[3literpwr]

Well its time to plan for my 3rd event and it seems like Defi, WV or Ojibwe are my choices for the end of the summer.....Defi and WV are both under 600 miles from me here in Metro Detroit so thats nice....

I dont belive that anyone has run the Rally WV roads as a rally event before? Also I hear that Defi is a Full Recce event so I guess I would need a navigator that knows a thing or two about it huh?

Any comments on these events?

Thanks
Larry
#622

 

[mattjohnston]

Larry, Do Ojibwe and Defi..

They are like 2 weeks apart. That's our plan!

Then we can borrow more bolts from you!

But really, for us. Ojibwe is a for sure, unless some crazy no money thing happens...

Ojibwe looks fun, people around here like it.

People seem to LOVE canadian events...

I would REALLY like to do Defi as well, so I am planning on it, but gas kills me, and Ojibwe is forever away, so I will have to see.

I didnt even think of rally WV, but lots of people seem to be liking the Nasa events this year.

Can you take NASA events as out of division points?

 

[Lancia037Rally]

I've done Defi three times (well finished twice)and Ojibwe a couple times and may be doing the routebook and/or stagenotes for Rally WV.

Defi has the european feel being in French Quebec, short tarmac stages in town Friday night, long challenging stages with a variety of roads Saturday, opportunity for recce, lots of spectators, can be dusty and while the road is primarily smooth there are huge rocks and gotchas off course, nice scenery and event history and well organized.

Ojibwe has long straights and sandy roads where power is more important than the technical aspects of Defi, way less spectators, stagenotes, less dust given equal weather conditions, perhaps less of a car breaker than Defi minus the Ojibwe ranch. Best thing going for Ojibwe is that if you don't have to tow there yourself, the airport is only a block away from rally HQ and hotel.

Haven't seen the roads that will be used at Rally WV but have been to the location for skiing, mountainbiking and Italian car weekend including a TSD rally. Nice area. There was talk about including a hillclimb competion that is going on nearby there that same weekend as one of the RallyWV stages which could be neat to compare times with and meet the hillclimbers. Expect the Irish NY teams to be there in force. NASA ESRC is a cheap and friendly atmosphere to compete in. Will post more later regarding the roads if I do prepare the routebook or stagenotes. NASA events do not count as SCCA out-of-division points. Not that SCCA awards club rally championships anyway, at least not here.

 

[3literpwr]

All three events seem like good ones.... After going to Tall Pines im sure that there will be LOTs more spectators and its also a bit closer than Ojibwe...... Rally WV sounds cool as long as its a decent amount of stage miles and if its all centrely done from the ski resort that would be nice too...... If I run Defi I need to make and install a 34mm restrictor which is not a problem but re-tuning for a single event may be a pain.......

I need to do a bit more research......

Rally defi 550 miles from my house
Rally WV 505 miles from my house
Ojibwe 750 miles from my house

Larry

 

[Jvimpty]

I can't say anything about Defi or Ojibwe, as I have never been to those events. The WV rally about two hours from my current home, and is in an incredibly beautiful part of West Virginia. This is part of the NASA East series which has been quite enjoyable this year so far. Good roads, great competition and well run events.

Rally WV is less than 4 hours from the DC, Richmond and Baltimore areas so hopefully we will see many competitors and spectators.

WV was heavily coal mined and there is an abundance of great twisty gravel and dirt roads to be used. The mountains are steep and heavily vegetated out there. The area promises to have great roads no matter where they run the actual stages. The organizers of NASA East have provided great events so far this year and I believe this one will be incredible as well.

The event is also two days long over labor day weekend, so time off from work should be less of a consideration. I hope that this information helps. I would hate to see people avoid this rally because it has never been run before.

Here is a link to topozone map of the host mountain

http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=17&n=4252488&e=587546&s=100&size=l&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25

Jeremy Wimpey

 

[Doug Woods]

>Well its time to plan for my 3rd event and it seems like
>Defi, WV or Ojibwe are my choices for the end of the
>summer.....Defi and WV are both under 600 miles from me here
>in Metro Detroit so thats nice....
>
>I dont belive that anyone has run the Rally WV roads as a
>rally event before? Also I hear that Defi is a Full Recce
>event so I guess I would need a navigator that knows a thing
>or two about it huh?
>
>Any comments on these events?

Larry:

I think that you would have a great time at Defi. Challenging roads, compact recce, great rally atmosphere, lots of spectators, Canadian beer, French-Canadian women, etc.

You will also have a chance to drive around the old Tour du Lac stage in Ste-Agathe that was used on the WRC Criterium du Quebec rallies and try to figure out how the works Fords and Fiats were on the rev limiter in fifth gear while you are thinking that the speed limit is quite challenging!

Doug Woods

 

[John Cassidy]

Don't miss Defi!

Cheers! John

 

[Lancia037Rally]

RE: Rallye Defi

>Don't miss Defi!

One of the coolest things I've EVER seen was the Northern Lights (auroborialis (spelling?))the evening following Defi 2002. Intense.

>French-Canadian women.

WVA boasts toothless women. Don't know if that is good thing or not.

 

[jandreini]

Lowest cost, excellent roads: WV

Highest cost, least forgiving roads, longest investment in time(all assuming you'll do the recce, as it would be foolish not to), and maybe less suitable for the beginner: Defi(but, on the good side, the most complete experience and a definite blast)

Need the points, better "learning experience", really fun stages, want to stay within the SCCA purview: Ojibwe

I suspect you couldn't go wrong with any of them. but for a relative beginner, my choice would probably be WV. Orgaization has been a little spotty in some of the NASA events(not unusual for a first year series), but the stages get run and the roads are good; a lot of bang for the buck.

