land-speed
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Re: Traction Control...some more..

To: <land-speed@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: Traction Control...some more..
From: "DrMayf" <drmayf@teknett.com>
Date: Sun, 3 Aug 2003 08:56:15 -0700
In every case where TC is mentioned in the same breath as a sanctioning body
the parameter of importance is TIME, not speed. For every road course,
whether or not it is the roundy round or road race track and even drags, the
parameter is TIME. In every case, the most important is to get around the
course in the least amount of it: each vehicle has to brake and slow down or
at least lift to make turns then get back on it. Obviously the vehicle that
can get back on the pedal the quickest has the least lap times and become
the winner. Speed is not relevant in any form of racing except LSR.

So in LSR the object is to reach the top speed capable of the vehicle. How
to do that? Well, the course is very long and this permits within reason any
vehicle to make top speed. With TC you could maybe make top speed sooner
down the track, but could not better the top speed you could get if not
using it. TC will not permit you to go faster, only quicker! Now if the
course were shortened to say a 1 mile run up and a short top speed trap, ala
Maxton, then TC might be of some benefit. But I doubt it.

What about the case where one year the salt is very very good and class x
has a record set at some speed y. Then next year the course is sloppy. Would
TC help? No, because the track cannot provide the grip needed for top speed.
You will always go slower with it in LSR.

If SCTA or USFRA does not want to permit trials of such beasts, then ECTA,
how aboput stepping up to the plate and running some tests and publishing
the results? Use a car with TC that can be disabled and make a lot of runs,
enough to get a 95% confidence interval and lets evaluate the system
scientifically. I contend that it will make absolutely no difference in top
speeds on the salt but may affect the course and your pocket book only.

Let's run some tests!

Dave Dahlgren, you didn't spec out a cheap system for testing..you doing
that?

mayf, ever the technically curious...

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