What would you tell your past self?
Posted by GoFaster
hoche Michel Hoche-Mong Elite Moderator Location: Campbell, CA Join Date: 02/28/2006 Age: Possibly Wise Posts: 1,156 Rally Car: Golf, Golf, RX-3 |
1) What is the biggest mistake(s) you made when you started rallying?
Two mistakes: a) Starting off as two rookies in a car. I was a rookie codriver with a rookie driver. There was a lot of little stuff we had no clue about. b) When I started driving, my mistake was pushing to hard too soon. I DNF'ed my first event because of a car-prep issue. I won my class (a fairly hard-contested one at the time) at my second event. Got cocky and rolled it at my third event. Patched it up and then rolled it again at my fifth event. Both were red-mist situations. Learned my lesson. I still go off occasionally, but now it tends to be because of a surprise situation rather than from driving out of control. 2) What is the single best thing you did, intentional or otherwise, when you began rallying? Again not one single thing. a) Started off codriving. I codrove for a year with three different drivers before I got behind the wheel. Taught me a lot about the subtleties of rally timing and rule variances. b) Did a bunch of track events. Not just track days; I raced both karts and Miatas. Built up a reasonable understanding of car handling and basic suspension effects and why smoothness counts, learned to threshold brake, completely re-taught myself how to shift properly, and really buried in my head why slow-in/fast-out works. c) Started off in a low-horsepower 2WD car. Learned when to conserve momentum and when to shed it. 3) What piece of advice do you wish you would have listened to? Building your own car is going to cost you 2x what you think (or more). And later, "You want to organize a rally? You fool! 4) What piece of advice do you wish you had NOT listened to? a) "LFB is MANDATORY!" Note: I do it all the time, but some situations call for it and some don't, and the trick is knowing why you'd want to do it in a particular case. There are a lot of times that simple straight-line braking before a turn is more appropriate. b) "There's fame and fortune in rally driving, and you'll get all the chicks!" Self-righteous douche canoe |
stgallagher Sean Gallagher Super Moderator Location: Santa Ana, CA. Join Date: 06/16/2011 Age: Ancient Posts: 70 Rally Car: Ford Raptor |
For the most part I've always been a Co-Driver
What is the single best thing you did, intentional or otherwise, when you began rallying? Navigated in the old North East All Night Rally Series. 12 -24 hour Fast all day and night TSD rallys that were one step below stage events on open roads in the 70's. Also the MG 1000..5 day fast TSD through New England and Canada. They were an excellent communication and teamwork training ground. I asked / was asked to Co-Drive for very good drivers based on my TSD results. My job at the time was in sales and if you don't, "Ask for the Sale..You Don't get Paid". What's the worse they're going to say..No. They might say Yes. Then went Road Racing Formula Fords for 10 years to know what driving at the limit under pressure was like. This helps in calling turns at the right time, knowing what a fast car feels like on the limit. What is the biggest mistake(s) you made when you started rallying? Nothing. I've been very fortunate. What piece of advice do you wish you would have listened to? Buy Tesla @$26.00 a share. At the end of the day... Buy the Ticket....Take the Ride. 2WD...Less Traction More Action! |
WTFestiva Kyle Williams Junior Moderator Location: Salem, Missouri Join Date: 10/03/2013 Age: Settling Down Posts: 8 Rally Car: 1992 1.8 BP powered Ford Festiva L |
1) What is the biggest mistake(s) you made when you started rallying?
Didn't check the MAF sensor... 2) What is the single best thing you did, intentional or otherwise, when you began rallying? Checked the MAF sensor... 3) What piece of advice do you wish you would have listened to? Check the MAF sensor... 4) What piece of advice do you wish you had NOT listened to? "Have you checked the fuel pump/fuel regulator? I'd do that..." |
john vanlandingham John Vanlandingham Senior Moderator Location: Ford Asylum, Sleezattle, WA Join Date: 12/20/2005 Age: Fossilized Posts: 14,152 Rally Car: Saab 96 V4 |
Here's a great bit of advice for your other thread: http://www.rallyanarchy.com/phorum/read.php?8,41104 RALLY ANARCHY RULES - READ THIS FIRST (that means you, newb) Posted by Administrator WELCOME TO RALLY ANARCHY! This site has been created with the goal of creating a proper rally BBS for the North American scene, for the people who love the sport and hobby. It's based on the idea of Sailing Anarchy, check it out if you want a sample. And by proper, I mean highly improper. Most things that will get censored on other Forums is fair game here. Proceed at your own risk. Note that the webmaster is not responsible for the views or opinions posted on this Forum, in a very real and legally binding sense. That's not to say there aren't any rules here. On the contrary, one sure fire way to get booted is to act consistently stupid or take personal attacks too far. Another is to whine or bullshit incessantly without contributing either knowledge or humour to the discussion. Any malicious quoting out of context to seriously deceive (rather than just poke some fun and obviously josh around) is grounds for ass kicking. Ditto on posts complaining about spelling or grammatical errors. If you are convicted by a jury of your peers, you may be sent to the Sin Bin for detention. Here's an example of rules you won't see here: Quote "I figure that hosting a forum is a lot like inviting a diverse group of adults to your living room for a discussion that can edify anyone who cares to listen and respectfully participate. Were it my living room and a handful of guests insisted on ignoring common sense rules of decorum by interrupting discussions with personal attacks, derailing trains of thought to further some unrelated agenda, consistently abused their participation privilege by carrying on one's business on the premises or uttered anything that might make a libel attorney salivate then I'd certainly never invite them back." That's fine and dandy, but we need a place to talk openly, especially if it's in a