The Regularity Rally Glossary from A to Z

Germany's red classic-car plate (rotes 07-Kennzeichen): one transferable plate for several historic vehicles, usable only for events plus test, transfer and workshop drives – never for everyday use.

Orientation tasks in which two map points A and B must be connected by the shortest permitted route.

The mean speed prescribed by the organiser, to be maintained as precisely as possible over a section.

A scored test in which a section must be driven at a prescribed, as-constant-as-possible average speed. Regularity is scored – not hitting a single target time as in the Zeit-/Sollzeitprüfung.

Table giving, for a prescribed average speed, the target time for each distance – an aid in regularity stages.

German term for a silent control: a letter or number combination, usually fixed to trees or lampposts, that the crew must record on the control card.

A Dutch-Belgian navigation system: at each junction a dot ('bol') marks your position and an arrow ('pijl') shows the direction to take. Read from left to right.

German term for the route book of a rally: the description of the route with driving instructions and distances, usually with maps and commentary. Used synonymously with Roadbook.

US abbreviation for 'Change Average Speed To' – the instruction in a TSD rally to drive a new prescribed average speed from that point on.

Roadbook symbol for a confusing junction with many branches.

The navigator's precise timing instrument for checking target and actual times while driving.

A motor vehicle that is 30 years old or older. The German term Oldtimer matches FIVA's definition of a historic vehicle and is distinct from the younger youngtimer (20 to 29 years).

The event direction responsible for the route and the scoring. Together with the organising committee it rules on disputes over classifications and penalties.

Aligning the team's clocks and stopwatches with the official rally time before the start, so its timing matches the organiser's exactly.

The second team member alongside the driver; handles navigation, timing and reading the roadbook.

An official (abbreviated CRO) who mediates between the rally direction and the crews and advises entrants on questions of rules and regulations. Known in German as the Fahrerverbindungsmann.

A classic-car exhibition with judging and awards, where the condition, originality and restoration quality of the cars are decisive.

Defined location on the route where a control takes place – such as a time, transit or passage control.

The factor from the odometer check used to convert the rallymaster's distances to the crew's own odometer – calculated as 'official distance divided by your own'.

Precisely measured length of a route section – the basis for calculating target times and average speeds.

The pre-start check of the entered vehicle's papers – driving licence, registration document and proof of insurance. Only then is start clearance given. Also called administrative checks.

The meeting before the start at which the rally direction explains the schedule, special features and safety points of the event. Often mandatory.

Reaching a time control before the prescribed due time. When 'early arrival allowed' is stated, arriving early is not penalised – only lateness counts.

German name for the scoring class, mainly in pure regularity rallies, that allows all kinds of odometers and clocks in the car – including digital or GPS-based aids. The counterpart to the Sanduhrklasse.

The application to the organiser to take part in an event. With the entry – usually together with the entry fee – a crew applies for a starting place.

The participation fee for a classic-car event. Which services it covers is set out in the event's supplementary regulations.

The standardised boards marking a control: the yellow board as advance warning about 20 m before, and the red board at the control point itself.

The Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens, the worldwide federation of historic vehicles founded in 1966. It protects and promotes motoring heritage and is a non-governmental partner of UNESCO.

An internationally standardised FIVA document for historic vehicles over 30 years old. It records a vehicle's identity, technical data and history, is issued after a physical inspection, and serves identification purposes only.

An American rally type (also GTA – Game, Tour, Adventure) scored not on time and speed but on puzzles, scavenger hunts or tasks along the route.

A map coordinate (Ordnance Survey grid) used as a navigation instruction in British rallies: the navigator plots the given point or route from it onto the map.

The German registration plate for classic cars; the 'H' stands for historisch (historic). It allows unrestricted use of an original vehicle at least 30 years old at a flat tax rate.

Orientation task in which a central spine line with side ticks shows the roads a route passes without turning into them.

A document listing a vehicle's technical modifications compared with the standard production model. It serves to admit the vehicle to an event and is usually required at racing events.

Roadbook symbol for a 180-degree U-turn.

A Benelux navigation system: the route to be driven is pre-drawn on the map as a continuous line and must be followed as accurately as possible in the forward direction.

A Swiss licence plate used alternately on several vehicles – only one of which may be driven at a time. For veteran vehicles, more than two are allowed.

The route prescribed by the organiser that the team must drive in the correct order – set out in the roadbook.

A British form of regularity: instead of speed tables, the navigator gets a table of landmarks with their distance and the due arrival time at each.

A major self-contained section of a rally, usually a day's running between two main halts; called Etappe in German.

A section in stage rallies that runs on public roads from the start to a special stage or between two stages. Normal traffic rules apply and must be obeyed.

Photoelectric timing device that triggers the exact time as the vehicle passes – standard for timing special stages.

A regularity test in which timing is controlled by photoelectric light barriers. Timing starts at the first barrier and ends at the second, triggered by the front of the car rather than the wheels.

The mostly volunteer helpers who make an event possible: they run controls and tests, direct cars and keep everything running smoothly.

Collector term for a vehicle whose major components (engine, gearbox, axle, frame) still carry the original numbers that match one another and the factory records – an indicator of originality, not of identity.

A penalty time for special stages or tests not completed properly. It is usually calculated as the best time plus a fixed number of minutes.

A start procedure in which cars are sent off one after another at one-minute intervals, in start-number order.

The opposite of a passage control: a no-go point or section that must not be driven. Passing it earns penalty points.

Route section without scoring in which timing is suspended – for example for town transits, breaks or to restore the start interval.

