Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Nextel to push Racing Radios, out of the picture!!!

From: sparkie_rf <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 04 Sep 2003 18:35:40 -0000

Radio Communication in 2004, changes? 

As vital as a good motor or good setup is to a race car, so too is 
communication. With that in mind the teams have though the years 
tweaked and dialed-in two-way radio systems to fit the unique rigors 
of racing. Don't think a radio is an important part of the mix? Just 
tell that to the driver who is patting the roof or door panel as he 
tries to tell his crew chief whether his car is loose or tight. And 
the driver who doesn't have a working radio is living in a world of 
chaos and that's just if his outbound communication has failed. The 
problem increases 100-fold when the driver's radio can't receive a 
radio signal because he losses not only his crew chief but also his 
spotter. And with the current cocoon style of driver restraint the 
driver's reliance on his spotter easily becomes a safety issue. 
There are currently two major suppliers for two-way radio gear in 
NASCAR's top three series with Racing Radios and Racing Electronics 
[Jayski sponsor of the Scanner Freq page] handling the majority of 
installation and service requirements of the industry. With 
communications vital in the racing game the issue was naturally 
brought up shortly after Nextel was named the series sponsor of 
NASCAR's elite series for 2004. Nextel, with its Direct Connect 
offering, is obviously in the radio business and this reality led to 
questions as to whether NASCAR would require the teams to start 
using Nextel radios, beginning next year. "Well, let's see now. 
Currently Racing Radios provides the communications," NASCAR Chief 
Operating Officer, George Pyne, hedged at Sears Point several weeks 
ago. "I think that will all work itself out. Continuing Pyne 
added, "It's interesting when you look – you need tires, you need 
fuel and you need to be able to communicate." When asked directly if 
Nextel would replace the teams' current two-way radio systems Pyne 
replied, "I think you can expect [Nextel] to be a provider of 
communication if the technology and service is as good or better 
than what it is today. We'll work through that with Racing 
Radios. "Again, I expect that to be a very positive and seamless 
situation." Giving a practical indication of where team 
communications might head in the near future comes from a job 
listing for the program manager for the Nextel Motorsports program. 
The job description lists one of the position's responsibilities 
as: "Develop relationship with Nextel engineers, track operators, 
teams and other third parties to insure smooth transition from 2-way 
radios to Nextel".

(Ford Racing)(9-4-2003)

Of course there is one big problem with this deal, and it will cost 
Nextel even more jack.

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