Greetings Rallyists,
It’s bitterly cold outside but I’m thinking happy thoughts of Rally events coming up this year. Rallycross, rally sprint, performance rally and our own navigational event are just some of them. There’s something for everyone who loves to drive, navigate, organize, or learn a new skill!
At the awards ceremony of the Ottawa SportsCar Club (OSCC) last fall, I presented Darryl Malone with the Rally Person of the Year Award. He’s one of those people who form the backbone of rallying in Ontario. Darryl is a competitor, organizer, and member of two Boards of directors (CARS and RSO). He’s often called on for his technical expertise. I was delighted to present Darryl with his award.
Fast-forward to the CARS AGM in Calgary earlier this month. Darryl accepted the position of CARS Director for Ontario for a second two-year term, and he is also the CARS Vice-President for a second year. Congratulations, Darryl!
The OSCC held our AGM last fall, and we have some new faces on the Board of Directors. Richard Muise is our new President, Dale Pasternak is the Vice-President, and Terry Dale, with his wealth of experience, is our Past President. Our Directors are Pat Irwin, Steve Rocque, Paul Swinwood and Dave Connolly. Laura Rance is our Secretary/Treasurer.
While these individuals have a strong background in racing, they have also been welcoming to Jim and me on the Rally side. People like Terry Dale and Pat Irwin were rallyists “back in the day”, and have a wealth of experience and some great stories. Richard Muise is interested in the rally side, and has volunteered at navigational and performance rallies in this area. Laura and Ted Rance are getting to know the joys of gravel. With these people on side, I look forward to another year of growing our sport and getting our club’s name out there. Our Rally numbers continue to grow.
Jim and I want to create another Lanark Highlands Tour navigational rally for 2019, likely in late summer or early fall. We had a meeting about lessons learned at the 2018 LH Tour, and are confident we can make this year’s event better. We want to encourage entry-level navigational rallying, and with our beautiful roads and great scenery in the Lanark Highlands, well — how could you not enjoy yourselves?
If you enjoy rallycross events, the Motorsport Club of Ottawa has started a new, six-event series this winter. They use the old Capital City Speedway grounds in Stittsville, formerly used for winter driving schools, ice races and snowcrosses. Check out their Facebook page: “MCO rallycross.”
Also new is a rally sprint series. Three events have been scheduled starting in late summer and 15 teams (the limit) signed up for the series. A waiting list has been started. Rally sprint is a middle step between rallycross and full-on performance rally, and we’re glad to see this initiative take shape. Find out more on their Facebook page:
The “Ontario Rally Sprint Championship series.”
The next big event in this area is the SPDA Lanark Highlands Forest Rally on May 4, with set-up the previous day. Lots of volunteers are needed to make this a success, so I hope you’ll consider lending a hand. Headquarters is at McDonald’s Corners, about 15 minutes NW of Perth. It’s the most popular stand-alone regional event in the Ontario Performance Rally Championship series. In addition to Ontario teams, entries come from Quebec, the Maritimes, and a few from the United States. This leads to some great competition!
If you love to watch rally cars going at speed on closed roads, this one’s for you! Check out: “SPDA Lanark Highlands Forest Rally” on Facebook. It should go live in March. You can also email me for more information.
If anyone wants to learn how a navigational rally is put together, Jim is up for doing some training. Please note that if you help set the route, you will not be eligible to compete. But we are happy to pass on our knowledge to up-and-coming rallyists!
Questions, comments, ideas? Please contact me via the Contact form. I’d love to hear from you! Stay warm, and Jim and I hope to see you at a rally event this season.
Cheers,
Jean MacGillivray
OSCC Rally Chair