Timing for endurance races

In endurance races such as 24-hour, 12-hour or similar formats, teams share vehicles and swap drivers throughout the event. The biggest challenge for any timing system is not the duration itself, but managing vehicle and driver changes without compromising the standings.

How it works in RaceControl

RaceControl supports team races and endurance events. You can assign multiple drivers to a single vehicle, or multiple vehicles to the same team, and the system keeps individual lap times and team standings updated at all times.

This removes the transponder logistics that typically lead to errors, delays and disputes. With RaceControl, driver swaps are completely transparent to the system.

How to perform a driver relay

A track operator, from a phone, tablet or the computer itself, selects which kart is coming into the pits and which one is going out. If the driver is also changing, it can be specified in the same step.

As soon as the new vehicle crosses the finish line, the system automatically merges the team results. Laps completed, fastest lap, lap history... everything is unified with full accuracy. As far as the standings are concerned, nothing happened. The new kart number appears immediately on the scoreboards, so what you see on screen always matches what is on track.

From that point on, the kart that came into the pits is free and can be reassigned to another team later.

What happens if I miss the relay

In endurance races there is a lot at stake, nerves run high and track staff are stretched to the limit. Sometimes it is simply not possible to keep up with race control due to other priorities. If a kart goes out on track and you did not register the relay in time, or even if you picked the wrong vehicle, you can undo the merge and redo it up to several laps after the new kart has been racing.

How it was done until now

Traditionally, an operator has to remove the transponder from the vehicle coming into the pits and fit it onto the new one. It seems straightforward, but it can cause delays that are completely out of the operator's hands. Your pit stop time ends up depending on how smoothly that swap goes. Even though over the course of the event you will get fast and slow swaps alike, in the moment it creates a lot of tension.

There is also a tracking problem with this method. When you move the transponder, the new kart goes out on track carrying the identity of the previous one. For example, you go out in kart 6 but on screens and results you show up as kart 1. It reaches a point where neither staff, spectators nor the teams themselves know who is who. Following the race becomes impossible.

Nassau panel swap

Some tracks mount the transponder on the nassau panel of the kart. When a relay happens, the team swaps the entire nassau panel, and with it the bib number and the transponder. This way the visible number always matches what the system registers and the race can be followed without issues. On top of that, the swap is performed by the team itself, so whatever time you gain or lose depends entirely on you.

It is a very effective method. The only downside is that it requires special transponders, usually more expensive and battery-powered, capable of working at a greater height than conventional ones. You also need your entire kart fleet to have nassau panels with a quick-release system.