traqmate ordered
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 14,639
Likes: 39
From: Winston-Salem North Carolina
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Hi Bob, regarding the "theoretical" best lap that Traqmate gives you: last winter I read a book on race car data acquisition (The Competition Car Data Logging Manual by Graham Templeman). It was not specifically about traqmate and it covered a lot of subjects from sensors to software to interpreting the data.
When talking about the theoretical best lap the book advises to be careful in how you interpret the data and recommends using the fastest rolling lap instead. The theoretical best lap is calculated by splitting the lap into sectors and then adding up the best time in each sector for the whole session.
From the book:
The big problem is that the driver may absolutely fly through (say) Sector 7 (which gets added to best lap time) and arrive at the beginning of Sector 8 with the car on the wrong side of the track and in no position to turn in where required. This leads on to a slow time for Sector 8 which is discarded in the adding up of the fastest ever lap.
In other words - going fast in one sector can compromise other sectors and actually lead to slower overall lap time, but the theoretical best lap calculation does not show you this. I'm no data logging expert, don't even own one. I'm bringing this up as a discussion point to see if you or others with more knowledge will chime in and give your thoughts. I know a lot of people focus on the theoretical best lap. Sometimes their theoretical best lap even beats the track record. But according to the book this should really be "taken with a grain of salt".
What other events are you guys doing this year, I'd like to try and meet up with you'all.
Brad
When talking about the theoretical best lap the book advises to be careful in how you interpret the data and recommends using the fastest rolling lap instead. The theoretical best lap is calculated by splitting the lap into sectors and then adding up the best time in each sector for the whole session.
From the book:
The big problem is that the driver may absolutely fly through (say) Sector 7 (which gets added to best lap time) and arrive at the beginning of Sector 8 with the car on the wrong side of the track and in no position to turn in where required. This leads on to a slow time for Sector 8 which is discarded in the adding up of the fastest ever lap.
In other words - going fast in one sector can compromise other sectors and actually lead to slower overall lap time, but the theoretical best lap calculation does not show you this. I'm no data logging expert, don't even own one. I'm bringing this up as a discussion point to see if you or others with more knowledge will chime in and give your thoughts. I know a lot of people focus on the theoretical best lap. Sometimes their theoretical best lap even beats the track record. But according to the book this should really be "taken with a grain of salt".
What other events are you guys doing this year, I'd like to try and meet up with you'all.
Brad
If I look at each month over the past 26 years of being in business, and I break out the best 12 individual months over that 26 years, and then combine them to be my best "theoretical" year, that year would have me making 3.75 million for my best theroetical year. Yeeh-Haw, I'm rich. It seems like that is what the IRS does. I agree with the take it with a grain of salt statement.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,151
Likes: 67
From: Mechanicsburg PA
Book? Bob's too fast to read a book If I look at each month over the past 26 years of being in business, and I break out the best 12 individual months over that 26 years, and then combine them to be my best "theoretical" year, that year would have me making 3.75 million for my best theroetical year. Yeeh-Haw, I'm rich. It seems like that is what the IRS does. I agree with the take it with a grain of salt statement.
If I look at each month over the past 26 years of being in business, and I break out the best 12 individual months over that 26 years, and then combine them to be my best "theoretical" year, that year would have me making 3.75 million for my best theroetical year. Yeeh-Haw, I'm rich. It seems like that is what the IRS does. I agree with the take it with a grain of salt statement.
Thats hilarious, I like your way of thinking.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 24,652
Likes: 298
From: NJ
St. Jude Donor '05-'08
Book? Bob's too fast to read a book If I look at each month over the past 26 years of being in business, and I break out the best 12 individual months over that 26 years, and then combine them to be my best "theoretical" year, that year would have me making 3.75 million for my best theroetical year. Yeeh-Haw, I'm rich. It seems like that is what the IRS does. I agree with the take it with a grain of salt statement.
If I look at each month over the past 26 years of being in business, and I break out the best 12 individual months over that 26 years, and then combine them to be my best "theoretical" year, that year would have me making 3.75 million for my best theroetical year. Yeeh-Haw, I'm rich. It seems like that is what the IRS does. I agree with the take it with a grain of salt statement.
