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Garage Heroes (In Training)

Garage Heroes (In Training)

Learning as we go. Come along with us and Enjoy the Ride!

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Telemetry

Cameron Conover from Conover Motorsports

Cameron Conover
Cameron Conover car

GHIT 0355:  Cameron Conover from Conover Motorsports

Cameron Conover has been working in motorsports for two decades and Conover Motorsports offers sales and service support of the entire RaceCapture portfolio, as well as mechanical support for your vehicle.  We worked with Cameron on our two RaceCapture installations and as always, if we can do it, anyone can. 

With the recent upgrade in the connectors, it is even easier to install and connect a system and any sensors that you may wish to install into your race car.  Some of the capabilities that RaceCapture offers are real time telemetry in both the car and the paddock, as well as the ability to add several options available including real time tire temperature monitoring (up to 16 channels per tire), shift lights, pressure and temperature of any fluid or system, and the ability to message to and from the car when on track.  In spite of some of our stumbling explanations (difficult in an audio only environment), the system offers a tremendous amount of capability and is simple to install and use. 

If this sounds like something that may help your driving and racing, contact Cameron and tell him GHiT sent you to save you zero dollars, lol.

If you would like to help grow our sport and this podcast:

Awesome choice #1:  Subscribe to our podcast on the podcast provider of your choice and every episode will show up. 

Even Better:  If you could give our podcast a (5-star?) rating

Mostest Bestest:  if you would leave a podcast review

We really appreciate it.

We hope you enjoy this episode!

PS  Are you are looking to stream or save your integrated telemetry/racing data with video? Candelaria Racing Products Sentinel System may be the perfect solution for you.  We are in the midst of installing the system in two of our cars.  If this sounds like something that may help you and your team, please use our discount code “GHIT“. This will give 10% discount code to all our listeners during the checkout process.

PS2  If you are looking to add an Apex Pro to your driving telemetry system, do not forget to use our discount code for all Apex Pro systems.  Please enter the code “ghitlikesapex!”. You will receive a free Windshield Suction Cup Mount for the system, a savings of $40.

Vicki, Jennifer, Ben, Alan, Jeremy, and Bill

Hosts and Drivers for the Garage Heroes In Training team

To Contact Cameron:

Website:  https://www.raceconover.com/

Email:  [email protected]

GHIT 0355:  Cameron Conover from Conover Motorsports

Dave Mills

Post our AER Race at PittRace

Dave Mills

GHIT 0321:  Dave Mills Post our AER Race at PittRace

Long sought after guest Dave Mills is finally on the podcast that you may know from his online presence as the Caddy Wrecker.  Dave is a long-time racer, rallyist, and was working with the AER team at our race last weekend at PittRace.  With so many things to talk about, we try to get a review of Dave’s rally and racing exploits as well as how he saw our race from the tower.  We also cover the Flagger system that was in our car that we mistakenly called by another product in our prior race review episode.  Please welcome to the podcast guest family.  Please excuse any of the internet induced noises and Robot Dave that appears sporadically within the beginning of the episode.

Also, a podcast first, help Dave find a new fun daily driver.  Let us know on Instagram, Facebook, or on our email at [email protected]

If you would like to help grow our sport and this podcast:

You can subscribe to our podcast on the podcast provider of your choice, including the Apple podcast app, Google music, Amazon, and YouTube etc.

Also, if you could give our podcast a (5-star?) rating, that we would appreciate that very much.  Even better, a podcast review, would help us to grow the passion and sport of high performance driving and we would appreciate it.

We hope you enjoy this episode!

PS  If you are looking to stream or save your integrated telemetry/racing data with you video, Candelaria Racing Products Sentinel System may be the perfect solution for you.  We are in the midst of installing the system in two of our cars.  If this sounds like something that may help you and your team, please use our discount code “GHIT” for a 10% discount code to all of our listeners during the checkout process.

PS2  Please do not forget that if you are looking to add an Apex Pro to your driving telemetry system, do not forget to use our discount code for all Apex Pro systems you will receive a free Windshield Suction Cup Mount for the system, a savings of $40.  Just enter the code “ghitlikesapex!” when you order.

Best regards,

Vicki, Jennifer, Alan, and Bill

Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training Podcast and Garage Heroes In Training racing team drivers

One of Dave's Creations

Highlights for this episode include:

1)  Swag bribes work.  Looks its Dave!!!

2)  Some great tips about looking at what the better teams are doing and learning what they do and what they don’t do, especially in the pits and paddock areas.  This literally can be the difference between winning a race and being midfield or worse.

