Race setup
This screen is used to define what kind of a
race you intend to run, and thereby what functions the LapMaster
should perform.
This is the major control screen of the system.
Highly recommended:
There are many setup
options. So once you have found a setup that you are happy with, use the “Save
Race Setup” and save it under a name you decide. Then the next time you want to
use this, just use the “Load Race Setup” and nothing else. No need to look
through the many options each time.
Race Type
Here you define
what mode the LapMaster should be in.
For a description of the available Race Type’s see RaceFormats.htm
Racing Class
Racing class is a
designation of the type of cars, and/or the grade of drivers (Like Pro, am or
rookie) that you define. The concept of racing classes works in association
with the track-record system. A separate set of track records are kept for each
class.
You can type a class name, or you can select a class from the dropdown of
predefined classes.
You add a class to the predefined list by typing the name and click on the “M+”
button. To remove a class type (or select) the name and click on the “M-“ button. There is a limit of 16 predefined classes. Adding
the 17’th will cause the oldest to be deleted from the
list.
Event
This is a title for the race. Titles
could be a name like “Club championship 2007”. If filled out it will be display
as a heading on the main display. It will also be used on the WEB result list,
and the finishing diplomas.
Result Set
When using auto publishing of results
and statistics, they are all records on the “LapMasterResultIndex.htm” file and
loaded to the internet, as well as available from the “Race History” on the
main screen.
However you might want to keep more than one such list of indexes.
You can do that by adding a suffix here like “A”, “B”, “Rental”, “BlueKing” or whatever you want to group together.
You have the “M+” and “M-“ button for speedy selection of which result set to
use.
Leave blank for default operation as you might have known it in the past.
Round number
Determines the
current round, provides that the race mode uses multiple rounds. (Up to Max
rounds)
Max Round number
In some modes, you can define that you
will be racing from 1 to 4 rounds. In “Heat racing” they are accumulating, in
“Best of rounds” only the best round counts towards the result. In other modes
the Max-round is limited to a certain value suitable for the mode (Mostly 1).
Heat number
Heat number
determines the current heat. You can change this to skip or restart heats.
The term “Heat” refers to a collection of stints in which a group of drivers
are in direct competition. Typically 1 stint per lane.
Valid data is a whole number between 1 and 256 (=Maximum number of drivers).
Stint number
Stint number
determines the current stint. You can change this to skip or restart a stint.
(However accumulated lap count is not adjusted by this action).
The term “Stint” refers to a fixed time for which the drivers race on a given
lane. Lanes are typically changed between stint.
Valid data is a whole number between 1 and 256 (=Maximum number of drivers).
Stint time / Laps per stint.
Depending on the
setting of the radio buttons: “Race fixed time” or “Race no of laps” the
program either shows this field as “Stint time” or “Laps per stint”
If “Race fixed time” is selected, this field sets the time for each stint.
You can enter a number of seconds or a time reference in colon format like “hh:mm:ss” or “mm:ss”.
Valid data is a whole number from 1 to 86400 (=24 hours).
If “Race no of laps” is selected, this field sets the number of laps to race
for in each stint. The stint ends when the first driver reaches this amount of
completed laps.
Valid data is a whole number from 1 to 100000.
Race fixed time / Race no of laps
(Total laps) / Race no of laps (First) / Race no of laps (All).
The most common
mode is to race each stint for a fixed amount of time.
However if you run a race that is specified for a certain length (rounds or
distance), you could chose the “Race number of laps (Total laps)”. In this mode
each stint is terminated when the best racer reaches a total lap count equal to
the stint number * ‘Number of laps per stint’. In this mode you can easily race
an 800 lap race on an 8 lane track, simply by setting the “Laps per stint” to
100.
Note: This option cannot be used
together with ‘Round-Robin’ racing. The race would end while some racers where
in standby mode.
Alternatively you can select “Race number of laps (First)”. In this mode the
first driver to reach the set target in each stint, terminates the stint.
