2016 Green Grand Prix TEAM ROSTER & DETAILS

[changzuki]

Ryan S - was looking forward to seeing "Tank of Justice II".. Take care and get'er fixed up for next year.
Bruce Pick - the trajectory you posted for corner 1 is good.
UltArc - the trajectory you posted for corner 1 is also good.
With all 40+ cars on the track at once, it may be a good idea to keep your options open since you may not be able to get aligned pre-turn to execute the arc of your choice.
sheepdog_44 - if Gasoline fumes ends up being a navigator, can you be enlisted to get some Ecomodder photos?
-
~CrazyJerry

[UltArc]

I actually misspoke, as I'm not doing the road rally! I need a co pilot on the track! Still in, Sheepdog? I hope so, but respect and understand if not!

[sheepdog 44]

Originally Posted by UltArc

I actually misspoke, as I'm not doing the road rally! I need a co pilot on the track! Still in, Sheepdog? I hope so, but respect and understand if not!

Yes

[UltArc]

LEGENDARY. PM to follow.

[brucepick]

Here are a couple maps of the track.
This is mostly to set you up for the Chapter 4 discussion of fine tuning your lap times in an effort to get a decent (or superlative) score in the Time-Speed-Distance aspect of this Stage of the Green Grand Prix.

Also, for anyone participating in the GGP for their first time, these should be very helpful. (HINT!) We go around clockwise.

This line map with numbered turns gives a clear view of the track. I'll refer to the turns by number later in Chapter 4, in particular Turns 1 and 11. Also, note the Start/Finish line, located between Turns 11 and 1. BE AWARE: I've seen other maps of the track where the turns are numbered differently. Turns 1-4 are always numbered consistently, the variations are in the later turns' numbers.

Our event does not use the "Inner Loop" which follows after the Back Straight. We drive straight through. We also don't drive "The Boot", Turns 6-9 in this map. That's probably a good thing for us: it has a drop of 100' and of course the climb back up.



The elevation map is helpful in that it gives you some idea of the grades in this track. The map exaggerates the grades visually, but I'm sure the elevation feet notes are correct.

[UltArc]

Stop helping other people! Lol. Also note, these noted are the long course, we are on the short course. Essentially, on image 1, we finish turn 5 (outer loop) and that leads right into turn 10. I'd love to EOC at the top of 5 through 6 and 7, though!

[brucepick]

In Chapters 4 and 5, I'll do my best to get into the nitty gritty of how to aim for successful lap times in the GGP's track event.

This post is a follow up to GGP Planning - Chap. 2: This is a Time-Speed-Distance Road Rally

I've driven this event in 2011-12-14-15 (in 2013 I was out following surgery). Just about every year I've done a bit better in lap times scoring in this event. My first time, I knew next to nothing about Time Speed Distance rallies. Only doing this once a year, it's taken me a few years to got to some kind of competence on it.

Reviewing the basics:

Each lap is a "checkpoint" in the time-speed-distance rally. Instead of the traditional hut with a couple volunteers who note your arrival and departure times, the Watkins Glen finish line electronics log the time that you cross the line. This is recorded to thousandths of a second.

The stated goal is to achieve an AVERAGE lap speed of 45 mph. That's it.

So if you had a Ferrari with auto trans and cruise control, you probably could set it for 45 and it could peg that speed - within the limit of your ability to get it to PRECISELY 45 mph and set the cc for that. Also assuming the cc would NEVER let the car accelerate on a downhill.

So in the real world, how do we do this?

It's an ideal challenge for people who like math. I'm writing this chapter so you have a shot at some decent scores, without being a math nerd.

First, you need a tool that computes and shows your average lap speed as you're driving. It must show speed to a tenth of an mph. That is, 46.2 mph. You need to be able to reset the tool as you cross the finish line. In my car, the driver (me) operates that tool.

"RallyTracks" is a good app for this, for Android and iPhones. Or you can use a GPS if it has the capability. I have two phones with RallyTracks installed - on the newer phone (iPhone 5), it absolutely doesn't work properly. It works great on my iPhone 4. Go figure, ymmv. If this app is your tool of choice, get familiar with it in advance. You'll also need something to hold your phone to the dash.

