Car Club Booming

Victoria's Car Club, now in its first full year of activities, is one of the fastest growing Clubs in the Universty. Proof of the strength of the Club has now been realised with the recent win by the Car Club Team entry in the "Anthony Motors Break-down '71 Motor Rally." One hundred cars faced the starter for this event which lasted for eight testing hours on July 25th. and saw many competitors lost throughout the day. A large number of team entries were received for the event and it is to the credit of the participants page break in the four cars making up the University Team that their efforts enabled them to take the first prize against the more experienced competitors.

The Club is having a busy time this year arranging events to satisfy the enthusiasm shown in its activities. Most students have heard, or read, about Car Rallies being held in various countries and, more recently, about the "Heatway Rally" which was run throughout the North Island. Until last year the students at Vic have been unable to compete in a University Car Rally but, now that the Club is established, this is now possible and popularity of these events is surprising. The Club has followed a policy of providing interesting events for those who may, or may never, have been on a Car Rally and have wished to try their skills at the sport, while bearing in mind that the event must not be too expensive, too time-consuming, or too difficult. To this end the Club has held most of its events on Sunday afternoons, with the occasional night rally being held on Saturday nights, at a cost of only 50 cents per car.

To the uninitiated, a Car Rally is not a race, or a display of vehicles, but rather, briefly, it is a test of skill among competitors following a given course. Three people make up the "ideal" car - it has been proven in Vies events that the type of vehicle has too little to do with the results. These three are (1) The Driver who must be able to drive according to the instructions, and at the correct speed, given to him by (2) The Navigator who must be able to read the instructions correctly and assist (3) The Time-keeper who must be able to co-ordinate the distance travelled, and the speed of travel, to ensure that the car is travelling on the right timing. Throughout the journey the organiser employs a "check" system to ensure that the competitors are on the correct course and travelling at the correct speed - off course, or wrong timing, can result in penalty points against the competitors. The winner is the person obtaining the least penalty points in the event.

The begining of the year saw 10-15 cars taking part in Car Club events which last, on an average, 2½ - 3½ hours and cover 50-70 miles. As the year progressed the number of competitors has increased with each event and it is now common to have over 30 cars line up for the start - a turnout which is far greater than many of the longer established car clubs regularly attain. All beginners to the sport have found that after two or three events the whole idea of Car Rallying gets into their blood and they become regular competitors. There is no doubt that the Club will increase in size again next year, and possibly become the strongest Car Club in Wellington as Canterbury, and Auckland, University became in their areas.

If you would like to pit your wits against some others then watch the notice boards, especially on the first floor of the Student Union Building, for details of coming Car Club events. If you have never been on a Car Rally before then I suggest that you begin with a Sunday event (as daylight helps), bring a map, pencil and paper, and ask the organiser at the start control for a "Beginners Instruction Guide" which you can read before the rally begins and obtain some helpful hints for you to use during the event. If you are in any doubt before the start, don't hesitate to ask anyone else about your problems, or for any hints on how to Rally, as the more experienced rally competitors are always willing to help beginners.

See you at the next Car Rally. Good luck.

Tony Fair.