After two years of operating exclusively online, the California Rally Series annual rally school will feature a hybrid format in 2023, combining online class sessions with in-person instruction. Students will have the option of taking just the online course, or adding either the in-person driving training or in-person co-driver training. The driving instruction will take place on Saturday, March 4 at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds in Lancaster, CA, in conjunction with the Rodnoc Racing rallycross the next day (Sunday). The co-driving in-person instruction will take place in Ridgecrest, CA on Saturday, March 11.

There will be four online classes taking place on Tuesday and Thursday evenings starting on February 28 with an introduction to rally and rallycross. The Zoom seminars will begin at 7pm Pacific Time and last for two to two and a half hours. Each session will feature two or three separate presentations, with plenty of time in between for question and answer sessions where students can interact with our experienced instructors and panelists. Students will also have access to recorded versions of classes after each session.

Instructors include regional and national level championship drivers and co-drivers. Students taking the in-person driving course will need to provide their own vehicle suitable for rallycross.* Two students may share a vehicle. Co-driving students will ride with instructors so do not need to bring their own vehicle.

Topics include:

• How to get started in stage rally and rallycross
• Basic and advanced rally driving techniques
• How to prepare a car for stage rally (including what to look for when buying a prepared rally car)
• Understanding controls and timing
• Rally navigation from tulips to stage notes
• Recce and writing your own notes
• Advanced co-driving
• Rally team management

ONLINE ENTRY AVAILABLE HERE

https://www.rallydata2.com/

Cost is $60 for the online-only course, $170 for the online course plus the in-person driving instruction on March 4, or $160 for the online course plus the in-person co-driving instruction on March 11. If you want to experience the action on each side of the car by participating in both the driving and co-driving in-person classes, you can sign up for everything for $300. All options include CRS membership for 2023 (a $30 value). Students participating in the in-person instruction will also receive a discounted entry to the rallycross on March 5. There is a minimum of 20 and maximum of 35 students for the in-person driving session, and 9 students maximum for the in-person co-driving session.

*Generally cars must have a fixed roof, be in decent mechanical shape, have a passenger seat, and not be afraid to get dirty. If you have any questions about the suitability of your vehicle, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

POST SCRIPT: Thank you to all who were able to attend the banquet. The schedule worked out so that there was plenty of time to socialize afterwards.

If you couldn't attend this year, plan to make it in early 2024.

Rally on!

It's that time again, time for us to recognize our 2022 Rally and Rallycross champions and to honor certain CRS members for their special contributions to our sport and to the California Rally Series.  Come join us for food, friends, awards, and camaraderie!   If your name is listed in blue in the championship listings, congratulations! It means you're getting a year-end trophy - a personalized photo trophy plaque!

Just like last year the banquet will be hosted at Cisco's Mexican Restaurant, located at 1712 E Avenida de Los Arboles in Thousand Oaks, California, 91362.  It's just off the Ave de los Arboles exit of the CA-23 freeway. CA-23 runs between the US-101 and CA-118 freeways.  

Sign up here at rallydata2.com.

Dinner will be a buffet featuring traditional choices like taquitos, beef and chicken fajitas, rice and beans, and tortillas, as well as vegetarian choices like cheese enchiladas and salad.  Desserts and soft drinks, as well as tea and coffee, will also be available.  For safety, the restaurant will provide servers for the buffet line.

The cost is $40/person, or $20/child under the age of 11.

Alcoholic beverages are available from a full bar, at your own expense.

The schedule is:

Happy hour:   5:00 to 6:00 PM
Dinner break: 6:00 to 7:00 PM
Awards:       7:00 to 9:00 PM

Note: The restaurant and bar opens at noon, so if you arrive early, you can grab an early snack or beverage.

If you'd like a fun drive to get to the restaurant, travel along Pacific Coast Highway (CA-1) from Santa Monica (the western terminus of I-10, the Christopher Columbus Transcontinental Highway) to CA-23 (north of Malibu), then take CA-23 all the way to the restaurant.

Nearby features include California Lutheran University, the usual shopping malls, the Reagan Library, and plenty of hiking trails. Malibu is about 15 fun miles due south, Ventura about 30 miles due west (or north, depending on signage), and Six Flags Magic Mountain is about 40 miles to the northeast.

There are several nice hotels in the area for our out-of-town guests, including a Hampton Inn, a Courtyard by Marriott, the Thousand Oaks Inn, the Quality Inn, and a Fairfield Inn in Moorpark.

Note: If you're unable to attend this year's banquet, please identify someone who will claim your trophy for you.  Thanks!

Best wishes to all for the upcoming 2023 season, and congratulations to everyone who competed in 2022.

Rally on!