end wins.

A team is two people: a driver, who keeps their eyes on the road, and a navigator, who reads route instructions and calls out timing. If you don’t have a regular co-driver, most regions can help pair you with one at check-in.

No. Any road-legal vehicle with working lights, wipers, mirrors, brakes, a horn, and seat belts for both occupants will pass tech. Some classes reward RoadRally-specific timing equipment, but plenty of teams compete with nothing more than a phone app, pen, and paper.

RoadRally is precision driving on public roads — all within posted speed limits, no modifications required, just a driver and navigator working together to hit a series of checkpoints at an exact, pre-calculated time. It’s often the least expensive way into SCCA competition, and one of the most mentally demanding.