[sp6967]

Originally Posted by rpedersen20 Wow thats ugly, why not make tracks put more signal lights around them. People wonder why all these other forms of racing are bleeding fans. No one wants to see race cars with lights on them, this ain't indy car nor Daytona Prototypes.

usac isn't going to make promotors do anything. looks like there going to put everything on the car owner. I believe the lights will only come on at yellows and reds. but your right, they are fugly. we will see what happens in a accident when you have more stuff to fly off. i am sick and tired of all of it.if they really do this i might just put my stuff on classifieds and see what i get.

[dirtracer74]

Too funny at the whining. Here is an idea: Maybe wait and see exactly what this will turn out to be? There has been more information released on this system, and to keep it short, part of that info is USAC is taking the financial part of it. "Hardware owned by USAC, no cost to teams. Minimal effort required to install."

Basically, it is a small system hooked up to live timing and scoring. One person said that they are looking at having a simple yellow light on the dash. If a yellow or red is displayed, that light is activated as soon as the track lights would go yellow or red. Said the system is very easy to install. All they are trying to do is improve reaction time.

The system shown above, which I really do not like, might be lit on the leader, maybe top 3. But would also act as caution lights. I am kind of OK with the idea of them being used as caution lights, but not as a leader marker.

Also: "will also have scan code stickers on driver helmets in all series it sanctions for rapid access to detailed medical history." Again, This could be a great idea, but I also worry about who has access to that scan code. If a driver leaves his helmet on his hood after the heat race, can Joe Blow walk by and scan it?

More info to come over the next two days.

[KMS2683]

Isnt this same thing racecievers can do? I know that race racecievers were primarily for lineups, but at our local tracks they have a scoring person act as spotter and communicate on the radio immediately when there is a yellow and also say where on track. Works great.

The other thing is with this system I see alot of battery issues. Most midgets already fight that, this makes it worse.

[RynoK1999]

Originally Posted by KMS2683 Isnt this same thing racecievers can do? I know that race racecievers were primarily for lineups, but at our local tracks they have a scoring person act as spotter and communicate on the radio immediately when there is a yellow and also say where on track. Works great. The other thing is with this system I see alot of battery issues. Most midgets already fight that, this makes it worse.

Only problem with RaceCeivers is that I guarantee you someone doesn't have theirs on, plugged in right, on the wrong channel or something of that sort, and you see them flying down the frontstretch and crashing into slower cars because they didn't have their radio on....

But hey, it's the tracks fault right?

[Dragginbutt]

Double edged sword. Yeah they are going to be distracting. Perhaps just one instead of three. I assume they will change colors in line with the track lights. If you have several cars in front of you, and everyone goes yellow, I am certain a single light on the cage of all teh cars is going to get noticed. Also, drivers don't have to take their hands off the wheel to signal to those behind them. With that said, this adds costs. And for those guys that are struggling to buy a new RR tire, it is going to have an impact. Midget racing was, is, should be a place to learn their craft. It should be the series that attracts the low budget teams and new drivers. The high rollers need to move on up to make room for more low budget teams. this is one of the things that is wrong with Midgets today.

[jjones752]

To paraphrase the great philosopher, Thumper: "If you can't say anything nice, post it on IOW."
It's ugly: they can fix that
It's expensive: already covered (USAC-owned)
Put more lights around the track: as a traveling series I understand USAC's approach of having a system readily available. and where do you put more lights at tracks with no walls around the back stretch?
It'll drain the battery: not if it's only activated for yellows and reds.
It's distracting: not if it's only activated for yellows and reds.

It could save one driver's life: oh, yeah....

[Charles Nungester]

Why not put em on some extra fence post and use em that way as extra track lights? And on the corner marker tires.

[Rpracing1]

If they save one life, wouldn't it be worth the problems?

Hopefully they work better than their infield big screen tv!

[Mattmac05]

To answer the raceciever comment, they are only as good as the people using them. Tracks require drivers to buy them and then they say maybe 3 words on it all night. They never say 1 till green (usually not important, but sometimes the flag men doesn't give the signal in time), rarely if ever say where a wreck is or that there even is a caution. And then the other problem is drivers not having them on, having it on the wrong channel, battery dieing, flying off the car, or headphones that short out under seatbelts

[dirtnonwingfan]

Remember the fury which accompanied the introduction of roll cages (OK, OK, I am old, but surely some of you remember)? That seems to have turned out OK. I know it is winter and there isn't any racing going on right now, but perhaps we can adopt a wait and see attitude. From the initial reactions, I can see merit in this idea and also some merit in some of the issues which have been raised. Just hope that USAC will fully consider this from all sides, but I certainly support changes which make the sport safer. I know too many drivers to not support that.