My GPS has an average speed function that I could use for the GGP. The drawback: it requires two finger touches. One touch to "reset", and a second touch to confirm that you really want to reset. So the only way is to do the first tap while approaching the finish line, and then do the second tap right when crossing it. I expect that after the first tap, you won't see your average speed - but you won't need it any more either, until after you zero it for the next lap. Again, your GPS could be different - for this purpose, it could be better or worse than mine.

Second, your navigator needs a stopwatch. This is for capturing and recording your time for each lap.

One very important point is that after you press it to start the next lap (aka "split"), you still want to see your time for the lap that just ended! Without that, you have no feedback and the whole stopwatch thing would be pointless.

RallyTracks or your GPS will show you your average speed. But you're scored on lap time. The average speed information is only a guide towards achieving the perfect (or close) lap time. That's what the stopwatch is for - so you can see how well you did, immediately.

Remember there are all kinds of extra variables in play here - probably most importantly, how much you weave left-right on the track, and how precisely your device tracks that. Combine that with the fact that GGP scoring doesn't care about your many extra feet of travel - it only cares about raw lap time! So your average speed indicator, while an essential and critical tool, is only a starting point.

My excellent navigator (my brother!) tried using the stopwatch function in his phone but there were far to many times when his finger tap on the screen just did not do the job. Those timers aren't made for the responsiveness and precision we need. A car is a vibrating environment, whatever, it just was not reliable. And you have only one chance to hit that stopwatch button as you cross the finish line at each lap. So, beg borrow or steal a stopwatch. Sporting goods store or maybe a pawn shop. Watch counter at a Target or Walmart? It's probably too late to get a deal from Amazon or eBay. Maybe craigslist if that's your preference.

The stopwatch should ideally be able to track and record more than 35 laps or "splits", as they call them in the sports world. You don't really need it to be able to download data to a phone or computer.

[brucepick]

Originally Posted by UltArc

Stop helping other people! Lol. Also note, these noted are the long course, we are on the short course. Essentially, on image 1, we finish turn 5 (outer loop) and that leads right into turn 10. I'd love to EOC at the top of 5 through 6 and 7, though!

Haha, UltArc. If anyone not on our team can find this stuff and also figure out how to use it in time for the GGP, well, fine. Last year I sent PMs with this type of material but it was a real pain. There's a limit of 5 addressees per PM so I had to send each one 2-3 times. I don't have time for that!

And yes, my post also indicates the parts of the track our event doesn't use.

[brucepick]

Now you have a stopwatch, and either the RallyTracks app installed and working, or a GPS that will show average speed TO A TENTH OF A MPH. Here's how I use them.

First, we calculated the ideal lap time. That's based on the track's known lap distance: 2.45 miles. At 45 mph, it works out to 3 minutes 16 seconds. As discussed in Chapter 2. And, as discussed there, expect the GGP to have a range of lap times that earn you a point, a point being a good thing. Last year the range was from 3:14 through 3:17.

Based on that, our target time is either the midpoint of that range (3:15.5) or the computed ideal time, 3:16. Hitting either should get you a point.

So, here's the drill:

Stopwatch:
Navigator handles the stopwatch. Hit the button each time when crossing the finish line. It is painted prominently across the track. Note: the track was refurbished and repaved for this year. I don't know exactly what it looks like now, but I think we'll be able to see the finish line. Navigator should have a clipboard. It will have a sheet where he/she can record the stopwatch lap time for each lap. After the event, Bob has been making the official score sheets available. This gives you an opportunity to see how close your finger-push was, to the track's electronic lap timing gear.

Average Speed Tool: RallyTracks app or a good GPS:

Driver handles the average speed tool. Either the RallyTracks app, or a GPS that will show average speed. It must read to a tenth of an mph. Zero it each time you cross the finish line. Note your lap time after completing each lap. Record the lap time on the clipboard.

If it's a GPS, as mentioned in Chapter 4, you might need two taps for the reset. The 2nd tap is to confirm that you really want to reset it. So you'd do the first tap while approaching the line, and the confirmation as you cross it.

RallyTracks app:
This very nice app has two minor drawbacks, as I see it.

Firstly, the display is a bit small. If you have a small pad computer with a dash mount, consider using that. Worth a try. Or you might be fine with the display on your phone.

