Good News, Bad News
 

A mixed bag of good and bad news is that the FastNews Network will be doing full coverage from the Division 4 race at Baytown this weekend, but we will be doing so in memory of Tracy Dennis. He will be missed.

The all-bad news is that we will only be doing end-of-day reporting for the Division 2 race at Valdosta this weekend.

We are still looking for sponsors so we can bring you full coverage of all remaining LODRS events. We have had some success, but the number of holes still outnumbers the sponsored events.

Once the agreements are in place, we will let you know where things stand - what's covered and what's not (now I'm starting to sound like an insurance salesman).

Re: Good News, Bad News
 

Larry,

How involved is the reporting? Does the local track personnel help with the setup?
I am wondering if instead of paying travel expenses for the live reporters, could you hire racer's spouses or kids to do it. I would be willing to bet that there are enough racers that travel with family at each race in a given division that you could find someone willing to do it at each race or at least several races.

Just a thought.

Re: Good News, Bad News
 

Short answer - it takes several races for a new reporter to work together with an experienced reporter and become familiar enough with the reporting software and the sometimes recalcitrant interface with the timing system to "solo."

Most of the guys (and occasionally gals) who do this for us have been doing online drag racing reports since the CompuServe and AOL days in the mid-eighties.

The reporting software has evolved to take advantage of the data feed provided by the CompuLink timing system, but it takes experience to know what can go wrong, how to fix it and, if necessary, how to do the job by manually keying in all of the race data from the printed reports produced by the timing system.

It's time-consuming, detail-oriented work that requires full-time attention. It doesn't fit in very well with a typical racing family's daily schedule at the track. Their focus is usually on the race car and their daily routine depends on when that car is scheduled to be on the track. Our focus is on getting the results posted as soon as possible, but not until they have been proofread to make sure they match the official results.

Re: Good News, Bad News
 

Larry S,
C'mon man, you are good at what you do but you're failing at business at 101 here !

I can tell you now that if you solicited funds from the thousands of viewers to DRC you wouldn't even need Summit's BS help. (membership, the best business plan ever)

Racers and friends and fans all over the world really like your service, get a little bit from everyone is how you'll make it !

Kenny M (admin), jump in anytime here ??? Buy me a beer next time ya see me, he he.

Re: Good News, Bad News
 

Larry,

I don't know what type of costs are involved and, obviously, I don't speak for everyone, but I'd be more than willing to pay some sort of annual subscription fee to be able to have coverage at all the LODRS races.

Maybe one plan for the service that we've all gotten used to (read: spoiled by...) and an extra fee for incremental times?

My $.02

Re: Good News, Bad News
 

I would buy a membership too. I miss the reports.
Chip Johnson

Re: Good News, Bad News
 

I know several just around me that would have no problem with buying a membership. Why hasn't anyone came up with a app??

Re: Good News, Bad News
 

Years ago one of the early services of this type put out a request that one of their reporters needed a laptop....I sent in $100 as it was well worth it to me for value received

In thinking over the comments about a membership support of your costs, I mulled over what ceiling I would be comfortable with....$500 made me wince a little, but in order to throw a figure "out there", for entertainment values alone I am in the $200/yr range

Now what number of subscribers needed at what fee is for someone else to figure

I'm in at $200/yr if you want a start

Re: Good News, Bad News
 

Count me in on a membership. I think you will find more than enough support to keep this thing going.

Re: Good News, Bad News
 

On race weekends I'm checking DRC more than Facebook!