Monticello, New York - It may not always be obvious from the sidelines, but a major automobile rally such as Rally New York USA runs because of the efforts of an army of workers. Many of them are volunteers, whose repayment will be a shirt, a meal, and a chance to participate in the rally. The outline which follows describes the work of many of them.

organizing team�the clerk of the course (head organizer) and his assistants design the course, arrange for official permissions, negotiate any sponsorships, line up the volunteers, and oversee everything on rally day.

checkpoints�these folks flag off the competitors at the beginning of a section, and time them in at the end, marking correct start and finish times on each team's score card. They represent auto clubs from all over the Northeast.

radio crews�radio operators from clubs in the Northeast serve as the link between the clerk of the course and the officials in the field.

course opening�this team runs in a car ahead of the rally, to make a final check of the route and safety measures.

"sweep" crews�these people "close down" the rally course after the last competitor has passed. There are always tow trucks in this group, to pull out any cars that have become stuck in the bushes.

emergency crews�serious accidents are thankfully rare in rallying, but in the unlikely event that one happens, these people are on the scene quickly to provide first aid.

scoring�the scorers and their computer tabulate the results from the score cars, and issue official standings.

crowd control�this squad makes sure that everyone is standing in a safe place.

catering�this team is responsible for the official breakfast on Saturday morning, feeding the competitors, and the people from many of the other specialties.