3)  Dave has had quite a few unique rally experiences, especially the rally that occurred right as Covid was ramping up early in 2020.  He may hold the record for the longest time spent on a Lemons rally.  We are also not sure if that is something to be proud of or not.

4)  How Dave’s professional experience has helped with the Flagger system that is being used by AER and is being reviewed by several other racing organizations.  Hopefully more to follow on this system in an upcoming podcast.

5)  We revisit the internet video where one driver missed a vast series of yellow flags.  If you missed it, the first video was on VinWiki and the actual rebuttal is available separately.

6)  What it is like to be “running” the race vs running in the race.

7)  As Dave is our first guest from AER, we go into a brief discussion of the differences between AER and several of the other series we usually discuss.  Especially the required pit stops system and some of the technology that the AER series employs in this mostly amateur series.

8)  Dave askes for some help in deciding on his next daily driver.  A podcast first and perhaps our first public service announcement.

9)  Dave’s experience living off grid.  Its not for everyone, but he gives some tips and tricks that made it better.  

For more of Dave’s exploits: 

Instagram:  @caddywrecker

GHIT 0321:  Dave Mills Post our AER Race at PittRace

Your Data Driven’s Samir Abid

Returns for a Second lap

Samir Abid
Your Data Driven Logo

Samir Abid hosts the Your Data Driven podcast returns for his second lap with us.  We take advantage of his history in suspension systems and as a vehicle dynamics race engineer by asking the key question related to tracking data of “what should I keep track of” and how best to do this, especially if you are solo for the weekend as many of us are.  We also go into how to collect the data and how to analyze the data and ways of saving time and money, while remaining focused and efficient. 

If you would like to help grow our sport and this podcast:

You can subscribe to our podcast on the podcast provider of your choice, including the Apple podcast app, Google music, Amazon, and YouTube etc. Also, if you could give our podcast a (5-star?) rating, that we would appreciate that very much.  Even better, a podcast review, would help us to grow the passion and sport of high performance driving and we would appreciate it.

For instance, leaving an Apple Podcast rating is amazingly easy.  If you go to your podcast library, look under shows.  Then click on this podcast.  Here you can leave a (5?) star rating and enter your review. 

We hope you enjoy this episode!

PS  If you are looking to stream or save your integrated telemetry/racing data with you video, Candelaria Racing Products Sentinel System may be the perfect solution for you.  We are in the midst of installing the system in two of our cars.  If this sounds like something that may help you and your team, please use our discount code “GHIT” for a 10% discount code to all of our listeners during the checkout process.

PS2  Please do not forget that if you are looking to add an Apex Pro to your driving telemetry system, do not forget to use our discount code for all Apex Pro systems you will receive a free Windshield Suction Cup Mount for the system, a savings of $40.  Just enter the code “ghitlikesapex!” when you order.  They are a great system and invaluable to safely increasing your speed on track and/or autocross, etc.  The recently released second generation systems and app increases the capability of the system.

Best regards,

Vicki, Jennifer, Alan, and Bill

Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training Podcast and Garage Heroes In Training racing team drivers

Highlights for this episode include:

1)  We begin with a definition of what the “data” is and how it can help you. The importance increases as you progress and improve your driving skills.

2)  Initially, we start with nonquantitative data that is free and available to anyone if they can pay attention while driving.

3)  Samir offers great insight in what you need to collect by looking at the critical question to bound your problem. He then looks to simplify what can be a daunting subject “what problem are you trying to solve?”.  This can not only simplify your data collection, but also save you a lot of time, effort, and money. All that can be applied in other aspects of your driving and racing improvement program.

4)  Samir offers a logical sequence of how to break a track up into the most useful number of sectors.  This aspect alone can really simplify the analysis and capture the pertinent information that would allow you to improve.

5)  How to use the data to be collected and then move to the why before assuming the best plan to improve.  This will prevent a potential to ignore the core reason for the information that is being collected.

6)  We begin to go over the patterns and basic information that is available from the speed trace. This includes the curves, shapes, and slopes of the speed trace. Next we go over what that can tell you and some of the shapes that are typical for certain basic corners.

7)  Things to look for:  The slope of the speed trace when accelerating (and the consistency)(and the length of time for your shifts).  The same would apply for the braking or deceleration aspects of the speed trace.  Other aspects would include the minimum speed of the turn and whether that turn is a gradual change that forms a U or a sharp change in slopes that resembles a V.

