Finally got out on VIR with the Solo. Best laps were 2:30s, just OK for C Group... Was able to compare to Randy's data from December, where he has a nice 2:24 best lap.
In the below graphs comparing our respective best laps, I'm red and Randy is blue. Corner numbers are at the top, straights are shown in green. (Note that AiM doesn't let you label corners "a" or "b", so VIR's 5 and 5a are all labeled as 5, 11a and 11b are shown as 11 and 12, 14a and 14b are 13 and 14, and 17a and 17b are combined as 17.)
The top graph shows throttle (above 0) and brake (below 0) application. The middle graph is speed, and the bottom graph is the time differential--my time in excess of Randy's as the baseline. All three are plotted against distance around the circuit on the horizontal axis.
It's easy to see that I give up the bulk of the time approaching and through the Climbing Esses and South Bend (from turn 6 through 10). Randy's much more confident attacking this section, entering the beginning of the esses at turn 7 at 111 mph vs. my 88. If you look at the top graph, you see me coast off a bunch of speed on the straight before turn 7, where Randy's only gradually rolling off the gas. That coast alone cost me 1.5 seconds. I did have a 98 mph entry on another lap, but then blew the braking for 10 and ruined the lap... no good corner goes unpunished.
Looking at the braking zones, Randy is quite noticeably more efficient in compressing the braking. See how steep his transitions from throttle to brakes are approaching turns 1, 3, 4, 10 and 13. Plus, I'm a wuss and just can't keep the hammer down all the way through and past the front straight's kink, hence the trailing off the gas and another big coast between turns 17 and 1.
I feel I can make up significant time just focusing on these couple areas... gotta get some new (stickier) tires first, though. That, and more seat time.
Ain't data acquisition great?