Hey, where's all the MLRC love??  Help this guy out!

Based on my TSD time and helping out at performance rallies, start off simple, unless you have $$ to dive right in.  Many of us start off (and stay in) TSD rallying, it's good fun, lots of cheap seat time, and you learn a lot about the sport.  All rallying is closely related, so it's good to know a bit about everything.  Try working at some of the performance rallies before you dive into competing at them (or do both!).  Somebody has to help run the event, and you learn a LOT helping out (and it's great fun).  

You may want to review current discussions on other club forums (www.mco.org) regarding modifying your car, and driving it on the street.  The interpretation of all matters insurance etc is in a state of flux (it's all fluxed up, basically).  Also, go to an MLRC meeting and ask the nice people lots of questions. Between running a million TSD rallies and the Tall Pines every year, they know a few things.

For TSD rally, any car will do.  You don't need horsepower, underglow neon, or anything fancy to compete.  Subies are popular, VW is popular, lots of Corollas out there, a few pick ups, Boxster, you name it, the list goes on, it rallies (FWD is usually cheaper and a good platform to learn car handling).

Good luck.
Craig
MCO Rally Group, Forum-a-holic

Ditto on above. TSD rallies are the place to start. Both Toronto clubs run series suitable for Beginners, Mini-Rally and Ralliette. Also, the provincial TSD ORRC series has Beginner classes. Get a hold of sample instruction books from MLRC meeting or from TAC website (or other places) and study the basics before entering.

Quick way to learn what's going on is to attend the MLRC meetings and introduce yourself around. You'll find lots of people with advice. Ask for Ed Richardson or Paul Henshall.

As for car (from your other thread) VW Golf's have the advantage of having tons of cheap parts available all over the place and that many past competitors have prepared them for pro-rally so there's lots of good advice about what to do. A 7 or 8 year old one can be had for not much money.

For TSD, any car would do, and the Lanos has the advantage of being relatively new but cheap. There may be issues with parts availability.

Ignore horsepower. It won't matter for a long while.

Re "expendable", Hibbert is correct.  What I learned about *racing* (road racing, performance rallying, etc.) after I joined MCO (which is chock-a-block with racers) was the following:

If you can't afford to lose your car, you shouldn't be racing it.

Somebody else's sigfile, somewhere out there:
There are two types of people in rallying: those that have rolled, and those that will roll.  

If you're going to look at the rally car recommended by "wreckdiver", I would suggest that you also read "Caged and Screwed" on this forum (and in more detail on the MCO web site). Be VERY CAREFUL that you don't end up with a daily driver/rally car that you cannot get insured!

Jeannie