Introducing RACESENSE Tyre Gauges for Motorsport!

How to Use RaceSense Tyre Gauges Effectively: A Practical Trackside Guide

In motorsport, tyre pressures aren’t simply a pre-session formality — they’re a measurable variable that directly influences performance, safety, and setup decisions. Teams and drivers increasingly rely on structured data rather than intuition, and the RaceSense range from Fastmate Racing is designed to support that shift. The guide below outlines practical methods for incorporating RaceSense gauges into your preparation, testing, and race-day workflows to ensure consistent, repeatable tyre data and more informed decision-making.

Fastmate Racing has carved out a niche in the motorsport world by producing RaceSense, a line of highly accurate tyre-pressure gauges and accessories built specifically for track and racing environments. Their gear isn’t just for casual tyre checks at home — it’s engineered for the pits, for engineers, for drivers, for teams.

They saw a gap in the market: everyday roadside gauges might be fine for normal use, but on track, you need precise, repeatable measurements. RaceSense aims to fill that gap.

What Makes RaceSense Tyre Gauges Stand Out

Pro-Level Accuracy & Precision

Many common tyre gauges (even “digital” ones) have an accuracy of 1–2 psi. In contrast, RaceSense gauges promise accuracy down to ± 0.1 psi — sometimes even more precise under normal ambient conditions.

That difference might not seem huge — but on a racetrack, the right tyre pressures can change handling, grip, tyre wear, and consistency lap after lap.

Smart, Data-Driven Tyre Logging

Beyond simple pressure readings, RaceSense goes full digital:

• It offers a multi-tyre mode so you can quickly check and record all tyres without repeatedly hitting buttons. You simply preset the starting tyre and direction (clockwise or anti-clockwise) and it logs automatically for 2- or 4-tyre modes.
• With a smartphone link (NFC), you can sync tyre data to iOS or Android devices — or plug the unit into a computer to export to CSV.
• The accompanying app can record ancillary data such as ambient temperature, barometric pressure, weather, GPS location, wind conditions, session number, tyre set number, and more. That makes your tyre log a full snapshot of track conditions, not just a pressure reading.
• This level of data logging transforms tyre pressure from guesswork into hard telemetry — ideal for engineers, coaches, or drivers serious about dialling in setup.

Temperature Sensing (Optional but Powerful)

Tyre pressure is only one part of the story. Temperature across the tyre (inner / middle / outer) can tell you about heating, load distribution, alignment, and whether you're optimally set up for comfort vs performance.

RaceSense lets you plug in a Type K thermocouple probe to read tyre temperatures as well as pressure. For many track users and racers, that’s a huge advantage

Built for the Pits, Not the Garage Shelf

Every aspect of the RaceSense is built for repeated use in demanding conditions:

• Robust, CNC-machined aluminium case with rubber grip and seal — water, dirt, and track grime won’t easily kill it.
• Sunlight-readable OLED display, so you can clearly read pressures even in bright midday track lighting.
• Built-in bleed valve, so you can fine-tune pressures precisely rather than rough adjustments.
• Durable carrying case and belt clip, so the gauge is easily accessible in a pit bay or paddock.
• Long battery life: over 3 months standby or 24 hours continuous use on a charge.
• It’s not a toy gauge — this is serious equipment built for track life.

RaceSense in Action: Products Worth Knowing

Here are some of the core RaceSense offerings that bring this power to drivers and teams:

• Fastmate Racing RaceSense Pocket Digital Tyre Pressure Gauge — compact, portable and pocket-sized, this gauge brings pro-level tyre pressure logging to the everyday enthusiast or weekend trackie. It offers 0–150 psi range, 0.1 psi accuracy, data sync to phone/computer, multi-tyre mode, and optional temperature probe.
• Fastmate RaceSense Tyre Gauge with Thermocouple — the full-featured professional-grade gauge, including a thermocouple probe for tyre temperature, multi-tyre mode, data logging, and rugged housing — built for pit crews and racers who want to squeeze every bit of performance from their tyres.

These products show the spectrum from a portable track-day tool to a professional pit-lane instrument.

Besides the gauges themselves, Fastmate also offers a range of accessories — rubber protective covers, extender hoses, right-angled chucks, Presta valve adaptors, and more — making RaceSense a versatile system that can be tailored to different vehicles (cars, motorcycles, race spec vehicles, etc.).

Why Tyre Data Matters (and Why RaceSense Helps)

You might wonder: “Do I really need a $400+ tyre gauge, or is my regular shop gauge good enough?” For daily driving, maybe not. But if you’re pushing a car on track, tuning suspension, trying to optimise handling, or just squeezing out consistent lap times — pressure and temperature aren't trivial.

• Grip and consistency: The right pressure gives better contact patch, more predictable grip, and avoids overworking the tyre.
• Tyre wear: Uneven pressures or poor temperature distribution can accelerate uneven wear, heat spots, or cause one side of the tyre to degrade faster.
• Adjustments & tuning: Running data logs — pressure, temp, ambient conditions — gives you insight. You can compare hot vs cold pressures, changes across sessions, or the effect of setup tweaks.
• Pit efficiency: The multi-tyre mode and data logging mean faster stops, fewer mistakes, and accurate records under pressure (pun intended).

In other words: RaceSense helps turn an art (guessing and checking) into a science (measuring, recording, analysing).

