Dutton Rally

[ScienceVR6]

At some stage i want to have a crack at the dutton rally, what i need to know, is what will i need to do to the Golf to survive the rally? will i need a roll cage? can i do it without semi-slicks?
can i do it in a completly standard car?

I figure i need to fit some decent brake pads, and i could firm up my koni's.
I would like to some other small hill climbs, and may build a dedicated car in a few years, but for now, i'd just like to have some fun.

[quozl]

At some stage i want to have a crack at the dutton rally, what i need to know, is what will i need to do to the Golf to survive the rally? will i need a roll cage? can i do it without semi-slicks?
can i do it in a completly standard car?

I figure i need to fit some decent brake pads, and i could firm up my koni's.
I would like to some other small hill climbs, and may build a dedicated car in a few years, but for now, i'd just like to have some fun.


For the Dutton series you need a CAMS level 2s license, neck to wrist to ankle clothing that is not flammable and a helmet that meets schedule D of the CAMS manual of motorsport regulations, they have also just changed the CAMS regs to include shoes that are not flammable so leather sneakers or a pair of motorsport shoes.

Other than that you can take your car in it how you drive it on the street and many people do just this.

Most who do it for the first time will upgrade their pads, and get the car well checked over by a competent mechanic before hand. Yes firm up the Konis and have an alignment done, no you don't need R rated tyres but they do help. No you don't need a roll cage yet (There is talk of CAMS changing the regulations for 2008 for these type of events to require a cage as they are getting more competitive and faster).

Yes it is a heap of fun and you will need a new liver at the end of the weekend.

In saying that the Dutton series is becoming more competitive with a lot of cars built specifically for tarmac rallying competing but it still the most laid back fun rally out there. As they say at every driver briefing "We are not racing for sheep stations we are here for fun and if you want a trophy that badly come and ask us and we will give you one at the awards ceremony :-) "

A lot more info can be found on the Dutton website at http://www.duttonrally.com but your best bet once you have read that is to check the schedule for the event that will be in your state and either get along to a few of the stages or volunteer to help out to get an insiders of view of how things operate. Volunteers get free accommodation, free food, and access to all of the dinners and some of the best parties held :D

I guarantee once you have done one you will want to do more and you will start to upgrade your ride to turn it into a tarmac rally special :-) Just ask Guy or myself or a few hundred other guys and gals who have done the Duttons and are nw starting to do events like Buller, Targa and Suncoast.

If you have any specific questions after reading the Dutton site feel free to drop me an PM.

Cheers Al

[gtimk5]

We used to have an annual rally down in Tasmania called the classic Challenge. Same requirements as the Duttons and a load of fun. Very sociable too but it also had a serious side, the hillclimbs and speed sections. I competed in my Mk2 gti, (now 86gtis) and finished 6th outright.
Progression and evolution means spending the dollars to improve and thus Gunter, my Mk1 was fitted with a 1.8 twincam and registered. Didnt get the same results in that event as others improved there Jap imports spending megadollars. The event eventually died out, because without rollcages the average speed on the stages was kept at a lower type to road rallies. That meant too many chicanes and speed cameras on the fast sections and a minimum time for stages. Anyone breaking that time would be penalised 500 seconds!!! :o
You would get 3/4 through some stages and then get told to back off!!
Thus, I moved on to Rally Tasmania and other events. Still, that event and Targa are getting more and more chicanes in the stages to slow the average stage times. It is known some of the faster cars are pushing 260-280 km/h in the fast sections of stages!:o

[ScienceVR6]

thanks guys, all i want to do is have fun without just going in just a straight line, and reading articles in wheels and motor, the dutton rally looks like that kind of fun.

[gtimk5]

There are rumours of a 4 car team running in the QLD round on the 23rd-25th. of this month! Mainly driven by members of this forum too! :)
Better put some vwwatercooled stickers on em..... I will personally deliver them if you like. :D
Hope to see some QLD vw supporters out there watching too ?
Watch this space for some big news!!!:o

[Guy_H]

Just confirmed we now have a MKV R32 from Melbourne joining us for the QLD round :)

[quozl]

Event Schedule for the Queensland round can be found at the following link in PDF format.

If you're in Queensland try and drop out and have a look.

http://home.swiftdsl.com.au/~acracing/pictures/Documents/QLD%20EVENT%20SCHEDULE%202007.pdf

Cheers Al