That looks like a proper / affordable lap timer
 

Just saw it mentioned in Grassroots Motorsports Magazine:
AiM Sports - The World Leader in Data Acquisition

Very similar to this one: RC Pro

great tools for performance driving.

Hi Dave,

good to "see" you
I hope I'll make it out to Buttonwillow this year

Hey Chris,

Those new laptimer/datalogger setups are sweet. I have been using a PDA with Racechrono software ever since you opened my eyes to the possibility. I just didn't want to drop $1200 on a full dash and the old hotlap with beacon was too limiting. Very satisfied with Racechrono.

If I'm ever going to catch Dave, I'm going to need all the help I can get! :D Can you guys explain how a laptimer/datalogger can help me be faster?

A GPS laptimer/datalogger allows you to explore different lines or corner approaches and get instant feedback when something works (screen goes green for fastest sector or lap). You can also review your laps to see which gear worked best in turn 4, late braking into 9 unsettles the car and kills exit speed etc. Comparing lines, exit speeds, and terminal speeds at the end of a straight are very useful in skill building once you have the basics of car control.

To elaborate a bit more on what Dave wrote:
So basically you try a new approach to a corner (example double apex instead of single apex).
Your predictive laptime before entering the turn was 1:48.0, after finishing the turn it is 1:47.0 So you immediately know that this new approach just shaved a second off your lap

Where the heck has this technology been hiding from me? Now I feel like I've been driving an ox-cart in the middle ages while everyone else has Scott Pruett sitting next to them saying that they just picked up two-tenths in the last corner. I need one of these asap. Thanks guys.

If you have an iphone or ipod touch 4, I recommend Harry's Lap timer app. It's $16 and you can use the lap timer and live video simultaneously. Very easy to use and high accuracy with a separate GPS receiver. My brother has this setup.

I use an older ASUS Windows Mobile PDA with Racechrono free app. Not quite as easy to use but more in-depth analysis. The stand-alone Racechrono Pro GPS works great for $549.

A buddy of mine uses Harry's with an external GPS and a nifty bluetooth OBD2 II tool that sends vehicle data to his android.
Apparently he has an app (not sure if it's Harry's or other) to synch these with the timecode from his gopro & overlay the input on the video.
Cool stuff.

If you are interested in predictive lap timing you might also look at "CMS Lap Timer Pro" for the iPhone

But there's a general problem with iPhone GPS based lap timing:
a) the built in GPS of the iPhone is not very strong
b) the iPhone only samples GPS data with 1 Hz = 1 sample per second = if you go 100 mph you have a sample every 150 feet, which is not accurate enough

For a) you can get the TomTom iPhone mount for the iPhone (can be found on eBay) which has a built in much stronger GPS receiver and for example Harry's Lap timer recommends it, but even with it I had "shaky" results with Harry's lap timer
and it seems that for b) some applications support external GPS devices with 5 Hz sampling rates (which is sufficient for racing)

I myself am using a self made rig which is based on PocketPC based software, which is no longer available and when it finally bites the dust I think I'll go with the AIM Solo

P.S.: The only reason why you could think I am Randy Probst is that I am wearing the same geeky glasses as he :D

FYI,
Harry's /iphone now supports 5hz receivers. Even with a Tom Tom 1hz receiver the software now utilizes interpolation so accuracy is typically within 5/100s of a second and 3 meters. Harry's software development has come a long way since it's initial introduction.
Compatibility

The Ultimate GPS device fits into the iphone 30 pin slot and runs about $100 on Amazon--5hz. Haven't hear much about the software which adds accuracy.

Regarding RC, which version do you run? I'm trying it on my MOT Q9 and it's abit of a pain to use. How do you save a session? I can see where you pause it but not where you can save it; this phone doesn't have a touch screen BTW. I'm using the 1.45 Wincomm version.

Thanks everyone for the info....just posting so I can find this again!

I run ver 1.43 on a touchscreen Asus 626 PDA. Once you create a new session and input driver, track, and waypoints or download the track from their database you are ready. RC saves everything when you cross the start finish line. I choose "pause session" and "resume session" all weekend so that I can compare all laps driven. The lap comparison tools are quite useful.

This is sweet but is ther anything similar for android?

This is close to my set-up.

I run RaceChrono on a Nokia E7 (Belle), and get additional data via the OBD2 port using the Bluetooth OBDKey.

I can then sync it all together with video using a program named RaceChrono2AVI which is also free.

My understanding is that e is working on a RaceChrono version for the Android platform which is in test at the moment...