# Trackside: GPS Lap Timer & Telemetry > Trackside is an iPhone lap timer and telemetry app for track days from The California Motorsports Company. Record unlimited sessions for free, use Apple CarPlay for lap timing, analyze your driving, add video, and optionally connect AI assistants through MCP. Updated: October 19, 2026. - Website: https://www.californiamotorsports.co/trackside - Download: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/trackside-gps-lap-timer/id6796196239 - Platform: iOS 17 or later. See the App Store for current platform availability and subscription pricing. - Contact: trackside@californiamotorsports.co ## Recording and lap timing Record unlimited track sessions for free. Trackside includes automatic supported-track detection, lap and sector timing, predicted lap times, live delta against a reference lap, and a customizable lap timer. Record using a compatible Porsche's built-in telemetry, a supported external GPS receiver, or your iPhone. Record with RaceBox Mini, Mini S, Micro, or a supported Dragy GPS receiver. External GPS can also be used alongside Porsche telemetry, combining external position and speed with available throttle, brake, steering, and other vehicle channels. GPS and vehicle-data source selection are independent; available channels depend on what your connected sources actually measure. ## Custom courses Create a custom circuit or point-to-point course from a recorded GPS route. Place start and finish timing lines, preview complete laps or runs, and save the course for future sessions. ## Apple CarPlay Trackside brings its lap timer to a compatible Apple CarPlay display. View current lap timing, live delta, and reference timing; select session conditions before recording; and start and stop recordings from CarPlay. Complete initial car and telemetry-source setup on the iPhone. Porsche network setup may still require the phone. ## Lap analysis and AI coaching Review GPS routes, lap times, sectors, telemetry charts, and distance-aligned lap comparisons. Build an optimal lap from your fastest measured sectors. Compare available inputs such as speed, throttle, brake, steering, gear, and G-forces when present in the recording. Trackside Pro adds telemetry-backed AI insights for session and corner analysis. These in-app insights are separate from connecting an external assistant through MCP. ## AI assistants and Model Context Protocol (MCP) Trackside Pro users can explore their synced sessions with the [Trackside plugin in ChatGPT](https://chatgpt.com/plugins/plugin_asdk_app_6ad668e33e608191976195bccef7b61d), or connect Claude and other MCP-compatible platforms. Assistants receive authenticated, read-only access to session summaries, file inventories, and the full saved telemetry channels. They can answer questions about lap times, braking points, available vehicle data, and synced tire details and usage. Setup: 1. In Trackside, open Settings → Account Data. 2. Enable MCP Server. Trackside Pro and Sign in with Apple are required. 3. Confirm syncing full telemetry and location data from active sessions to Trackside. 4. Connect the [Trackside plugin in ChatGPT](https://chatgpt.com/plugins/plugin_asdk_app_6ad668e33e608191976195bccef7b61d) using the same Apple account. For Claude and other MCP-compatible platforms, add https://trackside.camotors.co/mcp to the platform's MCP configuration and authorize the connection. Client setup, connector access, and availability depend on the assistant. The server provides read-only data tools; it does not control the car or edit recordings. Videos are excluded from MCP sync. Disconnect individual assistants or turn off MCP in the app. Private telemetry requires account authorization and is not publicly indexable content. ## Friends and leaderboards Add friends through private invitations, compare personal bests, and use friends-only leaderboards by track layout. Trackside Pro unlocks full lap-data sharing for deeper comparisons with friends. Friends sharing and MCP sync are separate opt-in features. ## Cameras and video export Record with the iPhone camera or control supported GoPro, DJI, and Insta360 cameras. Camera-control capabilities depend on model and firmware. Sync onboard video to your telemetry. Trackside Pro adds direct video import from supported GoPro and DJI cameras, plus shareable video export with telemetry overlays. ## YouTube reference-video comparison