Matt Romanowski

Certainly the more sensors the better and for driver inputs, having brake pressure, throttle position, and steering makes the comparison easiest and quickest. When you have some chassis measures, you can also see what those inputs make the car do through examing roll, heave, and pitch. You can use other measures to see how those same inputs also effect tire temps, brake temps, and more.

But, if we're working with a budget and a good coach who can articulate what they are doing, you can get 85-90% of the way there with a Solo and video. Smartycam HD (or similar) video is best, but even Go Pro will help. You have to go through and look at the speed differences, which is the ultimate output channel, and see where the pros and your laps are different. They you can hone in on those areas and discuss why they are different - talking about brake inputs, throttle application, steering input, steering release, car balance, etc. Not as good as having all the sensors, but it can work and really help you.

Don't let having a budget stop you from getting something to improve your driving. In the AiM lineup, depending on the budget, go with a Solo and use whatever video you have. If you can spend a little more, start with a Solo DL ($699 minus Rennlist discount) then add the SCHD ($999 minus discount) when you are ready. That will give you better info than Harry's, a great database of previous performances (as you build it up), easy comparison to other folks who use AiM, and a solid system. Plus, if you end up moving to a full dash at some point, you can keep the SCHD for that setup.

Let me know if I can help at all.

ProCoach

I did a little digging and found a solution that would provide nearly all the benefits of a Solo (lacking only the in car display) and INCLUDE video, albeit in standard definition but with measures ON the video, that might meet your budget.

A used SmartyCam GP (bullet camera version) with a new GPS-08 antenna and a power cable (either cigar lighter or direct wire) for $500, shipped.

This would generate the same files the Solo DL would, plus play video with measures. Let me know if you might be interested. I'll load it with Driveway Austin and any other tracks you'd like, too.

ir_fuel

Does a smartycam by itself generate drk or xrk files?

Matt Romanowski

The original Smartycam will make a drk file. It is a good option for folks with older cars.

Peter's is a good option. I think some sold here for a bit less, but you don't see them available all the time.

ProCoach

Did not hear from the OP. Used SC GP sold to CA (with an RPM Bridge, making it more useful).

May have another...

Cloud9...68

Thanks again for all the options that have been recommended to me through this thread, and through private communications. Definitely a lot of stuff to consider. And sorry for the slow response - my industry (semiconductor manufacturing), or at least my company, is under tremendous cost pressure as a result of global competition, so we just completed a brutal round of layoffs that resulted in a 30+% reduction in our staffing, creating hell on earth for those of us who have survived.

As far as the question of what level of features I would need in a DA system to provide optimal balance of benefits vs. cost, my hunch is that the incremental improvement of a more simple system like an AIM Solo or something similar over what I have today wouldn't be enough to justify the move. As a bit of background, doing nothing but grinding through the track position, instantaneous speed, g-force, and video information provided by my current HLT-based system, I've been able to cut in half the delta between Scott's best lap times and mine. It’s hard to imagine how a system lacking in the ability to provide direct information on how my inputs are impacting the car could help me close the gap much further. I’m at the point where I’m plateaued, and I really feel like I need an understanding of how the relative effectiveness of my braking, throttle application, and steering inputs compare to those of a top-flight driver like Scott. Yes, I know full-blown system like an Evo4 with the key sensors, dash unit, and Smarty Cam, is expensive, but there’s a big difference between cost and value. I’m willing to pay for something if the value is clear.

This brings me to another very fundamental question that probably doesn’t strictly belong in this thread, but it is pertinent to my decision. Let’s say I take the plunge an make the investment in a system that gives me clear information about exactly what I’m doing relative to what I should be doing to optimize my driving and cut my lap times. How exactly do I translate this knowledge to action when I next strap on my helmet and harness? Without somebody sitting in the passenger seat viewing my data in real time and telling me to wait to brake NOW, when to get back on the throttle, unwind the wheel, etc., how am I going to know what to do, when, how hard, how fast or how slow? All the information in the world, no matter how clear and accurate, isn’t going to do me any good if my eyes continue to get big as the corner approaches, causing me to instinctively stab at the brake pedal a half second sooner than I should. Thanks.

ProCoach

Ah, we finally get to the HARD part! A place MANY drivers find themselves after equipping themselves with these tools... Your challenge is normal and universal.

In order to effectively utilize and EXECUTE performance improvement, you need to break everything down. Your goal will be to do things behind the wheel that are beyond your comfort level. Incrementally.

