
 POLE POSITION

 BY ATARI, INC.

 Insert your 5200 game cartridge so the label faces you and reads
 right-side-up.  Be sure the cartridge is firmly seated in the center
 of the console, but do not force it.  Then press the POWER switch on.
 See your Owner's Manual for further details.

 TABLE OF CONTENTS
 -----------------

 1.  Grand Prix Finish
 2.  Game Summary
 3.  Game Play
 4.  Options
 5.  Using the Controller
 6.  Trak-Ball Option
 7.  Scoring
 8.  Helpful Hints

 1.  GRAND PRIX FINISH
 ---------------------

 You're on the final lap.  Grand prix driver Nick Moneti is holding
 first place like grim death but you're determined to get him.  You
 slip in behind him and put on the pressure, dodging right and left,
 backing off, closing in.  But try as you will, you can't get by him.
 Moneti stays fixed and unshakable, and time is running out.

 Coming up is the dangerous right-hand curve before the finishing
 straight, a chance to pass if you're lucky and lunatic enough.  If
 only Moneti would make a mistake, just one!  Then like the answer to
 a prayer, it happens: Moneti brakes too late going into the curve and
 skids to the outside lane.  That's it!  You jam your foot to the
 floor and go for an inside pass.  But Moneti recovers in time,
 switches back to the inside, and forces you onto the shoulder.
 You're heading straight for a road sign at 180 mph.

 You miss the sign by a screech, and swerve back onto the track, but
 the damage is done: Moneti has a 1-second lead going into the final
 straight.  Flat out at 195 mph, you pull up wheel-to-wheel and fight
 down to the finish line.  Then coaxing forth a final burst of speed,
 you shoot past and cross with the flag... victor by a hair!

 2.  GAME SUMMARY
 ----------------

 The object of POLE POSITION is to finish the big race in the shortest
 possible time and score maximum points.  But before you can enter the
 race, you have to qualify for it by completing the Qualifying Lap in
 73 seconds or less.  If you qualify, you're assigned one of eight
 positions in the starting lineup and you earn a Position Bonus.  The
 faster your lap time, the better your position, and the more bonus
 points you score.  Try for the number one spot, the Pole Position.

 If you don't qualify, you can race until the Race Timer runs out
 after 90 seconds.  You score 50 points ever 5 meters and earn 50
 bonus points every time you pass a car.  When the timer runs out,
 your passing bonus is added to your score.  Then GAME OVER (plus the
 race and lap options) appears on your screen.  Press the START button
 to repeat the Qualifying Lap.

 NOTE: POLE POSITION goes into Auto-Play mode approximately 1 minute
 after GAME OVER appears on your television screen.

 In the big race, you're racing against time as well as other cars.
 If you fail to beat the Race Timer on any lap, you're dropped out of
 the race.  After your passing bonus is added to your score, the game
 ends.  Press START and qualify for the next race.

 If you complete the final lap and cross the finish line, you're a
 real winner!  You score high on distance covered, collect a passing
 bonus, and earn 200 bonus points for each second left on the Race
 Timer.

 3.  GAME PLAY
 -------------

 QUALIFYING LAP

 The Qualifying Lap is one complete circuit of the race course:

 Your starting position and Position Bonus appear in the center of the
 screen at the end of the Qualifying Lap when you qualify for the big
 race.

 A lap time of 73 seconds (73"00) qualifies you for eighth place in
 the starting lineup and earns you 200 bonus points.  To win the
 Pole Position and 4000 bonus points, you must do the lap in 59 1/2
 seconds (58"50) or less.  See Section 7, SCORING, for other Position
 Bonuses.

 THE RACE

 Four starting lights blink the countdown.  Shift into low gear on the
 red lights and move out fast on the green.  Shift into high gear
 when you're up to speed.  See Section 5, USING THE CONTROLLER, for
 car controls.

 Complete the first lap in 75 seconds or less to earn Extended Play
 time and go on racing.  Each time you beat the Race Timer, you earn
 more racing time until you're on the final lap.  A race can have as
 many as eight laps (see Section 4, OPTIONS).  The lap you're on and
 your lap timer appear at the top right of the screen.

 PASSING BONUS

 Your passing bonus (50 points per car) appears in the center of the
 screen at the end of the race, or at the end of the Qualifying Lap if
 you fail to qualify for the race.

 THE FINISH

 Victory is at hand when crossing checkered flags flash on your
 screen, but you're not a winner until you cross the finish line.

