David Hodge Jr ended his WRL Road Atlanta post-race notes in 2024 with one line in capitals. “PULL DATA AFTER EVERY SESSION.”
What the note says
That line stands alone near the end of the notes. Other lines from David’s notes explain the same habit.
From the same Road Atlanta notes.
- “write script for comparing both start stints”
- “sync 2 video at specific points”
From the testing notes in his 2024 WRL series notes.
- “Pull telemetry earlier”
- “Dump gopro RIGHT after session”
- “Always use fresh battery”
From his race notes in the same file.
- “get better at organizing data”
- “make checklist templates for each race weekend”
Together the lines point to one habit. Save the data right away.
In his 2024 Sebring notes, David also left a reminder for a teammate to try moving files from the SD card to an external drive, to see if it was quicker. The idea is to test how long a copy takes before you are short of time.
Why it matters in a shared car
In a shared car, the data covers more than one driver. If it is not saved right after a session, the next driver may already be in the car and the old files may be lost. A teammate may also need your video to compare how two drivers took the same section.
Data you cannot find is data you cannot use. A short routine keeps everything labelled, backed up and ready for the debrief.
One drill
Run this routine at the end of every session. It takes five minutes.
- Stop recording. Take the card or the file off the camera and the data logger.
- Copy the files to a laptop or a drive before you do anything else.
- Rename each file with the date, the session and your name, in the same format each time.
- Copy the folder to a second place, such as an external drive.
- Charge or replace the camera battery for the next session.
- Write one line about what the session was about, so the files make sense later.
Time the copy once before the race weekend. A slow card reader or a full drive is better found in the garage at home than in the paddock.
Make this a checklist and keep it with your gear.
Where this fits
Good data habits matter most in a long WRL event with several sessions and several drivers. You can start the habit in the simulator today.