Mobile timer for the south

Southern Harness Racing’s mobile vehicle is to have a digital timer fitted and it’ll be the first of its kind in New Zealand.

The timer will sit on the framework of the mobile arm and give both drivers and race day officials a countdown to start time.

“We looked at it a few years ago but the costings were a bit extravagant at $25,000. Back then the CEO Gary Woodham was keen for us to trial it and if it worked well they were going to roll it out across the country. With Gary not there now we’ve decided to grab the bull by the horns and carry on and do it,” Southern Harness General Manager Jason Broad said.

The digital timer is expected to be in New Zealand by the end of the month.

“It’ll be sent up to Oamaru Engineering to be fitted with a new mobile barrier arm. The existing arm has been on there forever and the new one will be taken back to eight.”

Broad said Blair Orange who recently represented New Zealand at the World Drivers Championship in Europe endorsed the mobile timer.

“The starter will switch it on. We haven’t had too many problems with late starts down here but it’s more about driver awareness. We’ve got deadlines like everybody else.”

The new digital timer is expected to make its debut at the Winton HRC meeting on the 1^st of August.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink