There’s nothing like hitting the open road. Rally season is coming up and there are tons of events that car enthusiasts are sure to love. We have some rallies that we’re excited about and prep recommendations so your vehicle performs at its best. Let’s start with the top five rallies that are coming up this year.
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Top 5 Rally Events for Car Enthusiasts
Crown West Car Rally
May 8-17, 2026
Exotic sports car enthusiasts across the west coast have this event marked on their calendars. The Crown West Car Rally is a luxurious rally event with stops in five-star hotels after a competitive day of driving. Get the best views the Pacific Coast has to offer while you drive from Seattle down to San Diego for an extravagant driving experience.
goldRush Rally
June 12 – 20, 2026
This cross-country rally is one of the most exciting motorsport events of the year. Starting in the Music City of Nashville, enthusiasts will drive through the Midwest and back down into the Rockies before finishing their journey in dazzling Las Vegas. This rally is a one-of-a-kind trip for duos who love to rally and want to see the most of the US at their next event.
Missouri Ozark Rally
July 11, 2026
For rally enthusiasts who like a little grit, the Missouri Ozark Rally is a single-day event that spans over 40 miles of gravel roads. This performance rally race with transit and special stage zones to go to and from roads built for rally racers, delivering high-paced, spirited driving. From rolling hills to forest roads, the Missouri Ozark Rally is a great event for enthusiasts who like to drive on old country roads and keep up the pace for heart-racing fun.
Rally Colorado
July 18-19, 2026
Across 121 miles, rally enthusiasts will tackle gravel roads, steep inclines, and switchbacks to compete for the winner’s circle at Rally Colorado. This rally event offers beautiful hills, narrow curves, and dirt roads for some high-speed drifting. They even give rally drivers the movie star treatment with the Friday night parade before the race starts on Saturday. Check out their website to learn more.
Ojibwe Forests Rally
August 27-29, 2026
For backwoods racing enthusiasts, Ojibwe Forests Rally is a three-day rally event that features muddy ATV paths to gravel backroads for high-intensity driving. Many rally drivers keep it in 5th and 6th gear on long stretches across the event, perfect for thrill junkies who love rally culture. It even has an accessible spectator venue for friends and family to root for their racers. The dynamic racing experience is a great option for rally enthusiasts in the upper midwest.
What Mods Matter Most for Long-distance Driving Routes?
Tires are the most important feature of your vehicle when driving for long distances. Make sure your tires are up to the task by measuring their tread depth a few weeks before your next event. If your tires are at 4/32”, you should replace them if you’re going to compete in a rally event. The high speeds and intense braking will put a lot of pressure on your tires, plus you’ll want new tires to get the job done right. Every advantage counts.
Replacing your worn brake pads and rotors with heat-resistant upgrades is important for spirited, long distance driving. When you’re pushing your vehicle to the max with high speeds, quick braking, and adapting to the road, you’re going to need brakes that perform beyond a doubt.
Basic maintenance is also necessary for best performance across long distances. Changing your oil, filling up your tires to the proper PSI, and ensuring your tires are ready for the task ahead will give you peace of mind as you drive.
How Should You Prepare a Modified Car for a Rally Event?
Brakes
You need your brakes on every corner. Swapping your stock brake pads, calipers, and rotors with superior aftermarket parts will give you an edge at your next event. Designed for superior braking, these parts are ready for spirited driving. Their lightweight frame reduces your unsprung weight to give you an edge against competitors to match its cooling efficiency, perfect for combating high heat from vigorous driving.
Suspension
Adapting your suspension for your road surface can make a huge difference in how it feels as you drive. If you’re driving on less developed roads, gravel coilovers are a great choice for rally enthusiasts. Their lengthened shock stroke and longer springs allow them to easily absorb uneven road conditions. These coilovers are also designed to withstand long travel. Their heavy-duty shock absorbers make your suspension more durable, especially when driving competitively on rough roads and paths.
Skid Plates
For grittier rallies, skid plates are another upgrade you should consider when driving off the beaten path. Protect your exhaust, transmission, and differential with durable skid plates to brush off gravel, sand, and mud when you compete this season. Give yourself peace of mind when you’re driving and give your build the protection it deserves.
Roll Cages
Depending on the event, roll cages may be required. For your safety, especially when driving at high speeds, roll cages are recommended. Their protective cover prevents the cabin of the car from caving in against heavy impacts, helping to protect you from serious injury and death. Do your research on your next event and find the right roll cage for your car.
Tires
As we said before, the right tires for your rally car are going to be one of the most important things you can maintain on your vehicle. If you’re going over gravel roads, all-terrain tires are going to work best because of their durable sidewalls, puncture protection, and hard-working traction. For sandy or muddy paths, mud-terrain tires are specifically designed for slippery surfaces to help you stay on track, even at high speeds.
What Cooling Upgrades are Worth it for Spirited Driving?
Oil Cooler
Overheating your fluids will destroy your car. Whether it’s your oil or transmission fluid, your oil cooler is necessary to keep your fluids running at the proper temperature to avoid wear and tear on your vehicle, even under high pressure.
Oil Temp Gauge
Especially when driving for long distances at high speeds, an oil temp gauge is imperative for real-time fluid monitoring. Don’t wait until your engine is damaged to worry about your oil temperature. Prevent engine damage, get better performance data, and keep an eye on signs of failure before they happen.
Silicone Coolant Hoses
Silicone coolant hoses are an impactful upgrade that keeps your engine running even under the hardest conditions. These hoses deliver exceptional heat resistance in cold conditions and during spirited drives. They also offer less airflow resistance, leading to better throttle response, smoother acceleration, and can even give a modest boost of power. These hoses are a helpful upgrade, giving you confidence that your coolant is running smoothly.
How Do You Balance Performance and Reliability on Long Drives?
When you’re driving for long distances, you want reliability, but that doesn’t mean you have to cut back on power either. When it comes to building a car for the track or rally event, there are requirements for every competitor. Roll cages, brake lights or tire tread depth are just a few that they will examine to make sure your vehicle is safe to drive. This means you have to update your vehicle for the event of the day. Safety and reliability upgrades are the most important, but that doesn’t mean you have to stick with a stock exhaust system or intake.
Build your vehicle to perform at its best. Test it out. See where it can be improved. Map your engine to perform at a higher stage so you can maximize your power and responsiveness. Finding the right balance between power and reliability is important, and you can have both without slowing down.
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Prep for Rally Season with Vivid Racing
Shop our selection of performance upgrades so you are ready for your next rally event. Check out our blog for more updates and recommendations so you can build the best car for your needs. Contact our team to have your questions answered about our products and get you the information you need before you order your next upgrade.
