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ROAD RALLY eNews — September 2017 Edition
Your Road Rally Roundup of News, Views, and How-Tos
CHECKPOINT CHAT - SCCA RoadRally Board News
by Rich Bireta , Chairman
Last month Rich Bireta spoke of his upcoming November Road Rally Weekend in Kanas. Above is a photo from the 2015 event as teams query the scores!
RRB Membership

As of this writing, I know of one open RRB membership slot for next year, and that is mine. I was appointed to the RRB in 2012 and have reached the end of my term limit. If you would like to be considered for appointment to the RRB, please send a brief road rally resume to rrb@scca.com along with a cover letter indicating your interest.
 
Members of SCCA competition boards such as the RoadRally Board are appointed to a two-year term by the full SCCA Board of Directors, with an annual review and reappointment process occurring each December. Members can serve a total of three consecutive terms (six years) before they must step down.
 
 
As always, I am open to receiving any of your questions or concerns on these or other matters of concern to the rally community. I can be reached at rbireta@gmail.com .
 
Rich Bireta
SCCA RoadRally Board Chair
United States Road Rally Challenge 2018
It is true that the Rallymaster for the 2017 USRRC, held September 14-17th, in Alaska has deemed the event now a part of Road Rally Legend and Lore.

We are pleased to give first notice that the USRRC XXIV will be sanctioned through the Saint Louis Region of the Sports Car Club of America. The dates are currently set for October 4-7th, mark your calendars today and click the image below for details!
USRRC is now Rally Legend and Lore!!
The United States Road Rally Challenge , sanctioned by the  Sports Car Club of America, is now ten days past. For many, the USRRC is in their rear view mirror and they have moved on to the next event, returned home to family and back to their work lives. Yet none will be able to forget the adventure and camaraderie of the 2017 USRRC. For those who choose to take photos along the way, they'll be reminded of Alaska's scenic beauty, as well, in the upcoming years! The Clan photo above is from our restart before the Hope Legs.

One of my goals was to bring a sense of our USRRC Clan to all participating — our Checkpoint Workers, Drivers, Navigators, Road Rally Safety Stewards, our National Events Committee Liaison, our three Pre-Checker Teams, as well as those who reviewed our existing RPM Alaska generals and helped us tidy them for the USRRC! They shall forever be known as members of my USRRC Clan!

A mailer was sent out to those members two days after the event with updates and standings. Should you wish to view that mailer, you can simply click here to read it now. The offer for window banners is only for those who competed, so those links would not apply, yet I hope you do choose to read my comments, as Rallymaster, as well as my invite to Bill Demming, Gail Engblom, and Kim Ciccone to reach out to the USRRC Clan! And you can download the standings in that mailer too.

We began with the USRRC Reception at the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum with a decal party of sorts. All Teams had a window banner, front bumper number decal, and on each side of their vehicle a large decal with their number, SCCA 2017 USRRC, and their Team Names; these were also provided to Checkpoint Crew, Chevrolet Support Teams, and SportsCar Editor Philip Royle ! Teams then completed their Registration, socialized with fellow teams, dined on pizza and salad, as well as local brew from Bear Tooth Pizza. And then, the far too short Road Rally School. I still regret we were not allowed to have a Road Rally in Alaska prior to the USRRC for new teams and as a refresher for those who had not rallied in the last year. We did our best, and thank you to Rick Beattie for drawing some intersections to help clarify our beloved Main Road Rules!

Day one was a Rally School of sorts, and it allowed those new to the sport to get their feet wet and feel comfortable (well, maybe?) and it provided for those not familiar with our Generals, checkpoint procedure and route instructions to become familiar with them. The day took us from the Anchorage Hillside to Girdwood and Hope before settling into Seward for the night. Teams enjoyed a lunch break at the Begich-Boggs Center , which sits on Portage Lake, yet no icebergs had floated in from the Glacier. The masthead photo is the teams readying to headout on day two from Seward's Resurrection Lodge on the first day of the USRRC. Liaison Mike Thompson is on the far left.

Trophies were awarded to the finishers on Friday: $30 Gift Certificates for the Kannery Grill in Homer, glassware from the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum , and Iditarod and Chevrolet hats. The USRRC trophies were presented one per team, as I believed it more important to have shirts and our SCCA RoadRally key fobs for all competitors.

All First Place finishers in Cheechako, Sourdough and Prospector had to await their trophies while all teams were acknowledged from 27th up to fourth with their finishes and the second and third place finishers were presented their cutting boards and metal road rally plaques. Why? Gma at Christmas! Remember when you and your cousins all got the same gift and it took the excitement away when you were the third one to open the same similarly wrapped gift? I wanted Teams to see the unique trophies for their finish at the same time! I had started searching eBay for the fifty-year-old trophies last June, and I am delighted report that all were impressed with the 1967 Jim Beam decanters issued for the Centennial Celebration of Alaska's Purchase from Russia as their trophy.

