Runoff Qualifying

[Hardingfv32]

Competitors at the Runoffs: Did the FT system work as advertised?

Code 45: Assuming 4th gear... what rpm diid you see? Did the systems assistance in maintaining the Code 45 work well?

How are the track conditions that time in the morning?

Brian

[Keith Lawrence]

Much better Q2 today without the FC yellow flag and the Flagtronics Virtual Safety Car that created heartburn for some on day 1.

Fast guys seemed to be moving up front.



Keith Lawrence

PS - go # 36, Mike Lawrence (runoffs rookie and only 4th race on slicks).

[Hardingfv32]

Code 45 on Tues:

How diid you know you were at 45? May I assume you had no idea what rpm you should be at the start?

Was the system helping you zero in on 45 mph?

Could the fast guys have been testing the upper limit of the 45 mph mark and you were way below it?

Brian

[Keith Lawrence]

I know Mike did the math to figure out 45, if that would be hard to truly trust.

I think the system gave you a warning if you went over it, but there was a limit on how much time you could spend there.

Doesn’t seem to be a good system for formula V. Qualifying

[Steve Davis]

Code 45 on Tues:

How diid you know you were at 45? May I assume you had no idea what rpm you should be at the start?

Was the system helping you zero in on 45 mph?

Could the fast guys have been testing the upper limit of the 45 mph mark and you were way below it?

Brian

IMHO, the FT system gets mixed reviews.
#1. The FT system shows (purple) 45 for VSC.. just shows 'Y' for FCY. There is no FT specified speed for FCY. only VSC. Under VSC, the FT will show '45' on the display. If you are above 45 mph, it will show (Purple) SLO - blinking at a rate related to the speed you are actually doing - more rapidly if 'much' above 45 and slower as you approach 45. If below 45, only 45 shows. You are allowed 10 seconds after VSC shows to get down to 45. Of course, there are no 'instructions' as to what to do when you enter the track from the grid under VSC... so you 'go fast' till you trigger SLO and then slow down till it stop flashing. SO.. yes the systems 'helps you'. In my case my data dash shows MPH, so not much of an issue,, but the flashing DOES remind me to LOOK at my MPH.
#2 The system overall gets quite MIXED reviews from me. I'm not aware of ANY penalties handed out for FT infractions... even though we were warned that there MIGHT BE. There have been numerous 'SIG' areas around the track (NO SIGNAL) and when FT recovers from SIG, there could be conflicting messages in the que from delayed commands. There are also other considerations that leave much to be desired... e.g. WHITE is being used as part of the 'exit strategy' from an initial VSC issued at grid exit onto the track. That conflicts with SLOW CAR flag. So it was quite unclear to any of us racers what the WHITE meant following an 'out' VSC, then WHITE, shortly followed by FCY, shortly followed by GREEN. SOME guys in the front of qualifying TOOK OFF at the white, as opposed to those of us that were a bit unsure what was expected of us.. and got dropped from any early drafts. Also, coming out of SIG coming out of the carousel, left 'some trepidation' going into the kink.. back into SIG, back to WHITE (turned out there was a TOW TRUCK at about 10 1/2), then back to GREEN coming to the timing line at 11B, then immediately back to LY (local yellow) going into Canada where 2 vees and 2 tow trucks were just off 'track out'. It is my belief that FLAGGERS would have been showing a back up yellow at 11B instead of us getting GREEN at that point.
SO.. still a few issues that need to be dealt with IMHO. #1 being that ENOUGH FT Transsponders MUST be deployed to eliminate SIG dropouts. I would appear that Road America seems at least TWO more units.. and probably THREE to adequately cover the course. I inquired about this and was told that lack of hard wire comms from the appropriate locations to control were the limiting factor. Which tells ME, that SCCA/FT were not adequately prepared to fully implement this FT strategy at THIS EVENT at THIS TIME.
Of course, that is just MY opinion. I apparently logged the ONLY complaint about the SIG dropouts, so it was probably initially assumed that it was MY car/installation with the problem. However, by watching the 'crawling ants' on the SCCA YT display during testing and qualifying, it was quite CLEAR to me that MANY cars were also having dropouts.. maybe not realizing it, or just not COMPLAINING about it. I had dropouts from before T3 to the Sargento bridge, T9 to exit of carousel and occasionally right about 11B timing line. Maybe more that I did not 'catch'.

Steve, FV80