With Trackside Pro, compare your lap against a reference onboard video on YouTube, synchronized by track position with a live time delta. ## Session imports Supported inputs include: - VBOX .vbo, including VBO exports from Dragy Lap and RaceBox. - Porsche Track Precision .tparecord, including referenced embedded video. - Garmin Catalyst SupportLogs archives; include every archive part. - RaceCapture .log and recognized CSV exports. - Supported TrackAttack native JSON exports. - Recognized CSV variants from RaceChrono v2/v3, TrackAddict, AiM, SoloStorm, and Harry's LapTimer. Support depends on the export schema and available channels, not just the file extension. Use VBO for RaceBox and Dragy Lap. Encrypted Dragy .dlap, RaceBox CSV, RaceChrono v1, and AiM XRK/XRZ are not supported. [Garmin Catalyst export instructions](https://www.californiamotorsports.co/trackside/garmin-catalyst-support-logs/). ## Tire logs Keep a tire log under each car, log tire changes, and see the recorded sessions and track days associated with each entry. When MCP is enabled, authorized assistants can read synced tire details and usage, including resolved automatic assignments. ## Bluetooth LE OBD Trackside supports selected Bluetooth LE OBD reader profiles for standard CAN vehicle channels. Use an OBD source alongside your chosen GPS source. Available measurements depend on the car and reader; compatibility and hardware validation vary. Arbitrary Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or manufacturer-specific adapters and channels are not universally supported. Reader profiles: - OBDLink CX - Veepeak OBDCheck BLE / BLE+ - Dragy OBD II - Vgate BLE readers advertising IOS-Vlink - BLE OBD readers advertising OBDBLE Requires an ISO 15765-4 CAN vehicle. Available channels include RPM, accelerator pedal position, coolant temperature, and oil temperature when reported by the vehicle. A reader's name alone does not establish compatibility with its Bluetooth transport. Vgate and OBDBLE profiles have implementation coverage; physical hardware validation is incomplete. ## RaceBox compatibility Use these Bluetooth GPS receivers on their own or alongside Porsche telemetry: - RaceBox Mini - RaceBox Mini S - RaceBox Micro ## Dragy compatibility Trackside implements GPS decoding for these Dragy receiver families: - Dragy Pro - Dragy Lite - DRG70 - DRG70-C - DRG69 Compatibility and available controls depend on model and firmware. Pro has physical-receiver validation; the other model paths have code and synthetic-test coverage, with hardware validation still incomplete. GPS-only recording does not provide vehicle inputs such as throttle, brake pressure, and steering. ## Porsche compatibility Direct Porsche telemetry requires a compatible car with the Sport Chrono and Porsche Connect options needed for Porsche Track Precision. Availability varies by PCM software, region, vehicle, and reported signals. Supported connection paths include PCM 4/5 and PCM 6. Available channels may include GPS, speed, RPM, gear, accelerator position, brake pressure, steering, G-forces, temperatures, and tire pressures. iPhone or GPS-only recording does not supply those vehicle channels. Currently listed models: - 911 992: all models, subject to the equipment and software requirements above. - 911 991.2: model year 2017 or later. - 911 991.1 GT3 / GT3 RS: model year 2015 or later. - 982 / 718 Cayman and Boxster: model year 2017 or later. - 981 Cayman GT4: model year 2015 or later. - Taycan, Panamera, and Cayenne: model year 2022 or later. A Porsche is optional: your iPhone and supported external GPS let you record in other cars. ## Storage, iCloud, and data export Recordings stay on your device. Optionally sync sessions across devices through iCloud. Export session data as VBO files and share original Trackside files. MCP sync requires separate consent to upload full telemetry and location; it excludes video. See the [privacy policy](https://www.californiamotorsports.co/trackside/privacy/) for data practices. ## Free and Trackside Pro Free recording is unlimited and includes automatic lap timing, live delta, and post-session analysis. Trackside Pro adds telemetry-backed AI insights, reference-video comparison, direct camera import, telemetry video export, full lap-data sharing with friends, and AI assistant connections. Current subscription terms and pricing are shown in the app and App Store.