How does this whole "rally" thing work, anyway?
It's simple, really. Every I-RALLY event has a predetermined course with specific turns at specific times. All you have to do is follow directions and make sure you are WHERE you should be WHEN you should be.
I-RALLY was designed to allow anyone with any car to be competitive. The fact is, if your car is good enough to drive on public roads, it's good enough to win an I-RALLY event. The reason for this is simple. I-RALLY is not about speed or driving skill. It's about your ability to work well with your team-mate and accurately duplicate the times and distances established prior to the rally.
Every rally works like this:
1. When you arrive at the rally location, look for the "registration desk." At the registration desk, you will be assigned a car number and given a "checkpoint card," and a "finish card." You will use these cards later, when you reach the checkpoint, and when you complete the rally.
2. When the rally begins, get in your car and proceed (when instructed to do so) to the starting line.
3. At the starting line you will be given a copy of the "course instructions," a paper with detailed instructions on the rally course. Follow these instructions as closely as you possibly can. Pay special attention to the official course time. You are being scored on how close you come to the official time.
4. At undisclosed points along the rally course you will pass signs on the side of the road labeled "i-rally odometer check." When you pass these signs, indicate, in the space provided on your "course instruction" sheet, your exact trip meter mileage, as well as whether you were traveling "out," or coming "back." At the midway point of the rally course you will reach a manned checkpoint. At this check-point, write your trip meter mileage on your checkpoint card, and hand it to the attendant. Your time will be recorded on the card.
5. Once you have reached the check-point, you are to turn around and return to the starting line. You are to do this by back-tracking along the rally course. Basically, do everything you just did... just do it backwards (in reverse order... not actually backing up... that would be dangerous.)
5. On your way back, you are trying to duplicate your own time, not the official rally course time. So make a note of exactly how long it took you to reach the check-point. If it took you 23 minutes and 18 seconds to reach the check-point, it should take you 23 minutes and 18 seconds to get back.
6. Cross the finish line (which is actually the starting line.) When you cross the finish line, write your trip meter mileage on the "finish card" and give it to the attendant. Your time will be recorded. It will be compared to the time it took for you to reach the check-point. This is how the second part of your score will be determined.
7. Remember to stay on course. At the end of the rally, the I-RALLY crew will use the "odometer checks" from your course instruction sheet to compare your mileage to the official course mileage. If you stayed on course, it will match exactly. If you got lost or if you cut out part of the course, it will not. How closely your mileage matches the official mileage will be used to determine the third, and final part of your score.
8. The three scores will be combined into one, overall score. The cars with the best overall scores win.... The others do not.
That's it. You're ready to rally.
The rules are incredibly simple. Mastering them is a different story. One thing is certain: everyone who runs an I-RALLY event finishes with a huge smile. Try it.
See you at the Start Cone!
