The Electronic Timing / Lapscoring System explained

Buxton Raceway has a fully integrated lap timing system supplied by AMB-IT which is used on the following formulas:

• BriSCA F1

• BriSCA F2

• V8 HotStox

• National MiniStox

• Hot Rods

• GP Midgets

• Rebels

What the system does is logs cars that pass over the "loop" to determine the timing of the lap, and the position of the car on track in much the same way as a traditional lapscorer would.

The system cant run its its own, a manual lapscorer still does the lap charts in the traditional way [writing down on a sheet of gridded paper each car that passes the start line - 40 cars=40 entries per lap]

Cars must all be fitted with Transponders, in order for the system to work properly every car competing in the specified formulas on the day has to have a unit fitted and working.

The various parts of the system are as follows:

• Transponder Loop
  This is basically a single core wire with a resistor at each end that is set in the track around the white start/finish line, a slot is cut around the line with a Stihl saw and the wire laid into it, the slot is then filled with silicone to seal it. This wire connects to a coaxial cable which takes the signal up to the timing room. At Buxton Raceway this is a permanent installation and requires no attention. For shale tracks the loop has to be cut into the track at every meeting as it would be pulled up by the grader or other machinery.
   

• Transponders
  Each car is fitted with a Transponder, either direct wired or rechargeable type, each unit has a unique number, in the interests of fairness, each unit is mounted in the car in the same place.
   

• Decoder
  The decoder is the expensive part of the system, quite simply it takes the signals generated by Transponders fitted to cars passing the loop in the track and turns them into a code that can be interpreted by the timing computer. The decoder is connected to a single PC speaker and when a car passes over the loop [known as a "passing"], it generates a loud "beep" as an acknowledgement and logs the information to the computer software.  The decoder is connected to the computer via a cable of either a Network Crossover cable, or a Serial cable.
   

• Computer and Software
  For portability, a laptop computer is used. This has software on it called "Orbits" and this is where the whole system is run from. Databases of cars from each formula are held on the computer in a .csv format which consists of the following data per driver:
  Driver Number
  Class - for example "Hot Rods"
  Driver Name
  Driver/Car Transponder number
  
  The software basically works in the following way: firstly you set up a "new event", then you add "groups", groups are the actual formula, you then import the specific database into the group. Then you need to set up "Runs", these are the actual races. When the race is lining up on track you go to the Timing Screen, this has "flags" on it like the Mr Starter does on his rostrum. Press "Green" when the race starts and the system will then log every car over the loop - timings and positions, if waved yellows come out you press the "Yellows" button, followed by the "Chequered" and then the "Red", you now move to the "processing" screen and this shows the result of the race. At this point you can make adjustments [for example if a driver is docked places, or disqualified]
   

• Databases
  Upkeep of databases for each formula is important, as it allows smooth running of the system, any transponder numbers not listed shows up on the software when the transponder passes the loop, a driver number and name can then be added.
   

• MyLaps
  When the meeting is finished, and the results confirmed, the laptop is taken to an internet connection, the results/timings from the days racing are uploaded from the computer to the MyLaps website. The information is there for all to see, but if a driver has registered his Transponder he can get more information from it, as well as display details about him/herself and sponsors etc.
  You can view Lapcharts and track the position of a car during the race.
   

• More
  The software can have various additions for the driver and the data displayed, you can make a list of the fastest lap times, and you can even set the software to tot up the points scored by the driver, this is done for the Buxton Hot Rods. For formulas that race in the same direction, you can set up "comparisons" to show you how the lap times are compared formula to formula.

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