Data logging has been around for decades and is used by almost every major racing team in every form of motorsports. But if you're one of those rare people who don't eat, sleep, and breathe racing, you might not even know what it is or how it works.
What the Competition Doesn't Want You To KnowA data logger is a computer system designed to record just about anything and everything a vehicle, engine, transmission, or driver is doing when the vehicle is running. Any pressure, speed, temperature, voltage, throttle position, or even suspension action can be measured and recorded for you and your team to analyze after a test or race. Think of it like your very own personal chassis dyno, but instead of simulating what might happen in competition, you're actually gathering information about what is happening during competition.
How it WorksWhen the driver wants to start gathering data, a button is pushed to turn the system on and it starts recording from every sensor in its system. When the driver is finished, a button is pushed again to stop recording. Next, a computer is plugged in to the data logger so the information can be uploaded in report form. The report will show everything that happened during the time of monitoring.
Racers can take the information and use it to tune the entire vehicle (not just the engine) to better prepare it for the next run or race. A data logger speeds up users' learning processes by telling them things about the vehicle that even the best experts could only guess at.
Project X Gets A Data LoggerKnowing the importance of data logging from years of professional drag racing, Greg Hogue placed a call to Randy McMahon from RPM Performance Products to get a data-loggingsystem installed on Project X. RPM Performance Products has been installing data-logging systems on tractor pullers for years and was a natural choice for our diesel competition truck. McMahon drove out from Oklahoma and gave Project X a good once-over. He discussed the sensor requirements with Hogue and started putting together a system for the truck. McMahon's next visit was a week before the Texas Mile race, and he spent an entire day wiring the system. With the data logger now functional and in place, Project X was ready for the Texas Mile.