8)  A high level review of the G sum plot and the friction circle plot, that are often less intuitive than many would desire.

9)  Samir shapes his views on the minimum viable data collection systems. Including what they encompass, including several technical aspects like sample rate and other aspects that influences their utility.  We then look at several incremental steps up in equipment that are available commercially.  With his experience in the highest levels of racing, Samir has a great grasp of virtually all commercially available systems. Including their relative strengths and limitations.

10)  We also cover the minimum starting gauges that everyone should bring to the track.  We start with a stopwatch and an accurate tire pressure gauge and progress into more advanced measurements and equipment.

11)  As always happens, we get into the importance of the tires and how to adjust them to optimize grip and wear on track.

We will be doing a review of many (10+) of these systems that we have tested in an episode coming very soon.

A simple data collection hierarchy could be:  Lap Time, Sector Times, Speed Trace (speed vs distance), Lat g vs Long g, then reviewing the G Sum plot, etc.

To keep up with Samir’s latest information:

Handy Links:

The Your Data Driven newsletter:  https://www.yourdatadriven.com –

Data analysis intro course:  https://www.yourdatadriven.com/the-complete-beginners-guide-to-motorsports-data-analysis/

His Book:  https://www.yourdatadriven.com/the-motorsports-playbook/

The Your Data Driven Podcast:  https://www.yourdatadriven.com/your-data-driven-podcast

If you want coaching from Samir:   https://analysiscoach.com

James Candelaria

James Candeleria
James and Corvette
Winning racer
WRL Nola 2022

GHiT 0299: James Candelaria from Candelaria Racing Products (makers of the Sentinel System) and Hagerty’s The Drive Within with Round 3 Racing

We continue our introduction to Round 3 Racing (R3R) and Hagerty’s  “The Drive Within” with another team member James Candelaria.  James races with the R3R team in the WRL endurance racing series.  Last season James was racing in the #601 Porsche Boxster and this season he will be in their new #609 M4 GT4 BMW.  If you watch the series, James was present but his on screen role was slightly diminished a bit as a result of a racing incident which we also discuss during this episode.   

In addition, James races in a variety of cars and series, and in his “spare” time he started up Candelaria Racing Products.  The lead offering is the Sentinel Streaming System that solves one of our teams issues and allows us to combine the race car data with our in car video and race standings in one simple package.  In addition, all of this information is available live through streaming.  We are in the midst of installing the system in two of our cars and will cover the installation and use of the Sentinel system in future episodes.  If this sounds like something that may help you and your team, James was kind enough to offer a 10% discount code to all of our listeners.  Please enter “GHIT” during the checkout process.

If you would like to help grow our sport and this podcast:

You can subscribe to our podcast on the podcast provider of your choice, including the Apple podcast app, Google music, Amazon, and YouTube etc. Also, if you could give our podcast a (5-star?) rating, that would be greatly appreciated.  Even better, a podcast review, would help us to grow the passion and sport of high performance driving and we would greatly appreciate it.

For instance, leaving an Apple Podcast rating is very easy.  If you go to your podcast library, look under shows.  Then click on this podcast.  Here you can leave a (5?) star rating and enter your review. 

We hope you enjoy this episode!

PS  Please don’t forget that if you are looking to add an Apex Pro to your driving telemetry system, don’t forget to use our discount code for all Apex Pro systems you will receive a free Windshield Suction Cup Mount for the system, a savings of $40.  Just enter the code “ghitlikesapex!” when you order.  They are a great system and truly invaluable in safely increasing your speed on track and/or autocross etc.  The recently released second generation systems and app increases the capability of the system greatly.

Best regards,

Vicki, Jennifer, Alan, and Bill

Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training Podcast and Garage Heroes In Training racing team drivers

Highlights for this episode include:

1)  What do you do when you find our you are about to have your first child?  Well, James goes out and buys a Corvette.  We knew we would get along immediately.

2)  The story that illustrates what to do on track with a bad “feeling” brake pedal. And also the importance of pre-planning your reactions as a driver ahead of time for as many potential situations as possible.

3)  If you want to hear the sound of Vicki’s brain bending, Its here. When James goes into a description of driving a car with aero.  

4)  A bit more behind the scenes stories of R3R and the Drive Within show.

5)  We go into some depth on the Sentinel System. The Sentinel integrates your car’s telemetry data with the current racing results. It also combines this with any in car video and can be streamed live and recorded.  

