News, Views and How-To's of Road Rally

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• SCCA Detroit Region

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Think TSD (Time, Speed, Distance) rallies are not fun? Think again. TSDs, also called Road Rallies, are unlike races in that they are not tests of speed. Road Rallies are a test of skill and precision. Teams consisting of a driver and a navigator are given a set of Route Instructions that define which roads to drive and the speeds to maintain. Rally teams are scored on how close to their ideal time they arrive at each checkpoint along the route. This may not seem all that exciting – but there are many challenges to the team members that keep things fun and interesting.

Following the proper course can be a subject of satisfaction (and sometimes frustration), as can the math calculations the navigator must perform to keep his/her team “on time.” The driver will often be challenged by the road conditions, the weather, and the speeds. Regardless, teamwork is essential to be competitive against the other teams running in the class.

There are classes for Novices who are just getting started in rallying (using the stock odometer and a handheld calculator). From there, classes are defined by the level of navigational equipment used. No matter which class a team chooses to run in, there is still the option to enjoy the drive or work hard to get good scores. Alternatively, you may want to start by working a rally. All rallies need control (checkpoint) crews. This is a great way to get an introduction to the sport.

While Road Rallies are run on open, public roads and at speeds no greater than the posted limits – road selection is essential to keep it interesting. Most of the better roads used on Detroit Region Road Rallies are unpaved. These roads may be sandy, muddy, snow-covered, or icy. Road Rallies can run under all conditions – rain, snow, hot, cold, and well after dark. Still think Road Rallies aren’t fun? Give it a try – you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

The Detroit Region’s RoadRally program is excited to announce a great calendar of TSD (time-speed-distance) rallies for 2021! There are eight rallies for 2021, one of which – Son of Sno*Drift XXIII – already ran in January. That leaves seven more rallies on the calendar to enjoy! The following are on the Region’s events calendar:

April 17 – Twilight Tour (postponed due to Covid)

June 5 – Moonlight Monte (West Branch)

August 7 – Are You Territorial? (Chelsea)

August 8 – Lazy Daze (Chelsea)

September 11 – Press On Regardless® (St. Ignace – in the Yoop!)

October 2 – Cadillac Color Tour (Cadillac)

November 20 – Pavement Ends (Whitmore Lake)

2020 was an excellent season for the Detroit Region’s RoadRally program. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the Region still put on five successful and safe rallies, including the seventy-third running of the legendary Press On Regardless®. Participation was great, including twenty-six teams competing in POR, the most that event has seen since the ‘90s!

We saw lots of new faces and heard great chatter from folks having a rousing good time rallying. So grab your calendar and mark up some of these dates (heck, mark ‘em all!) and plan to come out to rally with us in 2021. This year’s rally calendar has events to run all over the state, including the Upper Peninsula for POR this year.

Be sure to visit the Region’s website and RoadRally pages periodically for current news and updates.

Events from this organizer
Today

MI: Son of Sno*Drift XVIII

Son of Sno*Drift Road Rally is intended to be a winter rally. As such, it is hoped that the challenges of winter driving will be a part of the fun. Son of Sno*Drift is a straightforward Time, Speed, Distance (TSD) Road Rally with simple instructions and no traps. NOVICES Welcome![Read More...]

We strive to keep our event listings current, yet both event organizers and our team may not get word of event changes posted timely. Please check with the organizers before making your travel plans. 

Be sure to let fellow motorsport enthusiasts and organizers know that you learned of their events on Come Road Rally with Us!