Getting started in Rally Cross

[Petrolhead95]

This has probably been mentioned before but oh well.

I'm thinking about getting into Rally Cross next year. From what I understand I need a non race national B licence? Just looking for advice really on how to get prepared and what I need to do do in order to start.

Any comments welcomed!

[Wingo]

OK I'll through in some stuff seeing as no one else had.

I take it you've done some research? if not this is worth a look.

http://clubmansrallycross.weebly.com/getting-start...

Have you been to a meeting or two to see whats what? Well worth doing so you know what you are getting into.

I'm not aware of any test days you can do unlike circuit racing where you can test, test and test again.

I've only a done a couple of rallycross meetings both Yonks ago and the first one was in at the deep end, in amongst the 6R4s and the like in a Sunbeam Lotus rally car.

Second time was in a one make series so no crazy performance differential, but the close racing made body damage more of an issue.

Choose you class and get stuck in. Are your preparing a car yourself, buying one ready built or looking or other options?

Wingo

[fat80b]

Petrolhead95 said:

This has probably been mentioned before but oh well.

I'm thinking about getting into Rally Cross next year. From what I understand I need a non race national B licence? Just looking for advice really on how to get prepared and what I need to do do in order to start.

Any comments welcomed!

Why Rallycross exactly and not regular Stage Rallying?

I rally a Mk2 Escort and did several events in the MSN circuit rally championship last year. This was great and any damage is generally down to you and your co-driver rather than getting punted off by others.

Have you got any experience? - I would have thought getting out on a stage rally or two would be good prep for the car and you ahead of sitting on a start line with a bunch of nutters...

In which case, a BARS test and a Stage Rally licence would be my starting place before going down the Rally cross route.

Have you got a car in mind? I believe the spec for Stage & Rallycross are the same but check the Blue book carefully as it is a pretty hard read in places.

Find and join a facebook group or 2 as well ("rally log in and natter" is one). A good place to ask questions is also the britishrally forum:
http://www.britishrally.co.uk

Bob

[Petrolhead95]

Wingo said:

OK I'll through in some stuff seeing as no one else had.

I take it you've done some research? if not this is worth a look.

http://clubmansrallycross.weebly.com/getting-start...

Have you been to a meeting or two to see whats what? Well worth doing so you know what you are getting into.

I'm not aware of any test days you can do unlike circuit racing where you can test, test and test again.

I've only a done a couple of rallycross meetings both Yonks ago and the first one was in at the deep end, in amongst the 6R4s and the like in a Sunbeam Lotus rally car.

Second time was in a one make series so no crazy performance differential, but the close racing made body damage more of an issue.

Choose you class and get stuck in. Are your preparing a car yourself, buying one ready built or looking or other options?

Wingo

I've done some research. I know what licence to get, what safety equipment I need for me and my car - which I've got one laying around luckily. Research only goes so far so I need to get to some amateur events to see what it's like in person but the internet doesn't show much in terms of events to go to.

[Petrolhead95]

fat80b said:

Why Rallycross exactly and not regular Stage Rallying?

I rally a Mk2 Escort and did several events in the MSN circuit rally championship last year. This was great and any damage is generally down to you and your co-driver rather than getting punted off by others.

Have you got any experience? - I would have thought getting out on a stage rally or two would be good prep for the car and you ahead of sitting on a start line with a bunch of nutters...

In which case, a BARS test and a Stage Rally licence would be my starting place before going down the Rally cross route.

Have you got a car in mind? I believe the spec for Stage & Rallycross are the same but check the Blue book carefully as it is a pretty hard read in places.

Find and join a facebook group or 2 as well ("rally log in and natter" is one). A good place to ask questions is also the britishrally forum:
http://www.britishrally.co.uk

Bob

Quite honestly I haven't even thought about stage rallying. I don't have a clue how to get into that, the cars, points, time etc. It's something I'll look into. I've done numerous track days with my car but rallying is a completely different ball game I guess.

[fat80b]

Petrolhead95 said:

Quite honestly I haven't even thought about stage rallying. I don't have a clue how to get into that, the cars, points, time etc. It's something I'll look into. I've done numerous track days with my car but rallying is a completely different ball game I guess.

It's not as scary complicated as it first appears.

And with a track background, the new circuit stage rallies are a good next step imho as they mostly use the circuit with a few additional bits to navigate round.

As with anything motorsport, the first thing to do is join a local club. There are many excellent clubs up and down the country putting on all sorts of events. and within them there is a mass of people willing to impart their knowledge on all things motorsport. I'm a member of Chelmsford MC which I'd strongly recommend.

My path through motorsport for an example of what to do was:

• Autosolos (Mazda MX5) many events including a few AMSC championships.