 TIME BONUS

 If seconds remain on the Race Timer at the end of the race, you earn
 a time bonus of 200 points per second.  The time bonus appears in the
 center of the screen and is followed by your total lap time for the race.

 SMASHUPS

 If you smash into another car or a road sign, your car explodes.  You
 live to continue the race, but you lose a lot of time.  Lost time
 means lost points.

 DRIVING OFF THE TRACK

 You can drive onto the red-and-white shoulder and the grass but it
 slows you down.

 4.  OPTIONS
 -----------

 RACES

 In order of difficulty, the races are:

 * Pracice Run
 * Malibu Grand Prix
 * Namco Speedway
 * Atari Grand Prix

 The level of difficulty depends upon the number of cars on the track.
 POLE POSITION is set for the Malibu Grand Prix.

 There are no other cars on the track in the PRACTICE RUN.  YOu're
 racing against the Race Timer to improve your lap time and driving
 skills.  Total time for the run appears on your screen at the end of
 the final lap.

 LAPS

 You can choose from one to eight laps per race or practice run.  POLE
 POSITION is set for four laps.

 SELECTING OPTIONS

 Press the * key on the keypad to select races or the practice run.
 Press the # key to select the number of laps in the race.

 5.  USING THE CONTROLLER
 ------------------------

 Plug a 5200 controller into jack 1 on the front of the console unit.

 GAME CONTROLS

 START.  Press START to begin the Qualifying Lap.  Press PAUSE before
 START to interrupt the race and return to the Qualifying Lap.

 PAUSE.  Press PAUSE to stop the race temporarily.  Press it again to
 continue.

 RESET.  Press RESET to display the options.  Press PAUSE before RESET
 to interrupt a race and display the options.

 CAR CONTROLS

 TO START AND ACCELERATE:  Press and hold in one or both of the bottom
 red buttons on your controller.  Always start in low gear.

 TO SHIFT GEARS:  Move the joystick up for low gear, down for high
 gear.  Top speeds are 105 mph for low gear, 195 mph for high gear.

 TO STEER:  Move the joystick right or left.

 TO BRAKE:  Press one or both of the top red controller buttons.

 TO SLOW DOWN:  Shift into low gear, take your finger off the
 accelerator button, or press the brake button.

 6.  TRAK-BALL OPTION
 --------------------

 POLE POSITION can be played with an ATARI TRAK-BALL controller, which
 may be purchased seperately.  Plug the TRAK-BALL controller into
 jack 1 on the front of the console.

 Use the ball to steer your car.  Hold in one of the red fire buttons
 to start your car and keep it moving.  Press one of the red auxiliary
 buttons to brake (see diagram).

 On the keypad (left or right pad), press the 1 key to shift into low
 gear, the 7 key to shift into high gear, the * key to select your
 race or practice run, and the # key to select the number of laps.

 START, PAUSE and RESET operate as described in Section 5, USING THE
 CONTROLLER.

 7.  SCORING
 -----------

 *  50 points for every 5 meters driven.
 *  Passing Bonus: 50 points per car.
 *  Time Bonus: 200 bonus points for each second left on the Race
    Timer at the finish.

                         POSITION BONUS
 Position              Lap Time (seconds)        Points

 POLE POSITION             58"50                 4000
 2nd                       60"00                 2000
 3rd                       62"00                 1400
 4th                       64"00                 1000
 5th                       66"00                  800
 6th                       68"00                  600
 7th                       70"00                  400
 8th                       73"00                  200

 8.  HELPFUL HINTS
 -----------------

 MAKE A FAST START
 In the Qualifying Lap, be prepared to take off as soon as your
 Formula 1 racer appears on the screen.  The start is everything when
 you're qualifying for position.

 USE THE INSIDE TRACK
 Stay on the inside lane as much as possible.  You can travel faster
 and maneuver more easily around other cars.  on curves, it's easier
 to cross from the inside to the outside than the other way around.

 GO FLAT OUT ON STRAIGHTS
 This is where you can make time.

 AVOID SKIDS
 Try to keep your car on the road to prevent skids.  Skidding slows
 you down and gives other cars a chance to outdistance you.  Remember,
 you earn 50 points for every car you pass.

 PASS ON THE SHOULDER
 Running on the red-and-white shoulder slows you down, but it can
 sometimes be the fastest and easiest way to overtake cars.  Just be
 careful not to run into any road signs.

 END

 Typed by Keita Iida (keita@mindspring.com)
