Transponders

jdearing

jdearing

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Staff member
So tracks around have bought transponders and let drivers at their tracks use them at no cost.

Many tracks in the south make you buy your own transponder or rent one from the track each night.

Here is what Boone Speedway is doing..

There are two options available.

1) Rechargable for $250. These will have a yearly activation fee but
it is included until the year 2020 and with that comes a warranty on
the transponder every year with the activation.

2) Direct Wire for $325. This will not require a yearly activation
and you won’t have to worry about charging it every week.
 
Many people traveled to Calvert City and was hit with a rental fee for the use of transponders and didnt make the trip back.... Wonder if they will start putting booths up by the restrooms so fans have to pay before they use them at the race tracks !!!!
 
It didn't work at mmsp, but neither did the transponders.

Kentucky lake charged $50 for drivers to get into pits then slapped a rental fee (i believe $20) for transponders. That's every week pricing too.
 
kinda funny how everyone wants the racers money first was racecievers then it was ump lic now the possibility of charging for transponders were does it end cant get butts in the stands now and you think this is going to make guys rush in the back gate
 
Beware of the "hidden fees". If transponders are required to race, why wouldn't that cost be borne in the entry fee? Also, do promoters think that racers are too stupid to see the long term labor savings (to the promoter) for having said technology? That's kind of like charging extra at the self service gas pump, over the full service pump.
 
Truthfully, there is no labor savings.. Transponders can still mess up and therefore tracks must still keep a hand scorer as well.
 
Then it seems that the technology is defective and therefore should be abandoned.

I'd never have a hammer in my toolbox that only drove half the nails it was designed to do. And to make the racers pay for such is tantamount to passing the buck.
 
theplummer said:
Then it seems that the technology is defective and therefore should be abandoned.

I'd never have a hammer in my toolbox that only drove half the nails it was designed to do. And to make the racers pay for such is tantamount to passing the buck.
Click to expand...
Just a ridiculous statement. There are too many variables. Batteries go dead in transponders, transponder may go haywire during the race. Sometimes the computer doing the scoring could have any issue (after all, it is run on Windows). 95% of the time, things are great with them. You just have those occasional hiccups that tracks have to account for with a manual scorer.
 
If you read the message, this was just showing what some tracks around the country do. All tracks in the immediately St. Louis area don't charge for transponders unless you lose it or tear it up.
 
I don't want to fight about this, it's just another example of how the actual people who spend lots of time and money to provide the show that the promoters get to profit from, and don't get me wrong, I realize the running of a successful track is expensive and hard work.

To just keep heaping it on the racers is like the owner of the theater charging the actors to act.
 
Are all transponders universal? If tracks were to start charging rent, could a person buy one outright and use it at all the tracks and series that require them?
 
There are 2 different transponder companies that most dirt tracks use. But I believe they can read each others transponders.
 
The transponder system at boone will only read those types of transponders. It is a very good system. I believe that ALL tracks should have them. Racing is close all over the place now with better competition and crate motors coming in. It is only getting tougher. But with that said. Most racers at Boone are ready for this. They were being charged weekly for the use of them and then charged more for the bigger races there. This will be cheaper for them to buy it outright. I would buy one, if it came down to a judgement call by a few crooked scorers. Clause-(Not that I am saying there is any around here)
 
Jimmy is correct....there are too many variables as to why there can be a problem with a transponder so you always need manual scoring as a back up.
 
I work with the gokarts at pevely and alot of them carry there own transponders that work at different tracks that they go to. Yes you are correct Jimmy every once in a great while you will have a malfunction but they have made our job easier in our scoring tower and I have been told that each little yellow transponder can run about three hundred a piece. Correct me on tha if I am wrong. charging a rental fee is not out of the realm on that JMO. If the racer does not want to pay rental, just go buy one. I will say that with the transponders there are less arguements about who finished where on the track. They are a great addition and would be good for all classes. JMO. I do realize the cost of racing and sympathise a little for the racer but they will assure you of your finish. thank you Paul Aubuchon
 
I am really surprised it took them this long rc cars has had transponders for years since alteast the the late 80s
 
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