RASC Snowflake

Rainier Auto Sports Club  

The Wishbone Alley Gazette

January, 2004

 

Rally News

Alcan 5000 in the winter: When the temperature stays at –30, weird things happen. The humidity goes to zero- all the moisture in the air freezes to the nearest cold surface- like the roof of the car (above the headliner), where it will thaw and drip somewhere in lower B.C. Fingernails get brittle, and snap like a potato chip. The engine control system gets confused and mileage plummets.

Gerald Hawley set his can of Coke on the roof of his truck while gassing up. By time he hung the nozzle back on the pump, the soda was frozen solid. Heck, pop left in a “cooler” overnight is frozen the next morning!

The sky is so clear! “Starlight” takes on a new meaning when the Orion constellation is viewed. Plus the whole Milky Way.

Add in the rare chance to meet other crazy people, who usually prove to be resourceful, and incredibly generous. Most participants come back with a new appreciation for civilization. The camaraderie is a highlight of the trip.

The Alcan starts February 18.  The latest news is at www.alcan5000.com.

*Ben Bradley has joined the SCCA Performance Rally Board (PRB).

* PRB dropped Wild West, sponsors drop out of the series.

Might not be a connection, but one might wonder.

Mitsubishi dropped their entire program; the Air Force Reserve won’t sponsor a team (but will honor a previous commitment to provide support $$ to the rally organizers). Subaru decided not to field a factory-sponsored team, but will support private entrants in various ways.

* At the moment, SPEED channel won’t be carrying the SCCA PRO-Rally’s.

* From Tom Palidar: “A Championship just for those folks who run Unlimited or Equipped classes. So here's how it works: Anyone can enter each of the four events (see below) & earn points towards the coveted trophy...a very nice jacket. But you need to be a member of the following NWRC Club (CSCC, FOOTZ, ORCA, PSRC, RASC, SCCA, or TS,) sometime before April 10th, 2004. Each Championship competitor picks three of their best scores for determination of final results & the trophies will be handed out at the July or August Friday Nighter NWRC rally. And...the final qualification is that you must also work one of these events & be confirmed by that sponsoring club.....no exceptions

Oh yes...these Championship Jackets are only for Unlimited, Equipped classes & for those "Masters class" rallyists who sign up in the SOP class for these events.  The NWRC SOP & Novice Championships have their own criteria since they are only part of the NWRC Friday Nighter series & therefore points earned are the same as last year...but just within that series....not these events.
Here's the schedule:
January 25- Armageddon XXII Duex, Chuckanut
February 29th Kechtum If You Can, PSRC
April 18- Raindrop, RASC
May 15- Sno-git, ORCA

And just so you know.... since each event will have trophies for UNL, CALC, SOP, & Novice...it is important to take advantage of EARLY REGISTRATION. Each club bases their trophy purchases upon how many folk are entered in each class & if you don't sign up early.... they have no way of having the proper amount of trophies for each class...so get to it.

The first event "Armageddon XXIII Duex" has EARLY REGISTRATION closing on January 18th.... you can reach them via http://www.chuckanutscc.org/ & select 'schedule'.... down to 2004 section & link in to the Armageddon XXII link.

Club News

There was no December club meeting.  There was only a vote to select the board for 2004.  Winners were: Willey, Horst, Hines, Crippen, Millman, Jones.

Later there was a Board meeting.  The Board decided the following position assignments:

  • President: Willey
  • VP: Crippen
  • Treasurer: Millman
  • Secretary: Horst
  • At Large: Jones
  • At Large: Hines
  • President Willey appointed Mark Nolte to the Newsletter Editor position.

Trivia

  • Fitting a probe for a rally odometer isn’t fun. Some sort of bracket has to be fitted near an axle, usually using existing hardware on the car. Then the magnets have to be secured, and line up with the probe. The cable from the probe has to get to the car’s interior.

Modern cars have an electrical output from the Engine Control Unit (ECU).  The ECU is already inside the car. How sweet- just tap into that and “condition” the output to plug into the rally odometer.

In the case of my WRX, this is a tiny transistor and a resistor- it could fit in a 1/4” phono plug, as Glenn Wallace does. The Lingbloom’s new Subaru Forester would be easy.

All was fine until Ken turned off his driving lamps while measuring Armageddon. His Timewise 547 reset itself, just like a power interruption. Ken tried just about everything, then did the rest. Still an instant reset when the lamps were switched off.

