October 2024
31Oct
Halloween Update on Youtube
Now I've finally started on the repairs, the first job has been to remove the 3D printed plastic parts that were proven in the CFD adding very little to the downforce. Sticking them on with Sikaflex, has made their removal a bit of a challenge!
29Oct
The Blue Book is dead - long live the Blue Book
There's a new set of regulations for the governance of motorsport in the UK, held under MSUK, and you can drive a truck through them at the moment. Rewritten, and full of hyperlinks, they're meant to replace the Blue Book next year, but from what I've seen they're simply not fit for purpose at the moment. The most serious omission I've seen is that of the rules that prevent Cones from being used on sprints.I've not found anything on Track Licenses, Circuit Plans or Apex Markers. Which means on a sprint, traffic cones can be placed anywhere they want them to be. This is a very serious omission. What other regulations have been dropped ?
They also say fire extinguishers are mandatory on all race cars, including single seaters. Which is going to put the costs up for everyone.
Read the NCR Regulations here
Ariel Atom speed sensor rings
My first order for a set of sensor rings for an Ariel Atom has been received, and after designing the rings they are now away for printing. The Atom has output cups with an OD of 91mm, and the rings have 37 dowels and will be a friction fit over the cups. I am also supplying a set of four NPN sensors, as the car is being converted to launch and traction control under a Syvecs ECU.
28Oct
Ford Sierra diff housing model
You know my obsession with details. I've found a 3D scanned mesh model of the Ford Sierra differential housing, which I bought for a tenner on-line, and I then imported it in to Fusion. I've never tried using a mesh model before. The mesh model is made up from 10's of thousands of small triangles, which gives the model quite a crude appearance, but it takes a lot of processing power to manipulate the model, so I'm thankful it is just 10's of thousands of triangles rather than millions.With that model imported in to fusion, I can then incorporate it in to the design, and it gives a far better impression of the sensor ring and sensor bracket that I've drawn.
24Oct
Ford Sierra output cup speed sensor parts coming soon
I've designed a sensor ring and a sensor holder for cars running the ford Sierra differential housing and output cup. The sensor ring has 37 steel dowels and the holder is designed or the RS164-6097 12V NPN sensor. The parts are away for printing, and once tested I will be offering them as a kit, of two sensor rings and two sensor holders, with sensors. The render is not to scale :D
22Oct
Sprint Leaders scoring issues
There are rumours of some issues with the Sprint Leaders scoring this year, and the HSA has pulled the results pages from the web site. The thinking is that as the British Sprint Drivers run at a National A level (RS National), and the Sprint Leaders championship is a National B level championship (RS Interclub), then British Sprint Drivers arent technically allowed to score any points towards Sprint Leaders.The same thinking also applies to the HSA Speed championship, and many other championships that run in parallel with BSC rounds. There are two permits obtained for a BSC round, and BSC drivers sign on as Nat A under the Nat A permit. But does that signing on process preclude them from being eligible for the Nat B event results, or should the BSC results stand alone, so they dont interfere with the Nat B drivers competing at the same event?
17Oct
BSC History Portal updated
I've updated my history portal, that holds all the British Sprint data since 1970. I had to write a python program to scrape all of the google worksheets on Simons scoring system; because all the results are stored in worksheets, there is no option to export to CSV, so it's easier to use Python to open each worksheet in turn, and scrape the information from the page to a CSV file. Once the CSV file is complete, I have to manipulate the data so the drivers names match those in the database, etc, and once that is done, the data can be imported in to the table in mySQL, which is hosted from my web site in the States.I've had to make a few changes to the PHP, because this year the classes have all changed. Which is right faff. But its done and all the run off data from this year is now searchable on the portal.
https://www.zetecinside.com/bschistory <-- click this link to see the whole 2024 season.
Have a look at the attendance page to see the drop in numbers for the past two seaons (2023 and 2024). Its clear that there are too many rounds in 2024, with the highest number of rounds and venues than has ever been seen.
https://www.zetecinside.com/bschistory <-- click this link to see the attendance for 2024.
2022 - 30 rounds
2023 - 42 rounds
2024 - 44 rounds
11Oct
2025 Rumours
So Llandow has gone from the calendar, but its still 44 rounds potentially, but the number of scoring rounds is down from 75% to 60%. This is not a good move. Attendance is the key to running a succesful championship. You just have to look at the British Hillclimb Championship to see what good attendance looks like. If the number of scoring rounds is dropped to 60%, then that will mean even fewer drivers turn up at events. And this year rarely has there been 12 drivers even with 75% counting rounds. Fewer drivers means even slower qualifying rounds, as drivers dont need to qualify, they just have to drive around the circuit and get a time. And where's the fun in that? Fewer drivers means even higher scores for those in a position to be able to travel to the far flung rounds. And that means they have stronger scores when it comes to dropped rounds, and end up with even better finishing positions. Not for driving quickly, but for going to every round! Its turned in to an endurance championship.The argument about including N.Ireland also reappeared; how come the BTCC doesn't visit N.Ireland, or even Wales for that matter, yet its still able to run under the banner of a British championship? If they can get away with it, then surely the BSC can drop N.Ireland? No disrespect to the N.Ireland venue or drivers, but it would make sense to reduce the number of rounds by dropping the one furthest away as a trial, to see how that impacts the scoring. Its a long time since 12 drivers have made the trip over.
I will watch from afar as the championship disappears off a cliff edge. Next year will be hills and sprints for me, with possibly more hills than sprints. You heard it here first :D
8Oct
