University of Virginia Library

Student Places Third In Road Rally,
Captures Scholarship For Safe Driving

By SUZY LAWSON

College first-year man Kirk
Cordell won a scholarship in a
road rally Oct. 7. The
Exploring Council of the Boy
Scouts of America sponsored
the Exploring Grand National
Safe Driving Road Rally in
Detroit, Michigan.

The Lincoln-Mercury
Division of the Ford Motor Co.
co-sponsored the rally in which
members of Exploring Posts
representing 45 states
competed.

Mr. Cordell drove and his
partner Troy Alexander
navigated. The two placed
third, and each won a $500
scholarship and trophy. The
first five places were awarded
prizes. First prize included a
$2000 scholarship and a
trophy each for the driver and
the navigator. Second prize was
a $1000 scholarship and a
trophy for each. Fourth and
fifth places were awarded
trophies.

For Mr. Cordell, road rallies
started two years ago when his
Exploring Post in Richmond
"decided to go into road
rallies." The Post began
running in the Virginia Motor
Sports Car Club rallies in
Richmond. Although the Club
ran with two-man teams, the
Explorers ran in three-man
teams due to their regulations.

Mr. Cordell then acted as
navigator. Johnny James drove
while Charles Haskins "did the
computing and timing."

'Rinky-Dink' Course

The VMSC rallies were too
hard so the Exploring Post
began rally with Old Dominion
Auto Club. In June, 1971, the
Explorers had set up a rally in
Newport News, but according
to Mr. Cordell, the course was
"rinky-dink."

Mr. Cordell's own post then
sponsored their own rally in
Richmond. The ODAC set up
the route and other posts in
the city were invited. The team

consisting of Messrs. Cordell
and Alexander took first place
in that rally.

The Richmond and
Newport News rallies were the
only Exploring road rallies held
in Virginia last year. The
national council does not
provide for state competition.
Mr. Cordell said the council
looks at the scores from the
rallies and the difficulty of the
course and determines who the
representatives from the state
will be.

Last year was the third
national road rally for the
Explorers.

Practice Rally Run

A practice rally, set up by
the National Counsel, was run
by all participants Friday so
that they may become
acquainted with the area and
the types of directions used in
the actual rally. "We really
blew that," commented Mr.
Cordell.

The rally itself began at 8
a.m. Saturday at the
Lincoln-Mercury Division
Headquarters. Each team was
given a 1973 Capri "so that
there would be no advantages."
The course ran 180 miles.

The contestants drove for
approximately three hours in
the morning, with a break for
lunch, and finished the course
in three hours in the afternoon,
said Mr. Cordell.

In a road rally, instructions
are given for following the
general course. Certain
priorities are established before
any instructions are given. For
example, said Mr. Cordell,
contestants must turn right at
every T in the road.

Beginning The Race

Immediately before leaving
for the course, instructions are
handed to the navigator
through the window and the
time is taken for his car.

The first checkpoint is
found by following "very easy
instructions," according to Mr.
Cordell. This is the "Odometer
Check" where the team must
compute the correction factor
between the official mileage
and the contestants' car.

The contestants then follow
the instructions. "Any sign or
object visible from the road at
the speed at which we're
supposed to be going is legal,"
commented Mr. Cordell.

Each of the 12 checkpoints
is timed to the minute.
Participants are "given 29
seconds lee-way either way,"
continued Mr. Cordell. "They
are penalized one point for
every minute which they are
early or late over that time."

Two checkpoints are timed
to the second for tie-breaking
purposes. This year, those
placing third, fourth, and fifth
places all had 17 points. The
seconds recorded at those two
checkpoints determined the
actual places of those three
teams.

Rally Not A Race

Mr. Cordell stressed that
the road rally is not a race.
"The average speed is 30
m.p.h." Secret checkpoints are
set up throughout the course
to check the speed of the
vehicles. If any contestants are
caught speeding, receive
tickets, or are involved in an
accident, they are disqualified,
sated Mr. Cordell.