6)   Bill and James bond over being robots.  And it dawns on Vicki that the data and video she wants may not be exactly what she wants, lol.

7)  James has been into Vette’s for a long time, even the super rare 1983 model he had at a young age.

To follow James further: 

Candelaria Racing:  https://candelaria-racing.com/ 

Instagram: @CandelariaRacingProducts

The Drive Within:  https://www.hagerty.com/media/series/drive-within/ 

Round Three Racing:  https://www.round3racing.com/ 

GHiT 0299: James Candelaria from Candelaria Racing Products (makers of the Sentinel System) and Hagerty’s The Drive Within with Round 3 Racing

Samir Abid from Your Data Driven

  • Samir Abid
  • Racing
Your Data Driven

GHIT 0225:  Samir Abid from Your Data Driven

Samir Abid has been a vehicle dynamics engineer for road and racing car suspensions for over ten years.  He then created a sports engineering business to help pro and Olympic teams and athletes to optimize their performance.  In addition, Samir is also competing himself in club level racing. So he understands the needs and dynamics of racing at all levels. 

In an effort to help fellow amateur drivers, Samir created his podcast “Your Data Driven” and website. Both are aimed at sharing what he has learned on the top levels of sports.  His focus is on improving your race car setup, collection, interpretation, and use of data, and your driving skills and approach.  There is a ton of great information on each episode of the podcast. In addition, Samir also shares away a ton of useful tools on the Your Data Driven website, many for free.  Some of our favorites are the “Complete Beginners Guide to Motorsports Data Analysis and his Ultimate Tire Guide.  Samir is constantly generating new content and you can keep up with his work on his free weekly(ish) newsletter. 

If you would like to help the podcast,

You can subscribe to our podcast on the podcast provider of your choice. This includes the Apple podcast app, Google music, Amazon, and YouTube etc. Also, if you could give our podcast a (5-star?) rating. Even better, a podcast review. We would greatly appreciate it and it would help us to grow the passion and sport of high performance driving.

For instance, leaving an Apple Podcast rating is very easy.  If you go to your podcast library, under shows and click on the podcast. There you can leave a (5?) star rating and enter your review. 

A link to the episode is: https://tinyurl.com/ThompsonPart1  

We hope you enjoy this episode!

PS  Please don’t forget that if you are looking to add an Apex Pro to your driving telemetry system, don’t forget to use our discount code for all Apex Pro systems you will receive a free Windshield Suction Cup Mount for the system, a savings of $40.  Just enter the code “ghitlikesapex!” when you order.  They are a great system and truly invaluable in safely increasing your speed on track and/or autocross etc.  The recently released second generation systems and app increases the capability of the system greatly.

Best regards,

Vicki, Jennifer, Alan, and Bill

Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training Podcast and Garage Heroes In Training racing team drivers

Highlights from this episode with Samir Abid include:

1)  We cover a bit of his work on the team trying to break the 2 hour barrier in the marathon and how the treadmill can be used to eject most runners when set to this pace.  A great video (with over 17 million views) on trying to keep the record marathon pace is at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRYtn0j5ccAhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRYtn0j5ccA  

2)  Samir’s experiences when first going to race on track.  As always his “natural driving ability” was in for a shock once he competed with other racing drivers.

3)  What information is fundamental to having good quality information including video and what data to review at the track between sessions when time is usually limited. 

4)  Setting goals vs analyzing results in racing and defining what a win is for each event you enter.

5)  We go into the differences between our local (US) resources to learn at an HPDE vs the race training resources more common in the UK.

6)  Samir is surprised at the concentration of cars that can be involved with budget endurance racing in many of the series in the US.  Who knows, once the pandemic is behind us, Samir may be racing with us at an event.  We hope.

7)  Bill has a great question about racing car setup priorities but fails to actually ask it in a way that any human would understand.  (Although Samir does provide an excellent answer to a horribly worded question) We will try again when we have Samir back on.  lol.

8)  The complexities involved with sharing a single car in our endurance racing series.

9)  Several of the highlights and great information that Samir has had within his podcast to this point and several of the other resources he has available on his website.

Handy Links:

https://www.yourdatadriven.com – For the newsletter

https://www.yourdatadriven.com/the-complete-beginners-guide-to-motorsports-data-analysis/ – For the course

https://www.yourdatadriven.com/the-motorsports-playbook/ – For the book

https://www.yourdatadriven.com/your-data-driven-podcast/ – For the podcast

GHIT 0225:  Samir Abid from Your Data Driven

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