The classic form of rallying. A safe, low cost, and exciting competitive motor sport!

The event
The idea is for a two-person crew (driver and navigator / timekeeper) to drive along a route set by the organisers on public tar roads. The crew must keep to the set speeds shown on the route schedule, which are always below the prevailing speed limit. The organisers calculate the precise time you should arrive at any point on the route if you kept to the exact set speeds. The organisers marshals ‘clock’ your car at various points along the route and penalise you for any time early or late at those points. A typical one day rally will be about 200Km long and a weekender up to 1000Km.

So how is that exciting or competitive?
A typical 200Km rally will have about 30 turns and 70 points where the speed will change to a different set speed, all shown on the route schedule, indicated by road signs, bridges, side roads, rivers or other markers. The navigator’s task is to keep on route so you don’t get lost, and to keep time, continuously working out whether the car is ahead or behind ideal time.

The driver has to drive with absolute precision. He or she is responsible for making up time as a result of delays like hold ups from slow traffic and stop streets, and must be able to stop on a pinpoint from any speed with minimal time loss. The route schedule will show a speed change, and the time calculation will assume the car changes speeds instantly – of course that’s not possible in the real world, so the driver has to compensate.

There are normally be about 25 controls on a 200Km rally, and the crew does not know where they are in advance. Penalties are for each second early or late at the control. There are different classes for different levels of experience and equipment used, including a class for novices.

Who takes part?
Anyone and everyone. All ages and experience levels from National colours holders to novices. There are more women competitors than in any other branch of motorsport, and they have been extremely successful as both drivers and navigators. Brothers, parents and children, and couples compete as teams. A special section for blind navigators uses Braille route schedules.

The cars
You will see a lot of really beautiful classic cars on the rallies. The Association encourages the use of classics, but does not stop people with modern cars competing and winning. The Classic in the name refers more to the type of rallying than the cars, this is how rallies started, and how they were run until the 1970’s