A vehicle's built-in odometer and the simplest form of distance recorder. Usually too imprecise for rally navigation – the more accurate tripmeter is used for that.

A short, measured section at the start of a TSD rally where the crew compares its odometer with the official distance (also odometer calibration run, OCR).

German term for a relaxed classic-car outing focused on enjoying the scenery and region. Apart from the organisation time there is no timing – ideal for beginners.

The period during which a control point is staffed or the event is running. It includes the set-up and take-down time needed by the marshals.

The party with overall responsibility for an event (also called event management). It is usually the main point of contact for authorities and other key partners.

Event format where finding the correct route from tricky roadbook instructions matters – not speed (often abbreviated Ori).

In stage (best-time) rallies, the crew's self-made notes on the route, gathered while slowly pre-driving a special stage. The co-driver reads them out during the stage – jokingly called the 'prayer book'.

German short form for the Dokumentenabnahme – the pre-start check of driving licence, registration and insurance.

Control point that only confirms passage – proof that the team drove the prescribed route. Related to the transit control.

Points a crew receives for every deviation from the target time; the crew with the fewest wins.

A British navigation style where the navigator plots the route instructions – handed out only at the start or en route – onto the map while moving, and the crew presses on.

A regularity test whose timing is triggered by driving over pneumatic tubes – similar to the light barrier test, but via the wheels.

Vehicle from the era before the Second World War, usually up to the 1939 model year. The term is not officially defined; the cut-off varies by source.

Time set by the organiser within which a section or task must be completed – closely related to the target time (Sollzeit).

A pressure-sensitive tube laid across the road that, in Italian regolarità events, detects the front wheels passing over it and triggers the timing. Alternative: a photocell.

Pursuit start: a start format in multi-stage events where start order and gaps reflect the deficit from previous results – the leader starts first.

An additional plate fitted at rallies and tours, usually at the front. It shows the start number and often the event name and date, and is a popular souvenir.

In Anglo-American rallying, the person who designs and lays out the rally – route, average-speed changes (CAST), pauses and controls. Roughly the equivalent of the rally direction.

A defined section of route used as a benchmark for time and speed measurements.

The deliberate reassembling of the field at rallies, so that all cars arrive at the finish together without large delays.

The core principle of the discipline: not speed counts, but consistency and precision.

An event where the aim is to drive as evenly as possible. Deviations from the set target time and the required average speed are scored, usually via at least one secret time control.

The spiral-bound route description of a rally, made of schematic symbols instead of a map.

Rally category in which only mechanical measuring and timing devices are permitted.

The inspection of the vehicle to establish its roadworthiness and its compliance with traffic law and the event's conditions.

A timing point not announced to the crews. It records the transit time unnoticed and thus reveals deviations from the prescribed target time or average speed.

Unmanned controls that verify the route driven: number or letter codes or place-name signs that the crew records in order on its control card.

A defined section of route where the crew's precision is measured (abbreviated SS).

An official who oversees the safety of participants and spectators, coordinates timing and ensures compliance with the rules – responsible for a section and its marshals.

A height figure printed at a specific point on British maps. In navigational rallies it serves as a precise waypoint that the navigator locates and plots.

Control checkpoint where the crew receives a stamp on their time card to prove the correct route was followed.

Event format in which participants start from different directions and converge on a common destination.

Number allocated to each team, displayed on the car and determining the start order; cars start individually at fixed intervals.

Marked area on the route where the vehicle must stop or wait – for example before a time control until the target time.

The official rule set of a classic-car event. It sets out entry conditions, contacts, the entry fee, scoring, penalties and the prize-giving, and is binding on everyone who enters.

The exact time in which a section of route must be covered.

A scored task in which a section must be driven in an exactly prescribed target time; the deviation is scored (abbr. SZP). Identical to the Zeitprüfung (ZP). Unlike the GLP, the single target time counts, not a constant average.

Control card issued by the organiser on which arrival and passage times are recorded or stamped at the controls.

Marked control point where a crew's arrival time is recorded against the target time (abbreviated TC).

A scored section where a single prescribed target time must be hit as exactly as possible (abbr. ZP); identical to the Sollzeitprüfung (SZP). Unlike the GLP, the target time counts, not a constant average.

Control where only passage is confirmed by a stamp on the time card – proof of route adherence. Also called a stamp control.

In Anglo-American 'course' or 'trap' rallies, a deliberately misleading instruction designed to lead the crew off the correct route.

A precise, retrofittable distance recorder on the co-driver's side, considerably more accurate than the built-in odometer. Also called a tripmaster in the Anglo-American world.

Time-Speed-Distance rally: a regularity format in which prescribed averages, derived from time, speed and distance, must be kept exactly.

The most common roadbook symbol – a schematic junction diagram showing approach and turn direction.

A short British beginner navigational rally limited to twelve cars, usually on a weekday evening, to keep the impact on residents low.

The official Swiss term for a vehicle first registered more than 30 years ago. The status is entered in the registration document and brings registration advantages.

German term for the break during an Oldtimerwandern. Small, often fun tasks may be set. Abbreviated WP – not to be confused with the Wertungsprüfung (scored test).

A 'free pass' granted by the organising committee: it allows free entry or the start of a vehicle that does not otherwise match the supplementary regulations.

A younger collectible vehicle, usually around 20 to 29 years old – younger than an Oldtimer. FIVA lists Youngtimers as Class Y.

Course car (numbered 0, 00 or 000) that drives the route ahead of the field without being scored.