The Historic Tripoli Rally is a new event focused on historic vehicles and follows the regularity format. A regularity rally is a precision rally rather than a speed-based one—although speed still plays a significant role. Each team competes as a crew (driver and co-driver), with each person having distinct but equally important responsibilities for a successful performance. The crew's task in a regularity rally is to move the car from point A to point B with millisecond precision. It’s a type of rally where a crew can learn a great deal.
A week before the rally, some friends signed up to compete and eventually convinced us to join as well. With a black 1995 Fiat Cinquecento S in the Youngtimer category, Kostas signed up as the co-driver and I as the driver. It was our first time participating in a regularity rally, and it was a major challenge for both of us.
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Regularity rallies are often an opportunity for classic car owners to take their cars out for a drive. Most participants aim to have a good time and enjoy the beautiful scenery, as the routes usually pass through mountainous landscapes that showcase the natural beauty of the region. However, there are also the "die-hards," whose cars are fully prepared specifically for these types of events.
From the moment we registered, we decided to approach our participation seriously, strictly following the regulations and aiming to fully experience what a regularity rally is all about.
First and foremost, taking part in a rally requires a well-prepared vehicle—and a name for it. The Fiat Cinquecento S, a.k.a. Il Mostro, was brought into our garage for the necessary checks. Once all systems were inspected and everything was working fine, the car was ready for the challenge.
A few days before the rally, we began our crew preparations. This included a crash course on how regularity rallies work. We were lucky in that regard: Kostas’s cousin, who had previous rally experience, took the time to meet with us and explain the entire process, along with what’s expected from the crew during the special stages.
While a regularity rally may not demand high speeds and lightning-fast reflexes like a sporting-class rally, it does require logical thinking and a basic understanding of physics. The faster you can do your calculations, the better prepared you are and the smaller the margin of error.
On race day, we arrived at the starting point in Kefalari, Argos. The area was filled with beautiful historic vehicles—cars from the 1950s to more modern classics, all polished and ready to go. They immediately set the tone and spirit of the event. After passing technical inspection, we were given the roadbook and began our calculations.
The first day of the rally began in Kefalari and passed through villages such as Sterna, Leontio, Skotini, Kandila, Palaiopyrgos, and Artemisio via the provincial road network, ending in Tripoli through some truly unique landscapes. That evening, at Areos Square—the rally’s finish line—the crews took part in a car beauty show and left their vehicles on display for the public.
The second day started in Tripoli and went through villages like Alonistaina, Valtesiniko, Elati, Chrysovitsi, and Davia, again using the provincial network, and ended back in Tripoli at the Country Inn center. There, the organizers offered a meal for the participants and held the award ceremony.
As first-timers, things obviously didn’t go perfectly. On the first day, we made some miscalculations that led to quite a few penalty points. On the second day, we corrected those mistakes, but due to a navigation error using the roadbook, we ended up doing loops in the liaison section and were delayed in reaching the start of the next special stage. Nevertheless, we stayed calm, completed the special stage, and rushed through the next liaison section to make up for the lost overall time.
The event, organized by the Argolic Historic Vehicle Club, was flawless. Their quick responses to questions or unexpected issues were exemplary and something I hadn’t even experienced in my sporting-class rally participations. The rich gallery of photos uploaded to their Facebook page was also much appreciated—thank you!
In sumary
A regularity rally is a demanding race. The crew must remain connected and synchronized to achieve time precision across the stages. You must always follow the roadbook to the letter.
In this event, we managed to finish in 3rd place in the Youngtimer category. We’re very happy with the experience and will definitely take part in another rally soon!
Till next time!