The corner photo above shows admiration of the steering wheel key fob, with the SCCA RoadRally logo lasered on it, which all Clan members received as their momento of the 2017 USRRC. Shirts? As it was a Course Rally, nothing stated they had to be commemorative USRRC shirts. Right? Yet Driver, Navigator, USRRC shirts from 1995, and Mayday Mayday shirts were proudly snagged by teams during Saturday mornings meeting time in Seward. An official shirt was promised by Christmas...it is a long story, yet this Rallymaster wasn't willing to compromise!

I want to thank Al Biss of Edward Jones for the lunches on Friday and Kim Ciccone aka The Lunch Lady for preparing them for us; I know the extras fed workers on Saturday too! Team Chevrolet and Nick Jaynes sponsored the Bear Tooth Pizza for the Friday Reception. Our USRRC ended at Ocean Bluff Bed & Breakfast in Kasilof, and I wish to thank Kathy Carlisle for her generous support to the event and allowing us to end there. Many enjoyed the beach, the stunning view of Mount Redoubt, and casual nature of the ending vs. sitting in a restaurant!

A necklace was commissioned for the three women who put in much time, duress, and loyalty to this Rallymaster for the USRRC and Road Rally in Alaska for many years. The sterling silver bar was four-sided with one of the following words carved into each of the sides: Family, Adventure, Road Rally and the last side USRRC. To Gail, Kim, and Kathy — thank you for your seemingly undying love and support to both me and our beloved sport! Thank you to Bill Demming for his support of my time away for our lives and our home while working on the USRRC too!

To our Teams who took on the Challenge — from NY, CO, PA, FL, TN, CA, SC, MD, VA, Alaska (from Fairbanks to Kasilof), and the United Kingdom — thank you for your time and funds to make the trek North to Alaska for America's Road Rally Weekend. I am looking forward to seeing your photos to relive the event, as I was seemingly on the go all weekend, ha! It was a major undertaking and consumed much of my waking hours, yet I am here to say to each who choose to be a part of the 2017 USRRC...it was worth it and I am pleased you joined the Clan!

Safe travels,
Cheryl Lynn, Rallymaster, Instigator, and USRRC Organizer
Photos from the USRRC
1) Our Anchorage Reception at the Aviation Heritage Museum 2) Driver of Car #1 Jake Engstrom getting mic'd with Dave Leval from KTVA - coverage that evening and he joined us Friday morning too! 3) Car #25 Rosie Barlow sorts through for her door decals 4) Our USRRC cake, which once cut was gone 5) Golden Arches Supper Club Friday morning – clocks sets, lunches grabbed, questions answered, routes handed out a minute a part to Teams, and nerves still not calmed for many of the Teams! 6) It is about rallying and cars too! Mike Warburton, owner of Ocean Shores Motel in Homer, shares his Chevy-powered engine bay of his Mazda Rotary with members of Team Chevrolet!
Spirit of Road Rally Award Recipient and Competitor Comments — USRRC 2017
The Spirit of Road Rallying Award was voted on by the USRRC Clan – all who ran or supported the event cast their ballots. As the Rallymaster, I established this award to recognize a member of the Clan who others felt enjoyed the sport, its challenges, its camaraderie and rallied on – regardless!

The trophy is an SCCA commissioned pewter sculpture entitled Taking the Curve, by Raymond Meyers of an MG/TC with a rally couple in the car; these were done in 1978.

I called the recipients at 1050P Sunday evening and they were delighted with the news. I so wish they could have been present to receive it in front of their fellow rallyists!

When I shared they had also won their Class too, I got a response of, "Cheryl, are you pulling my leg? No way!" Excitement and laughter followed as I confirmed they had won their Class.They were thrilled with the news!

So, to Jen Bersch and Austin Betts — Congratulations on being the recipient of the 2017 SCCA United States Road Rally Challenge Spirit of Road Rallying Award and bringing home a First Place in the Cheechako Regional Class! I am proud of you, and I smile when I recall your frustration of kilometers and odometer and factors and ...!                  
Anyone care to caption this photo?
Some have offered —
"Oooh, I got a zero?" or
"Damn, we beat Beattie on that one!"
uttered between Car #4 Ms English to RM Cheryl Lynn. And you? What do you think Jeanne English is saying? Send your comment to rrenews@comeroadrallywith.us today!
Update on our Rallying to Preserve our Historic SCCA Rally Archives Fundraiser – As one who has been involved with road rally for 44 years, our Rallymaster hopes you will choose to support our efforts with a donation through the SCCA Foundation for the International Motor Racing Research Center in Watkins Glen, NY.

The box level inventory of the SCCA Archives will be done this year, and then the work will begin for the conservation and preservation!

