The Ultimate Automotive Adventure: Why Rally Racing Is Different

While most Ontario’s Rally Racing Scene confine themselves to a purpose-built track, rally racing breaks free. It’s a high-speed, high-stakes battle against the clock and the elements, with drivers and co-drivers pushing purpose-built cars to the limit on closed public roads, forest trails, and gravel tracks. It’s a true test of a driver’s skill, a co-driver’s precision, and a car’s resilience. In Ontario, with its vast network of rugged backroads and remote wilderness, rally racing has found a perfect home.

This blog post is your comprehensive guide to the adrenaline-fueled world of rally racing in Ontario. We’ll introduce you to the different types of events, highlight the key championships and tracks, and provide a clear path for how you can get involved, whether you want to race, volunteer, or simply be a spectator.

The Disciplines of Dirt: A Beginner’s Guide to Rallying

The world of rally racing can seem intimidating from the outside, but it’s built on a foundation of accessible, grassroots events. Before you get to the high-flying jumps and dramatic slides of a full-blown performance rally, there are several ways to get your tires dirty.

Rallycross (Rally-X)

Think of Rallycross as the gateway drug to Ontario’s Rally Racing Scene. It’s a great, low-cost way to get comfortable driving on loose surfaces.

The Concept: Rallycross events take place on a closed course, typically in a large field or an open area, with a mix of dirt, gravel, and grass. Cars race against the clock one at a time, so there’s no head-to-head contact.

The Appeal: The events are incredibly Ontario’s Rally Racing Scene. You only need a safe, mechanically sound street car, a helmet, and a competitive spirit. It’s an ideal way to test your car control skills, practice sliding and cornering on a non-paved surface, and get a feel for the unique physics of off-road driving. Many local Ontario clubs, such as the Kitchener Waterloo Rally Club, host regular Rallycross events.

Rallysprint

Rallysprint is the next step up from Rallycross, a true stepping stone to performance rally.

The Concept: Rallysprints are held on short, closed forest roads, with stage lengths typically no longer than 5 km. The speeds are higher than Rallycross, and the courses are much more representative of a real rally stage.

The Requirements: This is where things get a bit more Ontario’s Rally Racing Scene. While the safety requirements are not as strict as a full performance rally, cars do need some modifications. A basic roll cage is often required, as is a fire extinguisher and a proper racing seat. They are a great way to experience real stage rallying on a smaller, more manageable scale.

Performance Rally

This is the main event, the sport you see in the Ontario’s Rally Racing Scene and the Canadian Rally Championship (CRC).

The Concept: Performance rallies are held on a series of closed public roads called “stages.” Teams consist of a driver and a co-driver. The co-driver reads “pace notes” to the driver, a detailed set of instructions on what’s coming up on the road. The goal is to complete the stages as fast as possible, with the lowest total time winning the event.

The Challenge: The stages are often remote, with no spectators allowed on the course itself. The cars are built to an incredibly high standard of safety and performance, with full roll cages, racing harnesses, and advanced suspension systems.

The Ontario Performance Rally Championship (OPRC)

The Ontario Performance Rally Championship Ontario’s Rally Racing Scene is the premier regional championship for rally racing in the province. It’s a series of events that tests drivers and co-drivers on a variety of surfaces and in different conditions, leading to an overall champion at the end of the season.

The Rally of the Tall Pines (Bancroft)

The crown jewel of the Ontario rally scene is undoubtedly the Rally of the Tall Pines. Held annually in November in and around the Bancroft area, it is the final round of the Ontario and Eastern Canadian Rally Championships and one of the most famous events on the Ontario’s Rally Racing Scene Rally Championship calendar.

The Terrain: The stages are known for being incredibly challenging. Winding, technical, and often covered in a mix of loose gravel, dirt, and mud, the roads are a true test of a driver’s ability. The cold, wet weather of November in Eastern Ontario adds another layer of difficulty.

The Spectator Experience: The Ontario’s Rally Racing Scene of the Tall Pines is famous for its passionate and enthusiastic fans. Spectator points are set up in safe locations along the stages, allowing fans to witness the action up close. The rally also features a “Super Special” stage held in a more accessible location, which is a big hit with the public.

Other Key Events

Rally of the Voyageurs: A newer Ontario’s Rally Racing Scene in the Ontario championship, the Rally of the Voyageurs offers a different kind of challenge, with a mix of stages that test a driver’s versatility.

Black Bear Rally: Another popular event on the OPRC calendar, the Black Bear Rally is known for its fast stages and competitive fields.

The Heart of the Scene: Local Clubs and Community

Rally racing is a community sport. Without the thousands of volunteers, organizers, and enthusiasts who dedicate their time, the events simply wouldn’t happen.

Finding a Rally Club Near You

The easiest and best way to get involved is to join a local Ontario’s Rally Racing Scene. Ontario has several active clubs, many of which are part of the Ontario Rallysport Association.

Maple Leaf Rally Club (MLRC): Based in the Greater Toronto Area, the MLRC is one of the most active clubs in the province. They organize events like the Rally of the Tall Pines and host Rallysprint and Rallycross events.

Kitchener Waterloo Rally Club (KWRC): The KWRC is well-known for its Rallycross series and its emphasis on grassroots development. They offer a great starting point for anyone looking to get their feet wet.

Peterborough Mitsubishi Rally Club (PMSC): Another staple of the Ontario rally scene, the PMSC hosts a variety of events throughout the year.

How to Get Involved Without Racing

You don’t need to be a driver to be a crucial part of the rally community.

Volunteer: Rally events rely on volunteers to run safely and smoothly. You can be a marshal, a stage worker, a timekeeper, or a checkpoint crew. Volunteering is a fantastic way to get an up-close look at the action, meet the racers, and learn the inner workings of the sport.

Become a Co-Driver: A Ontario’s Rally Racing Scene is just as important as a good driver. Many drivers are always on the lookout for a reliable and skilled co-driver. It’s a challenging and rewarding role that can be your ticket to the front lines of competition.

The Cars of Ontario Rally

Rally cars are a fascinating blend of street performance and purpose-built safety. While the top-tier cars are highly specialized, the most common vehicles in Ontario’s Rally Racing Scene are a mix of what is known as 2WD (two-wheel-drive) and AWD (all-wheel-drive) machines.

Subaru and Mitsubishi: For decades, the Subaru Ontario’s Rally Racing Scene and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution were the kings of the AWD rally world. Their robust drivetrains and turbocharged engines made them a perfect platform for the challenging Canadian terrain. You’ll still see many of these cars dominating the stages.

European and Japanese 2WD Cars: The Ontario’s Rally Racing Scene classes are incredibly competitive, with a wide variety of cars, from a nimble Honda Civic to a powerful Ford Fiesta. The lower cost of running a 2WD car makes this a popular and affordable class for amateur racers.