THSCC Forums

See that's the thing about a Miata, bumping the HP is the absolute HARDEST thing to do. It would sicken most people to hear that the super duper pimp IRTB/Megasquirt setup I had was worth 6 hp over the stockish setup.

Dataloggers are coming way down in price. I hope to be able to test the my MaxQData out this coming weekend at VIR. Once I do get it running, I want to shove it into as many cars as possible to see the differences.

Not yet, but I will after this weekend. I'm sure there are plenty around though.

Richard did you get any video?

Ultimatly I decided that my ghetto video setup wasn't going to pass tech and didn't try. But after it was all over with, I actually wish I had tried harder to get a working video setup going prior to the event.

i had an instructor tell me one time that the folks that progressed quickest used video as a training tool. strictly an opinion, but it makes sense.

i had an instructor tell me one time that the folks that progressed quickest used video as a training tool. strictly an opinion, but it makes sense.

Data Loggers ($$$$). A camcorder ($$$). I use a camcorder. Would love to use a DL but they're a bit pricey and I believe illegal in an HPDE.

On data loggers I don't think we say you can't use them. What we don't want to happen is folks setting their goal to drive X seconds faster in the next session. That hardly ever works (unless you're Michael Schumacher!). I think having access to data after a session is worthwhile because is will show consistency (or lack of it) and re-enforce why that session either felt good or bad.

For me my data acq is now an in car hot lap timer so I can get real time feedback when I make a change to a corner or two to see if it reduced my time or not.

R

Ron, thanks for the clarification. I can see your point about not trying to focus on X seconds faster over a complete lap. HPDE is not TT. But I was very much focused in the HPDE on how I could be quicker in lots of places and I knew it was going to drop my overall lap time (whatever it ended up being). And I can see how it would be hard to enforce as you would pretty much have to remove video cams as well and maybe even tell friends in the pit to put away the stopwatch as all of those can be a way to "measure" performance.

Some clubs do, in fact, ban timing equipment of any kind (some include video since its often time stamped).

That sounds in line with my comment above. Even without timestamp info (which probably is only hour and minute anyhow), you could take a video and time laps after the fact. Even do segment times, etc. if you wanted.

I think I have read that there is a ban on both still photos and video shot at Nurburgring during tourist lapping (non-race or testing). I suspect it was to cut down on the accidents caused by people trying to capture a quick lap on video.

Ron, your numbers sound reasonable.

Wes is right. I look like I'm about to roll my car over compared to Kevin's suspension...

Stock suspension:


Aftermarket suspension:


Good data points, Ryan. I wasn't following what Karl was running that closely.

So, comparing myself to Karl, it looks like I have up to 3 seconds in driver aptitude since I was running the Hankooks which are similar to the Azenis, provided Karl was giving it all there was to give on Saturday but consider if he has suspension mods and weather differences between the two days.

So, no votes for just working some more on the driver (data acquisition)? Did you get a chance to use that data acq device over the weekend, Ryan?

It sounds like I could find a little more by improving the nut behind the wheel but not as much as I think. I just keep visualizing the Top Gear episode where Sir Jackie Stewart "educated" James May...and keep telling myself, it's in the driver...it's in the driver...but bolting on some parts for quicker laptimes definitely has its appeal.

--Ashraf

I would think the bigger front bar would increase understeer.

R