Okay, this isn't really very timely, but it is still pretty cool. Google is still impressing the heck out of everybody with various innovations, but when it comes to amazingly useful applications, it's hard to beat Google Maps for the sheer wow factor. I love its ease-of-use and the way it encourages users to innovate on their own. I can use the satellite, street or topographic view to check out the terrain, elevation changes, pavement condition and line of sight of a winding road, and then use the search function to find the closest barbeque joints (complete with other user's reviews) and gas stations.
Of course, Street View is limited to public roadways, so it didn't work well to scope out racetracks…or so I thought. The Street View car-equipped with complex GPS equipment and high-speed, 360-degree cameras-made it out to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, CA. It took detailed images of the track, making it easy for racers or track-day junkies to slowly go over the track, inch by inch, to plan that perfect lap. The coolest part of the experience? Stopping in the middle of the Corkscrew turn and pausing to look in all directions. Something you definitely can't do in real life.
It's easy to do. Just go to maps.google.com and type "Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca." When you're looking at the track, drag the little orange Street View guy onto the track surface. If you have a large monitor, click the "full screen" icon for a mind-blowing, bigger-than-life experience.
