Abstract: The invention provides a track format and a record carrier system for supporting a track architecture where a first field, such as a data field, is split by a second field, like a servo field. The preferred track format includes a split count field that contains information on the location of the second field with respect to the first field. In the preferred embodiment, the split count field is located in the header associated with the data field. The present invention also includes circuitry that reads the split count and uses the split count to discriminate the first field from the second field or the information contained in the first field from the information contained in the second field. The invention is particularly useful in modified constant angular velocity (MCAV) magnetic disk systems where constant frequency servo fields are embedded among variable frequency data fields. The present invention is, however, applicable to any kind of record carrier where one field is split by another field.