However at the end of the race the best racer might not have reached the
expected total, unless he has won each and every stint .
On the plus side, you can use this method together with ‘Round-Robin’
A forth method is to race “Race number of laps (All)”, which means that all
drivers must complete the number of laps, before the race is over. In this
case, the winner is the one with a lowest amount of accumulated time. In this
mode LapMaster does not display “Total laps”, but
“Finish time” and “Accumulated finish time” instead.
(See also above for specification of race duration.)
Intermission time
This determine the time of the
intermission between stints. That is the time people have to change lanes. It
can be extended by the race director by using the “TrackCall”
button during the intermission.
There is no timed intermission between heats. Here the race director has to
issue a manual start to advance to a new heat.
Valid data is a whole number between 0 and 86400 (=24 hours).
You can enter a number of seconds or a time reference in colon format like “hh:mm:ss” or “mm:ss”.
If the value “0” is put in this field,
no timed intermission is used, and the race director must use manual start for
each stint.
Warm up time
Where appropriate the race director is
given the option to press the “Warm up” button. This allows power to be on the
track, but all timing and lap counting is disabled.
The time given to this warm up is determined by this setting. However the race
director can cancel or repeat the warm-up as he pleases.
Valid data is a whole number between 1 and 3600 (=1 hour).
You can enter a number of seconds or a time reference in colon format like “hh:mm:ss” or “mm:ss”.
Drive Home
When racing “Challenge mode”, you can
have the drivers return the cars to the starting line, by driving them home.
This time value specify how much time you want to give
for them to “drive home”.
If you use the track-call during the drive home procedure, the drive-home
interval is cut short.
Intended drive-home procedure:
- The intended setup is to set drive-home-time to e.g. 15-20 seconds,
and intermission-time to 1 second. That will give people enough time to drive
the car to the starting line. When the cars are home, press the Track-call.
This will turn off power and cut the drive-home-interval short. When people
have changed lanes and everything is ready, release track-call, and the start
sequence will start after just 1 second. This will allow you to manage the lane
change procedure in the most efficient manner.
- If you want the lane change to last e.g. exactly 60 seconds, set the
drive-home-time to 15 seconds, and the intermission-time to 45 seconds and then
do not take any track calls during the lane change.
- If you set the intermission-time at 0, then the drive home feature do not
work.
Social Distance mode
In Social Distance
mode you race with greater physical distance between drivers at the driving
stand.
First you race (w/ round-robin) on all the uneven lanes, then in the mid of the
race, everybody is changed to race on the even numbered lanes. This way you
will not be standing next to each other at the driver stands.
Social Distance mode uses the rotation definition defined by the “Half-track”
setup.
Social Distance and Half Track modes are mutual exclusive.
Note: You need to select this option before you do the driver lane
assignment. In this case LapMaster will insert ghost
drivers for you on the not-used lanes. Ghost drivers are entered with a “-“ in the name.
Half track mode
This mode activates the alternative lane
rotation scheme as it has been defined on the Track
setup page. It also means that a
heat will only consist of half the number of stints (Rounded down).
Social Distance and Half Track modes are mutual exclusive.
Challenge mode
In challenge mode, the cars stays on
the same lane, only the drivers rotate between stints. This means that all
drivers get to race the exact same combination of cars and lanes. It is equal
for all drivers.
However it is also necessary to start each stint with the cars at the starting
line, rather than from the position the previous driver have reached on the
track. From a lap counter perspective, this means that the lap fractions must
be accumulated from each stint, rather than reset at the next passing of the
counter. This options controls the accumulation of lap
fractions.
Drive Home
In Challenge mode, you can chose to
let the drivers drive the cars back to the starting line (Rather than hand
carry the cars back).
Qualification time
This determines the amount of time each
driver has available in the qualification mode.
Valid data is a whole number between 1 and 3600 (=1 hour).
You can enter a number of seconds or a time reference in colon format like “hh:mm:ss” or “mm:ss”.