 

[Daman]

RE: Rallye Defi

>>Don't miss Defi!
>
>One of the coolest things I've EVER seen was the Northern
>Lights (auroborialis (spelling?))the evening following Defi
>2002. Intense.

in the midle of summer ? humm...that must be the canadien Beer :+ :+ :+ .... or...you were very lucky...

If you can not do the recce.... the notes that will be suplyed are the same as what was given before they alowd recce....so they are not that bad....i know couples of people that did the national whit out recce and they sead that the notes were ok.

for us...last year was our first Defie and our first even whit recce...it went very well untill the car DNF....but as far as the notes ? we took our time to make them...it took all day and my copilote worked on them until 1 am....but man...they were good we both really enjoyed it....of course before we got there we ad our system all trick out....

whit the exchange rates and all im pretty shure defie is a good deal...also you can do the regional part of the rally for alot less...

Alain Lavoie
24Rallyteam
http://www.abikeonline.com/24rallyteam/

 

[Lancia037Rally]

>Highest cost, least forgiving roads, longest investment in
>time(all assuming you'll do the recce, as it would be
>foolish not to

Only teams entered in the National (Pro)event may participate in the recce. However, out-of-division SCCA ClubRally points can be awarded by your scorekeeper for competing in the Defi Regional (Club)rally. Check with your scorekeeper. NEDiv counts all CARS regionals for out-of-division points.
All the stages were run twice last year (less recee time and distance). If you were to run the regional, my suggestion would be to take it easy the first pass and note the many gotchas and then let it hang out the second pass.

>Need the points, ................. Ojibwe

Again, you can probably get SCCA points at Defi.

 

[Lancia037Rally]

RE: Rallye Defi

>in the midle of summer ? humm...that must be the canadien
>Beer :+ :+ :+ ....

Champagne it was.

>If you can not do the recce.... the notes that will be
>suplyed are the same as what was given before they alowd
>recce....so they are not that bad....i know couples of
>people that did the national whit out recce and they sead
>that the notes were ok.

Alain means routebook. There are no stagenotes provided.

 

[Flyboy]

OFPR has great roads, some of my favorite actually, but if you are car 20 or later the roads can get pretty chewed up. Also, this year the rally will run almost completely at night. Personally that pisses me off (don't get me started), and I've let the organizers know, but if you don't mind night rally then it's not a problem. OFPR probably has the best mix of slow, fast, twisty, open, etc.. roads in the US. You will enounter everything there. I've found the locals in Bemidji to be less than enthusiastic about the rally. Keep everything you own locked up.

Never ran Defi, but according to the pundits on SS Canada is some sort of rally Nirvana where the roads are great, the spectators are plenty, the costs are cheap, and lawyers don't seem to exist. Regardless, the exchange rate makes rallying up there very cost effective for US competitors, which is why guys like Brian Scott, Randy Zimmer, and ACP run there all the time. Losta bang for US bucks.

Rally WV is supposed to be cool. Kick ass mountain roads and something like 160 stage miles. My codriver did a NASA event and was impressed with the organization, but their track record of getting new events off the ground is less than perfect. If the event goes, it will probably go well. A word of caution, mountain sides are less forgiving to offs than MI or PA trees. In other words, if you screw up here, it's a long way down.

Bottom line, you need seat time. All the events are quality enough to give you good miles. Add up the dollars per stage mile each event will cost you. Lowest $/mile wins.

Dennis Martin
[email protected]
920-432-4845

 

[Lancia037Rally]

>Lowest $/mile wins.

Or highest exchange rate/kilometer.

 

[mothra]

>Rally WV is supposed to be cool. Kick ass mountain roads
>and something like 160 stage miles. My codriver did a NASA
>event and was impressed with the organization, but their
>track record of getting new events off the ground is less
>than perfect. If the event goes, it will probably go well.


Just curious but which NASA events haven't taken place. Other than Rally Alabama which has been post-poned but is still happening. As far as I know their track record has been 100% this year. I have been wrong before. I plan to run RallyWV convenient and NASA has been very good about developing new/inexperienced drivers.

 

[rallyracer21]

do ojibweman its so fun the roads r so close to the hotel (i think but its so much fun

 

[3literpwr]

Well im unsure what event to do? Im almost positive that it will be Defi or RWV....... Ojibwe is just a bit further and seeing that im not gonna win anything its really as Dennis put it "seat time"....... this will be my second gravel event and I plan to have a new co-driver it as well..... Hopefully someone good

I will look into the cost of both events and see what turns up as the best deal......

Thanks for the info....

Larry

 

[Adrian Wintle]

>Well im unsure what event to do? Im almost positive that it
>will be Defi or RWV....... Ojibwe is just a bit further and
>seeing that im not gonna win anything its really as Dennis
>put it "seat time"....... this will be my second gravel
>event and I plan to have a new co-driver it as well.....
>Hopefully someone good
>
>I will look into the cost of both events and see what turns
>up as the best deal......

FYI, the Canadian dollar is running around 72-73 cents US. Regular gas is in the 70-85 cent per litre range at the moment ($US 1.95-2.35 per gallon). Note that our gas prices seem to take 10 cent per litre swings at seemingly random intervals...

Adrian