WoO Goes Hi-Tech/ Scott Dixon Fastest at Indy/ Gossage Defending Turf/ IROC Open Wheelers Prepare for Texas/ Too Much Fun
WoO Goes Hi-Tech
Batesville, Arkansas – It seems that over the years technology at dirt track races across America has not changed.
While the cars have evolved into safer, faster machines, little outside the car has changed.
We have seen TNN come and go delivering live broadcasts but other than audio over the internet at home,
there was little that has changed until now. This season DIRT Motorsports unveiled their Mobile Media Center for the World of Outlaws Sprint Series.
The Mobile Media Center offers workspace with high-speed internet connections for the media but it also offers several items for teams and fans alike.
Last Friday at the World of Outlaws Sprint Series race at Batesville Speedway, I stood outside the mobile media center during qualifying. I thought most drivers and team members would be watching their fellow competitors on the track but instead they were staring at one of the many timing and scoring screens, looking to see who had the quick time and what they needed to beat.
The timing and scoring screen is generated by the WoO AMB system and sent to monitors in and on the outside of the WoO Mobile Media Center.
But the media center is not the only place you can watch timing and scoring, WoO technicians have installed software on competitors laptops that allow them to view the live data in their own haulers.
The technicians also provide wireless internet in the pits for competitors to use.
The internet comes through this Ground Control Systems high-speed Magellan MSS Mobile Satellite Internet System in the Mobile Media Center. The internet system has the capacity to send live video to the DIRTVision.com™ subscriber’s homes. The series may soon offer live timing and scoring to subscribers as well.
DIRT Motorsports had the forethought to take grass roots to the next level, as far as I know, the Mobile Media Center is the only one in Motorsports today that offers wireless live timing and scoring as well wireless internet to series competitors. Former Pittsburgh Motorsports newspaper reporter, Chris Dolack, now DIRT MotorSports VP of Public Relations knows first hand what the media needed to be able to file their late night stories from the track and upload images to make deadline for the next day’s newspaper.
"The media center has been an incredible addition to the World of Outlaws," said Chris Dolack, DIRT MotorSports VP Public Relations. "For me, seeing how reporters and photographers have been able to use it to do their jobs has been the most satisfying because while most people might not believe it, covering a World of Outlaws event is hard work. For Brian Dunlap and Matt Thomas, the two people who really assembled
and wired everything inside it, I know they are very excited that the teams are able to use it for their benefit as far as being able to have the scoring on laptops in their haulers, an outlet for DIRTVision or just checking e-mail.”
The team of Dolack, Dunlap and Thomas believe that the work on their new creation is not finished. They plan to make new additions to the center as they receive feedback from the media, competitors and fans.
"We are continuing to work with several people to be able to offer even more to the teams and those fans in the pits who stop by to see what's going on. We seem to learn something new about the media center every race night. As we go from track to track, we will continue to learn about it and figure out how to get the most out of it. In the meantime, it has proven to be an excellent tool for the media, which is what it was intended to be."
World of Outlaws have come a long way since the organization was founded by Ted Johnson. This next step sets the organization apart as a leader in innovation. The next stop on the WoO trail for the Mobile Media Center is historic Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio this weekend.
Scott Dixon Fastest at Indy
Scott Dixon paced the IndyCar Series Open Test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Wednesday. Dixon set the fastest time of the day, 39.8209 seconds, 226.012 mph. Sam Hornish Jr. was second quick with a lap of 39.9369 seconds, 225.355 mph. Dixon’s teammate, reigning Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon, was third quickest with a lap of 40.0980, 224.450 mph. Danica Patrick turned a time good for fourth quick. Kosuke Matsuura was fifth quick. A total of 17 cars participated in the one-day test.
Gossage Defending Turf
Texas Motor Speedway Vice President and General Manager, Eddie Gossage was quoted in the Sunday March 26th edition of the Star-Telegram in a column by John Sturbin, saying that he thinks the IRL is the best racing out there but is cautious about what the Watkins Glen race and the potential San Antonio race will do to his attendance. Texas in previous years had the first race after Indy and two weeks to use drivers to promote the event. This year, they only have one week to utilize the drivers. Gossage says a race in San Antonio may “split the market in two and confuse fans.”
IROC Preps for Texas
Open Wheelers have traditionally fared well in IROC races at Texas Motor Speedway. Danny Lasoski won the 2004 event and Sebastien Bourdais won the 2005 race on the 1.5-mile quad-oval. Steve Kinser is hoping for better luck
after taking this nasty ride down
the backstretch at Daytona following contact.
