Guides

How to export a .vbo from RaceChrono

In RaceChrono Pro, open the Lap times list for your session, press Options, choose Export laps, set Type to VBox (.vbo), pick a Scope, and press Start. Choose All laps rather than Best lap if you want lap deltas in an overlay later. Export is a Pro feature; the free version records sessions but cannot export them.

The menu path

Session export lives with the lap times, not in the app’s main settings, which is why it is easy to miss:

  1. Open the session and go to the Lap times list.
  2. Press Options.
  3. Choose Export laps.
  4. Set Type to VBox (.vbo). The alternative is Spreadsheet (.csv).
  5. Choose a Scope.
  6. Press Start. The app tells you when it has finished.

Pro is required

Exporting is a RaceChrono Pro feature. The free version records sessions and lets you review them on the phone, but it cannot write them out. If the Export laps item is not there, that is the reason.

Choosing the right Scope

This choice matters more than it looks, and getting it wrong means re-exporting later.

Scope What you get Use it when
All laps Every timed lap in the session You want lap deltas or lap-to-lap comparison
Best lap One lap You only want your quick lap
Selected lap only One chosen lap You want a specific lap
Traveled route The complete path, including out and in laps You want the whole session, not just timed laps

If you plan to render an overlay with a lap delta, export All laps. A delta is a comparison against your best lap in the session, so a single-lap export gives it no reference and the gauge will not appear.

The video sync points

One useful detail: if your RaceChrono session had linked videos, the export writes video sync points into the comments in the .vbo header, along with the video file names. Open the file in any text editor and you can read them.

They exist for Racelogic’s Circuit Tools, which expects the video files to sit in the same folder as the .vbo, renamed as the comments instruct. The video files themselves are not included in the export, so you have to copy those across separately.

If you are rendering an overlay in TrackHero instead, you do not need to follow that renaming step: TrackHero syncs against the video’s own audio track. The sync points are still a handy cross-check if an alignment ever looks off.

Getting the file onto your computer

The export lands in RaceChrono’s storage on the phone. Move it across however you normally would: a cable, a cloud folder, or sharing it to yourself. Bring the onboard video too if it came from a separate camera.

Next steps

Last updated .

Frequently asked questions

Why can I not find the export option?
Exporting sessions is a RaceChrono Pro feature. The free version records and reviews sessions but does not export them. If the menu item is missing, that is almost certainly why.
Should I export VBO or CSV?
VBO, if the file is going into an analysis or overlay tool. It is the format Circuit Tools and most third-party software expect. CSV is more convenient if you intend to do your own processing in a spreadsheet or a script.
What are the video sync points in the exported file?
If you had videos linked to the session in RaceChrono, the export writes sync points and the video file names into the comments in the .vbo header. Open it in a text editor to read them. They tell Circuit Tools which video belongs to the session and where it starts.
Which Scope should I choose?
All laps for anything involving lap comparison or lap delta. Best lap or Selected lap only when you want a single clean lap. Traveled route exports the whole path including in and out laps, which is useful if you want the complete session rather than only timed laps.
Does the export include OBD-II data?
If you logged OBD-II channels, they are included as extra columns. Tools that do not recognise a channel ignore it, so the extra data does no harm.

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