Coaching...?

[FTS]

Credit where it is due: Trakcar is wondering and since he is actually at the airport, I am just relaying his message

[FTS]

Although, I picked the first choice, IMHO there is much room for improvement for a solo driver before hiring a coach, even just by themselves.

I would recommend the following before hiring a coach, although a coach would not hurt of course.

The very first thing a solo driver, or even before being solo, should do is to acquire a data logger. These cheap devices can give invaluable information if the driver takes the time to look at the data. I am not talking going to the extent of "analyzing" the data, which requires quite a bit of experience and comparative data sets. But just looking at basic information of brake points, lateral Gs, GG plots, sector times, looking at differences from lap to lap, or session to session. I consider data loggers the gold mine.

One of the first things a coach will do is also install a data logger and look at data with the student, give pointers not only based on data, but his/her interpretation of the data based on experience. Before getting to that point, it is important for a DE driver, solo or otherwise, to learn to look at data and not be intimidated by the squiggly lines.

The second thing that a solo driver should do is ride in instructor cars, invite to ride with him, and have them drive his/her car to note the differences, and what is possible.

Once these techniques do not return enough for the time/effort investment, then I'd say it is time for a coach.

[PistolPete]

Maybe I've missed this somewhere but do you have a post listing the data logging equipment that you use or have good experiences with?

[TRAKCAR]

I have Traqmate and hate it.
VBox I hear good things
Racekeepier I hear good things.
Data loggers might deserve it's own topic perhaps?

[FTS]

I am not sure what the issues Peter has been experiencing were with Traqmate specifically, but at the end, besides the electronics, all of them pretty much do the same thing. The real differentiator is the software.

I use RacePak G2X. I find it very well built in terms of its electronics and packaging, and cheaper than most. Its software is not the most intuitive and has some minor bugs. I haven't used Traqmate, but I have seen its software and I think it is more intuitive and better than Racepak's DataLink. I also have seen Motec, I think it has the most professional software, not to mention the hardware and its worth its price certainly. But at the end, for DE work, something simple is more attractive IMHO.

But yes, data loggers probably deserve their own thread.

[mooty]

sorry but ALL data system are POS. totally not intuitive.
i am waiting for apple to make a REAL data system.

[jenk12m]

Hello fellas glad to be a part of this group. I'm always up for some coaching no matter how much experience you have

[bman]

Got some very good coaching this week at David Murry's VIR event. Most helpful was the lunch time track walk with Aaron Povoledo. Great insight into car positioning and attitude in Nascar, T4, Southbend, Oak Tree and Hog Pen. Later Aaron hot lapped my car for 3 laps. Seeing him hitting the marks he described over lunch was very enlightening. He's a great guy who's very passionate and generous in sharing his knowledge.

Unfortunately I could only attend 1 day and didn't get enough time to try new things. My times were decent but the same as I ran the month prior. However, I think it was because I was overly focused on hitting new marks. With practice I am guessing I will see some improvement based on what I learned.

[mdrums]

Originally Posted by mooty

sorry but ALL data system are POS. totally not intuitive.
i am waiting for apple to make a REAL data system.

+1 from the systems I've seen. However if you were to buy a new system today which one would you pick?

[mooty]

if you are asking me, i wont buy one unless i have a tech and computer genius with me to interpret the data. i have had traqmate, motec and aim xl pista

1. software is hard to understand
2. down loads need a wire???? we are in bluetooth, wire less world.
3. only run on pc.... pc's are ugly. if you want a real computer, mac is it. it looks good.
4. assuming you get the thing to work, you need someone to interpret it. know mdrum is 5mph faster than me at T5 is uselss info to me. i am only interested in know how to pick up that 5mph. i only care about the result. how to get there is NOT my conern, that's my coach and computer analyst's job

sorry, can't help you select a system. but if someone has something that's fail proof and mooty proof, pls let me know.

i am all for coaching. espeicaly one who can interpret data and use that to get me faster.
not sure i am making sense here.
but the bottom line is i dont care how a coach or data system get me faster, just get me faster.

[jenk12m]

Wish I could've made that David Murray event

I'm sure something will come out soon that we will all like to be able to review data and help one another go faster

[mdrums]

For you Sebring guys I HIGHLY suggest you hire Chris Hall for the day. Super great guy, fun to learn fun, Pro ALMS driver. Everyone I know that has had him as a coach learned a lot, went faster and safer and had a blast.

[FTS]

Originally Posted by mdrums

+1 from the systems I've seen. However if you were to buy a new system today which one would you pick?

As you know, there are many of them out there ranging in price and functionality. For DE purposes, exclusion of race car development and track setup, all of them will do pretty much the same thing. So, selecting one is a matter of the software, how easy it is to use, interpret and flexible it is. This perception differs from person to person. At the end, most DE drivers or even club racers, don't want to "waste" time looking at squiggly lines to figure out how to improve lap times, and I think it is totally understandable.

So, although I cannot say much at this time, we are working on something to ease this burden; it will take a little bit more time, but I believe we can find a solution for our members

Originally Posted by mooty

if you are asking me, i wont buy one unless i have a tech and computer genius with me to interpret the data. i have had traqmate, motec and aim xl pista

1. software is hard to understand
2. down loads need a wire???? we are in bluetooth, wire less world.
3. only run on pc.... pc's are ugly. if you want a real computer, mac is it. it looks good.
4. assuming you get the thing to work, you need someone to interpret it. know mdrum is 5mph faster than me at T5 is uselss info to me. i am only interested in know how to pick up that 5mph. i only care about the result. how to get there is NOT my conern, that's my coach and computer analyst's job

sorry, can't help you select a system. but if someone has something that's fail proof and mooty proof, pls let me know.

i am all for coaching. espeicaly one who can interpret data and use that to get me faster.
not sure i am making sense here.
but the bottom line is i dont care how a coach or data system get me faster, just get me faster.

I totally understand your perspective. Although Traqmate's software is the easiest to use IMHO, it is still difficult to see areas of attention and making sense of the data without training. As I mention above, John I am working on something that even you will like I believe.

[mdrums]

Mooty that's right....I forgot the systems only run on a PC. I'm a Mac guy too but I guess you could get Parallels and Windows and run any of these systems on a Mac. I've never used Parallels so I'm not sure this would work out.

[FTS]

I run VMWare on the Macs, pretty good, but just like any Windows app, it drains the battery within a very short period of time. Love the Mac!