Classifications and results in regularity rallies

It’s been more than ten years since at Blunik we created our precision timing system, exclusively focused on timing regularity rallies. Since then we must say that this sport has evolved a lot.

The concept of regularity known up to now is based on following the average speed determined by the organizer of the event with a road-book, or as we like to say, being at a specific place at a specific time, having attempted to follow exactly the route and trace set by the organizer.

The timing of these rallies is based on placing secret control points along the route, which measure your passing time at this specific point. If the measuring unit used by the organization and timers is the meter and the time unit is a tenth of a second, we are talking about ”Precision regularity”.

When the average speeds are high and the event takes place on closed roads we speak about ”Sport Regularity”.

The majority of regularity rallies are disputed on open roads and at average speeds of up to 50km/h.

About a year ago Blunik developed a new discipline called ”Regularity Experience”, which as its name implies, the intention is to experience regularity. It is focused on different types of events, on difficult terrains, strange routes or also where the cars taking part are museum or unprepared classic cars. Also in events where we don’t want good driving to be rewarded.

Regularity Experience (RX) is a new modality which introduces new pilots and co-pilots into regularity, but at the same time misleads those who have been in regularity for some time. In this post we wish to explain the differences between the two modalities of this same sport, we hope this will help you decide which one is the best for you.

The concept of RX is different to the regularity known up to now. Regularity Experience is a new style of regularity which contributes in sportsmanship and competitiveness, the goal of which is to gain new adepts to regularity and motor sports.

RX values good piloting, especially in closed road rallies, with hard curves, where good handling and dominion of the car subtract seconds, or also in rallies on difficult terrains or earth, ice, snow, etc stages.

But not only does piloting and the vehicle matter, the co-pilot and the communication between the pilot and co-pilot are relevant, because regularity is followed and measured at all time. Constancy and rapport are valuable.

First difference

The first difference has to do with the co-piloting tasks. In Precision Regularity the co-pilot has the responsibility of controlling the travelled distance and also controlling and adjusting the calibration, this is what makes winning possible in technical tests and of hard navigation.

On the other hand, with Regularity Experience no calibration or adjustments are needed, and the pilot is free to trace the route as he wishes, always respecting the traffic rules in open roads.

Second difference

Regularity Experience also consists in following the average speed along a route, and therefore you have to be at a specific place at a specific time. But the greatest difference is that the timekeeper device is in the car with you the whole time, so instead of catching you at specific points of the route, there is a spy taking note of how long you are doing correctly and how long you aren’t. The scorekeeping is much more impartial, and there are no human errors. Everything is based on the settings of the devices.

The timekeeping in regularity tests is an external agent. When the timekeeper measures the meters between secret control points, and times the car’s passing in tenths of a second he can decide which participants are better in each control point. It is necessary to say that in this discipline having a good road book is imperative.

Third difference

In the Regularity Experience modality all the co-pilots use the same device to follow the regularity, therefore the car, pilot and co-pilot are more relevant. Also it is one less thing to take into account when preparing for the rally.

In Precision Regularity the navigation device used by every team to follow the regularity is an important aspect when preparing the vehicle and training for competition, it is important to know how to take advantage of the device during the race.

FUN AND CHALLENGES OF REGULARITY EXPERIENCE

In Regularity Experience rallies you’ll be asked to have good driving skills in complicated stages and with challenging terrains (snow, earth, asphalt, ice,… ), being exposed to less risk and stress than in speed rallies. The average speeds set by the organizer are adapted to the road in order for it to be a constant test of driving skills, both in straight roads or curves.

Normally the event will take place on a closed road if an elevated skill level is required or in open roads when the skill requirements are inferior, the vehicles are museum classics or the route is linear.

Surprise average speed changes. The fact of following the device and not knowing the imposed average speed means you have to be alert at all times and be able to overcome unexpected changes. Depending on the type of road this is one more challenge to overcome.

Achieving constancy is a harder challenge than initially expected. Keeping the imposed speed requires a good synergy between pilot and co-pilot, they have to have a good communication, and the pilot has to adapt his driving in order to overcome the difficulty of the rally.

Therefore, in RX you have to follow the regularity at all times, the more precise the driving less points will be added and you will scale higher in the rankings.

FUN AND CHALLENGES OF PRECISION REGULARITY

In precision regularity the challenge is to reproduce what the organizer wants using a road-book and a list of average speeds. The measurements of meters travelled is very important both for the organizer and for the participants.

The main challenge is the same, being at a specific place at a specific time. This is easy to say but hard to do. For this reason, the co-pilots have measuring devices using probes to be able to measure distance as precisely as possible.

One of the hardest challenges is the correction of meters in navigation and tracing. The co-pilot and pilot have to be compenetrated in what to do and how to do it in all moments.

The third challenge, in open road rallies is the good navigation and constant concentration. Following the road-book is hard, but when you add to this the nerves of the race, you understand this is part of the sportive test.