by JJ Whitehead

Created on: December 21, 2009

The Rally Racing driver might be the one to put his/her physical mettle to the test behind the steering wheel, dragging the car around a slick-paved corner or under a massive canopy of pines and fir trees, but it is the co-driver who keeps the whole thing oiled from the passenger seat.  There are certain areas where the co-driver must have both feet firmly planted in reality, unchecked and unchanged by situations, in order for the racing team to provide the driver the best opportunity to win the race:  before, during, and after.

Before the Race Begins

There is a multitude of little points that need to be performed to perfection before the race begins to give the team even a hair's-breadth chance of success on the Rally Circuit.  The co-driver needs to be well-informed on all the rules and regulations of the Circuit, knowing these facts forward and backward so the vehicle passes inspection and can be driven, so the driver passes inspection and can drive, and so the course papers and legalities are followed so the team can drive in the race.  The co-driver is the person behind-the-scenes who reads all the required documentation.  If the rules change in the slightest, that individual needs to understand what that change will mean for the team and for the vehicle requirements specifically.  Any changes to the vehicle need to be manifested early enough so as to pass the next step of inspections.  If the legalities are not followed or the vehicle is still not up-to-code for any new rule changes, then the inspections could come back negative and the team withdrawn from the Rally Circuit, perhaps even fined.  The co-driver also needs to make sure that the driver is in prime condition and can pass all the physical requirements and checks before getting in the driver's seat and belting into the vehicle.  If anything comes in question in regards to the driver, the co-driver better have an explanation or be willing to lose his/her job.  Finally, before the race begins, the co-driver needs to understand all the course markers, directions, and instructions.  If the co-driver gives faulty instructions and leads the vehicle off-course, that could lead to time penalties, point deductions in the standings, or race disqualifications.  It is very important for the co-driver to know these details well before the Rally Race, otherwise it could be too late and could spell disaster for the driving team.

During the Race

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