cameron ferré |
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PHOTO : RICK BELDEN |
that makes those really cool digital dashes . I ’ d like to have one of those .” Then I learned how much you can learn in just one run , even in a Super Comp car .
I was in such left field when I started in Super Comp . I put a data logger on the car and learned so much in just a few races , and it allowed me to start going more rounds . It definitely changed my program , and I ’ m not just saying that because I work here . The more you know , the more dangerous you can be . Even if I didn ’ t work here , I would have the best of the best data logger on my car . I ’ d rather have a smaller motor and a better data logger .
Teams in the professional classes are seemingly obsessed with data , but sportsman racers haven ’ t embraced the technology to the same extent . What ’ s the biggest misconception within the sportsman ranks as far as data acquisition goes ? Is there not enough emphasis placed on data acquisition ?
I feel one of the biggest misconceptions is it ’ s too expensive . When I first started here , the average data logger was a couple thousand dollars . I ’ ve been here almost nine years and in that time we ’ ve developed cheaper data loggers to cater to the sportsman people . A lot of people used to think data is just for the John Forces and Kenny Bernsteins and Kalittas of the world . That ’ s not the case . Now an entry-level data logger is eight hundred bucks . When someone says an $ 800 data recorder is too expensive when a set of four tires for a dragster is about $ 1000 , it ’ s hard to justify that excuse anymore , especially in the bracket racing world . I ’ ve seen a lot of people make the move to data loggers since we introduced the lower-priced , entry-level loggers .
The other misconception is people don ’ t think they need it . Well , you don ’ t think you need it until you have it . We get people calling in who say they ’ re not going racing this weekend because they broke a sensor ( on their data logger ) and they can ’ t get a replacement in time . It ’ s that important that people don ’ t want to race without it .
Data acquisition has evolved tremendously since the field was pioneered by Racepak , and even in the comparatively short time you ’ ve been working there . What do you see as the next breakthrough in data acquisition ?
The sky is the limit . There ’ s a bunch of stuff going on behind the scenes to improve data . We just released a new Racepak app that allows your crew guy to monitor your data on an iPhone or iPad . I just see things going in that direction , with
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wireless and GPS technology , to allow people who maybe aren ’ t computer savvy to whip out their phone and start learning about data .
Flat screens are also starting to make their way into data logging . I think that ’ s going to revolutionize it as far as the displays . Cloudbased technology is also being adapted . When it
Happy to Be Here
Cameron Ferré is well aware that the dream of top-tier nitro racing has remained just that - a dream - for many highly-qualified , talented and even wellfunded racers before him , but that ’ s done little to dampen his enthusiasm or detour his desire to be a big show wheelman .
comes to electronics and technology , there are constantly new developments . It ’ s just like getting a new phone or computer ; your phone might be replaced with a new and improved model six months later . A lot of that can happen with data loggers , but we try to make sure that everything we do is reverse compatible so if you have something that ’ s 15 years old we can hopefully try to
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resurrect it for you . That happens quite a bit .
Racepak recently started developing ways to monitor data on the driver , specifically heart rate in relation to reaction times . What prompted the move to start looking closer at the driver ?
The driver is such an integral part of racing . You live and die by your crew , but you also live and die by the driver . We ’ re talking races decided by thousandths of a second , so any advantage that you can get out of the driver is a key factor in getting a leg up on the competition . That ’ s why we started looking into data on the driver . Formula One racing has been monitoring drivers like that for years , but we wanted to find a cost-effective way to be able to adapt that to drag racing . It ’ s something that we ’ re still playing with , but we ’ ve had a lot of interest from some of the other drivers .
Being someone who didn ’ t have a family background in racing , how rewarding has it been to go out and get a good job in motorsports , make your own connections , find your own funding , and then have it all come together the way it has ?
That ’ s honestly what I ’ m most proud of . My parents have always supported me in whatever I ’ ve done , be it BMX , motocross , surfing , or skating , and they always told me , “ If you ’ re going to something , you need to do it full-bore . Don ’ t just dabble in it and ‘ be there ’. If you ’ re going to do it , you better do it hard .” Even though I didn ’ t come from a family that was financially wealthy or had a name in the industry , I didn ’ t really take that as , “ Poor me , I ’ m not going to be able to do this .” I kind of used it as firepower and decided I ’ m going to do it myself . With my parents being able to support me even as far as moral support is huge .
I had to chase my dreams .
That ’ s what I pride myself on the most , to go from a kid from Huntington Beach who just surfs a lot and watched Top Fuel on TV wishing he could do it to actually doing it . It takes a lot of hard work , but it ’ s something that I wouldn ’ t shy anyone away from doing . Sure , there are sleepless nights and “ What am I doing ?” moments , but I don ’ t want to stop .
It ’ s an addiction even as far as trying to find the sponsors . I get enjoyment out of signing a deal to be able to do something that I ’ ve wanted to do forever . I hope to be able to sign a deal to race full-time at 24 races per year . That ’ s the end goal . Just because I don ’ t have a family background in the industry doesn ’ t mean that I can ’ t do this . It ’ s just one more step , and I ’ m okay with that . DI
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October 2016 |
DragIllustrated . com | Drag Illustrated | 79 |