Who Should Consider RaceSense

RaceSense is ideal for:

• Track day enthusiasts — If you care about consistency and want to learn from every session.
• Motorsport competitors — From club racing to semi-pro, where data can give a competitive edge.
• Race teams and pit crews — For fast, accurate tyre service in the pits, with logging for engineers.
• Performance-focused drivers — Who want to optimise tyre use, especially on performance or sport tyres.

On the flip side, if you’re just commuting or rarely checking tyre pressure, a regular gauge is probably enough. RaceSense is overkill for casual use — but that’s the point: it’s designed for serious tyre work.

How to Use a Fastmate RaceSense Tyre Gauge

A practical guide for track days, racing, and performance tuning

The RaceSense gauge is powerful — but like any tool, you get the best results when you use it with a consistent procedure. This guide walks you through each stage so your data is accurate, repeatable, and useful for tuning.

1. Pre-Session Setup

Charge the Gauge

Before heading to the track, make sure your RaceSense gauge is fully charged.

• A full battery gives ~24 hours of continuous use.
• A low battery can affect Bluetooth/NFC logging and responsiveness.

Prepare Your Tyres

Set your cold pressures in the pits before driving.

• Use the tyre manufacturer’s recommendation as a starting point.
• For track work, cold pressures are usually lower because tyres heat up rapidly.

Enable Multi-Tyre Mode (recommended)

RaceSense’s multi-tyre mode keeps the workflow fast and consistent:

• Choose 2-tyre or 4-tyre mode.
• Set the starting tyre (LF is common).
• Choose the direction (clockwise or anti-clockwise).

This ensures all readings are automatically logged in sequence.

Connect the Smartphone App

If you want full data tracking:

• Tap your phone to the gauge using NFC, or
• Sync over USB to create a session log.

The app lets you attach:
✓ ambient temperature
✓ track name
✓ session number
✓ tyre set number
✓ weather conditions
✓ driver name
✓ compound used

The more detail you record, the better your tuning decisions.

2. Taking Cold Tyre Pressures (Before Driving)

Measure and Adjust

Check each tyre’s cold pressure and adjust using the built-in bleed valve.

• Aim for consistency across all tyres unless your car setup requires staggered pressures.
• Note ambient temperature — this affects cold pressure baseline.

Optional: Take Cold Tyre Temperatures

If you have the thermocouple probe:

• Insert the probe into each tyre at inner / middle / outer positions.
• This gives a quick look at whether your current setup is pushing too much load onto one edge.

These cold readings will be compared against hot readings later.

3. During the Session

Not much to do here — but keep these tips in mind:

• Tyre pressures rise quickly in the first 3–5 laps.
• Driving style affects heat (aggressive steering loads shoulders).
• Track surface and weather play a big role.

Focus on driving; the data is coming after.

4. Taking Hot Tyre Pressures (Immediately After Driving)

This is the most important part.

Move Fast

As soon as the car enters the pits, measure hot pressures immediately.
Tyres begin to cool within 30 seconds.

Follow the Same Tyre Order

Using multi-tyre mode ensures consistency.
A consistent sequence prevents data errors.

Record Hot Pressures

Hot pressures tell you if the tyre is:

• Over-inflated (reduced contact patch)
• Under-inflated (excess flex, heat buildup)
• Balanced left-to-right
• Balanced front-to-rear

Take Hot Tyre Temperatures (if using thermocouple)

Measure:

• Inside edge
• Centre
• Outside edge

Aim for:

• Centre ≈ average of inner and outer
• A small gradient towards the inside is normal on cambered cars
• Large differences signal setup issues (covered below)

The gauge logs all three values per tyre automatically.

5. Analysing the Data

This is where RaceSense shines.

Hot Pressure Analysis

Use these guidelines:

Most drivers aim for specific hot pressures, not cold.
Cold pressures are adjusted each session to hit the target hot values.

Temperature Spread Analysis

Tyre temps give deeper setup insight:

Inside hotter than outside (>10°C difference)

• Too much camber
• Car rolling onto inside shoulder

Outside hotter than inside

• Too little camber
• Car understeering, rolling onto outer edge

Centre hotter than edges

• Over-inflated

Edges hotter than centre

• Under-inflated
• Or soft sidewall tyre

RaceSense logging makes these patterns easy to spot over multiple runs.

6. Adjust and Repeat

Based on your analysis, adjust:

• Cold pressures
• Camber
• Toe
• Dampers
• ARB stiffness
• Driving style
• Tyre compound or heat cycle

Then run another session and compare data.

Each cycle brings you closer to an optimal setup.

7. Using the Data Log (Smartphone or PC)

RaceSense logs can be exported to CSV or viewed in-app.

This is extremely useful for:

• Tracking pressure trends across the day
• Comparing drivers
• Comparing tyre sets
• Identifying heat cycles
• Matching pressures to lap times

A best practice:
Create Session Baselines for each track, tyre type, and season.

Final Tips from the Paddock

• Measure hot pressures ASAP — delays ruin consistency.
• Always use the same tyre order.
• Be consistent with probe insertion depth for temperatures.
• Recalibrate your gauge yearly if you race seriously.
• Don’t chase “perfect numbers” — chase repeatability first.

GO TO RACESENSE Products here