• Targa Rallies (Mazda MX5 then Ford Escort) - several class wins and a few 2nd o/a but never quite on the top step.

• Stage Rallies (8 or so in a Ford Escort RS2000) - a car capable of winning a Targa puts you about 30th o/a on a good day on the stages.

next steps.... who knows, more power, more Targas, more stages, possibly Rallycross, possibly circuit racing.

I would say handling in the tight stuff is what I needed to work on - the autosolos and Targas gave me a huge improvement in car control which then means I generally outperform the people with a pure track background in the slippy & twisty bits.

I can't believe how many *good rally drivers are terrified of using the handbrake because they came from circuits and not autosolos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDIooUC8ZDA - an autosolo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z5gbG2jvCU - handbraking at Anglesey - car 55.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D37gJFihMy0 - in car footage at Donington in the wet.

Bob

p.s. you can do an entire season of Autosolos and Targas for the cost of 1 event at a Stage Rally or Rallycross......

[grumpy52]

Get along to a meeting ,go and talk to a few in the stock hatch class they are a friendly bunch .
Where are you based ?
There are not that many circuits doing meeting in the UK and very few do test days for rallycross.
Second hand cars are an easy way into the sport if you can find one that has had recent use as it will be up to date with regs .
As I always tell people the money spent on a competition car must be regarded as gone never to be recovered .
Any competition is expensive ,have a chat with people at meetings they will give you the low down .
Entry fees,travel expenses (tow vehicle etc ) accommodation,spares ,food etc it all mounts up .
£400 per weekend is not unusual .

[Wingo]

"I've done some research. I know what licence to get, what safety equipment I need for me and my car - which I've got one laying around luckily. Research only goes so far so I need to get to some amateur events to see what it's like in person but the internet doesn't show much in terms of events to go to."

Your choice of events to visit is limited to BTRDA clubmans championship or the British championship as far as I know.

There used to be the odd clubbie events at rallycross circuits but I've not been aware of any recently.

There is not a great deal of difference between the must haves for Rallying and rallycross in terms of car preparation.

It's not a big problem to have a car that does the job for multiple disciplines. All depends what you want out of the motorsport, all have their pros and cons.

Wingo.

[rallycross]

Its good fun, good value, join the BTRDA and go to one of their events to see what its all about, where in the UK are you located? not many venues to go to.

Also you could try out an autocross before you give Rallycross a try, look up your local car clubs and see if you can find any autocross events (field racing, they usually have a production class).

https://www.cramlington-district-motorclub.co.uk/

http://btrda.com/about-rallycross/

[velocemitch]

Not sure how this thread shows Rallying in the perception of the modern Motor sport enthusiast.

Somebody who is obviously keen to get involved in Motor Sport thinks of Rally Cross but it never occurred to him to look at Road Rallying, Targa Rallying or Stage Rallying. Believing perhaps its unattainable having only ever seen or heard of WRC ???

No reflection on the OP but that really doesn't show the promotion and perception of Club Rallying in a good light.

Personally i don't think Pistonheads helps either, we don't seem to be allowed a separate forum section for Rallying so the 'thread' is just dominated by the latest WRC whitterings.

[fat80b]

velocemitch said:

Not sure how this thread shows Rallying in the perception of the modern Motor sport enthusiast.

Somebody who is obviously keen to get involved in Motor Sport thinks of Rally Cross but it never occurred to him to look at Road Rallying, Targa Rallying or Stage Rallying. Believing perhaps its unattainable having only ever seen or heard of WRC ???

No reflection on the OP but that really doesn't show the promotion and perception of Club Rallying in a good light.

Kind of - But similarly, how many people look at circuit racing and think it is equally unattainable? - how many of them know of the time attack series or sprinting or even the 750MC?. Probably very few. It's hard to say it is any worse for rallying and the same could be said of *all* club level motorsport?

velocemitch said:

Personally i don't think Pistonheads helps either, we don't seem to be allowed a separate forum section for Rallying so the 'thread' is just dominated by the latest WRC whitterings.

I for one wouldn't want a separate sub forum. The club motorsports area is quiet as it is and I generally only look at the new threads at a top level (motorsport) anyway. I wouldn't expect there would be anywhere near enough traffic for a separate area. The britishrally forum as an example is also very quiet to the point that I only go there occasionally. You need traffic to generate traffic....

Bob

[grumpy52]

The information is available on various forums it's just that Pistonheads is not one of them for club motorsport of any genre .
There is an ebb and flow on the various forums as in all things in life but in general there are some very helpful members from all the various forms of spending our money trying to enjoy /frighten ourselves in cars .
Many are also on social media it's just a question of finding them .