Time Slip Simulator User Guide

Before you begin

Subscriptions to the Time Slip Simulator (TSS) are available for the following devices and electronic logbooks:

• Windows PC
• Integrated with Crew Chief Pro. Visit the Crew Chief Pro Users Guide for details on using the TSS and Crew Chief Pro together.
• Integrated with DragStat. Visit the DragStat Users Guide for details on how to use the TSS and DragStat together.

Download and install – Windows PC

First, you need to download the TSS installation package to your computer. A link will be sent to you via email once you order and pay for a subscription.

Once downloaded, install the TSS by double-clicking on the installation package. Follow the prompts, and the TSS will be installed on your computer.

If you see a warning message when you run the installer that says “Windows protected your PC”, click the “more info” link and press the “Run Anyway” button. This is just your computer being overly protective when installing an application you downloaded online.

Product activation – splash screen

On the splash screen, you’ll see a field where you enter your activation code. For users of the Crew Chief Pro and DragStat version, you won’t need to enter an activation code.

Your activation code was sent to you in an email. It’s a long series of characters and numbers – 32, to be exact.

Simply copy [Control (Ctrl) + c on PC] the activation code and use the paste button on the splash screen to paste the text into the field. This is much quicker than trying to type in the activation code.

If you can’t find your activation code or accidentally delete it, email kym@timeslipsim.com, and I’ll send you a copy.

The time slip entry screen

Once the TSS is loaded, you’ll see the Time Slip Entry Screen. Here, you can enter your time slips.

For convenience, I’ve included some default time slips you can use to play around with or overwrite with your own data.

Here’s a screenshot:

Clicking the Previous and Next buttons moves through your saved time slips. You can also use the TAB key to move between the fields.

Clear empties the fields. Clicking Save will replace the current time slip with the data you’ve entered.

Remember to click the Save button if you want to keep your data. If you choose another time slip before saving, you will lose your hard work.

Clicking the Generate button creates a time slip from the ETs you enter for each lane. It’s great for previewing what your next round of racing could look like.

If you have a version of the TSS that integrates with your electronic logbook, clicking the Import button will copy the most recent time slip shared from your logbook into the currently selected time slip slot.

Checking the Backoff option will automatically check to see if either lane backed off before the finish line. It calculates a back-off point where the vehicle slows down.

For each time slip, you can also set the following options:

• Race Type – DYO, Index or Heads Up
• Race Distance – 1320′, 1000′ or 660′ feet (all measurements in TSS are in feet)
• Tree Speed – 0.04 or 0.05
• Tree Type –  Full Tree and Pro Tree
• Vehicle – Change the selected vehicle for each lane: Dragster, Door Car and Junior Dragster

Clicking each button will cycle through the available options.

Once you’re ready, click the Simulate button to run your virtual drag race.

When you’ve had enough fun for one day, click the Quit button.

Simulation screen

From the Simulation Screen, your time slip is replayed in glorious 3D. When the Simulation Screen first appears, two vehicles rumble away on the start line.

To start the race, click the Play button (z key). The tree counts down, and off they roar. By default, you see the race as if you were watching it on TV. I’ll show you how to change that a little later.

When the first vehicle hits the finish line, the race will automatically pause. Once again, this is by default and can be changed. Take some time to cycle through the camera modes by clicking on the Camera button (c key) – near the bottom right of the screen. You can also change from lane to lane using the Lane button (l key) to the right of the Camera button.

To complete the race, press the Resume button (space bar).

Clicking the Race Result button (r key) will display details of the race plus the margin of victory.

• MOVT = Margin of Victory Time
• MOVD = Margin of Victory Distance (feet)

Click the Simulate button to return to the race.

With your first run and done, here are some more options for you to play with.

