Another DRIVE Exclusive - twitter Race Coverage!

[dwasser]

DRIVE Off-Road Racing announces another exclusive and innovative contribution to the Off-Road and Desert Racing Community.

DRIVE Off-Road Racing and Off Road Warehouse will be feeding live race timing data, direct from their Timing Computer, to competitors and fans through twitter.

To receive live timing data visit http://twitter.com/DRIVE_ORW_GP where you can view Starting and Lap times, complete with average speeds, or sign up to receive the data as "tweets"; text messages on your phone.

Although the data comes direct from the Timing Computer, all timing data is UNOFFICIAL until Official Results are announced after the race.

Wireless Internet connections can be less than perfect, especially in remote locations, so that Data Transfer can not be guaranteed.

Competitors will now be able to receive starting and lap time for all competitors in their pits; and monitor the progress of theirs and their competitors’ vehicles.

Spectators and fans at home will be able to monitor the race results from their computers or cell phones.

 

[Ramsey_ElWardani]

Wow! That is going to be really awesome.

I will be able to keep track of the competition and know who is doing what; how big a lead I have. I guess I will have to sign up for Unlimited Text Messaging on my Phone and then glue it to my dash - unless I can find someone to be in the Pits for me with a computer or their phone.

Lap Races can get confusing, trying to figure out who is leading. It always looks like the lead car is winning, when someone from a rear start could be ahead on time - now we will know without having to wait for results.

Doug, great job! This is big.

DRIVE is killing it big time.

 

[baja_racer]

WOW.....the next thing you will want is a "live" DRIVE Main feed!!!! Move over Weatherman....

 

[jo maoma]

follower number 3 right here, can't wait....

 

[BBM2ndhalf]

Wow Doug this is awesome!!! Good thing we have some twitters in camp they can show me the feed!!!

 

[deano]

that's so tweet

 

[talkjk]

Wow thats great! Whats twitter?

 

[baja619]

DRIVE - Moving up fast and showing these other promoters what a computer is used for!

 

[jo maoma]

Wow thats great! Whats twitter?

well as a buddy of mine says "twitter was invented to
make rollerblading in jean shorts seem less gay".....










...of course he say it via his myspace page so.

 

[AZ1000]

Wow Doug this is awesome!!! Good thing we have some twitters in camp they can show me the feed!!!

You bet we'll be hooking you up, this'll be alot better then our sundial

well as a buddy of mine says "twitter was invented to
make rollerblading in jean shorts seem less gay".....

 

[dwasser]

I'm looking forward to this. I think it is a great way for people that can't go to the race to be part of the action and follow their favorite racers.

There are some other technological advances with the timing software that will be coming out hopefully by next season that will bring everything to an ever higher level.

Thanks wizard of OZ

Please remember that this is a first and all official times will be handled in PC the day of the race. Just for piece of mind....we use redundant computers and multiple back up systems for timing the day of the race.

 

[Brian & Amy]

DRIVE is awesome.

Just wanted to throw that in

Alright, I'm off to get my packing done before tomorrow morning!

See everyone in the desert



-Brian & Amy

 

[Fidel]

I'm looking forward to this. I think it is a great way for people that can't go to the race to be part of the action and follow their favorite racers.

There are some other technological advances with the timing software that will be coming out hopefully by next season that will bring everything to an ever higher level.

Thanks wizard of OZ

Please remember that this is a first and all official times will be handled in PC the day of the race. Just for piece of mind....we use redundant computers and multiple back up systems for timing the day of the race.

Outstanding. Glad to see such an effort. Read my response upon my more-detailed response upon my OFFROAD MEDIA / MARKETING Blog. I saved the page from a few divulging snipes at other less-credible race promoters but managed to offer some advice and promo.
http://tr.im/yUzA

 

[talkjk]

Ok, I signed up for an acount on twitter.

Now what

 

[jo maoma]

Ok, I signed up for an acount on twitter.

Now what

sign into your account, then go to

http://twitter.com/DRIVE_ORW_GP

and hit the follow button....

 

[Ramsey_ElWardani]

that's so tweet

The "tweet" thing is that you won't have to write down times in your pit to try and figure out just how far behind your team is. The data will be there for you.

Ok, I signed up for an acount on twitter.

Now what

Once the race starts, you will be able to see the time each car started; the time each car completes each lap and the time it took as well as the average speed for the lap. You willl also get the total elapsed time on the course and the average MPH for the race. You'll be able to know how many minutes and seconds your car was leading by or how much time you need to make up after each lap. The leader will have the fastest average MPH. Pretty useful information for a race team and spectators alike.

sign into your account, then go to

http://twitter.com/DRIVE_ORW_GP

and hit the follow button....

That is what I did. Right now there are three messages. The last says that there will be sample time data tomorrow so we will know how it looks.

I set up m account to send the messages to my cel phone as text messages which I will get during the race to know how I am doing.

I've never looked at Twitter before, not something I would be interested in until now - this will be a great tool for the race team!

 

[AZ1000]

That is what I did. Right now there are three messages. The last says that there will be sample time data tomorrow so we will know how it looks.

I set up m account to send the messages to my cel phone as text messages which I will get during the race to know how I am doing.

I've never looked at Twitter before, not something I would be interested in until now - this will be a great tool for the race team!

We'll be using a laptop and running an RSS Feed so that we can keep a running list up of all of the tweets. It should make it easier for the crews that's for sure.

 

[REEVESRacing]

Great idea for the racers, and also for team members / fans who can't make the race, if we don't make it out to support we will be checking it out.

What type of software software do you use to track the cars / race? Are the tweets going to be automated or manual?

 

[AZ1000]

Great idea for the racers, and also for team members / fans who can't make the race, if we don't make it out to support we will be checking it out.

What type of software software do you use to track the cars / race? Are the tweets going to be automated or manual?

Looking at the test data, it looks automated via one of DRIVE's timing computers.
It gives the # of the tweet, the car number, driver name, and a time stamp when they leave the start line, then each lap afterwards it timestamps when you hit start/finish, lap, lap time, avg speed for the lap, total time since the start and total average speed.

It should be reall easy to track where your car is at.

 

[REEVESRacing]

Looking at the test data, it looks automated via one of DRIVE's timing computers.
It gives the # of the tweet, the car number, driver name, and a time stamp when they leave the start line, then each lap afterwards it timestamps when you hit start/finish, lap, lap time, avg speed for the lap, total time since the start and total average speed.

It should be reall easy to track where your car is at.

That's pretty snazzy!

Wonder what software they use on their timing computers, something from Dakar or Score or WRC?