At the RASC Christmas Party, Kirk Simons brought his Timewise. It did the same thing. We plugged my Timewise 797 into Ken’s wiring, but without the problem! Couldn’t duplicate the problem in my Subaru.

We fit another conditioner. Cut the ground. No hope. Ken is going to have to fit a probe.

Sharing with other RASC members, brought out other horror stories. The best was that John Kisela gave up and runs his Timewise from a separate battery in the back seat.- MN

  • Dash Reader- The serious TSD rally teams have a “reader” on the dashboard. This puts the RI’s where the driver can see them, which lets the navigator concentrate on other things, and reverts blame to the driver if he misses an Instruction.

This consists of a pair of rollers with the RI’s taped into a long ribbon and “rolled” from one roller to the other, with a hard surface in between to show the RI’s. A (big) rubber band connects the rollers to keep it neat. This is easier than a big clipboard on the dash, but it takes time to tape the RI’s together.

Eric Horst and Steve Willey looked at the Stevens Reader (the “standard”) and came up with a design of their own. Besides a shield to keep the RI’s from reflecting off the windshield, they made provisions for having more than one set of rollers, so all the RI’s don’t have to be loaded at once.

We await the next generation design, when the reader board can be backlit for night rallies.

Nolte has built 5 readers so far. The first design weighed too much, the second was too narrow- the pages needed to lined up very carefully. The 3rd attempt was too light, and cracked when it was bungied to the dash.

If you have some ideas about this, let Nolte know.

FOR SALE / Wanted:

  • Future Classic: TSD rally-ready 1983 Audi Turbo Quattro Coupe.  Mars red.  170K miles.  Lots of goodies, well maintained by owner (retired mechanic) $ 7,500.00). E-mail Peter Linde at pjnconn@yahoo.com.
  • Icom IC-25 25 watt 2 mtr, about 20 years old, works great, big red LED readout, $75.00, Roy Ward, 425-485-6225 roy.ward@verizon.net
  • Uniden VHF FM handie talkie, 6 ch crystal controlled, fairly new battery pack and desktop charger, $50.00, Roy Ward, 425-485-6225 roy.ward@verizon.net
  • Icom 2AT thumbwheel handie-talkie, 2 battery packs, $50.00, Roy Ward, 425-485-6225 roy.ward@verizon.net
  • Alcan 2004 course survey car:  A silver 1998 Honda Passport, complete with lights, odo, alloy wheels, and studded tires.  $7900 ready to rally, please call or e-mail for info & photos. Jerry Hines (425) 823-6343
  • The 2000 Alcan winner:  R Dale Kraushaar is offering his well-prepared 1998 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS, complete with lights, CD changer, and many good rally parts.  $8900 delivered at the start (or you can pick it up in Phoenix at your leisure).  Click http://www.challengedriving.com/, then "For Sale"...

RASC Calendar

Jan. 31- SCCA-NWR Rally Awards & Worker’s Party. Little Creek Casino.
DIRECTIONS:  From north or southbound I-5, take Exit 104, onto Hwy 101 toward Aberdeen.  Take the Highway 101 exit north toward Shelton/Port Angeles.   Take the Highway 109 exit.  The casino is visible on the left.  The casino hotel is open.  Room rates are: $89 standard, $149 Spa and $189 Deluxe.  Call:  800-667-7711
www.little-creek.com   For additional information call John Forespring at 360-943-2191.

 

2004 Northwest Stage Rally Schedule

  • Jan 31-  Rally Awards Banquet, Kamilchie, WA

  • Feb 7/8- Portside/Grizzly Sprints, Cancelled

  • Feb 8- Highway Cleanup, Tumwater, WA

  • March 6- Doo Wop 4, Montesano, WA

  • March 7- Doo Wop 3,Taholah, WA

  • April 3/4- Reno 1 & 2, Reno, NV

  • April 22-24- Oregon Trail ProRally, Hillsboro, OR 

  • May 22-23- Bighorn, Edison, AB

  • May 28-29- Rocky Mountain, Calgary, AB

  • June 5- Dryad Quest, Shelton, WA

  • June 6- Shitepoke, Shelton, WA

  • June 26- Mountain Trials Rally, Merritt, BC

  • July 24-25- Rally Café, Bremerton, WA

  • July 31- ORV Sprint 1, McCleary, WA 

  • Aug 1- ORV Sprint 2, McCleary, WA 

  • Sept 11- Sou'Wester, Olympia, WA

  • Sept 12- Simpson Stages, Shelton, WA

  • Oct ? - Mt. Hood, Hood River, OR 

  • Oct 16- Pacific Forest Rally, Merritt, BC

  • Nov 7- Kananaskis, Cochrane, AB

Rallying in B.C.

