Timing Systems
In 2003 our club evaluated timing
systems to use for its driving events. The system needed
to handle multiple cars on track at once, and handle multiple
consecutive
laps. Following is an incomplete list of we considered. Not all of these systems necessarily met our
requirements
of multi-car and multi-lap. Based on cost, least amount of
equipment,
and the fact that the data would already be stored on a laptop, we
selected
the Accutt software system from GP Software. The decision process is
documented in this Microsoft Word document.
Note
that the information on systems below is a few years old now.
Prices are almost certainly out of date, and some models are probably
no longer available or replaced with newer models.
Hardware-Based, Beam-Crossing Systems
| Company | Quote | Notes | ||
| 1 | TAG Heuer www.tagheuer-timing.com |
"The TAG Heuer brand has long been closely associated with the world of competitive sports, providing official timing services for the Olympic Games, FIS Ski World Cup, FIA Formula 1 World Championship and other major international sporting events - automobile racing, ski competitions - since the early 1900's" |
Beams are not included. The printers use thermal paper, which might be a problem in Arizona.Various suppliers sell TAG Heuer equipment. |
|
| Reliable Racing Supply, CP 520 timer/printer | $995 | |||
| PTB605 | timer -- $895 printer -- $695 |
|||
| Display Boards 6-Digit (6" digits) 6-Digit (10" digits) 9-Digit (6" digits) |
$1995 $2895 $2995 |
|||
| TAG-705, Demo timer with built-in printer from Phoenix Sports | $1850 | |||
| 2 | JACircuits www.jacircuits.com |
"JACircuits builds timing equipment specifically for autocross applications (gymkhana or Solo II). JACircuits produces high quality autocross timing systems purposely designed and constructed to be extremely reliable, easy to use and set up, and take advantage of the First In - First Out nature of autocross." | JACircuits is used by the Tucson SCCA. | |
| Minimal Basic Basic Plus Deluxe |
$1650 $1895 $2185 $4695 |
|||
| 6"
single-sided display 6" double-sided display |
$1725 $2565 |
|||
| 3 | Race America www.raceamerica.com |
"Autocross, SCCA ProSolo, Lap Timers." | ||
| Timer
AC4 (includes IR beams) Interleaved Multi-lap Lap Timer Continuous lap Lap Timer |
$1308 $1125 $795 |
|||
| Dot
Matrix Printer Thermal Printer |
$450 $695 |
|||
| 6
digit,
5" display 6 digit, 8" display |
$875 $1435 |
|||
| 4 |
AXWare Systems www.axwaresystems.com |
AXWRATS For Windows (AXWare-RaceAmerica
Timing System), is the latest package offered by AXWare Systems
that comes with a high quality OEM timer built for AXWare Systems by
'RACEAMERICA Timing Systems' |
$995 |
|
| 5 | Chronomix www.chronomix.com |
"The Chronomix CC737 and CT Series Timers produce printed results showing elapsed time to .001 second. Depending on the model and operating mode, they also show lap number, lap time, lane number, place and competitor number. Used for marathon results, car qualifying times and many other race requirements." | ||
| CT600
6 car
printing timer |
$1950 | |||
| Displays CC7354 Single Sided, 5 four" digits CC3156 Single Sided, 5 six" digits CC3256 Double Sided, 5 six" digits CC3159 Single Sided, 5 nine" digits CC3259 Double Sided, 5 nine" digits CC7364 Single Sided, 6 four" digits CC3166 Single Sided, 6 six" digits CC3266 Double Sided, 6 six" digits CC3169 Single Sided, 6 nine" digits CC3269 Double Sided, 6 nine" digits |
$945 $1,795 $2,425 $2,285 $3,290 $1,045 $1,895 $2,595 $2,450 $3,820 |
|||
| 6 | Alge www.alge-timing.com |
"Josef Alge GmBh, located in Lustenau, Austria, is one of the most venerable names in the sports timing industry, and the equipment they manufacture is second to none in the market. Phoenix Sports is privileged to be the sole US distributor for this prestigious brand." | ||
| Timy, with
printer Tdc4000, reconditioned timer S4 |
