Mike Delaney, Minnesota promoter extraordinaire, sent us this message earlier today through our news tipline. Make sure to check back later this week for a podcast that discusses the chip timing and some of our opinions on the matter. We also will discuss the past weekend of racing at Northfield, and Hamel. Also on tap for this coming weekend is the new Sprinters Classic Road Race, and the Hopkins Criterium.
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Dear Racers,
Tomorrow’s Summit/Hollywood Criterium race will mark the beginning of
AMB ChipX timing in
We will be chip timing all categories, and each racer will be provided
with a ProChip. The ProChip will be mounted on the outside of the front
fork. To give you a chance to experience the benefits of the system,
there will be no rental fee for the ProChip for this first race, but
please remember that you are responsible for returning the chip at the
end of the race.
Julia Radmann and Joe Phillips from AMB will be at the race tomorrow, so
please stop by the timing table to get some more insights into how chip
timing works and get all your questions answered!
Fastest Lap Prime:
AMB is giving away one free ProChip ($109 value) to the racer with the
fastest lap of the evening! This can be by any racer in any category
throughout the race. We’ll keep you posted on who is in the lead for the
fastest lap, but be aware.. this record could be set by a racer moving
up from the back of the pack, rather than the race leader.
ProChip Special:
The only way cycling races in
with your help! We will have ProChips available for rent at races, but
for any of you that race more than a few times per year, we ask you to
purchase your own ProChip. ChipX is quickly becoming the standard for
timing in cycling races in the
your ProChip at any race time with ChipX.
AMB is offering a terrific $99 special at tomorrow’s race. Any member of
the Minnesota Cycling Association will receive a $10 discount on the
$109 ProChip. In addition, for every 10 ProChips sold to racers, one
will be given away for free by random drawing. So buy your ProChip now,
and you may end up being one of the lucky winners to get it for free.
Good luck racing tomorrow!
Some benefits of the AMB ChipX system:
- Instant and accurate results for every racer, regardless of finish
time or place
- Live results during the race for officials, announcers, and fans
- Detailed race data, including lap times, lap charts, gaps, speed, etc.
- Free racer profile with all detailed results on www.mylaps.com
- Practice data instantly online at any velodrome or other track where
ChipX is installed permanently
Comments 11
Speaking of the Summit/Hollywood crit last night, does anyone know how a gal can get a shot of her finish? That was my best crit finish ever and I’d be so happy to have a pic of it… I’m sure it didn’t qualify for BTOW, but it was pretty cool to me. Please let me know if this is possible. Thanks! Kristy Kreme
Posted 09 Jul 2008 at 8:01 am ¶Free Chip Timing Rules!!
Posted 09 Jul 2008 at 11:10 am ¶What’s the alternative to buying a chip? Do you have to have one to participate? Is it in the USAC Rulebook? What if you are 10 mins off the back and come in solo, seems like it would be worthless to have one.
Posted 09 Jul 2008 at 1:55 pm ¶Chip timing is NOT the future.
Posted 09 Jul 2008 at 4:32 pm ¶I was just wondering why the “chip” results differ from the “official” results.
Chip timing has a rider in the ladies open in her own class, why?
Chip tining has a lapped rider in a very good placing in 1.2.3’s why?
AMB chipX Timing System claims “Accurate Timing & Scoring” but it looks to me that they are miss leading us.
The Officials seem to have it right and the chips don’t. If are sport and its competetors actually cared about splits and averages and so on, the chips seem cool, but in this sport I belive how you finish is what counts to most.
I personally like the old days of grabbing folks at the finish, give them a piece of paper, and have them right down the numbers, but I know its the future and I think the camer system works pretty darn good, as long as yer number is visible
Party On, H-WooD
Posted 09 Jul 2008 at 8:30 pm ¶I guess you had to call me out, since I called you out on your squeaky brakes. I’ve never complained about any results done without chips and I won’t complain about the results I’ve gained from my one time experience using the performance enhancing chips. 7th place sounds so much better than what the officials could have come up with. No more nutritional supplements for me I’m saving my money for the chips thats where the real performance gains come from.
Posted 09 Jul 2008 at 10:36 pm ¶I think the chip timing is great, but getting me to buy one at the second race I’ve been in this year out of a dozen or so is asking a bit much.
Also, it appears to be different than the one featured at Ken Woods, so do we have two (or more)competing standards in play?
Next, I didn’t see a full lap count available, only a best lap. This negates a significant portion of the value for individual users.
I’ll buy a chip, happily, but I need more convincing. LOTS more.
Lastly, will this help promoters send results to USAC? THAT needs fixing.
Posted 10 Jul 2008 at 6:52 am ¶H-wood is spot on… screw chips…
Posted 10 Jul 2008 at 10:41 am ¶cast-iron, click on your name in the results and it will show your time every lap…
imho, it’s a nice to have, not a need to have…
Posted 10 Jul 2008 at 12:04 pm ¶Thanx Skibby!
Posted 10 Jul 2008 at 1:36 pm ¶Chips, or any other results processing system such as video cameras in conjunction with spreadsheets are only as good as the start lists and data entry. As with any computerized system, garbage in, garbage out.
The only real disadvantage chips have to cameras is the lack of visual evidence of close finishes to determine the actual winner based on the position of the front wheel at the finish line.
I’ve gone from being a chip opponent to being “chip neutral.” They are pricey, but they do add some value in terms of scoring and results if the initial data entry is accurate. Not sure the benefits outweigh the cost yet, but time will tell.
I do know that I’m doing results at too many races this year, so I welcome the competition. Maybe I can get a weekend or two off next year…
Posted 11 Jul 2008 at 7:43 am ¶Post a Comment