yakking-around-the-garage after dropping-in-an-engine kind of friendly banter. Think of Rally Anarchy as the local clubhouse you probably have never had. Swearing is OK, but don't go overboard. One of the things you won't find here is 834,234 different forums for every different country, region, state, province, city, neighborhood, gender, shoe size, sexual preference or hair colour. If you've got something to say, why don't you say it to the whole class, hmmmm? Required Information We hate cutesy account names like "FastDriver" or "WRCbound" or "PlumSmuggler" or whatever, but people get attached to their favourite account names. However we want to know who you actually are, so you must have the following information in your Member Profile: Full (Real) Name City and State/Province Car(s) you rally (we don't give a rat's ass about your street/track cars) Year of birth That way we know if you're some crusty retired old guy, or a clueless kid having wet car dreams, and can make fun of you accordingly. To edit your profile, sign in and click on "My Control Center" or just click here: Go to Control Center Want to put an exciting action shot of you driving (or co-driving) into the upper left hand corner of every page? Just email your reasonably-sized JPG to cornerpic@rallyanarchy.com Got suggestions on edits/additions to this page? Click on the PM link at the top of the post to send me a private message or send an email to webmaster@rallyanarchy.com Rally On! John Vanlandingham Sleezattle, WA, USA Vive le Prole-le-ralliat www.rallyrace.net/jvab CALL +1 206 431-9696 Remember! Pacific Standard Time is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time. |
FunctionAuto Tyler Patik Infallible Moderator Location: Casper, Wy Join Date: 12/13/2009 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 131 Rally Car: 1995 IMpreza |
1) What is the biggest mistake(s) you made when you started rallying?
Finding the sport in the first place, then getting involved while working on a bike/ski shop salary. Then continuing to do so... SeaLy posted his income earlier, and I decided I'm ok with what I have done on half of that. I probably should have just stayed racing bmx where I was getting things for free. 2) What is the single best thing you did, intentional or otherwise, when you began rallying? Stuck a camelback in the car for the navi and I. Could continue on the 4 blown street struts, but we couldn't have continued with out refilling the radiator at every stage end after blowing head gaskets at the end of day 1. 3) What piece of advice do you wish you would have listened to? You can't afford it. 4) What piece of advice do you wish you had NOT listened to? Hmmm... Well I am glad I never listened to the build don't buy. I think learning the ins and outs of the car and rectifying your own bad decisions are part of the game. |
kaiser sosa Josh vonAhlefeld Junior Moderator Location: Portland, OR Join Date: 02/04/2010 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 38 Rally Car: 1985 VW Golf GTi |
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derek Derek Bottles Godlike Moderator Location: Lopez Island/ Seattle WA Join Date: 12/20/2005 Age: Possibly Wise Posts: 853 Rally Car: Past: 323, RX2, GTI. Next up M3 ? |
1) Biggest Mistake:
Not thinking about the level of involvement I wanted in the sport or setting goals towards a result. I basically fumbled around for years not sure how committed I was to the sport or what I wanted to get out of it. 2) Best thing you did: Not have a trailer/service truck when I started - I knew I had to drive the car home on its own wheels. Kept me well in control at my early events 3) Advise I should have headed: Some expensive things cost less - doing it right can save a lot of money. I really wish I had spent the (modest) money on the real GTX gearbox rather than braking three stock ones (and the DNF's) leading to selling the car in frustration. 4) Bad Advise: Tires do not matter that much... wrong they really really are important to understand. Understand the compounds, the size the cuts and the life. You do not need new ones but you do need to know what is going on with them and the temperature ranges for the compounds. Extra) Advise I would give everyone - know what value you are getting out of this sport and what that value is worth to you. Do you really think the Novice guy who just picked up a GpN Subaru Built and run by a big shop is having any more fun at speed down the stage than the guy/girl in the $6000 PGT car? In many ways the less I spent the more fun I had. Low cost relative to income reduces stress. I could always afford to throw the car away. In the long run reality always wins. |
john vanlandingham John Vanlandingham Senior Moderator Location: Ford Asylum, Sleezattle, WA Join Date: 12/20/2005 Age: Fossilized Posts: 14,152 Rally Car: Saab 96 V4 |
4) Thats why once really good tires became available I would say "I'd prefer to be on a used 14/62 x 15 Michelin than some thing made in some place they have no clue what rally is and just looks gnarly" Extra) you can only smile so much before your face breaks in half... He who does the most-est with the least-est is a happy man.. John Vanlandingham Sleezattle, WA, USA Vive le Prole-le-ralliat www.rallyrace.net/jvab CALL +1 206 431-9696 Remember! Pacific Standard Time is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time. |
krisdahl Kris Dahl Mod Moderator Location: Issaquah, WA Join Date: 02/13/2006 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 282 Rally Car: Integra, Civic |
Over-emphasizing the importance of a season or winning a championship. Who cares? Nobody! Extra stress and expense of cramming to repair / fix car and make it to every event? Just not worth it. It was a lot of fun those years, but also a very time consuming and expensive.
Just bought a car and started rallying it. Was planning to build, but it would have been a couple years before I'd have been on stage.
I think I listened to most people's advice, actually, if it made sense. Ignored it if it didn't. Nothing sticks out. My advice though would be this: Pick a career that will afford you the time and money to enjoy your real passions in life. Your job isn't your life, but it should give you the means to enjoy it. |
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