Monthly Archives: December 2014

The Decline of Rallying in the UK

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LICENCE AND EVENT STATISTICS

EVENT STATISTICS
Licence figures by discipline 2010-2014 Difference
RACE 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
 International 1436 1,391 1,360 1,393 1,388 1,429 -0.49%
National A 3761 3,924 4,122 4,180 4,186 4,357 15.85%
National B 4424 4,485 4,464 4,529 4,494 4,358 -1.49%
International Historic 396 394 357 366 309 298 -24.75%
Truck 29 34 40 31 30 37 27.59%
Total Race     10046 10,228 10,343 10,499 10,407 10,479 4.31%
KART
International 218 219 204 221 232 245 12.39%
National A 2222 2,026 1,922 1,760 1,571 1,433 -35.51%
National B and Clubman 2310 2,364 2,394 2,272 2,183 2,152 -6.84%
Total Kart     4750 4,609 4,520 4,253 3,986 3,830 -19.37%
RALLY
International 408 350 301 273 226 230 -43.63%
National A 2134 2,119 2,059 2,027 1,954 1,875 -12.14%
National B 4467 4,202 4,005 3,981 3,956 3,982 -10.86%
Navigator 1368 1,229 1,081 1,039 1,042 963 -29.61%
International Historic 15 19 15 11 11 15 0.00%
Total Rally     8392 7,919 7,461 7,331 7,189 7,065 -15.81%
SPEED
International 31 34 36 32 31
National A Total Speed 1,533 1,502 1,487 1,476 1,498
1,564 1,536 1,523 1,508 1,529
Off-Road 102 96 86 83 86
Non-Race Nat B 6,054 6,436 6,335 6,190 6,102
Clubman 1,208 1,193 1,094 1,111 1,000
Entrant 229 242 257 249 234
Total Competitor Licences 31,913 31,827 31,378 30,723 30,325
Number of events by discipline 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2014
Autotest 527 529 561 614 664 743 728 866 54.37%
Auto/Rallycross 48 58 54 47 72 63 55 63 16.67%
Cross Country 1,211 1,267 1,263 1,223 1,298 1,268 1,171 1,126 -10.85%
Race 321 308 302 310 307 333 329 336 11.26%
Rallies 991 984 982 922 912 887 882 745 -24.13%
Speed 347 338 329 338 328 335 316 344 4.56%
Trials 211 219 204 243 242 217 221 233 14.22%
Kart 466 497 460 456 465 448 454 460 0.00%
Exempt 916 793 778 729 766 826 766 702 -9.77%
TOTAL EVENTS 5038 4993 4933 4,882 5,054 5,120 4,922 4,875 -1.18%
TOTAL ENTRIES 158,815 153,533 153,808 155,729 147,384 143,899 138,533 138,279 -10.10%

 

The MSA think that they are doing a good job for Rallying but the licences show the truth a decline year on year and if they were brave enough to look back even further to the 90’s they will see how they have driven  people away from grass roots rallying with the greater and greater demands on safety etc they have stopped younger drivers and navigators coming into the sport I would think the average age of Rally Drivers and Navigators has increased considerably

Blades Rally Team

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How to set up your rally Car

Computer Controlled Four Wheel Alignment and Full Corner Weight Scales Setup
Many people believe that the easiest route to make your car more competitive is by spending money tuning the engine.
What is often overlooked is the potential that can be released by paying attention to the suspension.
Blades Rally Team are pleased to announce that it is able to offer four wheel alignment after purchasing a Hunter J 111 Computer Alignment system and Longacre corner weight scales.
As well as measuring toe in/out, caster, camber, KPI – it will measure front to rear thrust axis and bump steer.
Corner weights are an often overlooked area which is very important in suspension setting up. If your wheels are not exerting a uniform force from side to side then the handling characteristics will also vary regardless of suspension geometry, (Imagine sitting at a restaurant with a table that wobbles. This is due to it having a leg which is not touching the ground in the same way the other three are) In this particular case the ground may be uneven but with your car it is the suspension which is uneven and giving the car the wobbly table effect. By corner weighting a car, handling can be transformed. Corner weights are set first then suspension geometry. A saloon car can normally be balanced without the Driver or Navigator.