Take your superb example above. Countless coaching clients come back in to the paddock for us to review together their data, convinced that they have made an improvement over their measured performance and braked at the proper place, only to find out they may not only be braking at the same spot, but sometimes even earlier!

You use this equipment to establish what you're doing, when and for how long. Then after you master (or come closer to) the best execution of fundamental, individually executed skills, you stitch those executions together.

Also, do not underestimate the familiarity and local knowledge Scott and Bill have of knowing that venue intimately, and what the car is likely to do when it gets to particular spots, areas of changing grip or camber... but that is another subject.

First, pick the longest, straightest brake zone. Determine the maximum deceleration force you can generate, regardless of trying to pick the corner entry speed and avoiding being equivocal or variable with the brake pedal pressure. MEASURE, at EVERY step for improvement.

Second, once you are able to brake quickly, cleanly and evenly, it will give you confidence to KNOW that the car will stop or slow enough in a given distance so you can begin working on brake release into the corner, one of the hardest and variable executions drivers make.

Third, you would work to equalize and maintain the forces you are generating with your driving between those significant deceleration to the maximal corner and side loading, WITHOUT a drop in the sum of those forces between braking and cornering.

And this is just a tiny start, but essential for doing what you know is needed to be done. Safely.

I've got a few books I recommend you read, but suffice it to say, thousands of people just like you have found value in the excellent products available from a variety of manufacturers.

It's value added when they are ably assisted by dealers and coaches who are experienced and particularly knowledgeable in helping them formulate highly detailed and targeted "action plans," as opposed to those "pro drivers" who focus on just doing a quick lap, but are not as effective at formulating a plan...

ir_fuel

This!

Been there done that. I was braking too progressively with the Cup car. I needed to brake a lot harder in the beginning of the braking zone. The number of times that I arrived at the end of a high speed straight for a big braking zone (corner in 2nd gear), was thinking *ow ****, corner coming up fast*, slammed the brakes only to realise that at 75% of the braking zone I was slowing down way too much, having to release or "coast" the brakes before turn in (and that my braking point could have been quite a bite later) ... countless times ...

With progressive braking I had the opposite, arriving closer and closer to the turn in point having to apply more brake pressure again so I could scrub enough speed.

Needless to say, those g plots looked great! And nobody makes g plots better than me, believe me. I make great, great g plots.

ProCoach

I'll add one more thing, why the addition of driver input control sensors pay back WAY more than they cost.

For more than a decade, I worked with drivers that paid a lot of money for me to come up with these action plans to improve based on JUST the measures you have available now with HLT or would be limited to by the VBOX Sport or the AiM Solo. G's, track mapping, segmenting to identify areas of exceptional performance (that most drivers, including you, are capable of generating, albeit for a moment) and identifying where the greatest opportunity for improvement was. But I, and many others using these tools, hit a wall.

They wanted more. A way to assign an objective, quantitative and accurate measure of what had been SUBJECTIVE, qualitative valuations. What is a numerical expression for "smooth," but NOT TOO "slow?" In throttle application and release? Brake application and release? Steering initiation and release? Line? Without additional sensors, it was not possible to tell, or to knowledgeably progress...

These devices (without sensors) have been fine, when you were double off Scott's performance. The devices capable of logging sensors are mandatory, when you're much closer.

It's hard to know when you are new to this technology how valuable it is to your progress having the ability to SAY DEFINITIVELY, "I was slow on the brakes" or "I was too quick on the throttle" (the latter pretty rare ), plus MUCH more, when equipped with these sensors.

You sound like a driver who could benefit from this level of detail and precision. Yes, the VBOX Sport or the AiM Solo is an upgrade from what you have, but given your improvement with what you have, you'll just find the plateaus coming on more often and not have a great deal more detail (or potential improvement unlocked) with such an incremental improvement those limited devices can provide. It's all about value, like you say...

Matt Romanowski

To add to what Peter said, self coaching can be difficult, but it's not impossible, though it takes some work. The methodologies and techniques are similar to what you would do in any other sport, except the drills are not done separate from the main event!

The first part is looking at your data to identify the areas for improvement. There are many ways to do this. You can use something like the examples on the data card I posted above to compare your performance against a best practice. As Peter mentioned, you can use books like Chris Brown's Making Sense of Squiggly Lines, Bob Knox's A Practical Guide to Race Car Data Analysis, Jorge Seger's Analysis Techniques for Data Acquisition, Buddy Fey's Data Power, info from Optimum G like http://www.optimumg.com/docs/Brake_tech_tip.pdf, info from my website at http://www.trailbrake.net/featured-articles and many more.

