The Regis Rally is an historic road rally by a team of experienced competitors from the Bognor Regis Motor Club in Sussex, England and covers just under 150 miles around West Sussex. The Regis Rally is a Regularity Rally and if you’ve never heard of them before then here’s a quick introduction.
Regularity rallies, also known as a regularity trial or regularity test, is a type of motorsport event that combines elements of precision driving, navigation, and maintaining a consistent average speed over a predetermined route. Unlike traditional races where the goal is to complete a course in the shortest time possible, regularity rallies focus on adhering to a set average speed while following a specified route.
Here’s how a typical regularity rally works:
- Route and Checkpoints: The rally route is divided into sections, and checkpoints are established along the way. The route may include a variety of road types, from highways to narrow and winding country roads.
- Average Speed: Participants are given an average speed that they must maintain throughout each section of the rally. This speed is often kept secret until the start of each section. The challenge is to drive as close as possible to the specified average speed without going too fast or too slow.
- Time Controls: At various checkpoints or time controls, participants’ arrival times are recorded. Penalties are assessed for arriving too early or too late. The goal is to accumulate as few penalty points as possible.
- Navigation: Navigational skills are crucial in regularity rallies. Participants are often given route instructions that may include distances, turns, and other details. The driver and navigator (co-driver) work together to interpret these instructions and stay on course.
- Equipment: Regularity rallies often attract a diverse range of vehicles, including classic cars, vintage vehicles, and modern sports cars. The emphasis is on precision and skill rather than pure speed.
These events are popular for their inclusivity, allowing participants with various types of vehicles and skill levels to take part. Regularity rallies provide a unique blend of competition, strategy and skill making them an enjoyable experience for enthusiasts of all ages. Competition can be fierce and navigators can be very secretive…
The Regis Rally was the very first Regularity Race that we ever entered – our preparation was thorough – we bought an OS map and read a few things online.
When we signed on we were given a Marked Map, some ‘Jogularity’ directions including Tulips Diagrams ( e.g. arrows, spot heights etc) – the sort of stuff kids who did orienteering at school would know inside out – we never did that…so the next instalment will explain what happened…
