Do I need an AUTOMATIC START GATE to race or tune diecast (Hot Wheels / Matchbox) model cars with the Cook’s Projects Race Gate?

A diecast start line

The simple answer is NO, you don’t need an automated starting gate as long as you use the Race Gate (previously known as the Race Timer and Speedometer) from Cook’s Projects.

An electronic release system would be needed with other available timers that don’t measure speed. But errors are likely to be greater with this system.  So why complicate things? Read on to find out more.

The Cook’s Projects Race Gate (formally known as the Race Timer and Speedometer) is a start and finish line that measures race time, time difference between cars and speed of each 1:64 scale diecast model car (i.e Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars).  The race time starts after an audio and visual start sequence similar to real Formula 1 races. So race time includes the reaction time of the car’s release - just like a real race! However, an automatic release gate is not needed for track and car analysis as real speeds are also measured - something most other race timers cannot do.

 The Cook’s Projects Race Gate is designed for fun diecast model car racing and allows the start of the cars to be based on a sound and light start sequence.  Simply place and race - no track modification is needed.  Two people can race their cars together and their starting reaction time is part of the race – just as in real Formula 1 or Indy Car racing.  When the lights go out, the race, and time, begins.  The winner is the first past the finish line and the winning race time and time difference between cars is displayed as well as each car’s speed.  It’s instant and easy.

But hang on a minute! 
This can’t work for proper diecast car tuning and racing, can it?

The Race Gate timer system by Cook’s Projects

Well, yes, the Race Gate can be used, and is probably more accurate than other timers.  As the Cook’s Projects Race Gate measures the speed of each car, the energy of the car can be very accurately calculated.  Most timers simply measure the time on track until a car passes the finish.  With this information you need an exact release time and so an electronic start gate to see the tiny differences that tuning a car or track produce.  To be accurate, the time delay of the electrical signal along the connecting wire to the release gate and the time for the mechanical release to work will also need to be considered.   (This will require considerable work!) The propagation speed of the release signal is based on both the wire length and the dielectric constant of the material around the wire.   It will vary on a case by case basis but could be as much as 10 nanoseconds over a 10m wire giving a further error to the time measurements.  The mechanical delay for the start gate could be in the region of 1000’s of microseconds!   These delays will considerably reduce the accuracy of the measurement.  Considering these delays and with additional information on the exact track length, the AVERAGE speed over the whole track can be calculated.  But this can only be done after precise measurements and a complicated mathematical calculation.  A car that travels faster is more efficient.  But the improvement ratio of any tuning is difficult to calculate and the signal and release errors will reduce the accuracy of the calculation.  Even a timer showing times to 5 decimal places is only displaying times to within +/- 10 microseconds. So providing multiple decimal places on fancy digital displays can be misleading.

Example of detailed data in the digital datalink output from the Race Gate by Cook’s Projects

With the Cook’s Projects Race Gate each car's speed and finish time difference is measured at the finish line or measure point.  The results are instantly displayed on the LCD, and more accurate data can be sent to a connected computer.  With this system you don't need a starter gate or need to worry about the error in signal propagation or mechanical release.  You don’t even need to measure the length of the track. The speed at the finish line is the measure of the car’s energy at the finish and efficiency over the whole track.  More information is provided than a 'standard' timer can give you, with greater accuracy and no track modifications either!  With this information, even small changes to a car or track’s performance can be accurately assessed.

With the Race Gate, as well as race time, the exact speed at the finish and time difference between cars is measured with an internal clock capable of 4 microsecond resolution (that’s 4 thousand millionths of a second!).  There are no other variables to consider, like signal propagation or mechanical release delays. This allows a much more accurate measure of car energy and so better analysis of car and track.  And it's instantaneous!  The unit displays these rounded numbers on the LCD, or more precise data can be sent to a computer via the USB cable for further study and record keeping.  You can download our free energy calculator that will scientifically calculate the energy efficiency of your setup on the Cook’s Projects website shop and there is a video on our YouTube channel on how to use it.

If quick comparison of two car performance is required, then any simultaneous car launching system can be used.  There is no need for an expensive electronic start gate.

Check out this website, submit a customer query, or email sales@cooksprojects.com for more information.