[h=1]HOLIDAY SPECIALS ARE HERE![/h] Valid now through December 31st! [TABLE="class: yiv3041961604mcnTextBlock, width: 100%"]
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[TD="class: yiv3041961604mcnTextContent, align: left"] Holiday Specials from The FIRM are here! Come enjoy the Holidays at your favorite motorsports park!

All Rally, Road Course, 4x4 Off Road, and ATV/UTV Instruction Classes - 15% OFF
Use Discount Code: Holiday2016
All rally, road course, 4x4 off road, and atv/utv classes are 15% off, now through Friday. This includes our open enrollment rally courses and high performance road course classes.

Exotic Car Experience (3 Car Package) (20% OFF!)
Use Discount Code: ExoticCarHoliday
Our Exotic Car Experience event is January 13th-15th. We will have 3 different cars available for these dates - a Lamborghini Gallardo, Nissan GTR, and a Subaru STI Rally Car. Our 3 car driving package which has a regular price of $599, is being discounted by 20%. We also have other options available not at a discounted price.

Buy (2) Full Day Track Attack Passes and Receive 10% OFF
See Holiday Specials in our website store.
Receive 2 full day track attack sessions for any of our upcoming track attack days after the new year! This purchase will give you a credit for any two track days of your choice in 2017!
*New customers can still receive the incentive of $99 for their first time, but are not eligible for this discount in the same purchase..

Call us at (352)473-2999 or go to GoRally.com to sign up!
Registration is open now through December 31st! [/TD]
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[h=2]How to start racing: SCCA RallyCross[/h]



