Fun Road Rally in SoCal

[RallySnake]

My rallies are very different from most. They are intended to be FUN, without frustrating tricks and traps. If you come out to the Ron Dunlop Trophy Rally, you will find the instructions easy to read and follow. On many rallies, the Navigator is constantly looking down to calculate average speeds and distances. I HATE that. I want both participants to enjoy beautiful roads and scenery. My instructions give you the exact distance to each checkpoint and there is room to pull off on a shoulder in case you get there early. If you do get there late, you can easily take a time delay by hitting a button on the Richta app.

At the Registration, sign up in Novice class. This is for beginners. The most difficult thing you will encounter is to figure out your arrival time to each checkpoint and that is easy. Let's say you are assigned Car #6 at the event. The instructions give you the Car Zero time for each checkpoint. Before the rally starts, you get comfortable at a table and do the quick math. You are supposed to leave the Start at Car Zero Time 2:00 PM. So, add 6 minutes to that and write 2:06:00 PM on your instructions. Go to each checkpoint and do the same thing. You also need to start up the Richta Competitor app on your cell phone and register your car there. The instructions give you detailed information to do that.

A few minutes before 2:06 PM Drive to the Start sign and Zero your trip meter there. Leave on time. Follow the simple turn by turn instructions. Checkpoint 2 is an End ODO check and a Restart. You want to get to Restarts early, stop and leave on time. So you get to the designated sign and compare your car's trip meter mileage to the official*mileage to get an idea what*mileage difference to expect on course. Don't worry too much about that. You reset your trip meter to zero again. You are supposed to leave at CZT 2:17:00 PM. So add 6 minutes to that and leave at 2:23:00 PM.

The next checkpoint is a timed checkpoint. You do not stop at these. It is also a practice checkpoint, so your score there will not count toward the final score. Let's say it is at CZT 2:29:00 PM. You have added your car 6 number to that and plan to pass by the sign at 2:35:00 PM. When you see the designated sign, you have room to slow way down, out of the way of other cars. Creep slowly toward the sign and try to pass your front wheel past the sign exactly on the second. It helps if your wife watches the clock on the Richta app (on your cell phone) and counts the seconds out loud, so you can judge your speed. I have found that I get better scores by passing the sign slowly, maybe about 10 mph. In a few seconds, your score will pop up on the Richta app. After a few checkpoints, you will get a feel for this and your scores will get better. However, if this is your first or second rally, don't worry about scores. Just enjoy the scenery and magnificent roads and wave as you pass other rally cars.

This is a medium length rally, so we will be on the road for about 5 hours. We have 3 breaks with food and restrooms available. We finish at the Lazy Dog Restaurant in Oxnard. (I highly recommend the Cajun Fries!) This spot is good also because there are Tesla Superchargers and regular EV chargers nearby. We will party there, announce the scores and award trophies.

Paul

[RallySnake]

[Sledge]

Where is the starting point?

[RallySnake]

I am unable to post the flyer here. You can see it in my pictures. Or, go to ITNRALLY.ORG for all the info. You can also go to MotorsportReg.com to sign up.

But, the quick answer is Goleta, CA.

RS

[Ron61]

[RallySnake]

Thank you very much Ronnie!

[RallySnake]

After WWII, service men returning from Europe had learning something about driving agile sports car around curvy roads and wanted to resume the fun here. Many of them bought English roadsters like Triumph TR3’s, MGB’s or Austin Healy’s. A few stepped up to get Jaguar XK120’s or Aston Martin’s. Then they started clubs and putting together rallies. In the early days, this meant driving together to a restaurant, having a party, then driving back together. As time went on, the rallies became more complicated with timed checkpoints deciding who drove the most accurately.

The people who prepared the rallies added rules to make things more interesting. The sport became so popular that in the 50’s. that the LA area had 4 or 5 rallies a month and often more than 50 teams would show up to run. The rules kept getting more complex until some people were getting totally lost during an event. By the 1990’s the sport had cooled down, but there were 4 big teams in the LA and San Diego area. The Rally Master’s kept making the rules more complex and many new people who came out to try it, went home frustrated and angry. So, by 2020 most of the teams have folded and gone on to other interests.

The members of the Into the Night Rally Team have decided to start all over. We are putting together events that anyone, with any car, can easily run and go home with big smiles on their faces. All the complexity and traps and maps are gone and we are focused on having FUN! It feels really great to hit checkpoints right on time and have your smartphone give you the good news a few seconds after each one. It feels great to know all through the event that you might actually win!

The roads on the March 25th Ron Dunlop Trophy Rally are selected because they are exciting to drive with sights that will stick in your head for a long time. We avoid industrial parks, residential areas and traffic. We hate stop signs and speed bumps! You know where the checkpoint is going to be and what time to be there. Your Navigator isn’t working calculators or rally computers, they are enjoying the scenery too. If you love cars and want to have a great drive and meet other people who love the same thing, come out and join us.

Paul McGaffey

[SBSerpent]

how many miles total?

[SBSerpent]

How many miles total?

[RallySnake]

About 120 miles of motoring fun!

[RallySnake]

Special trophies for this event:

[RallySnake]