“Drivers should help set the stages up”

Overheard at a single venue rally between two competitors: “You were cheating,” says Driver 1. “How so?” says Driver 2. “You were setting up the stages yesterday,” said Driver 1.

“That’s right, and if you volunteer to help next year, you’ll be welcome,” came the response.

Driver 2 then turned to me and said, perhaps that should be written into future rally regulations – any competitors who want to help with set-up at rallies should be welcomed. What a marvellous idea, on a number of counts. The practice of would-be competitors helping to set-up Special Stages has been frowned upon for years, but at a time when amateur car clubs are struggling to attract enough members and friends to help them, any offers of additional outside help should be welcome.

With particular reference to single-venue rally organisers, getting volunteers to take time off work to prepare a remote venue is increasingly difficult. It’s not just time and manpower, there are equipment requirements too.

Supplies of tyre barriers, fencing, straw bales, cones, stakes and arrows have to be transported to and from each venue. This is a huge logistical exercise, requiring suitable transport.

On that basis, any club member who has access to tractors, tele-handlers, trailers, trucks, pickups and vans may be prevailed upon to render assistance. In fact, many drivers and co-drivers who participate in the sport have access to such vehicles through their own business, garage, plant hire or agricultural enterprise.

If they have the time, equipment and willingness to help, why should they be denied the chance to enter their own club’s event?

For instance, the east of Scotland-based Dunfermline Car Club runs the Mach 1 Stages each year at Machrihanish in the far west. There is a hardcore group of officials who take a week off their work to travel the 180 miles or so to prepare the site and import all the stage furniture and materials, set up and man the stages, then remove it all again afterwards. That is one hell of a commitment.

Similarly, the Aberdeen & DMC team, which was in action last weekend was grateful for the support of a couple of club stalwarts who, at their own cost, brought along a tractor with low-loader trailer and a tele-handler to help transport the hundreds of items of equipment and help set it up. Furthermore, a small team spent the entire previous weekend at the site and was back again on the Thursday before the rally.

Anyone who doubts the sheer effort, logistics, time and costs of such operations is welcome to come along and help, and that should surely include competitors.

Trundling a tele-handler around an airfield clutching a one-tonne bale hardly constitutes recceing, let alone practice.