Bryan Tippens / Images by Rupert Berrington

With a very active and supportive community at regional and national events across the entire country, SCCA RallyCross offers some of the best action-packed dirt-based motorsports competition around. Despite being one of the youngest sports in the SCCA, RallyCross is well organized, has a very evolved but simple set of rules and is constantly growing in popularity.
SCCA RallyCross is usually run on dirt, gravel and/or mud, but sometimes includes short tarmac sections, at speeds usually no higher than 60mph. It is considered a very affordable form of extreme dirt racing in which having the most expensive equipment and well-prepared car does not ensure victory.
This sport can be a lasting hobby with enough challenges and variety to keep you interested and honing your craft for years. It has also been used by drivers to maintain, sharpen or develop their car control skills and, for some, has given them the confidence to go on to Hill Climbs, stage rally and beyond.
RallyCross courses are designed to be technically challenging for all cars in attendance and are run at speeds that may seem slow to the uninitiated, but are almost too fast once you're behind the wheel. Courses are as free as possible from objects like trees, buildings and rocks that could cause damage to a vehicle, and they're designed so the average street car can endure the challenges presented without damage or clearance issues.
The courses are marked by a series of cones, which score the same as they would at an SCCA Solo event should you hit one (two-second penalty for every displaced cone). Unlike Solo, however, times for each run are added up to a total elapsed time for the event. You are often only as good as your worst run, which pushes you to always improve – although with extraordinary skill you might still pull off a win even after a fairly big blunder. You will receive several runs over the course of a competition, although that number will vary from region to region, and event to event.
Courses are best memorized by walking (more than once if you have time) and through event parade laps, which are exclusive in the SCCA to RallyCross. Unless it is a novice course walk held by the region, which anyone can go on, many find it advantageous to walk the course on their own for better concentration. Find the line you think you will drive, but remember to be flexible during competition. Everyone has a different driving style, but the fastest drivers almost unanimously say that being slow and relaxed in the car equals fast on the course.
You're allowed to co-drive a car with someone, but regions will generally limit a car to two drivers per event. Some regions will have co-drivers alternate with every run, while others keep one driver behind the wheel for several runs, then switch. Co-drivers can ride along at many regional RallyCross events, but not at the RallyCross National Championship.
Speaking of the RallyCross National Championship, that event is where RallyCross competitors compete for an SCCA National Championship. To win a National Championship in the SCCA means you are among the best of the best. Anyone can compete at the RallyCross National Championship, but only the cream of the crop taste victory.
What RallyCross requires of you
Competing in RallyCross is cheap and easy, but there are things you need to know before your first competition. Everyone works at a RallyCross event. All drivers must also work in some capacity at every event, such as working a corner, helping with timing, assisting in tech or a variety of other jobs during one of the heats you're not running. Consider this a chance to get to learn more about the sport, get to know your fellow competitors and provide excellent support to the event operations.
One of the most important parts of competing is finishing. As such, tire pressure is vital, as too low a tire pressure can result in the tire falling off the wheel. A good trick is to put a couple more psi of air in your tires before leaving for the event so you can bleed the pressure down if you have to (it's easier to remove air than add). Too little air will result in a broken bead (where the tire pulls off the wheel). For a tire pressure range during competition, stay above 30 on any street tire and go as close to 40 as you can, making adjustments are you go. This requires some trial and error, but with experience you'll discover what tire pressure you and your car like best. If you opt for gravel tires, you'll probably run a much lower tire pressure range due to the stiff construction of the sidewall.
Budget for event registration and gas. Usually, $50 for a regional (more for a two-day national event) will get you by. Aside from carrying lunch money, a car wash fund might really help. Plan to spend up to $20 at a spray and wash after an especially muddy event. Also, be courteous and rinse the floor as you leave the car wash, and be sensitive to how you drive anytime you run your car with SCCA stickers on it. You are an ambassador for the sport and the SCCA – and any sponsors on your car.
There's plenty more to learn, so if this whets your appetite, keep reading and find out what to expect during your first weekend of competition.
Your first weekend
Head to www.scca.com/events and search for SCCA RallyCross events near you. More than likely, the local SCCA region's website will have more information about the event, including a location, start time and more.
On the day of competition, you will need a helmet, generally with the Snell SA2000 or M2000 rating or newer (check the RallyCross Rules for more information). Sometimes there will be a good supply of loaner helmets available at the events, but check with the host region first if you will need to borrow one. Sometimes loaner helmets will need to be returned after every run to be used by others, depending on demand.
Remember to bring sunscreen, appropriate clothing for the weather conditions, water, snacks and a couple of bandanas (which can serve a variety of tasks, including being used as dust masks).
Event registration is easy to find, and you'll need to go there once you've signed the waiver at the entrance to the facility (they will be able to point you in the right direction). There, you will tell them the class you intend to compete in, and they will make sure you have the correct car number. Registration should also be able to tell you the run group order, as well as which group you will be working. If this is your first time, mention this at registration and ask if there is a novice course walk.
Following registration, your car will need to go through tech. Tech inspection will sometimes be performed wherever your car is parked, and sometimes at a specific location. Ask at registration if you are unsure. Tech will check items like your car's wheel bearings for excessive play and that the battery is secure and the positive terminal is taped to prevent grounding. Tech will also look for loose items, make sure the seatbelts are in working order and that the brakes have pressure and the throttle returns without sticking.
Generally, the time to walk the course is before the driver's meeting. If you're unsure, ask where the start and finish are located, or follow the herd and feel free to ask anyone you see a question. Everyone had a "first event."
The driver's meeting will cover safety items, and inform everyone of the schedule for the day. Most of your remaining questions will be answered here, but in the event that they're not, ask someone for help. Almost anyone you see will be more than willing to point you in the right direction.
Once the event starts, be sure to keep an eye on the time and what groups are running. You will need to be on grid on time, and you will need to check in for your work assignment on time. Skipping your work assignment will result in disqualification from the day's event. If you have any questions throughout the day, ask anyone – they will help.
At the end of the day, some regions will have an awards ceremony. Stick around and cheer – this is an excellent place to meet more people and cheer on your fellow competitors.
It may all seem a bit overwhelming at first, but by the third event it will all be second nature.

 

[h=2]How to start racing: SCCA Solo[/h] Richard S James / Images by Rupert Berrington

So you've decided the Sports Car Club of America's Solo competition is your calling. Sometimes called autocross, an SCCA Solo is a timed event on a course marked by traffic cones, or pylons. It's low in risk, and can be light on commitment (if you so choose) while being very rewarding.


