Rally Racing is a unique motorsport that has been around for decades and now Tennessee may become a new location for future world rally events with Rally USA.
Have you ever seen a car drive at high speeds down a windy, dirt and gravel road through the forest? This is a short depiction of what rally racing looks like, but there’s so much more to it than just the cars and drivers. Continue reading to learn more about what rally racing is at both the local and international level, what Tennessee and Rally USA has to do with this, and how you can get involved in this motorsport as a local volunteer or just a spectator.
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Choose Your Level of Learning
If you’re already a seasoned motorsports fan, you’ve probably heard of rally racing. Maybe you’ve even heard about the international events and know all about the sport. But if you’re completely new to this world of motorsports, don’t worry. I’ve written this post in a way that will allow you to jump to whichever level best suits you in the table of contents below.
What is Rally Racing?
Types of Rally Racing
To avoid confusion, the two types of rally explained below are the most common and easily misunderstood in the U.S. As with many sports, other countries approach rally slightly differently and may have additional types that we don’t have stateside.
Rallycross
Rallycross or RallyX is conducted within an enclosed course in a lap layout instead of point-to-point. It’s popular here in America and anyone with a car can participate. This type of racing is basically the dirt variant of autocross (which is done on asphalt). Cones are set up in straight lines, tight corners, and sweeping curves, designed to keep cars from getting too high in speed. The goal is to accomplish the cleanest laps possible.
Prior to the race, competitors are allowed to walk the track to note the layout as it changes every race. Once the cars and drivers have been checked for compliance, the race begins. It’s timed and points are deducted for every cone knocked over. Due to the low entry barrier, it’s common for these events to be conducted by the racers alone with no spectators. The drivers will usually tag team the entire race and take turns between racing and marshaling for safety and points counting.
Stage Rally
Stage rallies are held on public roads. They consist of “special stages” where the road is temporarily closed to the public while competitors push for the fastest time. Connecting the special stages are the “transits” which are open roads still actively being used by the public. Regulations for stage rallies are naturally more complex than for rallycross.
The day before the timed stages even begin, competitors and their co-drivers are allowed to run the stages at the posted speed limit to make notes for the next day. This process is called “Reconnaissance” or for short, “Recce” (pronounced REK-EE).
The following day when the stages are run for recorded times, competitors will be told when to start with a set amount of timed space in between them. From there they will head to the first special stage and drive as fast as possible through this part of the course. Co-Drivers are an important piece of stage rally because they will read directions to the driver the entire time, allowing the driver to make quick and safe decisions about the route despite the high speeds. Once completed, they will get their time and be told at what time they are to arrive, via the transit, to the next special stage. The cycle is completed again and again until the entire course is run. Spaced timing allows competitors to have enough room to race the special stages as hard as possible and not worry about running into another competitor during the race. Stage rally is the focus for world rally events and what we will be focusing on today.
Rally Organization
Rally Sanctioning Bodies
As with all motorsports, rally is a complex activity to host and operate. Because of this, there’s sanctioning bodies. The sanctioning bodies enforce regulations and handle promotions of the sport. Regulations are in place for fairness of the sport and safety of the participants, volunteers, and spectators. Promotions make sure it’s possible for a location to host a rally race with everything needed for a fun and safe event.
There are two main sanctioning bodies for stage rallies in the United States. NASA (National Auto Sports Association) and the ARA (American Rally Association). Both sanctioning bodies work with event organizers to set up the rallies and make sure racing drivers are in check with the current regulations. Each sanctioning body regulates their own series of events across the country, but you may find more of one over the other depending on where you live in the country.
Rally Event Organizers
Event organizers are in charge of the location that is hosting the specific event. They do all the heavy lifting for the event. Organizing competitors, setting the race course, onboarding volunteers, and handling hospitality are just a few of the many things event organizers must do to put on a successful rally event. Rally USA is the stage rally event organizer in Tennessee that we’re talking about today.
What to Expect as a Spectator
If you’re new to rally, maybe you just want to spectate the event. Although, if you’re really looking to get involved and up close to the action, I would suggest volunteering instead. But if you just want to dip your toes in, try enjoying a rally event as a spectator. I did this for the event Rally USA hosted back in November 2023 and this is what I learned from the experience.
