Know your pace notes

Tom · 27th May 2004, 18:06

Imagine driving a car flat-out at 200 kph and the person sitting beside you tells you to keep your foot firmly on the accelerator over a crest and into a blind corner 50 metres ahead! That’s trust… and exactly the type of relationship a driver and co-driver have in a rally car and why the recce and pace notes are so vitally important.

Co-drivers are very much the unsung heroes in the world of rallying and, although reading pace notes is only part of their complex mobile ’office job’, this is one of the most critical elements which determines whether the crew stay in contention or off the road and into retirement.

http://www.mitsubishi-motors.co.jp/motorsp....18.html

http://www.mitsubishi-motors.co.jp/motorsp....5hr.jpg

shravan316 · 27th May 2004, 19:29

Looks something like my college-notes

, but, the difference is that i can't read my notes even at 0 KPH, forget abt 200KPH!!!!!.
Truly co-drivers are unsung heroes.

Pferdestärke · 28th May 2004, 03:32

Yeah, I have seen my Father's Himaliyan Rally Tulips, and believe you me. I still think its "Kaala akshar Bhenss barabar". Cant understand a thing. It requires tremendous training/paitience/talent to read these pace notes.. And specially it has to be delivered so well that the driver should get it in the first go. (they say a rally driver is generally blind, his eyes are his co-drivers words) I always made fun when I was young, by saying - what if the co-driver/navigator was a tohtla.. And my Dad always made it a point to tell me it wasnt a topic to make fun of. I can understand it now, why he never liked me making fun of it.

Anyway: Good info there Tom, keep em coming.

p.s. BTW! What the hell is For Maamukkoya??

Tom · 28th May 2004, 13:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Pferdestärke @ May 28 2004,02:02)]It requires tremendous training/paitience/talent to read these pace notes.. And specially it has to be delivered so well that the driver should get it in the first go. (they say a rally driver is generally blind, his eyes are his co-drivers words)

to understand how imp the role of the co-driver is..... u should watch one of last years WRC events (finnish i think).

Markko Martin's car's hood flew open on one of the stages covering 90% of his windshield.
With the hood of his car blocking his view u shuld have seen the way he drove man....he was flying .....jus listening to the pace notes ..brilliant stuff!!!

shravan316 · 28th May 2004, 13:52

I've seen that....Incredible stuff!!

Tom · 28th May 2004, 14:17

the numbers in pacenotes are quite simple to understand. any number between 1 and 6 tells the driver what gear they should be in as they pass through a corner or go over a crest. any number above 20 (usually in 10's i.e. 40, 50, 100, 150) suggests to the driver the distance ( in meters) until the next note, corner, hazard, or crest, etc. for example, if the co-driver says "six right 150 over crest" that tells the driver to take a right hand turn in 6th gear, and there will be 150 meters of straight road before he reaches a crest.

+ or - i'm not COMPLETELY sure what it means. some drivers (myself included) use plus or minus to suggest to the driver an increase or decrease in speed through a corner, - meaning to decrease speed and + meaning to increase speed.. for example " 4 left - over crest" means to take the left hand corner in 4th gear but decrease spead over the crest. "5 right + opens" means take a right hand corner in 5th gear and increase speed as the corner opens up.

Tom · 11th June 2004, 14:52

as explained by a fellow enthusiast

rallystar · 12th June 2004, 11:01

hi since your father has taken part in himalayan rallies can we have some snaps or some info on the same.It would be really interesting to read about souped up padminis and gypsys rallying in the himalayas

Pferdestärke · 12th June 2004, 12:34

Well I'll try getting few old pics.. I have video of em all.. but pics I'l have to hunt for at home..
BTW, he rallied in Ford Escort Cosworth / Lotus Sunbeam Talboat and a Padmini (in one year).
I'll get some info too..

rallystar · 13th June 2004, 13:41

hi thanks a lot. Can you , if possible , make CDs of the videos and send across.We are a group of friends who are die hard rally fans( we also organise a round of INRC) and himalayan rally is one of our favourites .we could have watched the cd s on a large screen. If its not to inconvinient I would be grateful
thanx.

F50 · 13th June 2004, 15:29

Wow Tom datz great .....
Bout d notes i really don understand anything it seems some Doctors pres. don understand dat also

....
But even dat driver has 2 b talented n with high amt of concentration too

Pferdestärke · 13th June 2004, 17:54

No worries rallystar, though they're in video cassetes at the moment, will get em digitised and will let you know as soon as they're on a CD. Thanks for showing interest.

Quote:

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]We are a group of friends who are die hard rally fans( we also organise a round of INRC)

Could you elaborate, please??

rallystar · 14th June 2004, 10:58

We are a group of friends who have a common interest in cars and motorsports ( rallies ) in particular. we collect and share a lot of data on cars and motorsports.We also organise a round of the prestigious MAI Indian National Rally Championship in GOA . This is a fully tarmac event and scheduled for 10 the & 11th september.This year we will have the maruti balenos racing in the lead.For the event to happen successfully we have a team of dedicated volunteers ( apprx. 100 of them ) who man the rally controls , croud and spectator controls, service parks and ambulances, etc.If you are free in sept you are most welcome to come with other bhpians and watch our rally.
bye

Rehaan · 14th June 2004, 19:11

Hey Tom!

great info man....i had tried to learn about pacenotes a couple of years back but didnt remember anything ! lol... this time i think i will manage to remember with ur explaination!

