Bob-

Cancel my order for that new motor! I am going to sell all my rc stuff and start stamp collecting.

BBB

Aye, the code to calculate the Stormer factor was nothing compared to figuring out how to input the results.

An XML results file would be nice, because it would be easy to work with in visual studio. That would be great because I wouldn't have to use that silly VB language. C# >> VB.

I second the call for XML. Every language in the world has 15 different ways to parse it.

It would also be nice if you could identify racers by something other than their name, like a unique ID or something. It's problematic trying to keep track of racers if their names are input into the computer in different ways, or the names aren't unique.

I'll even design the XML schema for the RC Scoring pro folks if they need help.

I third the call for XML. As for a unique ID, I would be happy if even just the transponder # came across. Of course is anyone from RC Scoring Pro going to see our request? And would tracks even apply the update to get XML? Would they charge for it?

Next up for me is Jlap results. Anyone know if they have XML output? Im still trying to get some sample output.

got to bring this good thread back up!

first of all I studied this number for my personal driving all year and my conclusion is I am not a great driver but i have improved myself this year which is great!

secondly i studied this number for other races to see what the pros are doing and came to some hickups..
mostly i put my question marks at the scoring results.
a great example was the pre-worlds held this year.
i punched a lot of numbers of drivers but they came out NEGATIVE????
it happened to me again when i punched numbers for the ETS in heemstede.
are they starting on a place where they don't pass the loop at the start and immediately count 1 lap?
heres some numbers:
pre-worlds08
masami A1 20 laps in 5:16.205 fastest lap:15.917 consistancy : -0.112
reinhard A1 19 laps in 5:0.538 fastest lap:15.986 consistancy : -0.178
hara A1 19 laps in 5:3.783 fastest lap:16.192 consistancy : -0.215
jilles A1 19 laps in 5:4.628 fastest lap:16.111 consistancy : -0.082
wilck A2 19 laps in 5:0.201 fastest lap:16.032 consistancy : -0.245
reinhard A2 19 laps in 5:2.483 fastest lap:15.845 consistancy : 0.079
wilck A3 20 laps in 5:8.019 fastest lap:15.58 consistancy : -0.188
reinhard A3 20 laps in 5:9.268 fastest lap:15.676 consistancy : -0.224
matsuzaki A3 20 laps in 5:12.317 fastest lap:15.952 consistancy : -0.354

what is going on here?

Are you counting the first lap, which is often a partial lap of just a few seconds? That's only possible if your fastest lap in the calculation isn't actually the fastest lap.

So do we NOT USE the 1st lap of a main to come up with this error factor?

Depends how the timing software is setup. Some set a threshold of 5 seconds or things like that so it wont count the first lap in a main. The mains in general aren't a good place to measure your error factor. Works much better in a qualifier.

Thanks orbital Next Wednesday I'll calculate it for the whole night.

Well not counting my first lap in the Main (the Main is what really counts IMHO), this Wednesday night I had an error factor of .590.
My average lap time was a 11.669; fast lap of 11.079, but it was ONE 16.7sec lap that killed it

What a great thread, I love stats. I'm all over this...

I don't calculate my data quite the same way Bob suggested, but the effect is the same. We run JLap so we see our average displayed on our heat sheets, as well as our fast lap. I look at the whole race and subtract the fastest lap from my average. I know I am running a good race when my average is about 3 tenths away from my fast lap. My best ever was a .210. From the data I have looked at the pros hang out in the .2 to .3 range the way I calculate it.

If you ever want to calculate it for yourself this way here's how I do it.

21 5:04.862 FL 14.306 AVG 14.517

I convert the time elapsed into seconds. So 5:04.862 becomes 304.862 seconds. I then divide that number by the number of laps I completed in that time. 304.862/21=14.517
I then subract the FL from the average. In this case the avg to FL distance or consistancy (my name for what Bob calls the "Stormer Correction Method) was .211. I don't have to make any adjustments for the main or qualifiers, although it does include those "16.7 second laps that kill it" I figure I need to get ALL my laps averages down, even if it wasn't my fault. That just means I need to predict the other drivers better or know who I can trust to drive close behind. The prose have to qualify in the first round with the same people I do at a big race, and yet they have found a way for the most part to stay out of traffic. It must be a learned skill/intuition.

Bob's right. It sucks to find out that the problem lies with the person holding the remote most of the time. Especially when its my remote we're talking about. Such is life...

i get that you should subtract the fastest lap because statistically its an outlier, but shouldn't you then also exclude the slowest lap?
and what if your fastest laptime you recorded, say, three times for that heat... do you still subtract it?

OK I am not the greatest racer. I guess I dont need to say that but, Im an average Joe who thinks its fun to race club level. Win or no win. The thing that got me here is that my lap times at the local track didnt slow down much when I switched from Touring to VTA. I went from Lipo 13.5 to Four cell 27t and after a couple weeks was running almost as quick fast lap. I think my total number of laps is just as good with the slower car. I dont have numbers to know for sure but I might even be quicker with VTA car.

Im definitely going to have to get my head around this.

This is a great thread and I like Bob's idea of using average lap-fast lap. I have not looked at my times that way before. usually I discount fast lap and slow lap and look at my average lap time compared to each lap. I try to keep each lap as close to my average lap. Once I see that my "consistency" is high, then I would on rasing my average laptime and then hopefully my consistency follows. I have seen soo many people in practice try to get the fastest lap they can and then the very next lap is way off the pace. I just think they try too hard to run the fastest lap that they do not setup for the next lap.

I know I tell all my fellow racers. I am the slowest fast guys. Usually out of the top 10 guys at the track, I have the slowest fast lap. But I am usually in the top 3 finishers at the end of the day.