A rally is made up of a number of sections (or stages) which must be completed by each competitor. 'Competitive' sections (usually through a forest) are linked with 'transport' or 'liaison' stages on public roads, with set times being allocated for each stage.

A transport stage is simply to take the cars from one point to another, while a 'competitive' stage is closed to the public and is where competitors can drive flat out. It is where the rally is usually won or lost. The fastest car, driver and co-driver (or navigator) over the competitive stages of the rally with the least penalties is declared the winner.

Cars usually start at two minute intervals on competitive stages, primarily so that dust (on dry events) doesn't delay the following crew, and also so a number of cars are not fighting with each other for the same piece of road.

Rallies have served as a major providing ground for car manufacturers for many decades. Tyres, lights, suspension and four-wheel drive systems are examples of equipment on your everyday road car that have benefited from testing and development through rallying.

Not only does rallying provide possibly the toughest test of a product, the component is more likely to be pushed to the limit by a driver trying to win a rally, than by a development driver doing laps around proving ground.

Closed public roads are just what it says that is public roads closed to the public like The Jim Clark Memorial Rally. Competitors are not allowed to practice prior to an event although international rallies generally allow a limited amount of pre-rally reconnaissance. That means the crews are dependant on instructions issued by the rally organizers with regard to the route and directions. Co-drivers are allowed to use route notes, a kind of short hand, written description of the route of the special stage. They also have a road book with ball-and-arrow diagrams in case they get lost, plus there is another system, direction arrows placed before and at every bend, junction and crest.

Marshals are on duty at each stage start and finish and there is radio communication between the start and finish of each stage and a doctor and paramedic unit just in case!. Its the marshals job to mark up the Time Cards which each competing crew carries. Times are noted at all controls maintaining a check on progress throughout the event. Penalties are applied for early or late arrivals at specific points and these have to be borne in mind when calculating final scores.