The best thing about Solo is you need only three things: a valid driver's license, a safe car and a helmet. By safe car, we mean one that's not going to fall apart, posing a hazard to you or others. A helmet means a Snell Foundation or SFI-rated lid – check SCCA's Solo Rules for the most up-to-date requirements (www.scca.com/solo). The good news is that many of SCCA's regions have loaner helmets available, just check with them ahead of time to make sure.
Getting started is as simple as showing up. Sure, you can recon an event before you actually compete, but it's not necessary. That's especially true if your SCCA region has a program in place to guide newcomers at the events. Some areas of the country even have Solo schools designed for rookies. If you can get to one, that's great. If not, show up, tell them at registration that it's your first time and let someone guide you.
What is Solo?
An SCCA Solo event is a precision driving competition. You'll find that how close you can get to the cones while keeping your car at the limits of traction is much more important than how hard you can mash the throttle. The Solo course is tight and twisty, usually assembled in a parking lot, unused airport or other large area of pavement or concrete. Traffic pylons – the orange rubber cones you see on roads, usually around construction zones – mark the course. They're soft, so there's not likely to be any damage if you hit one. But you still don't want to knock one over, because that will mean two seconds added to your time.
Which brings us to our next point: Solo is a timed event. Runs will usually be about a minute long, and your objective is to have the lowest time in your class if you want to win. It's really that simple. But while getting started is easy, mastery can be a lifelong pursuit.
Your first weekend
A Solo event usually consists of four parts: registration, tech inspection and drivers' meeting; the course walk; competing; and working.
Registration is paying your entry fee and giving them your pertinent information. Let them know it's your first time and they'll do their best to help guide you through the process and tell you where to go from there. But since you're reading this, you're going to have a pretty good idea. Just be aware that each region may do things a bit differently, and prices may vary. Generally, however, $35 is in the arena for many entry fees.
After registration comes tech inspection – if you don't know where it is, ask at registration. You'll take your car to the inspection area and they'll check a few things to help ensure your car is safe to compete – things like throttle return, that the wheels are snug, tires are in good condition, the battery is properly restrained and your brakes are firm. If they find something amiss, don't be offended or take it personally. They're just trying to make sure everyone is safe.
Ideally, before tech inspection comes car prep. For now, that may mean nothing more than getting all the loose stuff out, taping numbers onto the side of your car (registration will often assign you a car number) and adjusting tire pressures. You'll probably want to bump your tire pressures up from stock – find someone with a similar car to give you a recommendation on appropriate pressures, but if all else fails, make sure your tires are inflated to the auto manufacturer's recommended pressure. Later car prep may mean changing tires and adjusting shocks, or rolling the car off the trailer. But let's not get ahead of ourselves....
Before the competition begins, there will usually be a drivers' meeting. The event master will go over the event format and cover any special rules or procedures.
Sometime prior to that, probably between tech inspection and the drivers' meeting, you'll walk the course. This is critical – the course changes every event, and because the course is not pavement against dirt or grass, but rather pavement against pavement separated by cones and a chalk line, it can be tough to see. You'll want to walk it as many times as possible to get familiar with it.
Many regions offer a special guided course walk for beginners, often called a novice course walk. Ask at registration if this exists and take advantage of the opportunity. You can also ask questions on the course walk – like what tire pressures to run.
The competition part of a Solo event is divided into heats. Your class will determine in which heat you compete and in which heat you work. Yes, working is part of your entry. The competitors run Solo events; the people running registration, tech inspection, timing and setting up the course and picking up the cones that get knocked over are all competitors just like you. None of the work at a Solo event is hard manual labor, but it needs to be done to ensure a quality experience for all. Failure to work during your assigned time usually results in disqualification from the event.
Whether you work before or after your runs (many prefer to work before so they get a better look at the course, although usually you don't have a choice), it's all for the fun part: the timed runs. You'll usually get three or four attempts to post your best time. When the time comes, pull your car into the grid, and eventually you will be directed to pull up to the starting line. From there, the starter will tell you when to go – but it's important to note, the clock doesn't start timing when the starter says go. Rather, the clock starts on your run when you cross the timing lights on the course. Once the starter says go, take a breath and proceed when ready. Once finished with your run, head back to the grid. You will have at least five minutes until your next run, but often you'll have more.
There are many different philosophies to a three-run format, but many seasoned competitors will tell you that they like to post a solid time in the first run, really push it on the second, then, on the third run, dial back where they went too hot and push harder where they feel they can cut time – that's one way of doing things, and eventually you'll find an approach that works for you.
Once all of your runs have been completed, head back to your paddock space and either prepare for your work assignment, or (if you've already worked), you can pack up and head home.
You will get beat
You now have the basic information for a successful first Solo weekend. You have a car. You're ready to go. There are a few more things to keep in mind, though.
The first is, Solo is a very different discipline of motorsports than you might be familiar with. You may have been to a professional racing school or logged many hours during track days. Those things will help you, but they're not the same. Many a professional racing driver has been embarrassed on a Solo course. It requires different skills and a slightly different philosophy of car control to become good at Solo. And keep in mind that many say that going from Solo to Club Racing is usually a more successful transition than the other way around.
That's all a way of saying that you should expect to be well off the winning times at your first event. Don't let that discourage you. You'll get there.
When you're ready to take it up a level, there are the National series such as the Tire Rack ProSolo and Solo Championship Tours. ProSolo are two-day events that add the excitement of a drag race start with a Christmas tree. It's like bracket racing with turns. Solo Championship Tours are also two-day events that attract competitors from across the country. Eventually, you might even want to venture to the Tire Rack Solo National Championships to test yourself against the best. Currently being held in Lincoln, Neb., this event sees some 1,200 of the best autocrossers in the nation battle for SCCA's most coveted title: National Champion.
Whatever your level of commitment, Solo can be fun and challenging, and it's almost guaranteed to make you a better driver, even on the street.

