Suspension Improvements

Suspension is always our starting point for improving lap times for roadrace cars. The largest improvements at the lowest cost can almost always be achieved with chassis improvements. The more developed the car the more dramatic the difference in cost of achieving improvements with suspension tuning versus for example engine tuning. Handling improvements will yield consistent and reliable reduction in lap times by making the car easier to drive at or near the limit.

Brake Improvements

Following suspension upgrades, brake upgrades are the next step in improving lap times. As with suspension improvements, brake improvements can reward the driver with faster times lap after lap.

Optimized Gearing

Once the suspension and brakes are performing at their peak, an excellent way to improve lap times is by proper gearing to suit the tracks you run most often. Improving the acceleration out of corners and optimizing the engines performance range using the end of the longest straight to establish the maximum RPM in top gear will produce dramatic improvements in lap times and better ability to pass exiting a corner or at the end of a straight. While changing gear ratios, this is an excellent opportunity to consider a light flywheel or clutch assembly.

Engine Performance

At this point you're ready to begin to look at how to get more performance from your engine. With today's modern engines the Engine Control Unit (ECU) or engine management system is designed to provide specific performance with specific fules while all the time meeting stringent emissions standards. These sophisticated devices are not to be taken lightly. Modifications to your car's ECU by removing and changing chips, refered to as "chipping" your car was once the way to achieve engine improvements, and fortunately this is no longer necessary. Upload of new configurations of software through your car's OBDII port allow your car to achieve the best performance on available pump fuels, but also allow configurations optimized for unleaded racing fuels on track days and return in minutes to normal settings for daily driving. This breakthrough in engine management software from Revo Technik has obsoleted "chipping" your car.

Measuring Improvements

With all these possibilities for improvements you absolutely must have tools to measure improvements and make adjustments. Tools once reserved for megabuck factory sponsored race teams now lap timers with predicitive lap timing, data acquisition equipment, track mapping and video sync'd to data acquisition is within reach of club racers. "If you can measure it, it can be improved." now applys to you and your car.