Intermission time (Qualification)
During qualification
you can set the intermission time between each driver. This is the time set for
the driver change.
If set to “0”, the process is manual, and the race director needs to start the
qualification for each driver. Either by pressing “Start” or cycle the remote “Off”+”On”.
Qualify Lane
This determines which lane will be used
during qualification.
Valid data is from 1 to the number of physical lanes available.
Alternatively you can select “Any” which means that the competitor is free to chose any lane on the track. The one with the best time
will automatically be counted as the best.
Qualify Mode
Two different
qualification modes are available.
* LAP TIME – In this mode the
drivers fastest single lap is the qualification result.
* LAP TIME W/2 rounds –As “LAP
TIME”, but with two complete qualification rounds. Best result in any round
counts.
* LAP TIME W/Bye-rounds – In this
mode the driver can chose to split his qualification time for a second attempt,
with a penalty in time defined by the value in “Bye penalty”.
* NO OF LAPS – In this mode the
distance covered (Number of laps + sections) is the qualifying result.
Random assignment of qualifying
lane.
This function allows you to assign a qualification lane by “Roll of
dice”.
Before you use this option you should decide and declare publicly if you accept
“Any lane” as a valid assignment, as this function might return this value. If
you do not accept “Any lane” as a valid option, and it comes up, simply repeat
the drawing until you get a different result.
Bye penalty
This value (in seconds) is deducted from
the available qualification time, each time a racer utilizes the “Bye-round”
option. (See “Qualify Mode” above.)
Min lap time
This is the minimum acceptable lap time.
If a car parses in a time faster than this, the lap is not counted, as it is
most likely that it is a rider. A warning is issued in the loudspeaker system
if this happens, and the track is marked by highlighting.
By clicking on the “Auto rider track call” option, the program will also
automatically issue a track call.
The valid data is a decimal number between 0.0 and 60.0 seconds. Resolution is
0.001 seconds.
You would want to set this as high as possible but surely below any possible
fast lap to get the best quality of detections. I.E. If the fastest driver has
a lap time of 5.6, then set this value at 5.2
(This value is a duplicate of the one in the Advanced setup)
Note: From version 3.22, min-lap-time does not apply to qualification !
ADVANCED SETUP
A series of more rarely used options
are collected in the advanced setup menu. Press
this button to open the advanced setup panel.
Save and restore of race setup
It is possible to save or restore
(load) an entire race setup as a file under a user selectable name. This is
done using the “Save Race setup” or “Load Race setup” buttons.
Each button opens a file dialog in the LapMaster/Setups
folder, where you can create or select a file.
Note that the setup saved or loaded are the setup in the race setup menu. It
does not become an active setup until the race setup menu is closed with the
“OK” button.
Factory race setups
In addition
to defining your own setups, LapMaster comes with an
array of factory setups.
This is a
quick and easy way of preparing LapMaster to run
exactly according to your racing procedures.
Many setups
that implement different national racing organization procedures have been
included.
However,
they should be considered to be models only and you will therefore need to
modify them slightly before use. As a minimum, you need to set the “Minimum
lap-time” to match your race-track and class of racing. Other common
customization options include stint and intermission duration.
Note 1: Factory setups may be replaced when you do a LapMaster version upgrade, so you should always rename a
factory setup when you do your customization.
If the setup
is a multi-phase setup that contains links (See Advanced options), then
remember to rename the links inside the setup as well !
You also have the possibility
to work the sub-menus of:
OK or CANCEL.
When the OK button is pressed the setup is
evaluated. If it is found to be valid, it becomes the active setup. It is not
valid a message is displayed, and you have the option to correct the invalid
data before trying the OK button
again.
On the other hand, pressing Cancel
any changes you have made is not
activate, and you return to the previous active setup. (However changes made
under the Program Setup or Track Setup,
but not Advanced setup, sub-menus have already been
committed.)
FACEBOOK.
This button sends
you to the LapMaster information page on FaceBook.