What the heck is a IRC tracking device and why is my stock class rig REQUIRED to have one? exactly?
We know this 29 days before we leave?:mad3:
It may not seem like a lot to you but you might not be dragging your junk clear across the country. That's a lot of diesel fuel.
D
IRC tracking makes sure that nobody shortcuts the course. It's pretty much standard for all open terrain races. And yeah, it sucks to pay $550 for a rental just to keep the honest people honest.
Is it a $550 deposit that you get back at the end or is it a fee you don't get back? Either way $550 is a bit outrageous. There's alot cheaper tracking devices out there.
Look at it this way. With everyone having to stay honest there's no way they can beat the FBK! Basically this seals the win for Team Robby Bobby! FBK FTW!!!!!!!!!!
this is why I was asking several stupid questions in a couple of other threads. I am glad that I did not try and get ready and enter this. I would have killed my self trying to pay for everything. Maybe someday I will be able to race with the bigboys. But not today!
Welcome to desert racing! Usually they are $675. Gotta pay to play, it does more than just track whether you short course, it also alerts them if you run out of talent and wad you car up. Then they can send help if needed. It actually is an important safety device as well.
It is only 175$ to lease the tracker for the race, I'm guessing you are adding the bracket in as well that they charge 375$ for but it can be found used for alot less and then you can re sell it or re use it.
Well I was thinking, heck its just $175, not so bad. We will just duct tape the darn thing to the jeep and chalk it uf as a loss, till I read this.......
And I quote..
* IRC does not offer insurance on the IriTrack. If you destroy the IriTrack you will be responsible for the full cost of
the unit. The unit replacement cost is $ 2,450.00 USD. If the IriTrack is damaged but not destroyed, IRC will bill the
client for the repairs. Please be responsible with your IriTrack.
Have any of y'all MET Roger King? Did you happen to see last years TTC? This man can break ANYTHING, violenty.:evil:
Has anyone priced a clapped out CJ7 with a rollcage and tons?
With the addition of the IriTrack device we have DOUBLED the value of our race truck!:grinpimp:
D
I thought last year we rented the mount for the race. Hell I can't remember. One more thing to budget for. Where's the best place to look for the mount used?
Thats because we didn't have tracker last year:laughing: I would put a WTB post on http://www.race-dezert.com/classifieds/ I think they usually go for 150-200$. We have to have the tracker at all the Ultra 4 races this year so it is worth it to buy it.
OK it was 10 that we didnt have the tracker. I defiantely remember having one last year. It was optional but worth it for the safety factor. For peace of mind for my wife sitting 2600 miles away she wants some sliver of hope that a) someone will come look for me if I crash and b) at least they will look in the right area.
Not sure what all is necessary with the other options, such as $150+ for antenna and harness, or whether a slide-style bracket is needed? I knew we would have to pay for tracking devices, but did not expect it to cost as much. Oh well, what's another few hundred bucks?:homer:
edit: anybody have the picture of the home-made tracker that Mustard Dog made a few years back? Maybe we can purchase something like that to save a few bucks...
Like others have said you can find the brackets used online. You'll also need the harness which includes the two antennas and power supply. And like Loren said you can sell them off when your done. IIRC from looking at the IRC website, they track a bunch of different styles of racing so there may be a larger market out there for used stuff than just the offroad or desert racing world.
Aside from everything listed, Hammererking is a "MARKETING" company. For every person at KOH on the lakebed, you have 10x's that watching online on race day. Ever wonder why its on a Friday and not on Saturday? So they catch all of the captive audience of people that are sitting at their desks at work on Friday. With good tracking the "WORLD" is better able to follow and stay in tune with the race online.
So for all of you South Carolina guys complaining. It'll be nice that you can give all of your locals, friends, family a weblink and they can follow you racing big time in Kalifornia from the comfort of their own trailer park.
I am with you and I see the need. With the opening of the new classes Dave is getting what he wants, which is a new crop of racers AND an expanded audience. I fall into this group. Speaking as a first timer who is new to this, the class was attractive because of the lower entry fee, etc. I don't think any of us thought it would be cheap, but we went into it with pretty tight budgets... It's an entry level race. We were told that we would need the tracking and that it would be around $200 and could rent one. This close to the race and at the end (and beyond) most of our budgets (being new guys the nickel and dime $200 here and $200 there that keeps popping up also keeps ADDING up), so it's still a learning experience. A "surprise" expense that is as much as the actual entry fee is just new and unplanned for, hence the energy. It'll all work out, but being new (just like building a house for the first time), many if us did not add 30% to our budget. Part of being a first timer racing on our own money. I know so much more for next time now... by the way, anyone want to buy my stretch fuel cell? LOL. I need to sell some more stuff!!!
