Rally Driving is a high you will never forget!

It seems like it must be a part of the human nature to have a desire to live somewhat on the edge, taking risks that get your juices flowing, and that means taking those risks with a redundancy of safety equipment for a back up, just to be on the safe side. Rally driving is all about the thrills and the experience of danger because even though the art of high speed driving puts the driver at risk they feel that need to experience their ability to make fast decisions.

Racing is more than simply accelerating

Stomping down on the gas pedal is fun! Hitting the gas makes that little automobile spin the tyres and squeal out rapidly like you never can on city streets. Each driver is determined to be first from the starting line all the way to the finish line but that mechanical bullet must be kept under control to keep the race safe for all who participate. So the brake pedal is equally important as well as the clutch. There are times a driver needs to slow down, like when approaching a curve, and braking may not be necessary. Down shifting usually slows a car enough to make it through a curve without losing traction and going into a spin. By anticipating upcoming curves and slowing by letting off the gas and downshifting as you approach those curves, you maintain control of your vehicle without losing much momentum or speed. By proper use of the foot brake you can feel whether or not you still have control of your vehicle and as long as you do slow just enough to maneuver the turn without losing your control or traction, the race may be yours! Always remember that keeping control will not lose you time but sliding all over the track definitely will.

Driving by the “seat of your pants” only gets you a little behind

It is important to anticipate your next move when driving at high speeds. You need to remember that fast reflexes and common sense make a driver a winner. Now is the time to make quick decisions well before they’re needed. If possible, drive the track so you may become familiar with locations of the curves and also the idiosyncrasies of that particular rally track. This will enable you to better anticipate your next move before it comes up. It can be an absolute blast to drive a rally type race and if you are the competitive type you will be basically competing against yourself for that perfect time, which may be one second faster than your previous race. It’s always challenging to test your reflexes and timing. Just have fun and relax, but not too much.