I have heard from some of you that you will be making a donation, so please mail your checks made out to the SCCA Foundation directly to us (RPM Alaska, PO Box 220108, Anchorage, AK 99522) and we welcome that to save transaction fees, yet we will be equally delighted to find your donation through the fundraising dashboard at usrrc2017.causevox.com !

We will be closing out the fundraiser in another 45-days, so please send your funds today!

Rallymaster Cheryl Lynn usrrc2017@comeroadrallywith.us
Timing is Everything!
On the Labor Day Pre-Check with Kevin Poirier and Chris Hale , RRSS Gail Engblom had an issue with her Honda CR-V and a fuel float problem. Fortunately, fuel was twenty-minutes away and the guys went off for fuel.

While in Seward (and while Poirier and Hale were at the Nor'wester Road Rally in WA), I checked messages and there was a text from Kevin, "Got fuel?" I started laughing and shared with Gail and Kim, as we were at the Seward Essential at that very moment . We shot this and sent it to Kevin to assure him — no fuel float problems on the USRRC!
Motorsportsmanship Award
Car #10 - Travis DeMoss and Ken Morton received hearty applause and glassware from the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum as we "toasted" them for their Sportsmanship of being directed off the restart route to aid fellow Rallyists in Car #22 Sue Covich and Carol McCormack-Ward with their flat tire.

As Rallymaster, I had to get down the road to my checkpoint, yet assured them they would get a new Out Time and be set. Well, before I could turn back to my car and get SCCA NEC Liaison down the road — they had her spare out and their tool bag unfurled. I later learned they made their original OUT Time too! And Car #22? They dropped the last two checkpoints and headed straight into Soldotna for repairs and arrived into Homer with the other teams, ready to continue on Sunday. I "love it" when a plan comes together!

Way to go guys, and I am glad we could get you put you two together in the last ten days before the USRRC!
Upcoming Road Rally Events for YOU!
Apples 2 Apples Tour Rally

Road Rally w/ SCCA - Philadelphia Region on Saturday, October 7, 2017 at Yardley Park and Ride, Wasington Crossing, PA - Our next rally of the season will be a social rally through the Central Bucks area. We'll be starting out in...

Read more
www.motorsportreg.com
Clare Color Tour

Road Rally w/ SCCA - Detroit Region on Saturday, October 7, 2017 at Ruckle's Pier, Clare, MI - DETROIT REGION SCCA PRESENTS Clare Color Tour 2017 Saturday October 7, 2017 A DAYLIGHT/EVENING ROAD RALLY THIS EVENT WILL COUNT TOWARD THE 2016 DETROIT ...

Read more
www.motorsportreg.com
2017 SCCA-CPR Witches Rallye

Road Rally w/ SCCA - Central Pennsylvania Region on Saturday, October 14, 2017 at Bobby Rahal Honda, State College, Pennsylvania - ...

Read more
www.motorsportreg.com
Texas Region SCCA " Rally

Texas Region SCCA is the Texas chapter of the Sports Car Club of America. The region provides road rally events in the Dallas / Fort Worth Texas area.

Read more
www.texasscca.org
Post Your Upcoming Rally HERE?
You bet! We welcome you to Come Join Us!
RReNews is not an SCCA Publication, yet produced in association with the Sports Car Club of America.

Our goal is share news about our beloved sport of Road Rally across North America — be they sanctioned by the SCCA, PCA, BMW, or local marque clubs!

Please send us news of your upcoming event dates and promotional materials to list, so as to make fellow rallyists aware of your events. And post event — send your write-ups and photos to share news of the adventure!

You can send information to Cheryl Lynn by clicking here!
In Next Month's RReNews -
  • Checkpoint Chat by RRB Chairman Bireta
  • There is an App for That – Wesley's Give Their Take on Michael Young's GPS Rally Computer App
  • Words from the Wheel
  • Planning Calendar updates, RRB Minutes, and Update on Standings
  • Rallying to Preserve the SCCA Rally Archives Fundraising Effort Update!
  • YOUR Upcoming Event Date?
  • YOUR Event Wrap-Up?
  • YOUR First Road Rally Memory?
2017 Octoberfest Rally

Road Rally w/ PCA - Riesentoter on Sunday, October 8, 2017 at Montgomery School, Chester Springs, PA - The Shops at Lionville Station (in front of the old grocery store) 491 Uwchlan Trail, Chester Springs, PA 19425 (just a little up the road from ...

Read more
www.motorsportreg.com
Fall Colors Rally

Road Rally w/ Twin City Rally Club LLC on Sunday, October 8, 2017 at Swinging Bridge , River Falls, WI - Registration is at the Swinging Bridge Brewery starting at 11 AM. You can't have a beer before the rally but they have some awesome soft...