The King will start 6th. The race is scheduled to get the green flag Friday night at 7pm eastern on SPEED. Here is the lineup with Open Wheelers in bold:
Starting Driver Car #/Color Representing
Mark Martin* 6 Purple NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series
Ryan Newman 12 Red NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series
Ted Musgrave 1 Lt. Blue NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Scott Sharp 08 Gold IRL IndyCar Series
Tony Stewart 20 Orange NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series
Steve Kinser 11 Green World of Outlaws Series
Max Angel 10 Drk. Blue Grand American Road Racing
Martin Truex Jr. 8 Black NASCAR Busch Series
Max Papis 16 Burgundy Grand American Road Racing
Frank Kimmel 46 Magenta ARCA RE/MAX Series
Sam Hornish 06 Day-Glo IRL IndyCar Series
Matt Kenseth* 17 Yellow NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series
Foyt Comes Home to Texas
A.J. Foyt IV will race in his home state of Texas this weekend as the Busch Series races with the Cup boys at Texas Motor Speedway. Foyt will drive the same No. 38 car that Kasey Kahne won with at the spring race at Texas last year. Foyt won the 2002 Indy Pro Series race at Texas, clinching the inaugural series championship.
Busch Series Entries for Texas
9 Kasey Kahne
10 John Andretti
11 Paul Menard
14 Tracy Hines
18 J.J. Yeley
32 Jason Leffler
38 AJ Foyt 4
39 Ryan Newman
42 Casey Mears
43 Aaron Fike
60 Carl Edwards
77 Burney Lamar
Cup Entries for Texas
7 Robby Gordon
9 Kasey Kahne
12 Ryan Newman
18 J.J. Yeley
20 Tony Stewart
21 Ken Schrader
22 Dave Blaney
24 Jeff Gordon
42 Casey Mears
99 Carl Edwards
Too Much Fun
Open Wheeler Burney Lamar and his spotter broke the ice a few weeks ago during a tense race at Bristol. The following is a transcript from the team’s communications, courtesy of the No. 77 Dollar General team PR staff:
Spotter Bob comes over the radio on Lap 26…
Spotter Bob: Ok Driver, tighten your belts. We have 26 laps complete and the snow storm is coming
Crew Chief Gene Nead: Thank you for the weather update, Doppler Bob
Spotter Bob: I can see it on the highway, its coming.
Gene Nead: I can tell you its cold.
Burney Lamar: Is it going to snow?
Nead is talking to Lamar about his restart…
Spotter Bob: Burney, you ever race a snowmobile?
Burney Lamar: That is a negative my friend.
Spotter Bob: Well, you are going to get to today.
Crew Chief Gene Nead: Bart (Crew member-Tire Specialist), where are my snow tires?
Images appearing in this blog courtesy of R.E. Technologies, SPEED, FOX and NASCAR Digital Entertainment.
Batesville, Arkansas – It seems that over the years technology at dirt track races across America has not changed.
While the cars have evolved into safer, faster machines, little outside the car has changed.
We have seen TNN come and go delivering live broadcasts but other than audio over the internet at home,
there was little that has changed until now. This season DIRT Motorsports unveiled their Mobile Media Center for the World of Outlaws Sprint Series.
The Mobile Media Center offers workspace with high-speed internet connections for the media but it also offers several items for teams and fans alike.
Last Friday at the World of Outlaws Sprint Series race at Batesville Speedway, I stood outside the mobile media center during qualifying. I thought most drivers and team members would be watching their fellow competitors on the track but instead they were staring at one of the many timing and scoring screens, looking to see who had the quick time and what they needed to beat.
The timing and scoring screen is generated by the WoO AMB system and sent to monitors in and on the outside of the WoO Mobile Media Center.
But the media center is not the only place you can watch timing and scoring, WoO technicians have installed software on competitors laptops that allow them to view the live data in their own haulers.
The technicians also provide wireless internet in the pits for competitors to use.
The internet comes through this Ground Control Systems high-speed Magellan MSS Mobile Satellite Internet System in the Mobile Media Center. The internet system has the capacity to send live video to the DIRTVision.com™ subscriber’s homes. The series may soon offer live timing and scoring to subscribers as well.
DIRT Motorsports had the forethought to take grass roots to the next level, as far as I know, the Mobile Media Center is the only one in Motorsports today that offers wireless live timing and scoring as well wireless internet to series competitors. Former Pittsburgh Motorsports newspaper reporter, Chris Dolack, now DIRT MotorSports VP of Public Relations knows first hand what the media needed to be able to file their late night stories from the track and upload images to make deadline for the next day’s newspaper.
"The media center has been an incredible addition to the World of Outlaws," said Chris Dolack, DIRT MotorSports VP Public Relations. "For me, seeing how reporters and photographers have been able to use it to do their jobs has been the most satisfying because while most people might not believe it, covering a World of Outlaws event is hard work. For Brian Dunlap and Matt Thomas, the two people who really assembled
and wired everything inside it, I know they are very excited that the teams are able to use it for their benefit as far as being able to have the scoring on laptops in their haulers, an outlet for DIRTVision or just checking e-mail.”