  • Feb 14/15- Thunderbird

  • May 01- Heart of Darkness 

  • June 04/06- Coast to Coast

  • July 24/25- Gold Digger

  • Oct 30- Midnight

  • Nov 13/14- Totem

Local TSD

• Call the NWRC Hotline (206) 256-9627 for latest info on Puget Sound TSD events. NWRC Friday Niters start at the Eastgate (Bellevue) Park and Ride. Reg opens at 6:45, FCO 7:31

  • Jan 25- Armageddon TSD, Bellingham Reg 9AM, FCO 10:01, Alaska Ferry terminal, 6 hours, mostly paved. $40 early Registration, $50 after January 18. Lingblooms: (360) 733-8897.

  • Feb 13- Friday Nighter, NWRC/ORCA

  • Feb 18-26- Winter Alcan 5000, RASC

  • Feb 29- Katchem Monte, PSRC

  • Mar 12- Friday Nighter, FOOTZ/CSCC

  • April 9- Friday Nighter NWRC/ORCA

  • April 18- Raindrop, RASC    Kirkland,

  •  May 14- Friday Nighter, NWRC/PSRC

  • May 15- Jack's Rally, ORCA. Bellevue, WA

  • June 11- Friday Nighter, NWRC/TS

  • June 19-20- No Alibi, RASC, TSD gravel Ellensburg-Clarkston-Ellensburg

  • July 9   Friday Nighter NWRC

  • Aug. 13- Friday Nighter, NWRC/ORCA

  • Sept. 10- Friday Nighter. NWRC

  • Oct. 2- Night on Bald Mountain, ORCA

  • Oct. 8- Friday Nighter     NWRC/RASC

  • Nov 6- Armageddon XXIII,CSCC, Bellingham,

  • Nov. 12- Friday Nighter      NWRC/ORCA

SCCA National Pro-Rally

  • Jan. 30-31- Sno*Drift* Rally, Atlanta, Mich.

  • April 23-25- Oregon Trail, Hillsboro, Ore.

  • May 7-8- Rim of the World, Palmdale, Calif.

  • Jun 5- Susquehannock Trail, Wellsboro, Penn.

  • Jun 24-26- Pikes Peak Int'l Hillclimb, Colorado Springs, Colo.

  • July 30-31- Maine Forest Rally, Rumford, Maine

  • Aug. 27-28- Ojibwe Forests, Bemidji, Minn.

  • Sep. 24-26- Colorado Cog, Steamboat Springs, Colo.

  • Oct. 22-23- Lake Superior, Houghton, Mich.

  • Jun  24-26- Pikes Peak Hillclimb SCCA ProRally  www.ppihc.com Colorado Springs CO    scca.org

  • Jun   ??        tba   Oregon SCCA Divisional   TSD   tba  OR      oregonrally

  • Jun   26-27 ?     Coast To Coast   PCC    night    IRC   TSD       tba     Vanc Isl        rallybc

  • Jun   ??        Thunderhill RallyX CaliforniaRallySeries      Willows  CA

  • Jul  1       Canada Holiday      Canada Day

  • Jul  2-3 ? Rally Baie des Chaleurs    CARS National Performance Rally  New Richmond PQ  carsrally.ca

  • Jul  5       USA Monday Holiday Independence Day observed

  • Jul   ?? WCRA Novice Workshop #2 BC Novice TSD      Kelowna  BC    rallybc

  • Jul  9   Friday Nighter    NWRC TSD & Novice Series     Bellevue  WA    nwrally

  • Jul   10-11 ?      Ioco Hill Climb   Burnaby Coquitlam Motorsport Association   Port Moody BC     

  • Jul 16  Friday Nighter    Cascade Friday Nighter Series      Portland  OR  cascadescc

  • ? Jul  17-18 ?     Gold Digger TSD Rally    BC Regional TSD  verify Jul or Oct date   Pemberton BC   rallybc

  • Jul   ?? Tait Ranch RallyX  CaliforniaRallySeries      Frazier Park  CA

  • Jul  30-31    Maine Forest      SCCA ProRally      www.maineforestrally.com   Rumford  ME   scca.org

  • Jul   ?? tba   Oregon SCCA Divisional   TSD   tba   OR      oregonrally

  • Jul   ?? Tarline 1  (C2)   ClubRally    CaliforniaRallySeries  West Covina CA

  • Jul   ?? IRC Rally X #3   Island Rallysport Club     Rally X       tba     Vanc Isl   rallybc

