I suspect that cost to the racer is the biggest factor as well.
To me, it's just another part of your safety gear, like a helmet or gloves.
I don't know that there is a cost to the track -- the Raceceiver itself is simply a receiver (1 way) - the track would already have two way radios (most do anyhow) and they could broadcast on the frequency to the drivers on a different frequency than the track workers, right? Even the cheap radios have multi-channel capability so that there's no interference.
We use the Raceceivers at most every big car track now.
Unmuffled sprint cars with the exhaust right at your side and we can hear fine through them.
2 cycle opens do have an annoying high sound/pitch to me though - that frequency of sound may just be right to cancel out the audio coming through the ear buds, I dunno.
For me, it's a no-brainer -- The $100 it costs is worth it if for nothing else than saving the aggravation of having a guy riding alongside of you on a caution arguing for a spot that he didn't earn for 4 or 5 laps. Scorer communicates the running order and you fall in line or you're stop being scored, simple as that. Couple this with a track scoring system and there's no reason for anyone to argue a position on the track, so for the most part they don't.
They do certainly help on cautions and red flags - alerting oncoming drivers to a particular situation ahead of them on the track. "Yellow - Turn 4" or Red-Red-Red" - If you hear ANYTHING at all during green flag racing, it should be because there's a problem on the track. Too much chatter on the radio gets annoying -- most tracks limit it to one person and that helps a bunch.
It's those "other" voices in your head you've got to worry about.
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Thanks and God bless,
Brian Carlson
Carlson Racing Engines
Vector Cut
z
www.CarlsonMotorsports.com
28 years of service to the karting industry
Linden, IN
765-339-4407
bcarlson@CarlsonMotorsports.com