Co-driver Packing for event

2009-09-20T21:38:00.000-07:00

Hey Ya'll,
This will be the first in a series of articles about how to co-drive for a rally team.

What to Pack for the Event

What to pack:
So much of co-driving is detail and planning and then when it all gets crazy the planning goes out the window and adaptation is the key. Careful consideration of what to pack can make a big difference in your teams results. I use a checklist to be sure that the critical items that I need get packed and that any of the optional things that I wanted to bring do not get overlooked. I don't always bring everything on the list and often I may add or cross something off as I am getting ready.

Critical Equipment If you forget any of these you are not racing. If I am traveling by plane I never check these. See the rules of sanctioning body of the event for what the required for safety equipment. For example FIA events require fireproof underwear. Hope that you never need that...

Helmet
Fire-suite
Head and Neck Restraint
Positive ID
Sanctioning body license

Essential equipment

Intercom adaptor
Wrist Watch x 2 – I always wear two watches a primary and a backup (Ironman and AST copilote).
Boots
9v batteries for those Peltor intercoms
A thick soft pencil or lead holder

Suggested equipment

Motion sickness remedies - If you get might get car sick here are several remedies that you may consider. What ever you choose you will want to try it before event day to know your bodies reaction to any possible sideeffects.

Meclizine HCI (Bonine)
Diphenhydramine HCI (Dramamine)
Transdermal Scopolamine (prescription required in US, patch behind ear)
Ginger pills

Excedrin/ Tylenol / Aleve
A good Pencil eraser
Belt cutter and window breaker (Res-Q-me suggested)
Analog Tire pressure checker - Get a reliable accurate checker that does not require batteries. Only you or the driver can check pressures right when you get off stage and your tires are still hot.
Assorted pens, highlighters, sharpie
2 small flashlights, (mini mag and a small red light no bigger than a pen)
Messenger Bag
Paper copy of rules
Some toilet paper in a plastic bag - Not only for bears
Camel bag
$200 cash, quarters too - You never know when you might need to unexpectedly pick something up in a pinch like a few liters of oil, or add air to a tire at a fuel-station.
Empty Pacenote notebooks
Personal toiletries, toothbrush, deodorant, razor, soap, nail clips etc
Mechanics gloves - I you need to make a roadside repair you may need them
Clothes for trip

Optional Stuff that co-drivers may or may not bring

Small utility knife – If flying do pack this in your carry on.
Pull ties
Sunglasses
Hat
Bug repellent - I like the wipes lightweight and small
Coat, hat, gloves/mittens- You may want to take the coat in the rally car if you are at a cold winter race. If you are stuck in the snow it could be an hour in zero degree weather before the sweep team arrives to help you.
Cough drops
Whistle
Spare key for race car on neck lanyard. you will not need it the driver will never loose their key or lock it in the car ;)
Dust masks
Candy for workers
Eyeglasses / contacts- I guess if you needed this it would be more important than optional....
Rain gear
Drink mixer and bartending tools
Baggies
Medical Alert bracelet or necklace if required and any meds you normally take, be sure to note them on the medical forms
Spare fuses, and bulbs
Imodium - I you ever need it you will be glad you have it...
Earplugs - trust me when you loose and exaust and there is an hour transit you will be glad you have them.
Cell Phone and/or HAM Radio

Well that is a big list of stuff. I am attaching a google doc that I print off. You will find that I am a fanatic of google docs I use them constantly.

Printable Co-Driver Packing Checklist

Check out more team stuff at www.RallyReady.com

FEEDBACK

What is the Craziest thing that you have ever packed for an event co-driving or NOT?

I once saw a chainsaw powered blender for the after party...

Rally de Paris 2007

2007-11-26T14:42:00.000-08:00

This weekend I had my first race with Rally Ready Motorsports. Since having moved to the Austin, TX area in March of 2007. We have been planning to race together for a while and it finally happened with some very exciting results.

The last time I was in Paris, TX was my first Rally with Preston Stempler in 2002. Preston and I met at the Team O'Neil Rally School in Dalton, NH just two months before the event and while we took off to an exciting start the fun quickly ended with a broken motor mount and a shattered distributor cap several stages into the event. I still have the video of me nearly getting shocked trying to hold the distributor together while Preston turned it over. You can see Preston and I partking in these shinannigans for a split second on the side of the road @ 5:03 in this in this YouTube video. We are also @ 5:44 rocking it in the blue VW (this was earlyer that day).

I met Dave Carapetyan, the driver for Rally Ready Motorsports, soon after moving to Austin. I quickly learned that he was graduate of the Team O'Neil rally school and having sat with a several Team O'Neil graduates I knew that he would have a solid foundation in rally car control. I became anxious to get in a car with Mr. Carapetyan. I looked forward to head back to Paris, TX with five years of experience under my belt to best the roads that once bested Mr. Stempler and I five years earlier.

Rally de Paris it is split into two events of near equal length. The roads are very smooth and hard packed. The hard packed might have something to do with it being a tank training ground! The first stage was met with chalanges as we lost a boost hose shortly after the start. Dave and I worked very hard to do the best we could on stage and get through as fast as we could with a very underpowered car. Even with the lack of power I could sense that Dave knew what he was doing with the car. Jay Yargeau, our cheif tech, and Rudy Lara managed to sort out the issue by stage 4 the last of the first rally and we managed climb back to third overall. Now we had the power back and we were ready to start with a clean slate. The second rally, Wand'rin Star was about to start and we were third on the road behind the leading 1988 Ford Mustang Utecht/Bohn and the Chevey S10 of Cox/Carlson. The road position was of little concearn at this point as a steady rain was now falling and dust was no longer a factor. To our surprise we came upon Utecht's Mustang on the first stage. We later discovered he was limping it out because he had lost his brakes. We we finished the stage seconds after Cox/Carlson who started one minute before us, meaning we were almost a minue faster. We added to our lead in the second and third stages . The rain continued and the hard compact surface became quite slick and our 4WD only proved a big advantage. Dave and I were really settled in at this point and were having quite a bit of fun. I think we may have given the finish board worker at the end of stage three quite a scare as we came through the last corrner very hot and sideways. We watched them jump back off the road as we flew by. By the end of the second event we were grinning ear to ear we had won the second event Wand'rin Star and proved the car and team could go.

The event was run very well and we look forward to heading back next year. Rally Ready Dave put it well, "Richard and Juanita promised to have it all wrapped up by sun down and spite the dark cloudy weather they did!" The scoring was good, and all the workers were great. I always have extra appreciation for the workers when they have to stand in a cold rain.

Rally Ready Motorsports plans for the 2008 season are underway as we next plan to head north to the Sno*Drift Rally round one of the Rally America Championships.

Co-Drivers' Corner

Co-driver Packing for event

Rally de Paris 2007