Racecar data acquisition used to be limited to well-funded teams in high-profile championships. Today, the cost of electronics has decreased dramatically, making them available to everyone. But the cost of any data acquisition system is a waste of money if the recorded data is not interpreted correctly. This book, updated from the best-selling 2008 edition, contains techniques for analyzing data recorded by any vehicle's data acquisition system. It details how to measure the performance of the vehicle and driver, what can be learned from it, and how this information can be used to advantage next time the vehicle hits the track. Such information is invaluable to racing engineers and managers, race teams, and racing data analysts in all motorsports. Whether measuring the performance of a Formula One racecar or that of a road-legal street car on the local drag strip, the dynamics of vehicles and their drivers remain the same. Identical analysis techniques apply. Some race series have restricted data logging to decrease the team’s running budgets. In these cases it is extremely important that a maximum of information is extracted and interpreted from the hardware at hand. A team that uses data more efficiently will have an edge over the competition. However, the ever-decreasing cost of electronics makes advanced sensors and logging capabilities more accessible for everybody. With this comes the risk of information overload. Techniques are needed to help draw the right conclusions quickly from very large data sets. In addition to updates throughout, this new edition contains three new chapters: one on techniques for analyzing tire performance, one that provides an introduction to metric-driven analysis, a technique that is used throughout the book, and another that explains what kind of information the data contains about the track.

Racecar data acquisition used to be limited to well-funded teams in high-profile championships. Today, the cost of electronics has decreased dramatically, making them available to everyone. But the cost of any data acquisition system is a waste of money if the recorded data is not interpreted correctly. This book, updated from the best-selling 2008 edition, contains techniques for analyzing data recorded by any vehicle's data acquisition system. It details how to measure the performance of the vehicle and driver, what can be learned from it, and how this information can be used to advantage ne.

Data acquisition has become an invaluable tool for establishing racecar - and car/driver - performance. Now that the ability exists to analyze each and every performance parameter for car and driver, accurate use of this data can provide a key advantage on the racetrack. This book provides a thorough overview of the varied methods for analyzing racecar data acquisition system outputs, with a focus on vehicle dynamics.

A Practical Guide to Race Car Data Analysis was written for the amateur and lower-level professional racers who either have a data system in their cars or who may be thinking about installing one but who do not have access to an experienced data engineer. Many of the data systems available today at reasonable prices offer capabilities that only professional race teams could afford just a few years ago. Unfortunately, most of these racers do not know how to use more than a small part of those capabilities. Using real track data, numerous real-world examples, and more than 200 illustrations, the Guide gives them the knowledge and skills they need to select, configure and use their data systems efficiently and effectively.Beginning with a detailed discussion of the things racers need to know about the hardware and software necessary for a an effective data system, the Guide continues with chapters on basic data analysis tools, more sophisticated data analysis tools like x-y plots and math channels, damper potentiometers and the wealth of important data they produce, brake and clutch pressure sensors, and creative use of math channels. The Guide concludes with a comprehensive scheme for analyzing data, examples of the data views used with the scheme, and detailed information on how to create and configure the data views.

Hands-On Race Car Engineer looks at every part of the process required to make a car better than its competitors. Drivers will gain a better understanding of the dynamics of the vehicle. Race engineers will better understand the practical implications of set-up. Design engineers will gain insight into practical applications of their designs. Mechanics will better understand why engineers design things a certain way. In short, this book will help racing professionals and enthusiasts learn to recognize why they won, or lost a race - key information to continually improving and reaching the winner's circle.

This introductory book teaches the basic techniques of data analysis to help make race cars and drivers go faster. Six main channels are scrutinized including Speed, Engine RPM, Throttle Position, G Force Lateral, G Force Longitudinal and Steering Angle.

Performance Vehicle Dynamics: Engineering and Applications offers an accessible treatment of the complex material needed to achieve level seven learning outcomes in the field. Users will gain a complete, structured understanding that enables the preparation of useful models for characterization and optimization of performance using the same Automotive or Motorsport industry techniques and approaches. As the approach to vehicle dynamics has changed over time, largely due to advances in computing power, the subject has, in practice, always been computer intensive, but this use has changed, with modeling of relatively complex vehicle dynamics topics now even possible on a PC. - Explains how to numerically and computationally model vehicle dynamics - Features the use of cost functions with multi-body models - Learn how to produce mathematical models that offer excellent performance prediction

Shave lap times or find a faster line through your favorite set of S-curves with professional race driver Ross Bentley as he shows you the quickest line from apex to apex! With tips and commentary from current race drivers, Bentley covers the vital techniques of speed, from visualizing lines to interpreting tire temps to put you in front of the pack. Includes discussion of practice techniques, chassis set-up, and working with your pit chief.

The overall goal of vehicle design is to make a robust and reliable product that meets the demands of the customers and this book treats the topic of analysing and describing customer loads with respect to durability. Guide to Load Analysis for Vehicle and Durability Engineering supplies a variety of methods for load analysis and also explains their proper use in view of the vehicle design process. In Part I, Overview, there are two chapters presenting the scope of the book as well as providing an introduction to the subject. Part II, Methods for Load Analysis, describes useful methods and indicates how and when they should be used. Part III, Load Analysis in view of the Vehicle Design Process, offers strategies for the evaluation of customer loads, in particular characterization of customer populations, which leads to the derivation of design loads, and finally to the verification of systems and components. Key features: • Is a comprehensive collection of methods for load analysis, vehicle dynamics and statistics • Combines standard load data analysis methods with statistical aspects on deriving test loads from surveys of customer usage • Sets the methods used in the framework of system dynamics and response, and derives recommendations for the application of methods in engineering practice • Presents a reliability design methodology based on statistical evaluation of component strength and customers loads • Includes case studies and illustrative examples that translate the theory into engineering practice Developed in cooperation with six European truck manufacturers (DAF, Daimler, Iveco, MAN, Scania and Volvo) to meet the needs of industry, Guide to Load Analysis for Vehicle and Durability Engineering provides an understanding of the current methods in load analysis and will inspire the incorporation of new techniques in the design and test processes.