Starting with the main buttons along the bottom of the screen:

• Time Slip – returns you back to the Time Slip Entry Screen
• Play (z key) – plays back the selected Time Slip
• Pause (space bar) – pause/resume playback
• Stop (x key) – stops the race and returns to the start line
• Race Result (r key) – view the race result

Along the top of the screen are five buttons:

• Stats (tab key) – displays the live stats for each vehicle (see below for a description)
• Sound (v key) – toggles the sound On / Off
• Playback Speed (s key) – cycle through Full, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 and 1/16 speeds.
• Interface (I key) – Hides / Shows the interface to get a better look at the action
• Time Slip (left shift key) – displays the time slip details

Stats popup window

Clicking the stats window will open a popup window displaying live data:

• ET – The current Elapsed Time for each vehicle
• DFS – FT – Distance From Start line in feet
• DTF – FT – Distance To Finish line in feet
• MPH-I – Mile Per Hour at this exact Instance in time. This is NOT an average over 66 feet and is, therefore, higher than you will see in your printed time slip
• GF – The G-force (acceleration) at this exact instance in time
• CRT – MPH – Closure RaTe between the vehicles in miles per hour*
• CRT – FPS – Closure RaTe between the vehicles in feet per second*
• GAP – FT – The GAP between the vehicles in feet*

* CRT and GAP calculations stop once one of the vehicles crosses the finish line.

Down the right edge of the screen are four buttons:

• Track Mkr – click the Track Mkr button (t key) to display a number of on-track graphics to help you analyze your run:
  • Track Position – Each vehicle has a line on the track representing the position of its front wheels. Yellow for the left lane and blue for the right lane. These help you visualize who is in front and the distance between vehicles
  • Dial-in Marker – In DYO mode, each lane will have a pink line. This represents the dial-in for each vehicle so you can see if you’re behind or in front of your dial-in and if you will break out.
  • Back-off Position – If you have selected the “Check for Back-off” option on the Time Slip Entry Screen, the system calculates if either lane backed off, and displays a red line at the approximate track location where the driver got off the gas
  • Win Indicator – Linked to the dial-in marker, the win indicator is represented by a green box in each lane. It illustrates where your front wheels need to be to win the race, e.g. behind your dial-in and in front of your opponent’s wheels. When a vehicle is in front of their dial-in (breaking out), this time is added to the opponent’s win indicator to show how far in front of their dial-in they can be and still win (double break out). See more details below on this feature
• Auto Pse – click the Auto Pse button (f key) to pause the race when the first vehicle reaches the finish line
• Camera – click the Camera button (c key) to cycle through the available camera modes:
  • TV Mode – just like you were watching the race on TV
  • Driver POV – a first-person view from the driver’s position. Hold down the left mouse button and move the mouse to look around
  • Look Ahead – a driver’s eye view of the track ahead. A “Head Check” button is displayed when this mode is active. Use this button or the right mouse button to simulate looking over your shoulder at your opponent
  • Watch Opp – watch your opponent from the best seat in the house
  • Look Down – see the race from above (very cool for checking out closing speeds and who takes the stripe)
• Lane – click the Lane button (l key) to change the camera focus between the left and right lanes

Keyboard Controls

The following keyboard controls are available on the Simulation Screen.

Camera Controls

Win indicator

Excluding red lights, there are basically four ways to win a bracket race where dial-ins are used.

1. Cross the finish line in front of your opponent, and not break out
2. If you have the better reaction time, cross the finish line in front of your opponent by less than the difference between the reaction times. E.g. you have a .03 reaction time, and your opponent has a .05 reaction time. The difference is .02. If you cross the finish line in front of your opponent by less than .02, you win no matter what
3. Where both vehicles go under their dial-in (double breakout), break out by the smaller amount
4. Force your opponent to breakout due to a better reaction time and/or holding numbers and dumping at the finish line

The aim of the Win Indicator is to show you which of these four winning strategies are at play during a race and where your vehicle needs to be (within the win indicator) to win the race.

Example 01

If the left lane is in front of the right lane and isn’t breaking out, then the left lane win indicator will extend from the left lane dial-in marker to the right lane track position marker. The left lane is currently winning the race because they are behind their dial-in (not breaking out) and in front of their opponent. In this example, the right lane can’t currently win the race, and no victory window is displayed.

Example 02

If the left lane is in front and is breaking out (ahead of their dial-in) and the right lane isn’t, the breakout amount is added to the right lane’s win indicator, showing they can break out but by less than their opponent to win the race. In this example, the left lane win indicator extends from their dial-in line to right lane track position marker. The right lane win indicator extends from in front of their dial-in marker (how much they can break out by and still win) and back 100 feet for illustration purposes.

Example 03

If both lanes are breaking out, their breakout amount is added to the opponent’s win indicator. The lane that breaks out by the least will win. In the example below, the left lane is breaking out by a smaller amount and is in the best position to win at this point in the race.