Read more
www.motorsportreg.com
4th Fall Tour of the Highlands Road Rally

4th Fall Tour of the Highlands Road Rally Sunday, October 15, 2017 The 4th Fall Tour of the Highlands Road Rally is a fun, family-oriented event highlighting the brilliant fall colors of the New Jersey Highlands. Registration and "Rally 101" at...

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www.eventbrite.com
Annual Great Pumpkin Fun Run

Seminar/Meeting w/ BMW CCA - Tidewater Chapter on Sunday, October 29, 2017 at Panera Bread, Suffolk, VA - Come on out and enjoy great drive around Suffolk and test your knowledge and navigation skills by answering questions while enjoying the...

Read more
www.motorsportreg.com
Kettle Moraine Colors Tour Road Rally

Road Rally w/ SCCA - Milwaukee Region on Sunday, October 29, 2017 at Marty's Pizza, Delafield, WI - SCCA Milwaukee Region Presents KETTLE MORAINE COLORS TOUR ROAD RALLY - Delafield, Wisconsin Sunday October 29, 2017 Join your fellow car...

Read more
www.motorsportreg.com
Words from the Wheel with Jamie Mullin
Greetings from the National Office -
RReNews gave Jamie Mullens and Words from the Wheel the month off!

The National Office Staff have had their hands full with our fellow sanctioned sports and their Championships — Solo Nationals are completed and the Club Racing RunOffs are taking place as we write. And, of course, the USRRC! They are a hard working bunch of folk and we appreciate their efforts on our behalf.

Jamie, we'll be looking to get updated rally numbers for the October Edition!
The National Scene AZICIT
with NEC Chairman Mike Thompson
From RReNews – We were given a reprieve from the SCCA RRB to waive off a September edition. We strived to get it out timely, yet a rally was in our path! Given the time dedicated to routes, Generals rework, hospitality, phone calls, emails, promotion, decals 'n banners, trophies, and a few extras – we plum ran out of time! We had sixty-six guests coming to dine on Alaska and the USRRC route instructions, and that took precedence in our minds.

Thank you to Rich Bireta, Bruce Gezon, and Mike Thompson for getting their copy sent in. We hope to be more timely and get back to our RReNews work with the USRRC past Cheryl Lynn's attentions!
The NEC Chairman Says... 
Well, here I am procrastinating (my favorite pastime) again. I just received a warning from Cheryl that this month's NEC report is due by noon. Wow does Cheryl have energy! Here she is up to her b$##)!*! in USRRC work and is still striving to get a newsletter to you.

Not much to report from the last NEC conference call. The 2017 Season is winding down, and the 2018 RoadRally Rules updates have been posted and are awaiting your comments. For those organizers and all organizers for that matter, I urge you to calendar your events with the SCCA RoadRally Department. It costs you nothing to calendar an event. The sooner you get those dates posted, the sooner contestants (and other organizers) can begin planning their schedules.

Odometer Calibration Talk
One interesting topic of discussion was the length of the odometer calibration. The RRRs require 12.00 miles. The NEC has been quite liberal in allowing sanction exceptions for less than 12.00 miles. There are some folks out there that think we shouldn't be giving exceptions.

Given the precision required for today's National and Divisional Tour events, an accurate odometer factor at the onset is extremely important, and less than 12.00 miles can make this difficult. Another item that came up in this conversation was the type of roads used during the odometer check. A 12.00-mile odometer check on an Interstate certainly gets you a different factor that one on "rally roads." Then again factor management is an important part of the game. 

Travel Time for Me
Well, I'm off to purchase some new luggage. Baggage handlers have pretty much destroyed the stuff I have. At the urging of my wife Linda, I'll be going to the USRRC to be of assistance in any way I can!

That’s AZICIT on September 8, 11:58 AM
Mike Thompson
NEC Chairman
May the Mass x Acceleration Be With You
SCCA Matters —
Minutes, Planning Calendar, Championship Points
From the Home Office — Road Rally eNews
We're back! We're currently in our Home Office in Wisconsin (remember we cover Road Rally across North America). As the one responsible for the 2017 United States Road Rally Challenge, I have spent a quick four days with twelve members of my family (ages eight to 80) in a lovely rented home on Sister Bay in Door County. It was time for this Gal to recharge, relax and rejuvenate my soul. My husband and I are wrapping up the week and begin our trek North to Alaska, where I will finish up my work on the USRRC.

Last month removed hundreds from our mail list, as records show they had not been opening RReNews, and we will be continuing the work of cleaning up our list through years' end. We have plans underway to increase our readership, and we hope you will help us with our efforts.

Thank you for your support. I know we write those five words each month. Know that each month we mean them sincerely. I know for many the summer seasons of rallying are winding down, yet do seek out those remaining and enjoy some rally camaraderie as we close out 2017!
Safe travels, Cheryl Lynn, Road Rally eNews
Road Rally eNews is produced in association with the Sports Car Club of America