[Rallye Star]

I'm not exactly freaking out yet, but it's still only Tuesday....
Can anyone give me some insights on the rally? In particular I would like to know more about the terrain- I know there's sand and clay and red = slippy, but are there lots of hills? How bad does the ground tear up? What should I watch out for? How is the road shaped (ie. does it have a crown, etc)? Any advice in the event for bad weather?

I live in SoCal, so I've never driven in the snow and have some mud experience. My car only has 130-140 HP so he doesn't like to go up hills. I know if it's flat I can drive hard, but if it's hilly the cars with the big HP win....


Live fast, drive faster!
http://www.rallyestar.com

 

[wvonkessler]

>Can anyone give me some insights on the rally? In particular I
>would like to know more about the terrain- I know there's sand
>and clay and red = slippy, but are there lots of hills? How
>bad does the ground tear up? What should I watch out for? How
>is the road shaped (ie. does it have a crown, etc)? Any advice
>in the event for bad weather?

There are a lot of hills. The event is in the mountains. Unless it rains, there is no slippery about the rally. Just great gravel roads. Nothing super steep, just steady climbs and descents. There is no sand, and not a lot of clay.

About 3/4 of the rally roads are wide, mildly crowned roads. The other are narrower. None are extremely crowned, but they are superelevated in places (think on-cambered). The other 1/4 are tighter with some off-camber turns. You will need to be careful in these sections, because you will be spoiled by the other roads, and not expecting the tight, off-camber bits.

There are not a lot of straights, so believe it or not, you will not be at a great disadvantage hp wise. Absent slippery conditions, 2wd cars do extremely well.

Its so twisty that average speeds are usually between 45-55 mph. Finishing time for the 110+ stage miles will be well over two hours. You will be tired because of the constant turning that you will be doing. Your co-driver will be tired because he or she will be constantly calling L3+ into R3- etc.

You will, however, be a convert to the roads by the time the rally finishes. This is a driver's rally, not a hp rally.

Look forward to seeing you at Cherokee! Thanks for coming so far, you won't regret it.

Regards,

Wilson

 

[randyzimmer]

I was talking to John Buffum a couple weeks ago and apologized to him that I considered CT's were my favorite roads (not the ones in Maine).
He replied that CT's are his favorite too.

They are slow (no top gear stuff).
They have huge elevation changes.
Car killing rocks are rare.
Road condition is generally excellent.
In the spring there are good sight lines (no leaves).
Tires don't wear much, gravel is rounded, dust is heavy.

Organization and such is friendly and helpful.
Short transits and a nice central service with interesting neighbors.
(you'll see when you get there)

So see, no need to hyperventilate.
rz

 

[Mad Mike]

>I'm not exactly freaking out yet, but it's still only
>Tuesday....

Freak out? Freak out when you're on the way home and it sinks in you'll have to wait a year to get back on those roads.

>Can anyone give me some insights on the rally? In particular I
>would like to know more about the terrain- I know there's sand
>and clay and red = slippy, but are there lots of hills? How
>bad does the ground tear up? What should I watch out for? How
>is the road shaped (ie. does it have a crown, etc)? Any advice
>in the event for bad weather?

I've been over those Tennessee roads twice. In 2001 when it was a three-day affair, fairly wet and I was running a car I had yet to make a payment on. I'd only picked up the Bug 10 days prior, it was my second-ever event in a FWD car, being run with a navvie I'd never met and doing the route book thing against competition who had done the recce. We came second in class and 16th overall just keeping things tidy throughout. The second time I did it in a loaner street Galant VR4 as Car Zero. Tidy worked then too. The roads are magnificently technical. Booger up a turn and there's little chance you'll regain that momentum before the end of the stage, so tidy will likely work for you too.

They are my favorite roads in the country followed closely by those near Tillamook and then a toss up between 100 Acre Wood's and those around Bemidji (when they stick with the busier sets of roads). You'll find that giving up a little entering a turn will give you the chance to gain a lot coming out when using an appropriate late apex. Buffum would say, "In like a lamb. Out like a lion." Either way, charging into corners is likely to make for a long weekend.

>I live in SoCal, so I've never driven in the snow and have
>some mud experience. My car only has 130-140 HP so he doesn't
>like to go up hills. I know if it's flat I can drive hard, but
>if it's hilly the cars with the big HP win....

So don't fret the winning. Drive to the limit of your ability to find the potential of the car and keep on finishing. The results will sort themselves out over time.

Halley ...
I wanna be invited to Jake's low water bridge christening ...
http://www.realautosport.com

 

[Don Kennedy]

Great roads. Good event. Did I say great roads? When I ran, 2001 it rained, 2004 it was dry. 2005 it WILL NOT rain (that was a command). I think it's too late in the year and too far south for any snow that would impact the event.

 

[Rallye Star]

Thanks guys. That made me feel better. I'm looking foward to the rally. With some luck, I will finish and have a great time.

BTW, I think Ojibwe has some pretty kick @ss stages. Can't wait until I'm fast enough to run them.

: )

Live fast, drive faster!
http://www.rallyestar.com