Rally Results Service

The Tynemouth Computer Services (TCS) Rally Results Service is based on over 35 years experience covering more than a thousand events. TCS have provided a results service to events of all statuses from club events to rounds of the FIA Word Rally Championship. During the year 2010 TCS provided the results service for all the rounds of the following championships: Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship, Silverstone Tyres BTRDA Rally Championship and most rounds of the MSA Gravel Rally Chamionship and MSA English Rally Championship. TCS software was also used to produce the results for most rounds of the REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Championship. Other events were TCS provided the results service included the RAC MSA Rally of Scotland (an IRC event), the Roger Albert Clark Rally and the Legend Fires North West Stages.

The software has been continuously developed over the last 36 years and the current system uses a client server approach. The server portions of the system run under Linux (we use Fedora and Centos internally) and the clients are suitable PCs running Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP/Vista/7 (32 or 64bit). The system is designed to be fully compliant with the requirements for the World Rally Championship but also offers simplified print out formats for lower status events. Timing to an accuracy of minutes, seconds and tenths, hundredths and thousandths of a second is supported. Various timing systems are supported including WRC style target timing, British target timing and British schedule timing. Support is provided for up to eight simultaneous rallies within an event e.g. an International with associated national, historic and one make events. Each event can use a different route, timing system, car numbering scheme etc.

TCS can provide a full service where we provide hardware, installation, software and support or we can use hardware arranged by event organisers. In appropriate cases TCS are prepared to enter into a franchise arrangement with suitably qualified third parties to provide a results service in a particular region.

The main modules of the system are:

• Set-up of event data, including road section and stage information, classes, groups, awards, competitor information etc.
• Input of times (either manually or automatically from suitable clocks) with automatic calculation of stage times, road penalties and lateness. Validation of data by logical and statistical checks together with support for manual and automated auditing. Recall and modification of input data with a change logging system.
• Press and public results enquiry system with intuitive, graphical user interface and a comprehensive range of results options and printing facilities. Menus are currently available in English and French and additional languages can be added as required.
• System for recording and distributing press information and competitor comments, including automatic publishing to the Internet.
• Field results system with a graphical front end and a range of print out formats. Connection to the server can be made directly via a cabled network, by wireless networking, by direct dial in to the system, by connection over the Internet or by a VPN connection from a dial up or GPRS/GSM wireless mobile connection.
• Event control system showing information such as first and last car into a stage, status of each competitor within a stage etc.
• Fully automated update of results and other information to a local or remote web server without any manual intervention.
• Distribution of overall, class, category and individual results via SMS Text messaging.
• Scrolling display of overall and class results suitable for projection on to a large screen.
• Calculation of championship points and positions.

More detailed notes are available providing guidance to event organisers on the issues that need to be considered to make the best use of the system. Click here for Notes for event organisers

An archive of results and championship positions, mainly based on the results services provided by TCS, is maintained by David James at British Rally Championships Archive.