Red Man

I was trying out a new toy at Blyton - the Drift Box from Racelogic.

This is an accurate GPS based datalogger that amongst other things will time laps for you. You just set the start/finish line and of it goes.

The attached files show you typical outputs. One is what the circuit looks like from overhead. The second is a comparison plot of speed/distance for one lap following Jon Cass in his Golf and the other lap with the STi in front.

If you like gadgets or have an interest in motorsport the results are quite interesting. In fact at certain parts of the course Jon is quicker in the Golf than the best speed at that point in the STi. Sometimes its not the size of the weapon

Interested in your views - and yes I know I am a geek.

Dave

Putfile - Uploaded Picture

Putfile - Uploaded Picture

Alan C

Dave.. cheers mate.. nics graphs...

@ £465 this is exactly what we need for the Track Car.
Sort the men from the boys by giving us precise timing data...

We'll see how the funds run next year...

Red Man

I think after putting up with me at all of your meets, the least I can do is offer the use of said gadget at the next Blyton day. No hard wiring just swaps from one car to another easily (need a cigarette lighter socket).


Only problem is I do not want to be the one blamed for sorting the men from the boys, knowing how sensitive you lot can be about bragging rights

Dave

supertouring

I fancied one of these for our recent SMACS trip to the Ring, but saw it too late.

It appears to have some great features, like lap timing etc, but I feel trackdays would soon put a stop to their use.

Do you have any more info on it and how well it works?

Alan C

ST. Quickie.. Interested to know why you feel trackdays would put a stop to their use?

We have a non racing, no overtaking policy at Blyton, but we're all interested to know lap times.. Now that we have a club track car (details to follow soon) I see us being able to install it in the car and effectively time the laps of those in the car...excellent bit of competition in what is a competative sport..

I'd also see it as a good club asset to lend to anyone wanting to get a few timed runs in.. for a small but modest fee, it could soon pay for itself..

Red Man

I have had the Drift Box for a month now but Blyton was my first chance to use it in anger.

I checked the reviews because I was not sure about its accuracy. What swung it was an American magazine review - they tested it against their Racelogic Vbox, the professional timing gear costing many thousands, and it was spot on.

It gets a lock on a range of satellites, I think at least eight. It will however suffer like any GPS system if you are in a built up area or under trees. At Blyton it worked without any trouble and most circuits are fairly open. Having said that I am off to Cadwell next month so will see how it copes with the woooded sections.

I take you point about track day organisers, but would hope they judge you on your driving standard not whether you have a timing device. The driftbox can even measure the boundaries of the track and show you the lines that you take, which would be a great aid in improving your times around a given circuit - esp combined with the Dunlop guides.

Other things it will do:

Performance - e.g. 0 to 60, or whatever speeed range or distance you want to pre-programme, such as 1/4 mile.
Drift - measures angle of drift and speed (and calculates a score)
Splits - in lap timing and drifts you can set up to 6 splits or sections. For example you could set the box to measure your entry and exit speed at a particular corner, to help work out the fastest line.
Regular speed
Camera positions - it does have the ability to show speed camera locations, but the data files don't seem to be ready yet (and I would not really rely on it)
Input to mapping software - you can output the GPS signal to mapping software on a laptop

My main reason for getting the DriftBox was for the laptiming mode as I am aiming to get experience across a range of UK tracks, with maybe trips to Spa or the Ring. I am hoping the data will allow me to drive better and quicker and also allow me to test car set up (3 way AST adjustable suspension).

Think that covers it - but any specific questions ask me.

Dave

Dazza's-STi

Al it would be fine for Blyton, but any form of openly tieing a lap at an officially run track day isn't allowed... it effectivly nulls the tracks insurance as a none motorsport event... i.e. times laps means motor sport event and that comes under a whole raft of strict regulations...
When i was going to run the car on that time attack thing i would have needed race insurance @ £250 per day .
back to the DB, looks a top bit of kit,,,, spot on for us @ blytie...
BTW the atam has no cig plug, but it did do 110 before the cones

Red Man

You are right Darren,

but I will just be using it in speed camera mode - so all will be fine

Dave

Alan C

Cheers Daz.. that clarifies the formal points. I wasn't aware of those rules...

Bit of a bugger really for anything less (more?) than Blyton.. Shame you can't argue that you're only racing yourself...

But Dave's checking for Speed cameras on track is quite comendable and a valuable service & lesson for us all...

corradoboy

Looks a top bit of kit Thanks for the kind offer to loan it at the next Blyton Dave If it does as good a job as it looks to then we should definately have one.

PS. Peak @ 80mph Someone wasn't trying

Red Man

So for all future uses of the DriftBox here are the excuses:

1) Indicated speedo reading will always be higher than true speed (as measured by the DB). Combine this with exagerated readings by driver and the 80mph on the DB equates to well over 100mph in any other car,

2) I was looking after my tyres,

3) I was driving with a buddy and did'nt want to leave him behind,

4) I was filming and the camera does not work above x mph,

5) Had to back off because of brake fade,

6) Had a passenger (if quite slow),

7) Had a female passenger (if very slow),

8) I slowed down to straigten my hair for Dazza

9) There was a 28 tonne truck on the track (nope: this is not believable)

10) Sat Nav failure

11) Car ECU not adjusted to Lincs tractor grade fuel

12) Followed a red 309 (so thats why I have chickens in my radiator)

Problem is these are all too clean for the WYIOC crew - so just make up your own.

By the way I have just thought of how you lot will compete on

Drift scores and (combination of drift angle, speed and time sustained)
0 to 60 and 1/4 mile

This could get rather messy - we need a venue

Dave

corradoboy

You've been refining that list for some time haven't you Dave

supertouring

As Dazza says, any form of timing is not allowed and this was one of the features that I liked about the device - being able to set a start-lap point and for it to record all your times for each session.

I like the timing on trackdays because I can see how much I have improved during the day - it is not something I try and better each lap out there, I do want to keep it safe.

I actually video most of my trackdays so can take times off that, but a device to data-log for analysis later would be very useful and defo worth a few hundred quid.

So my main worry is that I spend all this money on it only to be stopped from using it after a few events.

Red Man

True,

but how much do we spend on tyres. My last set of R888s were more than the drift box, and will probably last 3 or 4 track days.

Also I am hoping to migrate from track days to sprints and possibly single venue tarmac rallies - so convinced myself. I also enjoy the engineering side of motorsport so I am a sucker for this type of thing.

Anyway - we will see how I get on at Cadwell next month

Dave