Race Track Testing

You've heard Winston Cup drivers stress its importance dozens of times. Whenever they get the opportunity to practice, they do. Whenever they get an opportunity to go to a track that is a future date on the schedule to do some testing, they jump at the chance. NASCAR had to put a limit on the number of test dates because it was becoming such a valuable tool that those with the available resources were using it in such great quantity to uneven the playing field. Testing is not just important for those in the national spotlight. The accessibility for the weekly short track driver just isn't there for the most part, however. Occasionally, they are able to rent out the local track for a day, but it's often a one shot deal. The logistics can prevent it from becoming as rewarding of an experience as it might have been. Not having the personnel on hand to change set-up cuts into the on-track time. The value just isn't there sometimes, so it's not a workable option. Testing is no good if nothing is learned. Many, however, jump at the chance to test and find out something they may not have already known. It's a combination of time and tools that make it necessary to get the job done the way it needs to be done.

In mid-April, through the efforts of Dwayne Ragland, Bilstein Shocks was once again able to "borrow" Eldora Speedway for one day of product testing. Bilstein had done this in 1998, but this year, more racers were involved, representing differing stations in the racing food chain, from travelers to weekly racers, from those with hundreds of laps on Eldora's surface to those who were totally without that experience. Also new to the program this year was the presence of Bob McDowell and Suspension Technologies of Jackson, Michigan. In less than a year, his service has been utilized by every form of racing from Baby Grands to Winston Cup cars. "I got acquainted with this through Dwayne," explains McDowell. "We gather data to give to the teams and give them the feedback on what the car is doing. It helps them with what they need to do as far as shock and chassis tuning." From the group of drivers expected for the Eldora test, Illinois racer Shannon Babb was given the opportunity to have McDowell's equipment bolted on. Recognized as an up-and-coming talent on the dirt Late Model circuits, Babb has developed into a steady driver lap after lap. His accumulated knowledge of Eldora was important, but not the deciding factor for his involvement with McDowell's services.

"We used a 12-channel recording system," explains McDowell. "We were looking at steering, throttle, G forces, shock travel, shock velocity (the speed of the shaft into and out of the shock), wheel speed, engine rpm, and so on. These were the sensing devices that we put on the car." On the morning of the test, Babb's crew and McDowell tackled the task of setting the sensors in their proper places. The chore took a little less than four hours. "We get the central box in place," remarks McDowell. "Then, we get the sensors in the right position. After that, we'll run the wires from the box to the sensors." Placement of the sensors is vital. Wires need to be kept away from heat sources and no kinks in the cable are permitted. The 12-channel system can be used on any type of race car. Care had to be exercised on dirt cars to prevent sensors from being affected by dirt and mud build-up.

"One of our primary concerns with this test was shock travel and velocity," says McDowell. "We wanted to locate the exact movement of each corner of the race car. We needed to know how much it was moving and how fast at any point on the race track. Bilstein spends a lot of time and effort in gathering information that will help their drivers understand the working of these cars better. We were able to take the information and put it together with the latest technology in shock dampening." While McDowell and company went to work on Babb's car, other drivers were utilizing Bilstein's mobile shock service unit. Throughout the day every driver called on the technicians to dyno a shock or build a new one. There were many other services available to these drivers, all customers of Bilstein. The test was open by invitation only.

Kelly Falls of Hyperco was present for the second straight year, watching the day's results with interest throughout the afternoon. "Kelly was able to use the data for Hyperco," McDowell adds. "It allowed for information to be applied to the double spring set-up that was being used on one of the other cars there that day. He could see the data and apply it to the other program." For Babb, it was a great opportunity to learn a little more about his driving. "I had wanted to do it, so when Dwayne asked if I wanted to, I did. I enjoyed it. I learned a lot. It's still helping me and it worked out pretty well. "I didn't have a clue what I was getting into, to be honest. I wasn't familiar with what exactly I had to do or what everything would be. I helped hook it up and the more we did, the more excited I got. It showed us a lot. I think the more a guy knows, the more it can help."

Babb first had the car set-up for Eldora's track during afternoon sun conditions. As the conditions changed with more water or the lowering of the sun, changes were made in the car to accommodate both the results of the test and the changing of the conditions. "I had some things I wanted to try," says Babb. "It was mainly shocks. We worked on all four corners of the car and watched this deal to see if it was helping. We wanted to get the car to be the best it could be and I'd say it was pretty successful. Being able to test and get more laps helps make you feel comfortable." Whenever Babb would finish a session of laps, the group gathered at McDowell's mobile unit to look at the results. There was no printout on this day, but the overlapping results could provide insight into what was happening. "The goal wasn't one fast lap," says McDowell, "but a multitude of fast ones. Having a good driver is helpful in that respect, but we're really seeing if the car was inconsistent. We're trying to build a consistent car with the data.

"We can take any driver and gather the data. You can show it and it helps to understand why certain things may be happening the way they do. If we see the chassis was upset, the driver probably let off. You can't get bad data from anyone you test with. The system will not dictate anything, but will only report what it sees. The human factor has to be consistent; it's the variable. The data can't tell you how to do things; it can only provide you with guidance as to what to do. The data's not going to lie. You can get the idea of some patterns quickly with the use of the system."

McDowell's business specializes in providing the equipment and the knowledge. While he has been involved in racing for a number of years, Suspension Technologies was only started in August of last year. "I felt the need to educate the racers," says McDowell. "They need to understand about shock tuning, chassis tuning, and understanding how this all works to make your program better." Suspension Technologies works closely with a number of shock manufacturers and offers repair work on some brands. They sell software and springs, shock dyno service, and shock dyno sales. They also offer data acquisition systems for sale or rent. "If I have a Street Stock team with the goal of Winston Cup racing, I want them to have the components to learn with. As the driver and the crew begin to understand, they can progress. "I'm out to help people. If you want to go to the answer, the knowledge is an important path to take. We're service-oriented here. If they do well, then I've done well."

Typically, McDowell is having problems convincing some people of the viability of this service and the knowledge that can be gained from it. Computers, after all, are still seen by some as a gadget and the snake oil of the new millennium. "People will shun what we have to offer because it is computer generated and, to some, that's a source of skepticism," McDowell adds. "When you get people who are willing to learn, the results can be pretty awesome. You get a driver to look at the data after he's run a lap. You can look at certain points and tell him certain things that maybe he's not aware of. We get a map lap that shows where he is on the track, how he's steering, and where he's picking up the throttle. We can talk them through their run and show them what effect the shocks and springs have had. We can show them if their changes were good or bad. It monitors your handling." A popular option employed by drivers without the telemetry data acquisition seems to be videotaping. That can show the driver's position, but it doesn't open the inner workings of the car. Used in conjunction with the data acquisition, the video can drive home the knowledge.

The racer of the '90s has to seek out any advantage he can find. Rule books limit the amount of innovation in some cases, but no sanctioning body has ever been able to put a restrictor plate on knowledge. That experience, perhaps gained through testing, coupled with the knowledge acquired through the modern-day computer tools, is an irreversible amount of good fortune. The human variable enters into it. After all, it's not what you know, but what you do with what you know. Bilstein shock customers benefitted from testing information gained that day as the findings were shared on the suspension parts. As for the information gained through the data acquisition, it too will help programs for seasons to come as the findings become incorporated into new products. It's all about advantage. With the work of companies like Suspension Technologies, there's plenty of advantage to be gained for those serious about their racing programs, no matter the level of involvement.