Secondly, after you hit the reset (labeled "Monitor"), it gives no average speed info for about 30-40 seconds. I've never found it to be a real problem in this event. Somewhere in the approach to the back straight, that display starts showing data and it's all good. Just FYI. Not a problem, because you need to drive the grandstand straightaway (after the finish line), Turn 1, and the climb immediately after, as required by the road and your car. It's only after that, that you really have the freedom to adjust speed in an effort to hit a good lap time.

Using the Tools:

Here's what I did in past years:
Just keep an eye on the average speed. Keep it as close as possible to 45 mph.

Then - assuming your last lap was close to 45 mph on the display - see what your lap time was. If your avg speed was 45 (or 44.8 or .9, or 45.1 or .2) and your lap time was 3:16, that tells you that you can use an avg speed of 45 to hit ideal lap time.

What if it's different?
Suppose your avg speed was 45.0 and your lap time was 3:18.
Obviously you need to adjust. Go for a slightly faster average speed, and you'll get your lap time down to 3:16. The reason for the discrepancy isn't important. The avg speed tool helps you get into the ballpark. Don't assume it will be perfect.

[brucepick]

Here's something I struggled with in the 2015 event, and also in 2014.

I recently did a major math exercise to work out the solution to this problem. Hopefully someone here will find it helpful.

I was coasting the last two turns (#10 and 11 on the map), and typically emerged from the final turn #11 at about 38 mph. This was after achieving a nearly perfect average speed of 45 as I entered the two turns.

Well, that caused all kinds of trouble. Obviously I didn't want to burn fuel if not needed, over that distance. But emerging at well under 45 mph, I needed to accelerate to cross the finish line with a 45 mph average. Math indicates that I'd need to achieve something like 59 mph at the time I crossed the line, in order to average 45 between the start of Turn 10 and the finish line, thus restoring the lap's average speed to 45 mph. That assumes consistent ("straight line") deceleration through the turns and acceleration between the end of the turn and the finish line.

Well that solution is no good, because now I'm cruising a slight downhill at 59 mph, approaching a turn (#1) that I wanted to enter at about 40 - without ever touching the brakes! Not good. If you haven't driven this track before, just consider that with brake use forbidden, you'd probably enter that turn at about 25 with your mom in the car. Maybe 35 if you're not trying to prove anything. 50+ will risk serious trouble without brakes. Even 45 was hairy in my two cars.

So a few weeks ago, I did a whole bunch of calculations to determine WHAT AVERAGE SPEED - from the finish line to the start of Turn 10 - would let me emerge from Turn 1 at say, about 38 mph?

Of course the easy answer is, "just go a bit faster from the finish line to turn 10". And you'd be right. But, how much is a little?

Well, multiple calculations in Excel, through three versions of the spreadsheet, gave me this result:

Calculated average speeds for Finish Line through Turn Start of Turn 10
Exit Turn 11 at 36 mph: avg 47 mph
Exit Turn 11 at 38 mph: avg 46.5 mph
Exit Turn 11 at 40 mph: avg 46 mph
Exit Turn 11 at 42 mph: avg 46.6 mph
Exit Turn 11 at 45 mph: avg 45 mph

I strongly suggest you write or print this out. Add it to your navigator's clipboard.

One important component of this, not yet stated:

The calcs above assume you will maintain your Turn 11 exit speed until you enter Turn 1. That is, all the way down the straightaway, through the finish line and on to Turn 1. I am guessing that this is doable, and also gives you an opportunity to coast that stretch, thus saving fuel. If it plays out slightly differently on the track, so be it. Anyone using this logic will have to see how it plays out, and make minor adjustments during the event.

So, to repeat:
The table shows AVERAGE SPEED from the finish line through the start of Turn 10. So you zero the RallyTracks app (or GPS) as you cross the finish line. However, you exit Turn 11 at whatever speed works for you and your car - and MAINTAIN that speed until you enter Turn 1. That's what the calculations are based on. It's based on you NOT trying to achieve any particular average speed at any time between the finish line and the top of the hill after Turn 1. Just drive that stretch the way your car needs to drive it. Then use the stretch after the hill climb, up to the start of Turn 10, to achieve the average speed in the table above.

I expect this information to give me the best combination of lap times plus MPG that I've been able to achieve. I hope it does the same for any other EcoModder who uses it.