  • ?Aug  6 ? Rally School  NWR Rally School       tba     west  WA  nwr-scca

  • ?Aug  7-8 ?  Rallysprint 1 & 2 (C1)     SCCA ClubRally      tba     west  WA  nwr-scca

  • Aug   ??      Merritt Rally Cross Challenge #3 WCRA RallyX   Merritt  BC       rallybc

  • Aug   7-8 ?  Bible Creek Hillclimb  Willamette Motor Club  (Salem OR)      Wilemina  OR www.wmclub.org

  • Aug  13       Friday Nighter    NWRC TSD & Novice Series     Bellevue  WA    nwrally

  • Aug   14 ?    Gorman Ridge (C3) CalClub & WSRC   Frazier Park CA        wsrally

  • Aug  14-15   withdrawn  TRNT  (Full moon 16th)  PCC  night SCCA Nat’l TSD gravel   Grande Ronde OR  twistyroads.net

  • Aug  18- 26       Alcan5000     20th Anniv  Kirkland WA – Whitehorse YT – Whistler BC  www.alcan5000.com

  • Aug  20       Friday Nighter    Cascade Friday Nighter Series      Portland  OR cascadescc

  • Aug   21 ?    Tsunami      IRC   TSD    tba     Vanc Isl      rallybc

  • Aug   ??       tba   Oregon SCCA Divisional   TSD   tba    OR    oregonrally

  • Aug   ??       ORG-RallyX      tba   tba    OR    oregonrally

  • Aug  27-28  Ojibwe Forests   SCCA ProRally      www.ojibweforestsrally.com   Bemidji  MN   scca.org

  • Aug   ??       Tait Ranch RallyX  CaliforniaRallySeries      Frazier Park  CA

  • Sep  10-11 ?      Rallye Defi Ste-Agathe     CARS National Performance Rally       Ste-Agathe PQ       carsrally.ca

  • Sep 6       USA & Canada  Monday Holiday     Labor Day/Labour Day

  • Sep  10        Friday Nighter    NWRC TSD & Novice Series     Bellevue  WA    nwrally

  • Sep  10-12 ?      WildWest International Rally  FIA listed   www.wildwestrally.com  Shelton WA  nwr-scca

  • Sep   11 ??   Sou’Wester (3)    SCCA ClubRally      Shelton  WA   nwr-scca

  • Sep   12 ??   Simpson Stages (3) SCCA ClubRally      Shelton  WA nwr-scca  

  • Sep   ??        Merritt Rally Cross Challenge #4 WCRA RallyX   Merritt  BC       rallybc

  • Sep   ??        Rally School  CaliforniaRallySeries      Ridgecrest CA

  • Sep   ??       ORG-RallyX      tba   tba    OR    oregonrally

  • Sep   ??        Ridgecrest RallyX   CaliforniaRallySeries      Ridgecrest  CA

  • Sep  17        Friday Nighter    Cascade Friday Nighter Series      Portland  OR  cascadescc

  • Sep  18-26   Targa Newfoundland  Tarmac Rally      St. John’s Newfoundland

  • Sep  24-26   Colorado Cog      SCCA ProRally      www.coloradocog.com     Steamboat Springs CO      scca.org

  • ? Sep 24-26 ?    Rally of the Voyageurs     CARS ( tba ) Performance Rally   (promised back on the 2004 schedule)

  • Sep  25 ?  (18th ?)    Mountains To Sea  Cascade TSD    verify date & loc Portland OR      cascadescc

  • Sep   ??        Rally School  CaliforniaRallySeries      Willows CA

  • Sep   ??        Thunderhill RallyX CaliforniaRallySeries      Willows  CA

  • Sep   ??        Tombstone RallyX CaliforniaRallySeries      Corona  CA

  •  

  • Oct  2 ?       Night on Bald Mountain   PCC  night   ORCA   TSD   gravel     tba  west WA   nwrally

  • Oct    ??   IRC Rally X #4   Island Rallysport Club     Rally X       tba     Vanc Isl   rallybc

  • Oct  8  Friday Nighter    NWRC TSD & Novice Series     Bellevue  WA   nwrally

  • Oct    9 ? Santa MariaRally Sprint (C1) CaliforniaRallySeries    Santa Maria  CA

  • Oct    ??   ORG-RallyX      tba   tba   OR     oregonrally

  • Oct  9-10 ?  Port Orford   SCCA Divisional TSD    tba       OR       oregonrally

