100AW Performance Rally Group

Rally is a unique motorsports event that’s completely run by volunteers. The cars are street legal, but with roll cages and other safety and performance modifications that must complete a 350 mile or so course on both open public streets and closed sections called special stages. They race one at a time and start one minute apart on the special stages and use the public roads to transit to each stage. They are timed on the stages and also have set times to complete the transits that encourage them to drive under the speed limit. They receive penalties on the transits if they’re early or late. The rally cars are all street licensed and are to follow the normal rules of the road when they are transiting between stages.

There are a lot of unique terms used in rally that you may or may not be familiar with. Parc Expose, for instance, is where the cars all gather at the start of each day so the public can see the cars and talk to the drivers. As volunteers, you may or may not have time to see this. The stages must be set up at least an hour before the first car starts, which means the workers must meet up about 3hrs before their stage starts in order to get there and get everything set up.

Even if you signed up online, you still need to come to the onsite registration before your first assignment. Those times/locations are on the website, www.100aw.org. When you come there, you’ll sign in, get your assignments, and get your free worker goodies. We will also give you a card with info on when and where you meet up with the rest of your stage crew. Each stage crew has two captains that will get everybody organized and fill you in a bit more on what to do for the day. They also have the maps and routes to get you where you need to go, so most of you won’t have to worry about that.

For 100aw, there are generally 9 stages on Friday and 9 stages on Saturday. Generally, each stage crew will generally work two stages each day, but occasionally there are crews that might only do one stage or some that might do 3. Sometimes the stages are repeated later in the day, so you just hang out in the woods for an hour or two in between runs. Other times, you’ll all gather up and drive to another area.

There are also scheduled “service” times for the race cars, where the cars will go to a designated spot to be refueled and the teams will have some time to make repairs and adjustments on the cars.

At each end of the stage road are controls (start and finish). Each control has a control captain, a HAM radio operator, and 3-5 control workers. The start also has medical personnel and Sweep trucks. Then, at each intersection of other roads along the stage are Marshals, who ensure that no one gets onto the stage once it is closed. Usually there aren’t very many people who show up there and if they do, they know what’s going on. But every now and again, you’ll find someone who has no idea about the rally and you must explain it to them in a polite and courteous way.

There are also designated “spectator areas” on some stages, where the general public can come and watch the race. These areas will also have marshals assigned, whose job it is to keep the spectators in safe areas and under control.

Before the race cars start there are Lead Cars (or Zero Cars) that run the stage roads to ensure they’re ready to go. 000 goes about 1hr before, 00 about 30 min., and 0 goes about 10 min. before rally cars. If you ever have any kind of problem, don’t hesitate to flag them down to stop, if they haven’t already. The other thing to know is that if you are unsure on whether the racing is over, look for the Green Light vehicle. It will have a flashing green light on it and when he passes, the road is open to whomever.

Your role and expectations will be explained to you better at registration, along with pertinent materials, please read them shortly after registration.