This is kindof a small pic..dont remember where i got it from... but gonna post it here for u guys>
Raid de himalaya

cya
R

Rtech · 14th June 2004, 19:36

Just for your info... Raid de Himalaya 2004

27th May 2004, 18:06	#1
Tom BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bangalore, India. Posts: 401 Thanked: 0 Times	Imagine driving a car flat-out at 200 kph and the person sitting beside you tells you to keep your foot firmly on the accelerator over a crest and into a blind corner 50 metres ahead! That’s trust… and exactly the type of relationship a driver and co-driver have in a rally car and why the recce and pace notes are so vitally important. Co-drivers are very much the unsung heroes in the world of rallying and, although reading pace notes is only part of their complex mobile ’office job’, this is one of the most critical elements which determines whether the crew stay in contention or off the road and into retirement. http://www.mitsubishi-motors.co.jp/motorsp....18.html http://www.mitsubishi-motors.co.jp/motorsp....5hr.jpg
	() Thanks

27th May 2004, 19:29	#2
shravan316 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,029 Thanked: 9 Times	Looks something like my college-notes , but, the difference is that i can't read my notes even at 0 KPH, forget abt 200KPH!!!!!. Truly co-drivers are unsung heroes.
	() Thanks

28th May 2004, 03:32	#3
Pferdestärke BHPian Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 311 Thanked: 18 Times	Yeah, I have seen my Father's Himaliyan Rally Tulips, and believe you me. I still think its "Kaala akshar Bhenss barabar". Cant understand a thing. It requires tremendous training/paitience/talent to read these pace notes.. And specially it has to be delivered so well that the driver should get it in the first go. (they say a rally driver is generally blind, his eyes are his co-drivers words) I always made fun when I was young, by saying - what if the co-driver/navigator was a tohtla.. And my Dad always made it a point to tell me it wasnt a topic to make fun of. I can understand it now, why he never liked me making fun of it. Anyway: Good info there Tom, keep em coming. p.s. BTW! What the hell is For Maamukkoya??
	() Thanks

28th May 2004, 13:52	#5
shravan316 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,029 Thanked: 9 Times	I've seen that....Incredible stuff!!
	() Thanks

28th May 2004, 14:17	#6
Tom BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bangalore, India. Posts: 401 Thanked: 0 Times	the numbers in pacenotes are quite simple to understand. any number between 1 and 6 tells the driver what gear they should be in as they pass through a corner or go over a crest. any number above 20 (usually in 10's i.e. 40, 50, 100, 150) suggests to the driver the distance ( in meters) until the next note, corner, hazard, or crest, etc. for example, if the co-driver says "six right 150 over crest" that tells the driver to take a right hand turn in 6th gear, and there will be 150 meters of straight road before he reaches a crest. + or - i'm not COMPLETELY sure what it means. some drivers (myself included) use plus or minus to suggest to the driver an increase or decrease in speed through a corner, - meaning to decrease speed and + meaning to increase speed.. for example " 4 left - over crest" means to take the left hand corner in 4th gear but decrease spead over the crest. "5 right + opens" means take a right hand corner in 5th gear and increase speed as the corner opens up.
	() Thanks

11th June 2004, 14:52	#7
Tom BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bangalore, India. Posts: 401 Thanked: 0 Times	as explained by a fellow enthusiast
	() Thanks

12th June 2004, 11:01	#8
rallystar BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: goa Posts: 145 Thanked: 18 Times	hi since your father has taken part in himalayan rallies can we have some snaps or some info on the same.It would be really interesting to read about souped up padminis and gypsys rallying in the himalayas
	() Thanks

12th June 2004, 12:34	#9
Pferdestärke BHPian Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 311 Thanked: 18 Times	Well I'll try getting few old pics.. I have video of em all.. but pics I'l have to hunt for at home.. BTW, he rallied in Ford Escort Cosworth / Lotus Sunbeam Talboat and a Padmini (in one year). I'll get some info too..
	() Thanks

13th June 2004, 13:41	#10
rallystar BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: goa Posts: 145 Thanked: 18 Times	hi thanks a lot. Can you , if possible , make CDs of the videos and send across.We are a group of friends who are die hard rally fans( we also organise a round of INRC) and himalayan rally is one of our favourites .we could have watched the cd s on a large screen. If its not to inconvinient I would be grateful thanx.
	() Thanks

13th June 2004, 15:29	#11
F50 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Mumbai/USA Posts: 1,707 Thanked: 103 Times	Wow Tom datz great ..... Bout d notes i really don understand anything it seems some Doctors pres. don understand dat also .... But even dat driver has 2 b talented n with high amt of concentration too
	() Thanks

14th June 2004, 10:58	#13
rallystar BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: goa Posts: 145 Thanked: 18 Times	We are a group of friends who have a common interest in cars and motorsports ( rallies ) in particular. we collect and share a lot of data on cars and motorsports.We also organise a round of the prestigious MAI Indian National Rally Championship in GOA . This is a fully tarmac event and scheduled for 10 the & 11th september.This year we will have the maruti balenos racing in the lead.For the event to happen successfully we have a team of dedicated volunteers ( apprx. 100 of them ) who man the rally controls , croud and spectator controls, service parks and ambulances, etc.If you are free in sept you are most welcome to come with other bhpians and watch our rally. bye
	() Thanks

14th June 2004, 19:11	#14
Rehaan Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 24,046 Thanked: 34,074 Times	Hey Tom! great info man....i had tried to learn about pacenotes a couple of years back but didnt remember anything ! lol... this time i think i will manage to remember with ur explaination! This is kindof a small pic..dont remember where i got it from... but gonna post it here for u guys> Raid de himalaya cya R
	() Thanks

14th June 2004, 19:36	#15
Rtech Team-BHP Support Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 5,770 Thanked: 359 Times View My Garage	Just for your info... Raid de Himalaya 2004
	() Thanks