Viewing Areas and Amenities
As a spectator you are only allowed in certain areas along the course. You will not be able to watch a car complete a special stage all the way through. Instead you’ll see just a corner that they slide through or just a straightaway that they speed over. You’ll be able to watch all the drivers go through this same, small section of the overall large stage. However, the best sections for viewing are chosen not only for your safety, but also because they’re some of the best parts of the course to catch the action.
Spectators are free to move around from one viewing area to another, but these viewing areas are limited. Expect to be shuttled between special stages and the parking area as the course is spread out for miles and there’s only one parking area. I recommend packing a backpack with food and drinks for the day. When an event is scheduled, all the info and details you need for this particular event is on the Rally USA website under Spectator Guide.
The Rally Process
Despite the high speeds the racers achieve, watching a rally event might feel slower than you think. It takes a full day to complete, and there’s more down time between stages than you might expect.
The rally special stage process actually starts an hour or more before the first competitor starts. Why? Because there’s a strict process to verify safety and fairness for the race itself. And as a spectator, you’ll be able to watch all of this play out. First, a series of safety cars will run through with start times that have a large gap between them. The first car will run the slowest and each new car will progressively drive faster. These vehicles are running safety sweeps. This is to verify that the course is cleared and safe to use as well as to verify that the volunteers stationed along the stage are prepared and ready for the stage to start. After the safety sweeps, the competitors will run one by one, also in a timely manner.
This process is repeated for each special stage. It’s a lot of fast action, but with lots of waiting periods in between. And even more waiting when the competitors must move to the next special stage by using the transits. Unlike the movie theater, there’s plenty of time to have a snack break, socialize with other spectators, and have a restroom break. But all the waiting just builds up the excitement for when the racers fly by each time.
What is a World Rally Event?
Rally History
Rally Safety
When rally racing first started in the late 1800s, there was very little safety concern. It didn’t take long for accidents to happen, triggering rules and regulations to be created as this became one of the world’s first motorsports. In the past, rally spectators have been known to be crazy. Some would be dare-devils and get right beside the raceway and nearly get run over. Many people have been seriously injured or killed due to this.
Today, safety regulations are put in place to keep spectators and drivers safe. Instead of being able to watch the race from anywhere, certain areas are specifically selected as viewing spots for the race. This allows event coordinators to pick the safest spots along the course for spectators to see great racing action and stay safe at the same time. It’s very important that spectators follow the guides set in place to keep them safe during a rally event.
World Rally Events
The last world rally event hosted in the USA was back in 1988. At the time, Americans lost interest because nobody kept up with the international drivers. When an international event was hosted here, nobody knew who anyone was except for the American racers. And at the time, America evolved in stricter laws quicker than other countries who participated in these international events. Both of these factors made it hard for a world rally event to keep coming to the United States.
So much has changed around the world since the 80’s. International racing has evolved to better regulations and, because of the internet, many Americans actually follow these stage rallies today and wish that we would once again participate as a nation. This shift of the times has been noticed internationally and is supported worldwide as many would love to include the United States once again in a world rally event.
Some groups have tried to bring it back to America, but some key factors were always missing in these endeavors. Sometimes it was a lack of uniqueness of the location, and sometimes it was a lack of support to make it happen. Whatever the reason, just remember that all these factors must be successful in order to make it in the international lineup.
What It Takes for a World Rally Event
A world rally event is the international level of rally racing competitions. Countries all around the world strive to be on the yearly world rally event calendar for the rally race season. In order to be included in this prestigious event, event locations must first prove themselves on various levels.
Each location must make sense from an international standpoint:
- In logistics -How will the competitors, cars, and spectators get there? Are there enough nearby hotels to support their stay?
- In visual/experience -Is the scenery globally unique? Are the roads suitable for racing? Does the area have a great culture?
- In safety -Is local law enforcement willing to support? Are there good hospitals and healthcare personnel nearby?
- In local support -Are sponsors able to support in this area? Is the local community supportive of hosting a rally event? Does this location have the volunteer capacity necessary to run a smooth event?
In addition to these factors, there are higher expectations and requirements for rally events than national or local level rally races. Currently, the U.S. has numerous rally events nationwide, but these are just held at the local or national level. The rules and regulations for these rally events are less stringent and easier to accomplish than the international requirements. A world rally event takes it up a notch.
International Regulations vs U.S. Regulations
Today, the international regulations are much more specific than the national level U.S. regulations. This is simply due to the international nature of these events. The complexity is added by people coming together from various countries. This diversity creates the need for more detailed regulations which allows for more safety and fairness across the board.
