MRA has been developing and progressively improving a circuit simulation since 1982, although the foundations for LTS were laid during Bill Milliken's days at Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory (CAL).

In the 1954-56 period, CAL undertook an independent analysis of the Lime Rock circuit at the request of John Fitch, and of the third Watkins Glen circuit (the first permanent circuit at The Glen). The latter analysis, instigated by Bill Milliken, was to ensure a 100 MPH lap, thus making it one of the fastest American circuits of that era. Both these analyses were limited by the hand calculations used.

In 1971 the Watkins Glen GP circuit was enlarged and improved. Under the general direction of Bill Milliken, a computer analysis was performed at CAL by Roland and Thelin. This analysis included elevation, grade and banking, but was limited to a very simple point-mass vehicle model. This program is the conceptual ancestor of the current LTS program.

In 1982 MRA produced RCSIM (Race Circuit Simulation), based on a bicycle model of the automobile. By 1989, RCSIM-2 featured a simple four-wheeled model. In 1991 the simulation was renamed "Lap Time Simulation" (LTS). Since then the four-wheel model has been progressively expanded to include a drivetrain model, brake model, differential model, suspension details, compliance details, and multiple aerodynamic models...just to name a few.

The current version of LTS is based on the core equations of the MRA Moment Method program. These equations have their own 30+ year history of development. LTS has been extensively used and validated by numerous customers. We believe it is the most comprehensive commercially available race circuit simulation available.

LTS TOUR

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