JCCA has been planning to piggyback on a local classic car company's rally. As far as I can tell, the only differences between their rally and the JCNA requirements is that they don't give the times, only mileages; they don't give the locations of the checkpoints; and they don't have a test run prior to the rally.

We can handle the last item, but wasn't there a discussion of allowing rally scores from events similar but not exactly structured as JCNA rallies? I couldn't find anything in the rules.

Submitted by bblackwell@jcna.com on Thu, 09/30/2010 - 21:40

Hello Mark,
you are correct in your interpretation, there is supposed to be some calculation required, although we allow full detail for novices. as not everyone qualifies as a novice, unless this is your club's first rally ever, it does not follow the rules. I personally believe any rally results are largely all relative, with some element of chance with traffic lights, road traffic, etc. I would run it for fun if nothing else, as without speeds, it is hard to understand how it works as a time speed and distance event (T2).
they may do like the Austin Healey clubs in Texas. Every April, all 3 Texas Healey clubs have an event we call the Texas Healey Roundup. The rally's ideal time is determined by the average of all car arrival times at the very end. Whoever gets closest to the average wins. I consider it a scripted drive and enjoy the sights.
Regards, Brian Blackwell

Submitted by mark1mark@jagu… on Thu, 09/30/2010 - 16:43

Thanks, Brian. I missed that the first time through. Having received their route book from last year, I think they're a little loose in their instructions for our rally. They have mileages and turn descriptions, but they don't have speeds. I'm not sure how you're supposed to calculate anything if you aren't given an average speed.

OTOH, if I'm reading JCNA's rules correctly, the suggested route book seems to give too much information. In the T2 class, if you know the distance, speed, the location of the checkpoints *and* the time, there doesn't seem to be any calculation challenge other than an odometer correction. It seems to me that you can pretty much drive a leg of the rally at whatever speed you want (as long as it's faster than the proscribed speed) then adjust based on a timing device (assuming clocks/watches/stopwatches are allowed) over the last little bit of the leg. As one of our members who drove the rally in Santa Maria said, you need to have one of the variables missing.

That is the case in T1, where you don't have the use of the odometer, so you don't know the distance, unless you have great calculation skills. In T2, I think the challenge would be in not knowing either the leg times or the location of the checkpoints. The former would require you to calculate the times of the segment based on the instructions. Even more challenging would be the latter which would require the entrant to be as close as possible to the pre-established time at all points along the route. Having a checkpoint someplace where you didn't see it until the last minute would add to the challenge. Other rallies I've read about on the Internet are lacking one of the variables so that the navigator has to calculate.

No matter what we decide, we'll have to rework the route book to meet JCNA standards for those competing. I think we can use their checkpoints and checkpoint workers.

Submitted by bblackwell@jcna.com on Wed, 09/29/2010 - 22:09

Hello Mark, it is as George Camp describes. It is addressed in paragraph 7.2.8 and 7.2.8.1 of chapter 7 of the JCNA Rally Program Manual. if the rally is SCCA, we have already accepted those rules for some classes in the past, but we should look at the rules for the specific class again.
I would be the person to reivew it per our rules. If you need my shipping address, it is 10506 Bar D Trail in Helotes, TX 78023.

Regards,
Brian Blackwell

Submitted by SE98-32482CJ on Wed, 09/29/2010 - 08:33

Mark the rules are clear and well written. They discuss the type of situation you are asking about in detail (if I understand correctly). One thing that must be done is the submission of the rally rules for the other body to the rally chair--which a contact with soon would be a good idea.In any case sanctioning must be requested.