Dirt Fish Rally School

May 14, 2011

Washington is one of five rally schools in the States and we are so damn lucky. I still can't believe this place exists here, it is way too cool to be allowed in the United States. I took the "Taste of Rally" 2 hour class and it kind of destroyed me. I am now addicted and need to feel this again. (and again) I can only compare it to riding powder, it is habit you don't want to kick once you got it really good.

We started with a short class talking about turning points and the physics and basics of driving under these conditions. It was brief which was perfect, but this kind of education can only be achieved by experience. We had 3 cars on rotation with 3 lap sessions. Each session I pushed myself farther and faster. More speed, later braking, smoother deliveries. The art of a perfect oversteer is a contradiction to everything I know about driving. You enter a turn very late, you enter with no throttle, and you break at the exit point of the turn. Huh? It makes sense after you do your perfect drift. That last moment of braking or riding the break when you get better is what kicks the back out to point your car to the proper line to accelerate out. It is very strange because there is so much patience involved in that moment of oversteer. You have to be calm in a chaotic situation. You steer with your throttle and steer with your eyes.

We ended the day with a hot-lap ride from our instructor on a different course. On this section they battled tarmac-to-gravel-to-dirt-to-tarmac-to-wet at flat-out speeds. It was really amazing how precise they were and most of all how smooth. The feeling is really strange. Imagine someone behind you holding your hips and throwing you around side to side with a pause at a uncomfortable angle at each sway while you are blind folded. When you are locked into a oversteer after getting jerked into that turn, life goes slow for a second and you are glued to your seat until the car straightens out and you are back on throttle. Very Matrix-like.

I am into it and need it in my life again. I will take that class every year if that is the only way.