Good News, Bad News

[Larry Sullivan]

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).

[RacingRicki]

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.

[Larry Sullivan]

Originally Posted by RacingRicki

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.

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.

[Bernie Cunningham]

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.

[Jared Jordan]

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

[THE LEGEND]

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

[jmcarter]

Originally Posted by Jared Jordan

Larry,

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

I really like Jared's idea...incrementals a big bonus and willing to pay extra.

[RacingRicki]

Originally Posted by Larry Sullivan

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.

I was afraid of that answer. I still think its sad that in this information age, the data coming from Compulink is so unreliable and problematic. I remember talking to the guy from iCard several years ago and him telling me all the troubles of interpreting the data feed, etc. so I understand what you mean.

[Larry Sullivan]

Originally Posted by RacingRicki

I was afraid of that answer. I still think its sad that in this information age, the data coming from Compulink is so unreliable and problematic. I remember talking to the guy from iCard several years ago and him telling me all the troubles of interpreting the data feed, etc. so I understand what you mean.

It's not unreliable or problematic at most tracks, but all tracks are not equal and not all are running CompuLink systems. Timing system maintenance is critical, especially the old non-fibre-optics systems which act like lightning rods. CompuLink is also the only drag race timing system that has a dedicated data feed.

[Larry Sullivan]

Originally Posted by Larry Sullivan

It's not unreliable or problematic at most tracks, but all tracks are not equal and not all are running CompuLink systems. Timing system maintenance is critical, especially the old non-fibre-optics systems which act like lightning rods. CompuLink is also the only drag race timing system that has a dedicated data feed.

Inadvertent double-post.