Preparing for a rally
The best way to get acquainted with the feel of a rally is to attend some events as a marshal. This would also give you the chance to see how controls work and, if you man a time control, how crews decide what time to take. I'd suggest that the ideal preparation for competing on a rally would therefore be to compete on closed to club Twelve Cars and to marshal on local road rallies.
MSA LICENSE
The most important additional item you'll require to compete on a multi-club road rally is an RAC Competition licence. These are issued by the Motorsports Association (MSA). This organisation is the ruling body of all British Motorsport. It defines the rules for racing and rallying categories, sets safety requirements and acts as a pressure group putting forward the motor enthusiast's views to government.
If you intend to compete then you should apply for a National 'B' "non-race" licence (Cost £32). This entitles you to compete as a driver/navigator/co-driver on road or stage rallies of either Clubman or National 'B' status - all road rallies fall into these categories. If in doubt, an event's Regulations will inform you of the rally's grade.
Larger national status stage rallies may be of National 'A' grade. To compete on these you'll need to upgrade your licence to National 'A' status. To be eligible to do this you'll need to have completed four rallies, one of which must be a National 'B' grade and one must be a stage rally. Proof of these results is provided by getting the Clerk of Course of each event to sign the appropriate section on your existing competition licence.
To hold a Driver's Competition Licence you'll have to be 17 years or older and hold a full RTA Driver's Licence. To obtain a Navigator's Competition License you must be at least 14 years old; however if you intend to co-driver on stage rallies you must be 16 or older. What ever licence you apply for if you're under 18 you'll need your parent or guardian's signature as guarantor on the Competition Application Form.
Licences can only be obtained by filling in the appropriate MSA form. You should allow four weeks for your application to be processed, however if you don't have that much time before the event you wish to enter then there is an express service available, this has an additional cost but your licence should be with you within the week.
If you turn up at an event without an RAC License you'll have to pay a £20 fine and sign a declaration that you have a license. These declarations are returned to the MSA by the event's Secretary and are double checked by the Competition Department. In a recent case a competitor who signed such a declaration without actually have applied for a license was fined £100 by the MSA and ordered to pay another £100 in costs.
INSURANCE
Most car insurance policies actual specify that they do not cover any form of competition, therefore if you are competing on a road rally your driver will either have to extend their cover, if it's possible, to include competitive motoring or they'll have to take advantage of the policy made available by the organising club. Before 1996 this cover was usually provided under the NES scheme of Bowerings Insurance Brokers, however for this year the RAC MSA have transferred their allegience to Bradstock Brokers, who have introduced a rival scheme. Organisers can now decide between the two companies.
If the rally you're competing on is using the established Bowerings scheme then, if your driver hasn't previously used the scheme, they'll have to apply for an NES cover letter; once issued these are valid for a period of three years and can be used on any event during that time. If a new NES letter is required then you should ensure that your entry and a completed NES application form is returned to the rally's Entries Secretary at least two weeks before the event. Your NES letter will then be issued at the rally start. Your driver may have a 'loading' placed on their insurance if they have certain motoring convictions or have a previous claims record; this loading will take the form of an extr a percentage which has to be paid on top of the standard NES insurance premium.
Bradstocks have a simpler scheme, whereby they'll except a driver for cover if either:
- They already hold a valid NES letter.
- They can sign a simple declaration, regarding physical ailments and driving record, which will be issued with the events Regulations (see below). This can even be done on the night of the event. If they can't sign the declaration then you should contact the organisers at least a week before the event so that Bradstocks can assess the situation and issue their own Reference Letter, which will probably include a loading.
Whichever scheme is used the cover provided is only Third Party, i.e. it will cover you for any damage caused to a third party but not to your own car. The current premium for a road rally is £11.30 for both Bowerings and Bradstocks.
SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS
Having acquired all the right equipment and found a driver, the next step is to find a rally to compete on. The full details of the event and an entry form are published in a pamphlet known as an event's Supplementary Regulations, more commonly called the SRs or Regs. You can obtain these from the Club's Competition Secretary or directly from the organising club (details of contacts are published in Motoring News' Rally Round Up section a few weeks before an event) or you can keep an eye on the What's On page on this site.
The Regulations will outline how the event will be run, how penalties will be worked out and what maps will be required. There will be a large number of references to MSA regulations, these are to be found in the RAC MSA Yearbook (commonly known as the 'Blue Book' due to its colour). The Blue Book is the Bible of British Motorsport it lays down the rules and regulations not only of rallying but all forms of car competition. You will receive a copy along with your competition licence.
An event's Regulations should be seen as an addition to the Blue Book rules. They will out line any alterations to the standard penalties or other specifications. Read the Regulations carefully, although most rallies follow a similar format and penalty system, there will, occasionally, be exceptions - it's better not to be caught out.
It's then a matter of filling in the entry form, sending it off along with the entry fee and then waiting. You should receive a notification of acceptance of your entry within a week of so.
FINAL INSTRUCTIONS
In the week before an event you will receive the Final Instructions. This will include your Start Number and time, a full entry list, details of the start venue and anything that has changed since the Regulations were printed.
NOISE TEST
The first hurdle you will have to pass on the evening of a rally is the Noise Test. Details of the venue of the test will be given in the Final Instructions. When you report to it you will be asked your start number and be given a Process Card. This Card has to be signed by each element of the Signing On process before you are given your Rally Pack. The Noise Test is the first element of this procedure.
Controls on noise emitted by Road Rally cars is tighter than any other area of motorsport this is because of the nature of the events, running over public roads in the middle of the night. Section E.12.17 of the MSA Blue Book has the details of silencing and noise testing.
SCRUTINEERING
At scrutineering the car will be checked for safety, as well as compliance both with the Road Traffic Act and with the RAC regulations.
Although the car is generally seen as the driver's area, navigators should be aware of the regulations regarding cars competing on road rallies. The rules governing a car's specifications are listed in theTechnical Specification Guide. Ensure before the event that your driver is aware of these requirements.
If you fail scrutineering at the first attempt, the car can be re-presented providing you can rectify the problem.
SIGNING ON
Once the car has passed its two tests, it will be time to park it ready for the start and for you to complete the documentation process. Signing on will consist of a row of officials who will each check a different aspect of you entry.
There may be a Map Check to ensure that your maps have no map markings (Blue Book K.14.3). Your maps will either be signed or stamped and may be checked again at some point during the event. Then your Competition Licence and Club Cards will be checked; any details missing from your Entry Form will be filled in and the Driver's Rally Insurance will be checked, the fee being paid if you hadn't included it in with your entry.
It's then just a matter of hanging around waiting for your Start Time and for you to deal with the contents of your Rally Pack. This pack will contain your rally numbers, damage declaration and query forms. It will probably also have a list of black spots and quiet zones, these can be plotted before the start.
|