U.S. rally rules are regulated by the sanctioning body of either NASA or ARA. These organizations set the rules for every official rally race in the country to keep safety and fairness in play. Both organizations play key roles in the rally culture of the U.S. and are a great way to get started in the sport of rally.
The FIA is the governing body for international regulations. Not only do they regulate world rally events, they also regulate all the international motorsports. With the further defined rule set, as mentioned earlier, country-level sanctioning bodies must learn to adhere to the FIA rules and regulations in order to successfully run a world rally event here in the U.S.
Why Tennessee?
Of all the U.S. locations to host a world rally event, Tennessee is a prime spot. When looking for event locations, the international rally authorities look at many aspects. Does the location look and feel unique? Is there enough local support to host a successful event? Do the logistics make sense? With these aspects in mind, here are the reasons Rally USA chose Chattanooga and Polk County combined.
Chattanooga and Polk County Location
The Chattanooga area makes sense logistically as it’s near the international Atlanta airport as well as being an overall good hub for transportation. Visually, the forest roads in Polk County are appealing and unique to the United States. If you see photos and videos of cars racing through this particular forest, you’ll know it’s not in Europe or the west coast of the U.S. Polk County is the perfect place because of its uniqueness and great driving roads. Already, a few events by Rally USA have been held here and more are being planned.
Southern Hospitality
This is the South and with the Chattanooga area comes southern hospitality. If you’ve spent any time in the southeastern region of the U.S. you already know what this means. People here are friendly and welcoming, ready to share the southern culture with others. And this is something that is crucial when choosing hosting locations for a world rally event. In an international sport, it’s important to showcase the various cultures involved. With the southern hospitality culture of this area, Chattanooga and Polk County are a great place to host a world rally event in the U.S. and make an impact amongst the other international locations.
Community Boost
Having rally events in this area has a huge, positive impact. Not only does it provide a boost to the local economy of these small towns and Polk County, but it also comes with added benefits. Rally USA will always leave a place better than they found it, and this has already been proven. One of the previously hosted events here, Rally USA repaired the entire length of road that they only tested and didn’t even use for their event. This helps keep the maintenance cost lower for the area and allows for the roads to be enjoyed by more people for years to come. This is just a small example of the many things Rally USA is committed to helping with when it comes to supporting the local community. The community comes first because without them none of this would be possible.
Rally USA Volunteer Opportunities
Rally USA Volunteer Intro
In order for a world rally event to even be considered in the United States, they need at least 2,000 volunteers, preferably more. World rally events are not possible without volunteers. They rely entirely on volunteers to keep races fair, everybody safe, welcome the visitors, and create a positive impact in the local community.
Expectations Volunteering with Rally USA
Rally USA hosts in-depth training for their volunteers so even if you’re new to the sport, you will feel confident and capable when the event begins. After you sign up to volunteer, you will see what upcoming training events are available. This includes some in-person or virtual training with job specific or overview training.
I tried volunteering for the first time with Rally USA for their June 2024 event. I was at “Flying Finish” for one of the special stages which means I got to watch the cars race as fast as they could across the finish line before slowing down to get their final time. I was alone in the woods for hours in this position, but I really enjoyed it. I can’t wait to see what spot I volunteer in next!
Volunteering really is the best way to get up close, and if you love cars and other motorsports, it’s a no-brainer. Be mindful that these events are still new and evolving as some tweaking and perfecting are still underway. Just do your part to help and you’ll enjoy the experience.
Photo Credit: Gavin Guyer from a Safety Marshalling Volunteer Position
How to Get Involved
Rally USA is always looking for volunteers for upcoming events, just sign up here on their website. There’s multiple ways to help out. From intricate positions like time control and scrutineering, to easy positions like hospitality and marshaling. You can learn more details about these positions on their Facebook Page to see what would be a good fit for you. Or just go directly to the website and sign up to volunteer for anything that you feel like would be fun to learn.
Conclusion
Rally USA is a great way to support the local community and be part of something big. If you’ve ever been curious about rally racing or even fully involved elsewhere, I recommend checking out the upcoming Rally USA events. The mission is to bring a world rally event back to the U.S. and with your support, I believe this can happen. Will I see you out there at the next event? Comment below and let me know. Until next time, enjoy exploring Chatt!
More Chattanooga Area Volunteer Oppourtunities:
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