In the main, Road Rallying is a contest of precision. Contestants follow a prescribed route at prescribed average (legal) speeds. Along the route, the contestants visit checkpoints where their passage is timed. Scoring is based on matching the speeds/times from checkpoint to checkpoint. For many, the ongoing WDC Regional rally program has been a secret. This has not been intentional; rather it has
been a product of poor publicity on the part of the Washington/Baltimore road rally community. In recent years we have expanded to fix that! To that end, we plan the following:
A Regional Championship with year-end awards has been established which recognizes three basic groups:
•Serious rallyists may compete in the three basic SCCA classes combined for year-end awards:
•Equipped – a class for computers that integrate distance and time.
•Limited – a class for cars equipped with auxiliary odometers capable of precise mileage measurement.
•Stock – a class for ‘pencil and paper’ timekeeping utilizing a basic calculator, tables and a stock odometer. MGs of Baltimore, a local marque club that had been holding road rallies for classic cars since 1991, joined the SCCA road rally ‘family’ in the late 90s. So, there are classes for enthusiasts who wish to rally their classic MG, Porsche, Triumph or other.
•Vintage – cars built prior to 1962
•Historic – cars built between 1962 and 1981
For newcomers and ‘recreational’ competitors are also considered:
•Novice – a class for those with less than 10 events who have never trophied
•Seat-of-the-Pants – a class for those who wish to compete without recourse to computers, special odometers, calculators or tables. The most important feature of the program is that there is a place for everyone. There is no reason for anyone to be intimidated by equipment or experience. For one thing, you will not get lost. It is not unusual for Junior High School students to navigate their parents to a solid finish. It is a great opportunity for parent/offspring automotive activities. Participation by minors does require a special permission form signed by both parents. Safety is always a concern, but it is not a problem for WDC Region Road Rally events. For one thing, they carry SCCA insurance. The events are prechecked by SCCA Safety Stewards for both accuracy of the route instructions and for safety. Email the chair of the DC Road Rally program with any further questions or comments
