Driving Simulator
3.01 for Windows 95/98, 2000, NT and XP
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Driving Simulator
As a mathematician3 and data analyst, I have spent over twenty years developing the Racing by the Numbers™ computer programs to assist teams in extracting maximum performance from their race car.
Although many race drivers are well acclimated to the engineering approach to setting up racecars and are active, willing, participants in the process, what the driver does behind the wheel is most often between him and the seat of his pants.
I felt it was time to offer the driver a program that analyzes driving techniques with the same mathematical tools he and his engineer use to set up the racecar.
I’ve designed the Driving Simulator as an equal-opportunity package serving both veteran and novice - the latter learning, the former tweaking.
The user can specify a car (horsepower, weight, cornering capability, braking ability, and traction) and a turn (degrees, direction, radius, width and banking). The user then selects a line (maximum speed, late-apex, early-apex, trail-braking, passing line or repassing line) and the Driving Simulator calculates split times and generates data as an on-board data acquisition system. The competitor learns how to choose a racing line based on the traction circle and how to apply variations to solve tactical problems.
Learn when to apex early or late and when to use a diamond line. Learn the trade off between mid-turn speed and getting to the throttle. When do you sacrifice speed to get to the throttle sooner? When do you maximize speed at the expense of early throttle?
Learn how the car’s capabilities - power, cornering, braking - relate to racing line choice. Learn how to alter your line to pass an equal car. Learn how to set up a repass.
The Driving Simulator may surprise you and debunk a few myths. Learn why exit speed is sometimes over-rated with the Track Exchange Method - a whole new way of thinking about a race track.
The process begins with a traction circle:
The Sector Definition
A Sector is that portion of a track including entry, corner and exit. The Driving Simulator program runs a racecar through the sector and computes times and speeds for each portion of the sector.
The racecar always goes from the bottom of the screen (or page) to the top. The user may specify the dimensions of the sector. Here are the dimensions for this example:
Angle of Turn
180 degrees
Banking
0 degrees
Entry Length
500 feet
Exit Length 500
feet
Entry Radius
200 feet
Exit Radius 200
feet
Entry Width
50 feet
Exit Width
50 feet
Extend 1
2,500 feet - extend the exit 2,000 feet to 2,500 feet
Extend 2
5,000 feet - extend the exit 4,500 feet to 5,000 feet
Sector times run from Start to Finish. Exit speed is the speed at the Finish point. The extensions allow you to answer the question “would this line be better if it led onto a longer straight.”
The Driving Simulator can handle 180-degree turns (oval tracks). 90-degree, 60-degree or and angle up to 360 degrees. It can handle increasing radius or decreasing radius as well as increasing width and decreasing width. It can not (currently) handle double-apex turns or chicanes. It does not handle elevation changes.
If the Driving Simulator is successful in the marketplace future versions will incorporate more complex turns and, perhaps, complete road racing tracks.