http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=gxhqKdnAWtk
We had problems with distorted audio so you might want to lower the volume.
I've also done another test this weekend in an Elise Trophy race I took part in at Croft. We used a better quality main camera and revised layout but still had some audio problems and the g-force display and laptime display are still not working 100%. target release date for the unit is Dec 2008. Rather than just post the video links and as I have spent some time on it, I have posted my full race report so readers have some background, video URLs at the end of the post.
Elise Trophy - Croft Circuit - Sept 27th 2008
Paul Golding, head man at Lotus-on-Track and the man behind the Elise Trophy had kindly offered me his car (S1 Sport 160) for the Elise Trophy meeting at Croft. I had been out on 2 previous occasions in the Elise Trophy, both at Spa and both in different cars. I had never raced Paul's car before but as Chief Instructor for Lotus-on-Track and owner of an S2 Elise I do spend quite a bit of time in them.
I turned up at Croft with great anticipation and a box full of goodies from Race Technology (RT). I love Croft, i'd only ever done a Britcar enduro there many years ago but worked for the race school there for a couple of years so knew the track quite well. The box of goodies from RT included the new, yet to be released VIDEO4 system which I have been closely involved in the testing of with RT. The system is a solid-state, 4 camera, High Quality Video Recorder which can work stand-alone or mated with the companies DL1 data-logger. When mated with the data logger you can get any data item (telemetry) overlaid on the video and also the video is available within the analysis software. So, when comparing 2 laps on the various graphs you can see video of both laps side by side and moving along the graphs moves the video as both are recorded in perfect synch. For this test we just setup the system with 3 cameras, we had done the first ever trial at the Silverstone Britcar race the previous weekend. The system is still in prototype (released expected Dec 2008) so there are still a few issues to be resolved.
Going back to the car. Paul had been using this car as a "guest" car for the last year and even at the end of 2007. It is a standard Sport 160 which means it is some 15bhp down on most of the rest of Class A. It has also done the full season on the same tyres and nothing special has been done with the geo or suspension. Part of the idea of running this car in this form is that it demonstrates that even a standard car, run on a tight budget can do well with a good driver.
Heres what Paul posted on the Lotus-on-Track/Elise Trophy Forum
"sorry to malcolm for the unknown problems with my car - for a bog std car well under the power, with no set up and [Censored] tyres - note only CBA racing wanted new tyres on it this year he still managed fastest lap in race 1 and 3rd which was so close to 2nd.. 1 more corner... and clear in 3rd in race 2 before it died.. thanks to speller for cleaning it all up and checking it etc and andy and steve for also having a proper look.. still a mystery where the oil was coming from as engine was full and gear box seemed fine... it did the last few miles back to spellers under it's own steam with nothing extra being done on it so remains a mystery.. glad malc did the sensible thing and parked it up will get you back out in it one day.."
So, RT's unit fitted and cameras setup I set out for qualifying. Having spent 7 hours racing a FWD car in last weeks Britcar 24hr (and taking a good few hours to get "back into" FWD mode) I was worried that it would take a while to get back into RWD mode. I didn't need to worry as I felt pretty comfortable straight away. The first thing I noticed on accelerating out onto the circuit was that there was no needle on the rev counter so spent the first lap or so getting used to using the speedo and engine sound to judge the gear changes. I'd not yet started to push, still dialing myself into the car and circuit. I did notice about halfway round lap 3 that the rear windscreen was splattered with what looked like mud, couldn't remember going through a puddle but initially dismissed it, then a few corners later the car started filling with smoke and there was a very strong oil smell. I backed right off and returned to the paddock.
The whole rear of the car was covered in oil as was the rear screen. The guys from FSR checked the oil level but it was at Max so we were mystified as to where so much oil had come from. It was clear that it had come out at some pressure to spray the rear screen as it did and it seems to have originated from the left hand side of the engine. We also saw from the rear facing video camera (see video) that it had come out under braking and into a left hand turn. After much head scratching we decided it may have been that the engine had been overfilled and oil was being expelled from an oil seal at the left side of the engine. The guys put a taped cover over this and I went for a blat round the countryside (sorry officer) to try and recreate the problem.
On returning there was no sign of any oil so we decided it may have been a one off and wouldn't happen again. I found out that, de[psite only running 3 laps, none of which were anywhere near my maximum, I had qualified 4th just a few 10ths behind the leading class A cars. Although disappointed I was pleased and knew I had much better pace, so was looking forward to a good race.
