One of many keys to going quick is figuring out how briskly you’re going, and the most effective methods to know the way quick you’re going is with some form of information acquisition system. For street racers, information acquisition has turn out to be roughly commonplace.
However the place does this depart autocrossers? Has the democratization of information for the observe crowd rubbed off on the autocross aspect, or did the cone crowd get left behind?
What’s Out There?
The choices for autocross information acquisition aren’t as quite a few or superior because the choices for observe use, however there are nonetheless some highly effective information suites on the market. Most prominently, SoloStorm was designed from the bottom up as an autocross-savvy information seize resolution. Though it really works fantastic for observe use as effectively, the characteristic bundle was designed for–and by–autocrossers and their particular wants.
The essential bundle begins at $220 and makes use of an Android gadget’s inner GPS and accelerometer. However it may be expanded to attract information from extra highly effective outboard accelerometers, GPS gadgets, cameras and OBD readers.
SoloStorm is highly effective and versatile, nevertheless it does require a bit of information of the Android workspace. Should you’ve by no means used something however iPads and iPhones, anticipate an intensive studying interval at the start is seamless.
SoloStorm gives a robust and versatile information suite for autocross, and certainly one of its largest strengths is its expandability. It may be run with simply an Android smartphone or expanded with video, outboard accelerometers, OBD information and high-resolution Bluetooth GPS modules, like this one from Twin. Pictures Credit score: Courtesy Jesse Waymire (side-by-side video)
Our different favourite plug-and-play information system for autocross is the ApexPro. Like SoloStorm, ApexPro can be a full-featured observe information system that may arrange a non-looping, point-to-point course with a separate begin and end line–principally, the flexibility to file an autocross, one thing not discovered in lots of programs aimed toward observe use.
What makes the $589 ApexPro certainly one of our favourite models is its ease of use and handy type issue. Your entire unit matches in your pocket and works with an exterior GPS receiver and accelerometer.
The ApexPro was initially designed for observe use, however the choice so as to add customized begin and end traces makes it an distinctive and easy-to-use autocross information instrument. Its compact type issue makes it simple to maneuver from automotive to automotive, and its simplicity permits for practically instantaneous setup. Pictures Credit: Courtesy ApexPro
Pair it with an iPad or iPhone–Android choices are within the works–and you’ve got a robust, easy-to-use information associate. Anybody conversant in iOS performance will really feel proper at house and be on top of things immediately. An OBD module is now obtainable as effectively so as to add much more car-based channels to the info seize.
And so far as devoted information programs that consciously cater to the autocross market, that’s about it. However some enterprising drivers have found out methods to adapt different programs to autocross use. The VCM Suite from HPTuners and the TrackAddict and Harry’s LapTimer apps have all been used to trace autocross information with various success. In some circumstances, just like the phone-based apps, the consumer sometimes units up an autocross course as a section of a observe so the info is gathered from two separate factors.
Lastly, GM’s built-in Efficiency Information Recorder, obtainable in Corvettes and Camaros, can observe some essential information streams in an autocross state of affairs, though it makes overlaying a number of information streams for comparability troublesome.
What Do You Want?
What you want actually comes all the way down to what channels you need to monitor, however there’s usually a catch in autocross conditions: that severely compressed timeframe for analyzing any information. Autocross grids can recycle in a matter of minutes, placing actual stress on drivers who need to assessment information.
Because of this, we put an actual premium on ease of use. Being Apple cultists from the times when Macs had mouses with one button and a wire, we are inclined to gravitate towards the iOS-based ApexPro. Customers extra snug in an Android setting may have higher success with SoloStorm for a similar causes.
However what {hardware} do you want? That relies on the info you need to observe and what you need to do with the data. On the most elementary stage, you need to be capable to generate, with a number of clicks, a velocity/distance hint that you may overlay with different velocity/distance traces. After that, having a friction circle show is helpful for analyzing nook entry and exit.
Simply these two channels will pay enormous dividends, whether or not you’re working solo or sharing a automotive with a co-driver.
Subsequent, we’d add some car-based channels from an OBD connection. Throttle place might be probably the most notable, however brake stress and steering angle are additionally helpful additions should you can seize them.
