Imagine being in a relationship where every miscommunication could result in serious, immediate, physical harm.
That鈥檚 what it鈥檚 like to be paired with a co-driver in a rally race, and that鈥檚 the relationship a local racer has entered into.
Dave Nickel, who drives with Squamish鈥檚 Rocket Rally Racing team, is joining forces with his new co-pilot, Alessandro 鈥楢lex鈥� Gelsomino of Italy.
鈥淚n some respects it鈥檚 more intense than a marriage,鈥� said Nickel, who has been racing for four years. 鈥淭here aren鈥檛 many times in a marriage where you鈥檙e actually putting your physical life in someone鈥檚 hands. There鈥檚 a level a trust in this that goes beyond almost anything that I鈥檝e experienced.鈥澛�
The 50-year-old Vancouver native is an up-and-coming driver who had encountered some difficulties finishing his last race, but was able to clinch fifth out of 19 in the nationals division of the Rally of the Tall Pines this past November.
To prepare for his next race at the Perce Neige rally in Quebec early this month, Nickel went through a painstaking series of preparations to make sure he and his new partner were ready.
It all began months ago when Gelsomino gave Nickel a call and told him that he was impressed with his driving.
Gelsomino is a world-class co-driver with 23 years experience and several top 10 finishes in the World Rally Championship.
After many talks, the pair decided that they would take on the 2017 North American rally season together.
But talking can only go so far.
Speaking on the phone as he prepared for the Perce Neige race, Nickel described the plan he and Gelsomino have to take on the event.
Before the race, both drivers will cover the entire 232-kilometre rally circuit twice, he said. On the first trip, Gelsomino will take notes on the most minute details, such as road conditions and the incline and angle of each turn.
On the second trip, Gelsomino will recite what will probably amount to thousands of notations, so the pair can ensure their accuracy and make sure the co-driver can establish a cadence Nickel can follow easily.聽
鈥淚n an F1-style track, maybe you have 17 to 25 turns and you take them 100 times,鈥� said Nickel. 鈥淲e take 500 turns once, so you can鈥檛 memorize the line.鈥�
One missed note could result in his Subaru Crosstrek 16 flying off a cliff, he said.
The Perce Neige is an unforgiving event, with snowy, ice-slicked roads and temperatures averaging at about -22 C.聽
Nickel is confident that his new partnership will produce good results and hopes that eventually he鈥檒l be able to make it into the sport as a professional.
As of now, he is the one footing the bill for his rally racing endeavours, but he hopes that he鈥檒l be making money from the sport in the long term.
鈥淚f I鈥檓 doing it, I want to actually be good enough that I鈥檓 getting paid to do it,鈥� he said.