The best part about the IRC trackers is they seem to only work about 75% of the time. Then if you are lucky enough that the tracker in your car is working there is a good chance the IRC website will be down. That way the people at home can't watch your progress.
They are part of racing and if you plan on a BITD race you'll need one as well. They are also handy to have some one that isn't at the race watch and relay to your chase crew. Often times when I'm pitting for Baja Pits I'll give some one that's sitting by a computer the list of cars and have them call us when the car is 5 miles or so out so we can get ready for the car to come in (fuel cans in the crew's hands, that car's spare right next to the bay they will come in to, inform any chase crew for that car where the car is at, ect.).
agreed the tracker can be very helpfull. if you loose radio contact (EASY TO DO) it can be all you have to know if your guys are ok. As a support crew, as long as the tracker is showing your car is moving out there you got nothing to worry about. if the tracker shown no movement you know its time to call the officials. and you get to see where everyone else too. But at the hammers...with no cell coverage or internet access its kinda useless
We had issues with ours in the FJ at V2R this year. The wiring harness that came with it was crap and barely adequate to cover the power that thing needs.
We were delayed getting off the starting line because it stopped working after it had worked the night before. :shaking:
Then it worked sporadically throughout the race and when we needed to use it to call for support it worked, but the guy who was supposed to be "monitoring" it took forever to answer our call, and didn't seem to happy to be woken up at 2am by us.
I think it is great that they have these for cars, but I think a better system or infrastructure is needed behind it.
From the KOH volunteer perspective last year: It took hours to clear the course and account for everyone. Having trackers would have made this much simpler and safer.
From the spectator perspective: If you can't make it to the race you can "watch" on the computer at home, or from your MWR computer in remote locations.
From the first time hopeful racer perspective: My crew can track me on an iPad or smart phone (verizon gets a signal in most of Johnson Valley) and my wife can follow from home.
I'm glad that trackers are available and are being required. I think Ultra 4 took a big step forward by requiring them. My .02.
Like Barrel Roll said, they are part of all major desert racing series. They also have a G meter in the unit....say you take a real hard hit or a serious roll (6 g's+) and your knocked out, suddenly a strange voice is asking " HEY, ARE YOU ALLRIGHT?"....you are just waking up and think "GOD...IS THAT YOU GOD?"....nope, that is IRC watching your back. Don't ask how I know this first hand.
Funny you post this. I didn't know they did this, but always ran one with SCORE in Baja. We set ours off when we nosed into a large whoop so hard it broke the MORE "Bombproof" XJ motor mounts and put our fan into the radiator. Stopped to pull the radiator and crimp it off and heard a voice asking if we were OK. Co-driver looked at me and said WTF, do you hear that? Keep in mind, we are in the middle of the Baja desert. Once we figured out it was the IRC, felt kinda stupid, but also felt better about the money spent on it. We set off the G meter and then they noticed we stopped moving for a while which was a red flag for the IRC guys. They actually monitor this stuff, it's not just a tracker you are renting. There is more to the service than that which you are getting for your money.
We always liked them for both the safety factor without even knowing half of what they provided(People being able to track our location), but the marketing factor as well. Use it as a tool with regards to car sponsors. They can add a link to the IRC site on their website with a press release etc. Assuming the IRC site is working that day- its a pretty cool deal. Just my $.02
The costs really add up when it comes to racing. I assume $5K in expenses for a shorter/stateside BITD race and $15-20K for a Baja race in a Jeepspeed and that is doing it all on the cheap. If you don't have at least $5K planned in entry fees, race prep, logistics, fuel, etc. for KOH, I think you are kidding yourself. Coming all the way across the country obviously adds to this cost. Again, just my $.02
worked for us at koh last year... we were changing a flat at the bottom of jack(i think) taking entirely too long:shaking: and got the voice over the majik box asking if we were ok, peace of mind is good:smokin:
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