WMC Magazine

Issue 2- November 2000

Online Version

Introduction
News
WMC Go Karting
PC's 1 & 2 From Inside An RUC 'Blue' Fiesta
An Introduction To 12-Car Navigational Rallies

Introduction

Welcome to the second edition of the WMC magazine. I wonder if this is a record, issue two only one month after issue one. We are now 4 weeks into the new season and have had two cracking events. Both events have seen huge numbers of RUC crews competing and also doing very well. It looks like this year's RUC crews should soon be giving the regular crews a run for their money. So, looking forward to the following month, we have a very busy period in front of us. The first karting round of the year, the first 12-car rally (PC3) and the first event to use two maps (PC4). There is also the British round of the World Rally Championship to look forward to. Hopefully the next two events, PC3 (12-car) and PC4 (Nav. Scat.), will not be affected by a fuel crises like the one in September. With more than enough new members in the club to fill up the 12-car events it looks like most of the non-student members will have to reside themselves to marshalling. Right, that's enough waffle from me. Enjoy the rest of the magazine and have fun on the events this month. Phil Kendall

News

• The Christmas Meal has been confirmed for Thursday 7th December at The Milburys Pub (the pub where PC2 finished). Details about costs will be announced later this month.
• The skid pan course will now take place next term. Due to a busy November & December with the regular championship rounds, the karting and the Christmas meal we decided that there would be a bigger attendance to the course if it ran next term.

WMC Go Karting

The first karting round will take place on Wednesday 15th of this month. This is event has been booked up from nearly the start of term. This highlights how popular the sport can be despite the cost. This year the club is using the karting track in Gosport as opposed to the track in Eastleigh where the club went last year. The format of the event will be 30 heats with 6 karts in each heat. This means that each competitor gets to start from each position on the grid. The top eight competitors from the heats will then get to compete in a final. Trophies and bubbly will be on offer for the top three finishers. Spectators are very welcome to come along, especially if they have transport!

PC's 1 & 2 From Inside An RUC 'Blue' Fiesta

PC1

Wow!! What an adrenaline rush. Followed everyone away from the start, and still went the wrong way, nav. said right, everyone else went left, a little clue that left was the correct direction. hm hm hm. After several more 20 point turns, especially around the finish looking for pc14, that nav. again, hm hm hm. We WON RUC!! WOW, shocked moment Celebrations followed, at the burger van. Definitely be back.

PC2

Started with high hopes, terrible weather, no rain luckily, very slippery though. We took passengers this time; scared them s#!tless, haven't spoken to us since. Convinced of the correct way, the nav said left at the next crossroads, oops, the ones we just went straight across, and down a white road in full skid, that driver, yeah yeah. A bit later, left hand turn, bump on the way in, slippery landing, swerve all over the place. Everything went flying. Passengers went quiet [when's the skid pan course] that driver again, yeah yeah. We WON RUC again. Celebrations again followed, this time bacon rolls for vegetarian Elly (converted now). Be back again soon, hopefully to continue winning!! 1.Where was the white Fiesta in the results 2.What on earth is a 12 car? And how do you win one? David Coles & Elly Pryce

An Introduction To 12-Car Navigational Rallies

What is a 12-Car Navigational Rally?

A Navigational Scatter allows you to choose your own route between a number of points within a specified time limit. 12-Car Navigational Rallies specify the route you must follow, still keeping to a time schedule. Road events must comply with the regulations set down by the Motor Sports Association (MSA) in the Blue Book. However, if an event is limited to twelve cars, the regulations governing the event are less strict than in normal navigational rallies. Two important rules must be applied:
1. Only a driver and a navigator are allowed. No passengers can be carried.
2. The driver must have special insurance cover. You must have an approved NES proposal form. The cost of the extra insurance is subsidised by the University's Athletic Union.

The Route

Fixed route, divided into sections Time Control (TC) at start of each section All navigation given out at start in sealed envelopes (one envelope for each section) On arrival at TC, a marshal will sign your Timesheet. Then open your envelope for that section Solve navigation clues to obtain route from current TC to the next Navigation normally contains:
Current TC grid reference
Next TC and grid reference (sometimes)
Time Allowed for the section
Type of road e.g. "CRO"
Route instructions to next TC

Driving

Keep a look out for codeboards. These are letters on boards placed approximately every couple of miles. Write the letters in the space provided on your Timesheet. If the letters are in the correct order, you have driven the correct route. You must stop at every Give Way. This is an MSA regulation and some Give Ways will be marshalled. As per Navigational Scatters, Quiet Zones require highest possible gears, no spot lights and no excessive noise. A 12 - Car route will not take you through Black Spots.

Schedule Notes

Cars will leave the start at one minute intervals. Each TC is open to you for 30 minutes. Your 30 minute window is your Scheduled Time. You must visit the TC within your 30 minute window. Late arrivals are Outside Time Limit (OTL) and collect 3 fails. Scheduled Times for each section are based on a 30mph average e.g. a five mile section will have an allowed time of 10 minutes. Times are recorded to the preceding whole minute. 22:00:59 is recorded as 22:00. Marshals' watches will be set to BBC time and it is up to you to synchronise your watch before the start. In short, just arrive at each TC before OTL and you can't go wrong!!!

Time Penalties

Your Due Time is the time you will arrive at a TC if you have driven the section at an average of 30mph. If you arrive at a TC five minutes after your Scheduled Time, your Due Time at the next TC will also be five minutes after your Scheduled Time. On your Timesheet, your Due Time at the next TC is directly below your Arrival Time at the last TC. Arriving before or after your Due Time incurs a penalty of 1 MARK per minute. MARKS are only used in scoring to decide a tie, therefore don't worry about MARKS on your first event. Just try to stay as close to your Due Time as possible.

Scoring

Crews will be given fails as follows:
1 per missed codeboard
1 per wrong codeboard
1 for wrong approach to TC
1 for not showing marshal an unopened envelope for the section
1 per missing marshal signature
1 for a Quiet Zone or Black Spot infringement (Exclusion for second offence!!!)
1 for failing to stop at a Give Way (Exclusion for second offence!!!)
Missing a TC completely incurs 3 fails (one for missing marshal signature, one for incorrect approach and one for not presenting an unopened envelope).

The winning crew is the crew with the least fails.

12-Car Top Tips

• If the navigation is ambiguous, drive the shortest route consistent with the route instructions.
• No through roads and roads that go off the edge of the map can be ignored. Roads that turn into whites can be ignored on CRO sections.
• If you can't solve the navigation, simply drive straight to the next control (the grid reference will be given in the navigation).
• If you arrive at a TC close to your OTL you will risk being OTL at the next TC. A missed codeboard incurs 1 fail whereas a missed TC incurs 3 fails so it is better to cut route to arrive on time.
• If you can't get to the TC on time even if you cut route, then you will have to miss out that TC. Open the envelope for the next section and cut to the next TC