Typical notes
The following explanations apply to a typical set of hypothetical notes, and may differ from the systems found in real notes. Example notes, distances in metres: "MC1 100 KL2 100 KR2 200 SQL 100 KR4 50J!→R2+ (D/C!) 100 +SQR 400 F→CR→KL4 100 MC2BC" Translation: *From main control 1 (start), 100 metres straight to a kink left, severity 2 *100 metres, kink right severity 2 *200 m, square left (90°) *100 m, kink right severity 4 *50 m, jump (caution!) into immediate right hand bend severity 2 tightens (caution, do not cut the corner, due to hazard on the inside) *100 m, oversquare right *400 m, flat (maximum speed) into crest into kink left severity 4 *100 m to main control 2 (finish). This system uses numbers to describe the severity of bends, which is common, though others are used. The "British Club" note system ranks turns with 1 being the gentlest of bends, and with 5 being almost 90 degrees. The "McRae in Gear" system ranks turns with 6 being almost a straight line, and 1 being a hairpin turn. The term "square" is used to indicate a genuinely 90 degree bend, and "oversquare" or "square plus" for even sharper. "Hairpin" is used for 180 degree bends or almost as much. Crews will agree a system such that the speed at which a bend can be safely negotiated is understood. A top rally driver will implicitly trust their co-driver, and be fully committed according to the information they are told. Good notes and good teamwork are essential for this approach to work. Variations to this system may reverse the numbering system (1 being sharpest, 5 or 6 being slightest) and changing the scale to six points. Unusual features such as a ford or grid might be written out in full, rather than in shorthand. Other symbols that are not strictly text are also used, such as a pair of narrowing lines to indicate that the route narrows. Crests and bridges are also often indicated symbolically. When pacenotes are read, the co-driver will not translate into the fully worded text given above, but instead will keep some abbreviations, such as 'K' for a bend or kink. Distances are just given, the units are understood. The above notes might be read as: 100 K left 2, 100 K right 2, 200 square left, 100 K right 4, 50 caution jump into right 2 tightens, don't cut, 100 oversquare right, 400 flat to crest into K left 4, 100 finish. The co-driver will read the notes at such a pace that the driver will always have enough to go on, but not so far ahead that they will have forgotten it by the time the feature is encountered. This pacing is something that comes with practice and development of teamwork. Often the co-driver will need to "get inside the driver's head", and re-read notes that they think might have been forgotten, or for emphasis. Sometimes the driver might even ask for some notes again. The co-driver must also match up the notes to the actuality of the route being driven. Re-synching the notes with the actual route after a loss can be tricky, depending on the terrain. A good co-driver will always seek to prevent this happening. Aids to accurate use of notes such as a calibrated odometer that can be controlled by the co-driver quickly are also often used. These have a large digital display of the distance travelled, and can be preset to give a countdown of the distance to the next feature.Jemba Inertia Notes System
Another system of pace notes is known as the Jemba Inertia Notes System.References
External links
* * * * * * {{cite web, last1=Marciniak, first1=Kristopher, title=Everything you ever wanted to know about: rally notes, url=http://rallynotes.com/2008/01/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-rally-notes/, website=Rallynotes, url-status=live, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191013003558/https://jalopnik.com/the-secret-language-of-rally-5973232, archive-date=October 12, 2019, access-date=, date=May 2013 Rally racing