Conference terri::cars_uk

1931.0. "Digital and Indycar racing" by ULYSSE::CHEVAUX (Patrick Chevaux @VBE, DTN 828-5584) Tue Oct 27 1992 17:26

	Just found this in VNS ...
    
    =================================================================
    
    Digital - Rahal/Hogan Indy race car team with Digital wins 1992 Cart/Indy
	series championship
	{Livewire, Worldwide News, 26-Oct-92}

   The Rahal/Hogan Team Miller IndyCar racing team won the 1992 CART/Indy
 series  championship with Digital's hardware and software.  The championship
 was secured after the Rahal/Hogan team came in third place at the Toyota
 Monterey   Grand Prix at the Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California, held
 on Oct. 18.  Bobby Rahal ended the season with 196 points, 4 points ahead of 
 Michael Andretti, making this one of the closest Indy cup finals.  Rahal is 
 the first rookie owner to win a CART/Indy championship. 

   The Rahal/Hogan team winning strategy was based both on race and car status 
 information continuously monitored on Digital computers by the Rahal/Hogan 
 pit crew and on the crew's ability to relay that information in real time to 
 Rahal, team driver and co-owner.

   This strategy was put to the test dramatically two weeks ago at the Bosch 
 Spark Plug Grand Prix at the Pennsylvania International Raceway in Nazareth 
 Township, Pennsylvania.  While Michael Andretti, the race leader, chose to 
 enter the pits for one last refueling stop, the Rahal/Hogan pit team using 
 Digital's technology, advised Rahal to stay on the track.  The result:  
 Rahal's third win on a 1-mile oval.

   Digital's sponsorship during the 1992 season has helped Rahal/Hogan to use 
 the best mix of people, business, and technology solutions needed to integrate
 their racing enterprise.  As systems integrator, Digital was able to provide:

     o  hardware and software; 
     o  consulting, maintenance, and network services; 		    
     o  platform, network, and utility products; 
     o  and applications to make the most of the 		    
        team's multivendor information systems.

   IndyCar technology includes extensive use of wind tunnels for aerodynamic 
 development, space-age composites for chassis strength, and on-board 
 electronics for real-time engine management and monitoring.  The 
 concept-to-production cycle for race cars is typically four to six months.  
 Advanced information technology can cut development time through use of a CAD 
 system, allowing the team's engineers to spend more time testing the car in 
 computer simulated race conditions.

   Digital performed a "Business Needs Analysis" and provided equipment for the 
 Indianapolis-based Rahal/Hogan team.  The study, a standard Digital offering, 
 helped to tie the enterprise's information needs to its business objectives. 

   Digital provided the Rahal/Hogan team with Digital DECpc 425 CAD PCs for 
 engineering, DECpc 325 PC for office automation, and DECpc 320p Notebook PCs, 
 plus Digital laser, dot matrix, and color printers and a DECpc color monitor. 
 In addition, a DECstation 3100, running under the ULTRIX operating system, is 
 being used for computer-aided design.

   The team is using the Notebook PCs in both engineering and on-track 
 activities, particularly in the pits for real-time data collection as well as 
 analysis of information transmitted by telemetry from the race car's engine 
 management on-board computer. 

    
    I saw a few piccies of a Ferrari mobile workshop a few years back
    where Prost appeared to be sitting, overalls round his waist, in front 
    of a GPX II. There were a few also a few 3100's sitting around in the 
    background. Probably part the sponsorship deals we did with them.
    
    Williams also use some DEC equipment at Didcot. I had a call with them
    about 6 months ago when they wanted their DECserver 250 to go
    faster!!!!  
    
    Told them to take of some more wing or if that didn't help paint some
    go faster stripes on it!!!!
    
    
    POL.

    
    Leyton house also use dec kit too! Some years ago I helped a guy setup
    a link between a vax running a CAD package to CNC milling system so
    they could pass the milling sequence programs to the mill.
    
	Maybe thats why the cars aren't so good these days....
    
    Garry

RE: .1

DEC Italy supply computers to Ferrari.  That's how we rate the small Digital 
logo on the noses of the red beasts.  There was a good view of it at one race 
this season, when Alesi's car was being lifted by a crane after yet another 
DNF.

--PSW

	That's just the sort of publicity we need.  At one DECUS
	many moons ago they had an F1 Ferrari - it looked 
	exceedingly pretty.

	Dave

	As long ago as 86, do you remember the mock gallion in the
	harbour?  Last year, on a trip to Williams, I sat in one
	of Mansell's old car (of course this would not have been possible
	without the team's help and the fine car...).
	
	Dave

    
    How big are you Dave (I've met you and as I recall you're a bit taller
    than me) and Patrick?
    
    I've never sat in an F1 car, but I did once sit an F3 car and couldn't
    believe how cramped I was at only 5'9". It's no suprise that many of
    today's drivers are built like jockeys!
    
    Mark

    
    re .7
    
    Don't let Frank see you climb into one of his cars. He has been known
    to get a tad upset if you do.
    
    The thought of a rather angry Frank Williams doesn't really appeal to
    me.
    
    POL.

	I'm 6' tall but not very wide, I couldn't straighten my legs.
	Plus, I had to be helped out by two others.  Now way could I
	have driven it.

	Also, getting back to the original topic.  During their talk
	they described how, during testing, they dump telemetry back
	to the pits via laser as they pass.  I couldn't get any more
	information out of them as two technologies and protocols (I
	am in the CBN Hastings Router/Bridge team, so I know my 
	stuff), but they kept very tight lipped.  

	Dave