This story originally appeared in SportsCar magazine, the official publication of the Sports Car Club of America. For more information on this topic or the SCCA, head to scca.com

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU8jxVX2GOw

Published on Dec 12, 2016
Nissan Patrol Fanta Limon fully restored three decades after race success. Found as a rusting wreck in Spanish museum in 2014, it has been rebuilt by Nissan engineers as a 'passion project' at weekends and after work.
This is the final chapter an emotional return to North African desert


[h=1]30 years on: Nissan’s iconic 1987 Paris-Dakar rally car rides again[/h]

 

WRC Gtreatest Drivers Colin McRae
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex6Vufkr2l0

starting a thread of Rally drivers Mcrae here:
https://www.tamparacing.com/forums/v...ml#post9384863

 

 

[h=1]Holiday Special Track Attack at The FIRM[/h] December 29, 2016 Come test out all of your new car parts that are waiting for you under the tree during our special holiday Track Attack on Thursday December 29th!

We are giving everyone a reduced entry of $159. This is a special event for us, and no other promotions or coupons are being accepted with the price of $159. This price is also not transferable to future events if you cancel or "no show".

Gates open at 8:30am
Track goes hot at 10am!

Bring your car, a SA2010 or newer helmet.

We also allow passengers - $25
Guests & Crew are $10 each

Want to maximize your driving potential?
Ask one of our on-site instructors for an on track 20 minute session only $75.

On-line registration ends at 11PM the night before the event after which you will have to register at the event. If you are new to MotorsportReg.com, you only have to create your account once. Once your account is created, you can register for future events both here at the FIRM or at many other driving, racing and riding groups with a click of a few buttons.


Open Track Day Schedule:
8:30am gates open*
9:00am – 9:30 vehicle tech
9:30 mandatory drivers meeting
10:00 – 11:55am track open.
noon until 1:00pm track closed for lunch
1:00 pm – 4:00 track open
5:00pm gates closed

 

American off-road and rally racer Bryce Menzies

RACER Staff / Image by Red Bull Content Pool

 

[h=2]Too fast to race[/h]

 

50 years sideways the evolution of rallying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjILuvJ6OQ4