MULTI-VENUE STAGE RALLY

A multi-venue stage rally takes in multiple competitive sections, or stages, which are joined together by road sections on the public highway. Stages tend to take place on forest tracks or on closed-public roads.  

It’s you vs the clock as you navigate your driver through the event using route notes supplied by the event organisers. The crew that completes the event in the lowest aggregate time wins. But beware, you will receive penalties for checking into a timing control early or late.  

The majority of multi venue stage rallies in forests have no more than 45 competitive stage miles, whereas on events on closed public roads this can be more than 75 miles. Road mileage (sections between stages where normal RTA rules apply) will vary depending on the event location.  

You will have tulip diagrams provided in the event ‘road book’ which you will use to navigate your driver between stages. 

A standard event format would see technical checks and event sign-on taking place on the Friday afternoon prior, with the main event taking place all-day on a Saturday. It is therefore important to build in food, travel and accommodation costs into your event budget.   

A ‘one make’ series can be a good place to start to keep costs down and compete against a friendly community in similar vehicles. You can start navigating on multi-venue stage rallies from the age of 16. 

Check out rallying footage on Motorsport UK TV for inspiration, or head along to an event near you and chat to competitors in the service area.   

Once you’re ready to get started, purchase your Motorsport UK Rallying Starter Pack which includes the cost of your first rally competition licence and details all you need to know to go rallying. See you on the stages!

Jargon Buster

As with any new passion, the world of stage rallying comes with it’s own phrases and sayings. Get to grips with some of the basics below:

BARS – The British Association of Rally Schools. Can also refer to the ‘BARS Test’ aka the novice driver training course which must be completed before obtaining your first stage rally competition licence.

CLO – Competitor Liaison Officer. Your point of contact, on event, for any questions or issues you want to raise with the organisers.

DSO – Driving Standards Observers appointed by the event to monitor driving standards on the public road, including noise and speed levels. They must report driving likely to bring the sport into disrepute to the Clerk of the Course.

Finals – Final instructions. These are the last instructions sent to you by the event organiser ahead of the event.

Noise – Noise test. Part of the scrutineering process. This takes place before the start of the event to ensure your vehicle doesn’t breach event noise restrictions.

PC/TC/MTC – These are all abbreviations for time controls that you may see in your event documentation. PC refers to a passage control, a route check where time cards will be collected by marshals and the times are then communicated back to the results team. TC refers to a time control, whereas MTC refers to a main time control, such as the event start or finish.

Rally Time – To allow precise timing, all marshals and competitors synchronise watches to an agreed time. When you sign on there will be a watch with rally time on display – set yours to match it, exactly to the second.

Recce – Short for reconnaissance. Refers to a pre-event feature on larger stage rallies where the driver and co-driver traverse the stages at slow speed and in a regular road car in order to preview the course and write their notes.

SRs – Supplementary Regulations. A document issued ahead of the event detailing all key information. Make sure you read these before entering as these will detail the class your vehicle falls in for the event.

Timecard – Your timecards are critical to your event. Handed out by the event organisers, they are your co-driver’s way of recording your times. Marshals will fill out various sections throughout the rally.