  • Oct  11    USA & Canada Holiday     Columbus Day & Thanksgiving Day

  • Oct    ??   Santa Maria RallyX    CaliforniaRallySeries      Santa Maria  CA

  • Oct  15-17   United States Road Rally Championship     Tour-Course-Tour    tba     CalClub   scca.org

  • Oct  15        Friday Nighter    Cascade Friday Nighter Series      Portland  OR cascadescc

  • Oct  16-17 ?      Mountain Trials  WCRA  BC Regional Performance   Merritt  BC  rallybc

  • Oct    ??   Las Vegas RallyX   CaliforniaRallySeries      Jean  NV       lvrscca.org

  • Oct    ??   WCRA Novice TSD   Novice TSD Rally Workshop (2-day)   Merritt  BC       rallybc

  • Oct  20-24 ?      Rally Int’l de Charlevoix   CARS National Performance Rally  La Malbaie PQ       carsrally.ca

  • Oct  22-23   Lake Superior      SCCA ProRally      www.lsprorally.com   Houghton  MI     scca.org

  • Oct  22-24 ?      Prescott Forest (C2,3)      CaliforniaRallySeries      Prescott   AZ     az-region-scca.org

  • Oct  23 ? (or 16th)  withdrawn    Mt Hood (C2)    SCCA ClubRally     Hood River OR  oregonrally

  • Oct  23-24 ?      The Loop      CSCC  AB   night TSD   Calgary  AB    cscc.ab.ca

  • Oct  23-24 ?      Midnight     IRC  night   TSD       tba     Vanc Isl    rallybc

  • ?Oct  23-24 (July) ?  Gold Digger      WCRA BC Regional TSD   night Pemberton  BC  rallybc

  • Oct  30 ? ( 23rd ? ) Ghouls Gambol  XXXVIII    Cascade Halloween TSD  Portland  OR      cascadescc

  • Oct   ??        Tombstone Paintball Rally Sprint (C1)  CaliforniaRallySeries  Corona  CA

  • Oct 31     USA Holiday  Halloween

  • Nov   6 ? Armageddon XXIII Chuckanut TSD Monte Carlo gravel     Bellingham  WA   chuckanutscc.org

  • Nov   6 ? Las Vegas RallyX   CaliforniaRallySeries      Jean  NV       lvrscca.org

  • Nov   6-7 ?  Heart of Dixie     SCCA Mfg Points ClubRally  & Year-End Host Awards  tba   GA scca.org

  • Nov   7 ? Kananaskis Rally    WCRC Performance Rally  CARS     Cochrane  AB  cscc.ab.ca

  • Nov  11   USA & Canada Holiday     Veterans Day & Remembrance Day

  • Nov   13 ?   Treeline   (C3)     CaliforniaRallySeries & WSRC    West Covina CA        wsrally

  • Nov   14 ?   Tarline Rally Sprint (C1)  CaliforniaRallySeries      West Covina  CA

  • Nov  13-14  Totem     PCC   WCRA   BC Regional    TSD   tba     BC interior   rallybc

  • Nov   ??       Tombstone RallyX CaliforniaRallySeries      Corona  CA

  • Nov  19-20 ?     Rally of the Tall Pines      CARS National Performance Rally  Bancroft ON  carsrally.ca

  • Nov  19-21 ?   withdrawn     Fountain to the Mountain Adventure Rally      Fountain Hills AZ challengedriving.com

  • Nov  25   USA Holiday  Thanksgiving Day

  • Dec   ??       Arizona RallyX  CaliforniaRallySeries      tba     AZ

  • ?Dec 9-12 ?       Ramada Express      ARSG International Stage Rally   Laughlin  NV    rallyusa

  • ?Dec 9-12 ?       JAOS Adventure    GPS Navigation Rally     Laughlin  NV  rallyusa

  • Dec  24    USA Friday Holiday    Christmas Day observed

  • Dec  25    USA & Canada Holiday     Christmas Day

  • Dec  26    Canada Holiday      Boxing Day

  • Dec  31    USA Friday Holiday    New Year’s Eve

 

Calendar at   http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/

and holidays at  http://www.opm.gov/fedhol/ and www.labour.gov.bc.ca/esb/facshts/stats.htm

 

Organizers please check for your dates.

 

SCCA ClubRally schedule not yet released

SCCA RoadRally National and Divisional schedules not yet released

CARS National Performance Rally schedule not yet final

WCRA schedule not yet released    

IRC schedule not yet released

Pacific Coast Challenge schedule not yet released

 

 

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