RACE 1
Paul had told me that previous driver had had a problem with getting 2nd gear off the start, what with everything else that went on I never had chance to try this but under normal driving I felt no problem. As I sat on the grid I figured that the lack of a rev-counter would perhaps hurt here but, having never done a start in the car I didn't know what revs I should hold anyway. As it was I got off the line OK but did find the 2nd gear issue so struggled for 2nd, then for 3rd so lost a few places going into T1. I figured there was an opportunity to get round the outside as cars looked to be bunching on the inside. Having only ever done a rolling start here I wasn't sure if this was on or not but gave it a go, as I got there it was clear that room was limited and I ended up running through the gravel losing even more places.
Picture credit : greg.g
Managed to make up all those places in the first few laps but again, after about 3-4 laps I noticed smoke in the cabin and that tell-tale smell of engine oil, sure enough the rear screen was splattered with oil again. I'd spoken to Paul and it was agreed I could just keep running until there was a definite sign of a problem. I slipped past Martin Roberts into Tower who, seeing smoke coming out the back of the car must have thought i'd be pulling off soon. The smoke died down after a lap or so and no new oil was spotted so pressed on but there was no sign of the other leading cars in Class A. You can see the moment the oil splatter the rear screen at the end of the Youtube video, Race 1, Part 1 (see below).
I then got into a good groove and felt more comfortable with the car at the limit. With no need to fight I concentrated on setting the best laps I could and after a few laps I caught site of the yellow S1 of Steve Williams. After another lap it was closer, then closer still and before I knew it I was glued to his rear and had a good chase for the last few laps. I was just one car length behind as we exited the hairpin and knew I was quick in T1 and round the back of the circuit but sadly for me, the flag was out and had to settle for 3rd place.
RACE 2
Yet more head scratching back in the paddock as again, despite at least another 1/2 ltr of oil splattered over the rear of the car, the engine oil read Full. Could it be gearbox oil? it definitely didn't smell like it but could someone perhaps have used engine oil instead of gearbox oil? Paul had gotten a french mechanic to do an oil change before the race, could he have got it wrong?
In order to try and find out and avoid any possibility of getting oil onto the rear tyres (we could see that some had leaked onto the inside of the rears [see below]) the team made a makeshift catch tank for the gearbox oil breather and I set off for Race 2.
The rather strange concept of reversing the first 10 places in quali (irrespective of class) had really scuppered my chances for race 2 as my 3 main Class A rivals where on the front rows whilst I again lined up in 12th with all the Class C & 2/11s in front of me. Thankfully I made a good start and even managed to pass a few of the higher class cars and was soon on the tail of Marcus Jewell's Blue & Orange car. It was clear I was quicker and was trying to pick my moment. A couple of opportunities arose round the back of the circuit (Barcroft/Sunny) but at 100mph+ there I wasn't going to take any chances so backed out.
I'd followed Marcus on the previous lap through the hairpin so knew what he normally did there, I also found out that the lack of bhp was really hurting me down the main straight. On the next lap I followed him through the complex as close as possible and then made my move down the inside into the hairpin. I had thought Marcus would expect this and as he made no move to protect the inside I went for it, thinking he would either go round my outside (hence making sure my line was mega tight and easily breeze past down the straight) or hang back, turn late, getting on the power earlier and again try and pass on the main straight. Unfortunately he didn't, I braked hard to avoid but we touched and both off us span in unison. As we both struggled to get back on line I did half think of letting him take the position back but it was really just one of those ubiquitous "racing incidents" and it would only result in me having to make another move later.
As it was it didn't matter. After a couple more laps I again smelt and saw smoke in the car, no problem I thought, it's done this before with no ill effect. However, on the next lap I felt the car stuttering through T1 and it started coughing and spluttering in Hawthorn and lost power up the hill. I did give it a few second to clear but it didn't and rather than risk the engine I pulled off onto the inside of the chicane, at that stage I was running 3rd.
There was not as much oil this time but there was also nothing in the makeshift catch tank. Not taking any chance I was recovered back to the paddock. The engine did start and ran well enough round the paddock but we don't know at this stage what the problem was or if there is any lasting damage.
It was disappointing but I really did enjoy the car, the racing and the circuit. Clearly there was some issue with the car which we couldn't diagnose but I am confident it was nothing that I did. Although driving at the limit I am very mechanically sympathetic and am not hard on the car, the problem surfaced after just 3 laps when I had not yet started to push the car.
VIDEO4
The Video4 performed well apart from the audio issues which I think was a low battery on the mic. It did however fail on lap 1 of race 2 and I have not discovered the cause as yet.
I have so far posted 2 video on YouTube :-
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2Xid9jU9ngo (Race 1, Part 1) - Look out for oil splatter at end of this segment
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=iaTDeht862M (Race 1, Part 2)
I will post the short segment from Race 2 in due course.
Maxx