Once you have identified the problems, then it's about picking an approach to fix them. This is where keeping a track map and drivers notebook/log is so important. You can make your notes and pick no more than 3 items to work on. Often, if they are large things, you'll only work on 1. In this plan, write out exactly, in excruciating detail what you are going to work on and how. If it's braking, don't just say "brake later" but rather describe your approach to the braking zone, where you will be looking, what the car will feel like, what braking point you will use, how quick you will apply, when you will start releasing brake pressure, where you will begin to turn in, etc. The more detail you have in this plan, the easier it will be to execute. I also like to include some ways I will then grade myself. Is it just the braking point? The brake application? Release? G Sum plot? Then you can use these after the session to evaluate your progress.

The rest of coaching is to just keep applying these techniques. The variances will become smaller and smaller, the areas of improvement will become finer and finer, but the techniques are the same.

The next area to look is at a number of your best laps to see where the biggest variance is. James Colborn put together a great video on this at You can also use the split analysis in the AiM software to look at the sectors that have the largest variances, either through the times themselves of through the variance from the standard deviation. This will tell you a few things. First, you'll see the areas where you have the largest ability to increase your consistency. Next, you'll be able to hone in on your problem areas and work to improve them. It may be through finding more reference points, learning the track better, increasing you knowledge of the line, and/or a host of other things. I've found for many people once you can identify the areas of the track they are having trouble with, a little thought will find the root cause of it. Just remember to use the onion philosophy that Ross Bentley is fond of - keep peeling back layers of problems until you get to the core issue.

That is for the physical part. You also want to pay attention to the mental part of driving. Ross Bentley is really the leader in this field. Check out his Speed Secrets Weekly FB page where he shares a ton of info www.facebook.com/Drivercoach Also watch for when Ross does his webinars as they are fantastic and supply you with many of the techniques he uses with the amateur and professional drivers he works with.

Hopefully this wasn't too long and is helpful on how to keep progessing. And don't let work get you down - I did work for the semiconductor industry after their last downturn. I was in a number of shuttered clean rooms and supplied components for maintenance of flipchip, steppers, and sputterers as things started to come back. It's a tough industry, but good when it's good.

ir_fuel

Something very important here is to define the splits yourself so they make sense. The software tends to make way too many sectors which makes sector analysis, fastest theoretical lap etc not very useful.

T&T Racing

+1...For Watkins Glen, I define the track in 4 segments, essentially 2 normal corners in each segment but some segments longer than others and each segment beginning some distance prior to start of a breaking zone

Matt Romanowski

Track segmenting is very important. The segments that RS2 makes are based on changes in lat G, so it can make a lot of segments. I don't ever use the automatically generated maps.

There are a couple of important things to remember with the segments. Do not break them apart in (or too close) to a braking zone. That way one kamikaze lap won't show as a really fast segment. Also try to break the track apart so that one really fast segment doesn't make the next one impossible. That basically means that you group segments so linked corners are together. Also, don't be afraid to have multiple segment maps for the same track. I will use different maps depending on what we are working on.

Here's the map I use the most for Watkins Glen.

Cloud9...68

I am really impressed with the quality of knowledge and the degree of professionalism, not to mention the passion, that comes across from the many folks who have contributed to this thread. I feel so much more qualified to make a decision as to the type of system that will benefit me the most. It's interesting that I've been using many of the methods described in your responses, and in the video the Matt posted, on my own - focusing on one turn at a time, starting with the areas where I seem to have the most opportunity to improve, especially those sections where I'm the most inconsistent, and going from there. To my amazement, I was actually able to catch Scott (though not with 100% consistency) in a few of the turns (including what I have perceived as being the most challenging series of corners on the track). I was also able to close the gap to a reasonably small amount on a few others, while on several, I remain dramatically slower than Scott, no matter what I've tried on my own. I'm salivating at the thought of how a system that provides me a lot more information, particularly on my driver inputs, will help me unlock the mysteries of why I'm so slow in some corners, while being respectable in others.

And Matt, yes, the semiconductor industry truly is an insane place to make a living, but I've never known anything else (I'm a process engineer, in dry etch). And the parallels between the data acquisition systems discussed here and the Fault Detection and Classification (FDC) systems used on our wafer processing equipment, is pretty remarkable.

OK, enough talk. I need figure out what I'm going to do, and make a purchase. I'll let everyone know what I decide. Thanks again for all the great inputs.

MSR Racer

I know that the experts have spoken. Here is input from the end-user: whatever the solution you go for should have direct throttle and brake-pressure logging and lateral Gs to be truly meaningful. I had a similar AIM based solution in my 993.