Spotter (in-car flagging) powered by the RacerCaster platform at the 12th Annual NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill
By Jason Rayne
December 11, 2014
Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows CA – This year at Thunderhill Raceway marked the first time in motorsports history (that we know of) that all cars taking the grid had a smartphone – Andriod or iPhone – mounted in the car. The National Auto Sport Association (www.nasaproracing.com) made it a mandatory requirement for all drivers and teams participating in the 2014 25 Hours of Thunderhill to run the Spotter mobile application (r.73) made by RacerCaster, which enabled drivers and teams to receive instant track flag conditions and announcements from race control.
“This app is a lifesaver. It is simple and alerts me of hazardous conditions throughout the entire track. It is a priceless tool to have.” – Kevin Pinkhurst, Driver
“As the motorsports technology engineer for NASA, we are excited to be the first to introduce this apps to the masses. Safety is our #1 concern for all participants. This application brings safety features exclusive to the high-end professional level to everyone. This app improves the driver’s awareness and ability to prevent on course accidents. This app is a game changer.” – Tommy Lo, Motorsports Tech Engineer, NASA
“This last spring in 2014 I was fortunate to be a “Beta” tester for the smartphone flagging and messaging application named “Spotter”. Using a suction cup mount designed for smart phones, a test phone was mounted on the inside of my windshield in the visor area so with a quick upward glance I could see the full screen of the phone. This system really works well. The graphics representing the race flags are clear and easily understood. Going out on track, a two panel green bar with signals green flag conditions is easily seen on-screen. When a change in flags occurs the screen flashes and the warning flag is displayed. For example, a full course yellow has two yellow panels filled. A local yellow has one green panel and one yellow panel with the incident turn #(s) displayed within the panel. All the racing flag types can be displayed. I especially like how local yellows are displayed with the specific turn indicated, giving the driver plenty of warning before the incident thus increasing safety for racers and on-track course workers. I expect this free smartphone application to become a mandatory addition for race cars as it can only serve to enhance the safety of all participants. This app will be a lifesaver for night racing at the 25 hours of Thunderhill.” – Scott Neville, NORCAL SE30 Group Lead
“App is super easy to use, visibility is good, and the information is not overwhelming. The schedule notification is great so I don’t miss my driver meetings!” – Jack Hosee, Driver
With 15 turns, and some cars completing more than 800 laps, the NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill is an endurance race that tests the mettle of even the most experienced racing teams. The drivers are pushed to their limit both physically and mentally out on the track, and the teams band together to overcome any obstacle they may face back in the paddock.
“This is a pinnacle moment in motorsports history, with NASA’s adoption of the RacerCaster platform and the success of Spotter in this harsh proving ground, the dawn of motorsports tech has finally arrived. Its been a long hard path to get here, but I’m happy that we are the instigators of what we believe will be a landslide of new mobile and tech products into the space.” – Bluegrass Biggs, Founder and CEO, RacerCaster LLC
Spotter powered by the RacerCaster platform did an outstanding job of keeping drivers and teams fed with real time flagging updates and track announcements. The Spotter team will be making use of the race data along with driver & team feedback in order to prioritize most wanted new features.
Expect to see more advanced features, including a transponder free timing and scoring solution over the coming months as we continue to disrupt motorsports. We have a lot in store for the motorsports community and you won’t want to miss out!
About RacerCaster & Spotter
RacerCaster LLC produces a tech platform that provides many features including track flag conditions to the driver in real time and real time racer positioning. Using proprietary patented technology, RacerCaster yields both extreme precision, and low latency, easily outperforming other GPS based tracking systems. The RacerCaster platform can also integrate with other platforms via our flexible API.
Spotter is a mobile application and web client running off of the RacerCaster platform that provides full itinerary, announcements, and real time updates for professional/amateur/club/track day events. Spotter is also used to provide an audience immediate updates and constant communication during any event. Spotter connects you and your audience, meaning deeper engagement, connection, and a much more loyal following.
To set up a trial or demo, please email: info@racercaster.com
Find out more about Spotter by visiting: http://www.racercaster.com
Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/racercaster