What Do You Do With the Information?
Ah sure, the large query. As we talked about earlier than, autocrossers often have to investigate their information in a short time–whereas they’re additionally checking and adjusting tire pressures, switching drivers, sipping a cool beverage, or doing one of many different dozen issues that should be crammed into the couple of minutes between runs.
So your information evaluation must be streamlined and restricted to issues you may simply put into motion on a subsequent run. That mentioned, we’ll focus totally on a velocity hint. Backing that up, if time permits, we’ll cross-reference that information with a friction circle and a throttle place hint if it’s obtainable.
Analyzing a velocity hint on an autocross course is just like taking a look at one from a street course, however there are a number of peculiarities. Autocross places an enormous premium on getting on and staying on the throttle, so that you need that velocity hint to have a pleasant, constant upward trajectory from the minimal velocity level in a nook. Momentary plateaus within the acceleration graph nearly at all times correlate to throttle lifts, so work out why you weren’t staying on the fuel and take steps to repair it.
Subsequent, search for any areas of constant velocity. Spoiler alert: Autocrosses hardly ever hold a automotive at a constant velocity for very lengthy, so any horizontal areas on the velocity hint must be purple flags. About the one spots you would possibly see near-horizontal traces are significantly lengthy, sweeping, constant-radius corners–once more, uncommon in most autocrosses–or in the midst of significantly lengthy slaloms. (We’re speaking not less than six- or seven-pylon slaloms.)
Should you’re seeing horizontal velocity traces anyplace however these uncommon occurrences, give that part somewhat extra consideration to find out why you aren’t braking later into the part or accelerating sooner out of it.
Braking takes a little bit of expertise to correctly look at as a result of many autocross conditions require brakes for use in pretty nonintuitive methods–to drive weight switch right into a nook or to make a momentary perspective adjustment, for instance.
Whether or not on a observe or an autocross course, you’re in search of a pleasant, sharp peak on the high of the curve–the place you’re transitioning crisply from throttle to brake–in addition to a crisp trough on the backside–the place you’re releasing the brake and getting again on the throttle.
Know your charts. The friction circle cloud is a superb place to get a snapshot of a whole autocross run. Are loads of dots grouped towards the middle of the chart? That’s unhealthy and exhibits intervals of inaction or coasting.
Right here, the dip within the speed-versus-distance hint reveals that we entered the primary part of a slalom somewhat slower than very best.
What does this dip in the midst of an extended, left-hand nook say? Did we get too aggressive on preliminary throttle and should again manner off to collect the automotive again up? We spent greater than three automotive lengths of distance to regain our earlier velocity.
Not like on a street course, although, you’ll probably see much more non-threshold and really momentary brake functions the place your aim is to bleed off a number of miles per hour or prolong braking whereas nonetheless cornering. So should you see some braking traces that look nonstandard, ask your self if there’s a solution to accomplish the identical factor in much less time or over a shorter distance–but additionally notice that the distinctiveness of the autocross setting makes for an occasional funky brake hint.
After getting a number of runs within the information system’s reminiscence banks, you may start overlaying them and in search of variations. Bear in mind, you’re up in opposition to the clock right here, so first search for the low-hanging fruit. Normally this implies giant areas of upper speeds, significantly in locations the place the velocity hint is nearer to horizontal–like these sweepers and lengthy slaloms. Extra velocity over extra distance means larger discount in time than momentary velocity variations.
Nonetheless, in lots of circumstances, significantly should you’re a driver of upper ability, all you’ll should work with are these momentary velocity variations close to the peaks and troughs. And plenty of of those variations would be the results of a compromise–like buying and selling a slower mid-corner velocity for a better peak velocity within the following straight.
When confronted with a compromise, favor the trail that ends in the larger velocity differential over the longer distance. Should you’re in a position to maintain a 1 mph benefit by way of the tip of a 120-foot straight by dropping the minimal velocity by way of a 30-foot-long flip by simply 1 mph, put your power into the transfer that has you touring quicker for longer.
And keep in mind, it’s fairly simple to get overwhelmed with an excessive amount of information in too brief a time, so focus first on issues you may confidently change in subsequent runs.
Additionally, at all times keep in mind to hit “save.”
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