$1500 $1500 $1800 new, $1450 demo S4 Printer: $500 new, $300 demo |
|||
| 7 | Crest Auto Timers www.crestindustriesinc.com /autotimer.html |
"In general, the Auto Timer is a microprocessor based system that uses a start and stop sensor to measure the length of time from when the start sensor is tripped to when the stop sensor is tripped. The Auto Timer is unique because of how it handles these times along with the drivers identification through bar code entry, automatic printing, displaying and database entry." | ||
| Model 100 Model 101 Model 102 Model 110 Model 120 Model 120F |
$1995 $2095 $2595 $3395 $4695 $5995 |
|||
Software-Based Systems
| Company | Quote | Notes | ||
| 1 | Automotive Metrics |
"AutomotiveMETRICS - Our company charter is to employ state-of-the-art technology to create effective, easy-to-use, computer-based solutions to all of your motorsports timing and scoring needs." | This is the system our club uses now. It runs on a laptop. Az region also uses this system. | |
| Second
photocell for separate start and finish gates |
$200 |
|||
| 2 | GP Software www.autocrosstiming.com/ |
"Accucros is the easy to learn, easy to use timing and scoring system for Autocrossing and Hillclimbs. With Accucros, you put your personal computer to work automating registration, timing, and scoring. The mouse driven, point-and-click interface requires little training, yet has all the functionality needed to manage your events. Custom PC timer programming produces true 1/1000 timing accuracy, eliminating the need for stand-alone timing hardware." | Used by PCA Canada West Region,
Peach State Region, North Country Region, Nord Stern Region. The system runs under DOS on a laptop. To run both autocross style and time-trial style events, we need Accucross and Accutt. Together they cost $650. Compatible with Chronomix and RaceAmerica displays. |
|
| Accucros (Does not include gates) | $450 | |||
| Display version | $550 | |||
| Both time trial and autocross capabilites |
$650 |
|||
Transponders/Chips
| Company | Quote | Notes | ||
| 1 | dBcom www.digitaltiming.com/index.html |
"RaceTime Automated Timing and Scoring System. 400 Vehicle per race capable. One receiver does it all, no extra receivers to buy! No unreliable rechargeable batteries, transmitters are 9 volt or externally powered!" | Used by the Touring Car Club. | |
| RT1 RT2 RT3 |
$5495 $7995 $8995 |
|||
| Transmitters | $130 to $200 | |||
| 2 | AMB it www.amb-it.com |
"The world's leader in automatic timing and scoring systems for all types of racing." | Used in PCA club racing. | |
| TranX2 Timer | $5748 | |||
| Transponders | $260 - $295 | |||
| 3 | Dorian www.dorian.com.au |
"The DATA-1 Timing system is the only Autorace timing system in the world which not only measures crossing times to an accuracy greater than 1/1000th of a second, but also records the position of the car laterally across the track. The DATA-1 System is used by race tracks all over the world including Indianapolis, for the Indy 500, all CAMS races in Australia, Calder Park NASCAR events and the Motorcycle world championships at Shah Alam, Malaysia." | ||
| DATA-1 | Prices are not posted, but it looks out of our league. | |||
| 4 | ChampionChip www.championchip.com |
"There are no batteries in the ChampionChip. The transponder is inactive until moved into a magnetic field, generated by a send antenna in a mat. When the ChampionChip enters the magnetic field, the energizing coil produces an electric current to power the chip. The transponder then transmits its unique identification number to a receive antenna in a mat. The entire process takes approximately 60 milliseconds." | Driving over the mats might be a problem. | |
Photocells and other sensors: Banner Engineering
No Longer In Business?
Automotive Metrics
Checkard Flag Software
GEEZ Software
Manzanita Micro