Co-Driver & Driving Instructor

Julie Murphy

ABOUT ME

I am a qualified driving instructor running my own driving school www.JulieMurphysDrivingSchool.co.uk and live with my partner Keith and have two sons James and Jason. I have been co-driving since 2004 when Shelly an old school friend asked me if I would like to join the team. In our first year together we secured the Dunlop Lady driver and co-driver championship which was fantastic and each year we have gone from strength to strength.


ABOUT CO-DRIVING
The role of the co-driver or sometimes called the navigator is basically the manager in the car. The Co-Driver is responsible for collating all the information together before an event and organising where everyone needs to be and when.

Firstly the co-driver reads through the regulations and makes sure that anything that is not standard out of the 'Blue Book' which is the motor sport bible is made known to the relevant people in the team. For example ground sheets must be used in service areas, penalties times for lateness and cumulative lateness rules made known to driver.

The next job is to plot the references on the required maps showing stage starts, finishes, passage controls and service areas and these will be supplied prior to the event, either on the day of signing on and documentation or a couple of days before at the earliest.

The co-driver needs to make sure the car is available for noise testing and scruitineering at the correct place and time. The car is thoroughly checked to make sure it meets the required standards and stipulations of the class it has been entered for. Once this has been passed the driver and co-driver need to sign on and receive all the final documentation.

The service crew need to understand where the service areas are and during what times they are allowed to enter them. They need to understand when the car will be coming into service and how long they have to do their job.

The co-driver should have already obtained the subjective route notes prior to the event in the system that the team use. There are three different systems which are either descriptive, numbers 1 - 9 (being the degree of the corner) or 6 being the fastest gear. The co-driver needs to familiarise themself with the notes for each stage and note where caution should be noted beforehand. These notes will be called to the driver at the relevant time on stage in order for them to position the car to get around the stage as quickly and safely as possible.

The co-driver will also have a road book which is to get the team to and from each stage via the stipulated route and within a certain timescale. Penalties are incurred if the rules and times are not followed. Timecards are given to the co-driver at signing on and documentation and these must be used throughout the event. There are timing rules for entering a stage and if not followed you will be penalised and this will impair your chances of getting a good time out on the stage.


BEST RALLYING MOMENT
In my first year of co-driving winning the Dunlop Championship as I had never co-driven before and couldn’t believe it.


FUNNIEST RALLY MOMENT
Visiting a porta loo on an army training grounds on a road section in a real hurry as we had a couple of minutes to get to the start line. We both jumped out of the car taking our suits off as we ran to the porta loos as nobody was around. When we had finished in the toilet we both flung the doors open half dressed only to find around 30 soldiers marching passed on exercise. It was hilarious as you could see all the soldiers grinning under their helmets as they marched passed with guns raised.

Want to ask a question about co-driving? or Driving Lesson's in Highworth/Swindon & surrounding area's
I am only to happy to respond,

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www.juliemurphysdrivingschool.co.uk

Driving Lesson's Highworth/Swindon & Surrounding Area's

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Tel: 07927 211 131
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E-Mail mjsmurfy@aol.com

Rallying Achievements & Awards

2004

3rd in class Oakington Stages
Spirit Of The Rally Award Oakington Stages
DDMC Best Stage Rally Co-Driver Award

BTRDA 2nd o/a Best Improvers

BTRDA Lady Co-Driver Champion

2006

2nd in class Pirelli National Rally
1st in class Trackrod National Rally

BRC RallyMaster Production Cup Champion
BRC RallyMasters Runner-Up

2007

1st o/a Lady Co-Driver Wydean Rally
2nd in class N1 Red Dragon Rally
1st in class N1 Swansea Bay Rally
3rd in class Rally Of The Midlands

BRC RallyMasters o/a Co-Driver Champion
BRC RallyMasters Production Class Champion
BRC RallyMaster, GravelMasters Champion
BRC RallyMaster, AsphaltMasters Champion

BTRDA Rally Challenge 1st o/a Co-Driver Champion
BTRDA English Championship 2nd o/a Class E5

2008

3rd in class Robin Hood Forest Rally

3rd o/a BTRDA Rally Challenge Co-Driver

3rd o/a ANEMMC Co-Driver Champion

1st o/a ANEMMC Lady Co-Driver Champion

2009

1st o/a Lady Co-Driver - Manx National Rally

1st o/a Lady Co-Driver - Dukeries Rally

1st in class - Trackrod Rally Yorkshire

1st o/a Class 5 Co-Driver - ANEMMC

1st o/a Lady Co-Driver - ANEMMC

2010

1st o/a ACSMC Championship Co-Driver - Rallye Sunseeker