i have watched some videos on youtube and wonder what the purpose of the navigator is . Do they have pace notes similar to rally or are they directing on the run and watching gauges. In Finke as they do not pre run the whole track how can they have pace notes.
From my point of view the navigators number one job is to watch the mirrors looking for faster cars. After that it's to watch the gauges. I have had some really good ones over the years that can remember on a long track weather a corner is tight or open. I have not heard of anyone doing pace notes but they may.
A lot of the top guys take notes when going over the course in the lead up to the event. It is not a full pace note system like in rallying, but they make notes of the important parts. They get to go over the entire course of every track, even Finke, beforehand, so they can take note of what they consider to be the most important parts, note how they can take blind crests, etc, and then the navigator can read these to the driver as they come up to these areas during the race using the odometers most have in their electronic dash units, etc.
Mirrors , guages , change flat tyres. Also most races are laps so navigator can call corners remembered from previous laps.
The front runners tell me that at the speeds they travel it is hard to pick up arrows and danger signs in time so memory plays an important role in staying shiny side up.
The reason my car is off the road/track is because of collateral damage from a broken front arm at Milbrodale. It was all on the left side of the car & as my son was navigating naturally it was his fault putting my steering ability 100% in the clear. any damage to the car can always be traced back (however twisted the truth may become) to the navigator.
we actually run pacenotes - so the navigator is pretty busy at the beginning. As the race unfolds his job morphs into looking at mirrors and guages and keeping me under control.
For me the navigator looks as far ahead as possible as well as the mirrors, guages and my pace. Priceless in assessing cost of damage prior to completely stopping.
It's also good if you can cuddle up to your navigator aftrerwards...
