NASCAR is going digital as the racing organization begins testing new digital dashboard instrument panels to be implemented as soon as August.
Several Sprint Cup Series teams will test the new panels in conjunction with Goodyear this week at Kentucky Speedway.
Jamie McMurray already tweeted a picture of the new NASCAR digital dashboard from Kentucky showing fans what the panel looks like from the driver’s point of view.
The digital panel will feature readings on lap times, temperatures, tire pressure, RPMs, speed, fuel, and other info.
These new dash boards aren’t just for the drivers, though. The plan is to make the readouts accessible even to fans via the Internet.
“That is the ultimate goal, is to get as much information as we can–first and foremost to the drivers and crew chiefs that they can see and react to–but ultimately to the fans,” NASCAR executive vice president Steve O’Donnell said in an interview Tuesday. “So if you’re sitting at the race track, and you’re on your device, we want you to essentially be in Denny Hamlin’s car and be able to see what he is seeing and react to it.”
“It’s evolving, and it’s something that we think can be a real game changer for the sport in terms of us showcasing technology,” O’Donnell continued. “There’s also some proprietary information. We want to make sure we keep that with the teams from a competitive standpoint, but some really cool stuff potentially coming for ’16 and I think the fans will ultimately enjoy what they see.”
Officially teams may begin using the digital dashboards by August 5, but O’Donnell says that everyone will have them by next year.
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