The team of Dolack, Dunlap and Thomas believe that the work on their new creation is not finished. They plan to make new additions to the center as they receive feedback from the media, competitors and fans.
"We are continuing to work with several people to be able to offer even more to the teams and those fans in the pits who stop by to see what's going on. We seem to learn something new about the media center every race night. As we go from track to track, we will continue to learn about it and figure out how to get the most out of it. In the meantime, it has proven to be an excellent tool for the media, which is what it was intended to be."
World of Outlaws have come a long way since the organization was founded by Ted Johnson. This next step sets the organization apart as a leader in innovation. The next stop on the WoO trail for the Mobile Media Center is historic Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio this weekend.
Scott Dixon Fastest at Indy
Scott Dixon paced the IndyCar Series Open Test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Wednesday. Dixon set the fastest time of the day, 39.8209 seconds, 226.012 mph. Sam Hornish Jr. was second quick with a lap of 39.9369 seconds, 225.355 mph. Dixon’s teammate, reigning Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon, was third quickest with a lap of 40.0980, 224.450 mph. Danica Patrick turned a time good for fourth quick. Kosuke Matsuura was fifth quick. A total of 17 cars participated in the one-day test.
Gossage Defending Turf
Texas Motor Speedway Vice President and General Manager, Eddie Gossage was quoted in the Sunday March 26th edition of the Star-Telegram in a column by John Sturbin, saying that he thinks the IRL is the best racing out there but is cautious about what the Watkins Glen race and the potential San Antonio race will do to his attendance. Texas in previous years had the first race after Indy and two weeks to use drivers to promote the event. This year, they only have one week to utilize the drivers. Gossage says a race in San Antonio may “split the market in two and confuse fans.”
IROC Preps for Texas
Open Wheelers have traditionally fared well in IROC races at Texas Motor Speedway. Danny Lasoski won the 2004 event and Sebastien Bourdais won the 2005 race on the 1.5-mile quad-oval. Steve Kinser is hoping for better luck
after taking this nasty ride down
the backstretch at Daytona following contact.
The King will start 6th. The race is scheduled to get the green flag Friday night at 7pm eastern on SPEED. Here is the lineup with Open Wheelers in bold:
Starting Driver Car #/Color Representing
Mark Martin* 6 Purple NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series
Ryan Newman 12 Red NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series
Ted Musgrave 1 Lt. Blue NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Scott Sharp 08 Gold IRL IndyCar Series
Tony Stewart 20 Orange NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series
Steve Kinser 11 Green World of Outlaws Series
Max Angel 10 Drk. Blue Grand American Road Racing
Martin Truex Jr. 8 Black NASCAR Busch Series
Max Papis 16 Burgundy Grand American Road Racing
Frank Kimmel 46 Magenta ARCA RE/MAX Series
Sam Hornish 06 Day-Glo IRL IndyCar Series
Matt Kenseth* 17 Yellow NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series
Foyt Comes Home to Texas
A.J. Foyt IV will race in his home state of Texas this weekend as the Busch Series races with the Cup boys at Texas Motor Speedway. Foyt will drive the same No. 38 car that Kasey Kahne won with at the spring race at Texas last year. Foyt won the 2002 Indy Pro Series race at Texas, clinching the inaugural series championship.
Busch Series Entries for Texas
9 Kasey Kahne
10 John Andretti
11 Paul Menard
14 Tracy Hines
18 J.J. Yeley
32 Jason Leffler
38 AJ Foyt 4
39 Ryan Newman
42 Casey Mears
43 Aaron Fike
60 Carl Edwards
77 Burney Lamar
Cup Entries for Texas
7 Robby Gordon
9 Kasey Kahne
12 Ryan Newman
18 J.J. Yeley
20 Tony Stewart
21 Ken Schrader
22 Dave Blaney
24 Jeff Gordon
42 Casey Mears
99 Carl Edwards
Too Much Fun
Open Wheeler Burney Lamar and his spotter broke the ice a few weeks ago during a tense race at Bristol. The following is a transcript from the team’s communications, courtesy of the No. 77 Dollar General team PR staff:
Spotter Bob comes over the radio on Lap 26…
Spotter Bob: Ok Driver, tighten your belts. We have 26 laps complete and the snow storm is coming
Crew Chief Gene Nead: Thank you for the weather update, Doppler Bob
Spotter Bob: I can see it on the highway, its coming.
Gene Nead: I can tell you its cold.
Burney Lamar: Is it going to snow?
Nead is talking to Lamar about his restart…
Spotter Bob: Burney, you ever race a snowmobile?
Burney Lamar: That is a negative my friend.
Spotter Bob: Well, you are going to get to today.
Crew Chief Gene Nead: Bart (Crew member-Tire Specialist), where are my snow tires?
Images appearing in this blog courtesy of R.E. Technologies, SPEED, FOX and NASCAR Digital Entertainment.
posted by Blake Johnson at 11:59 AM
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