Rally spectating/crewing

So the New England Forest Rally is only 6 short months away. I've never attended, so I would like to go this year and at least spectate. However, I was also considering doing crewing for a rally team. Anyone ever do this? What exactly is involved with it? Would I be better off spectating for my first time attending?

Volunteer to work it.

I'm sure whoever puts it on would sure appreciate the help.

I've volunteered in the past.

I sent them an e-mail with my info. Then one day I picked up the phone and the conversation began with, "Hi, this is John Buffam..."

Volunteering was fun and they really need the help. I highly recommend it.

Volunteer and ask them for a spot that you will see something interesting. You might get somewhere that not even spectators are allowed.

I have been volunteering at the Rally of the Tall Pines in Bancroft, ON now for 9 years and I love it.

I've crewed and worked F&C at formula car events. It's a great way to be part of the action, meet interesting people, learn new skills and prepare yourself for being a driver.

I see no reason the benefits wouldn't apply to Rally.

Cheers, Steven Cagle

I have worked many rallies back home, no spectator gets to be as close to the action as a course worker, you are an essential part of the event and it is a blast. I used to bring my family and we would set up a campfire, bring food and drinks and have your own trackside camp ground.

Two things though, keep your family safely located and check to see if an open fire is legal in your area.

I've worked courses at rallies, great experience most times. Occasionally you get stuck someplace with little or no view but it's rare, and it's only for part of the event anyway.

I would not crew for a team, you won't see anything. Servicing is done off the stages. Unless your team crashes out you are unlikely to get any spectating in.

the rallies ive crewed for my buddies car, i saw nothing other than idling rally cars, and crashed rally cars.

its a stressful but fun weekend.

the weekends i've spectated, i drank in the woods with a bunch of crazies, cheering for fireballs and airborne cars.

spectate or volunteer=funnnner

Make sure to bring A LOT of food and water. There are very few deli's in the middle of the woods and they are often few and far between on the transit stages as well. Rallies pass through some pretty remote towns. Provisions at night are generally very good.

Also, pack a few changes of clothes, bug spray, a few dust masks and toilet paper. You will be living out of your car for two days, but it will be totally worth it.

NGTD wrote: Volunteer and ask them for a spot that you will see something interesting. You might get somewhere that not even spectators are allowed. I have been volunteering at the Rally of the Tall Pines in Bancroft, ON now for 9 years and I love it.

That's true. I worked Tall pines a few years ago, and saw parts of the course I otherwise never would have seen.

Woody wrote: I've volunteered in the past. I sent them an e-mail with my info. Then one day I picked up the phone and the conversation began with, "Hi, this is John Buffam..." Volunteering was fun and they really need the help. I highly recommend it.

Im not good with names so i had to look him up and found this bit of awesomeness! cool vintage rally vid of Buffam's TR-7 in action

and he must be taking it "easy" as he had time to admire the view!

924guy wrote: Im not good with names so i had to look him up ...

For you kids out there, he used to be Travis Pastrana.

John Buffam, from: http://www.libraracing.com/johnbuffumbio.htm

Career Highlights: ProRally - Driver

-SCCA ProRally Grand Master 11 National ProRally Championship Titles

-117 ProRally victories, the most by any ProRally driver

1976 -NARRA National Championship Second place overall in SCCA Championship 1977-1980 -SCCA ProRally Series Champion North America Rally Champion 1982 -SCCA ProRally Series Champion 1983 -Won European Championship event (Sachs Rally) 1984 -Won European Championship event (in Cyprus) 1986-1987 -SCCA ProRally Series Champion --Undefeated in 1987 season-- 1988 -Retired from driving 1993-1999 -Occasional driving roles includes numerous wins: 1993 -Wild West PRO Rally in Olympia, Wash. 1994 -Lake Superior ProRally 1995 -Rally of Incas (Peru), shattering race record by more than two hours 1998 -Ojibwe Forests PRO Rally 1999 -Lake Superior POR Rally

I had a chance to spectate the last LSPR event, and let me tell you, I was jealous of the course workers. They had all the good spots.

My advice would be to volunteer. I've attended MFR/NEFR 5 times or so in the last decade as a spectator, and it's not doing it for me anymore. The crowds are larger every year, and approved spectator areas seem to have become more sparse. Go on, try to see the jump at the Mexico park without standing on your car, I dare ya!

The wife and chillins and I should make it this year, funds willing. I'll keep an eye out for ya.

Yeah, as everyone else said, volunteer. It's a blast and you will see/do things that a spectator won't. Last year I was standing at the start line chatting with Pastrana. Maybe this year they'll let me drive for them???

I worked the STPR a few times. Working the start line you get to chat with the drivers and co-drivers and peek into some pretty cool cars. You usually also work sweep, which means driving the course after the last car and pulling cars out of ditches and such. Pretty neat. Working the course, you will always get a good spot.

I've worked the Maine/New England Forest rally several times. Best way to see the action, bar none. Crewing for a car, you won't see much of anything. Spectating, you won't see a ton. Course Marshaling gets you to see the action. All you are really doing is blocking a logging road to prevent a car from coming through. Working, you'll end up in prime spots. You also get a pizza reception and some cool swag. Bring the strongest bug spray you can find. Spare clothes. If you bring a camera make sure to bring a dust bag for it. Bring a camp chair and provisions for being in the woods for a while. Make a hotel reservation some time between now and april. I recommend the "inn at Rostay", ask for one of the newer rooms in the new building, inexpensive and central to a lot of stuff. The rally website has a link to volunteer to work. Highly recommend this experience.

pinchvalve wrote: I worked the STPR a few times. Working the start line you get to chat with the drivers and co-drivers and peek into some pretty cool cars. You usually also work sweep, which means driving the course after the last car and pulling cars out of ditches and such. Pretty neat. Working the course, you will always get a good spot.

Yeah, sweep was the best. I didn't know doing the sweep was normal, I thought they were training me to drive this year

+1 for course work.

sachilles wrote: I recommend the "inn at Rostay"

Sshhhhhhhhhhhhh!.....................

Sounds like I should sign up for course work!

To veterans of the NEFR: This year's rally is scheduled for Friday, July 16 and Saturday, July 17. Looking at last year's schedule, there was also work late Thursday. Should I also take that day off?

Yes, take that day off. That is the day to look around at all the cars that will be in town and such.

If you see a 02 black wrx wagon, or a white suburban with Vermont plates, chances are that is myself and my brother in law. Don't be afraid to say hi. Lot's of people hang out at the brew pub in Bethel on thursday night(right on the main drag, at the base of the sunday river access road.).

I crewed for a few years and I'll say, while it was a great experience, the guys on course actually saw the rally. I just drove a crappy broke down van from service spot to service spot.

I've worked NEFR a few times and love it. I can basically echo what everyone else has said - you'll see more on course this way than by crewing for a team. Though if you know people who rally, helping them out is a great way to get involved without the investment in a car and equipment the driver/co-driver make.

I've been a ham radio operator for years, and was thrilled to learn that I can combine that hobby with motorsports to help out at a rally. Best job I ever had was as radio operator for medical sweep, following the last competitor through the stage at speed. They put me in that car because I could work a radio, and with my motorsports background I could read the route book, as well as not freak out about how fast we were going. Getting a Technician class (entry level) ham license is so easy these days that I've known people who have done it just to work radio at rallies. It's certainly not required, though - there are plenty of jobs available that don't need radios.

One last question: What worker assignment gets me closest to the action?