From an AMA Pro Racing Press Release:
AMA Pro Racing to implement new, high-tech timing and scoring system in Daytona at first Superbike race of season
AMA Pro Racing, the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the U.S., announced today it will implement new, state-of-the-art timing and scoring equipment at this year’s AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited. The new equipment will be in place at the series opener, March 6-10, at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla.
The new equipment will, for the first time ever, give teams split times at three different locations around the track. It will also provide up-to-the-minute stats on everything from fastest lap time to individual rider segment times around the track.
“This commitment to leading-edge timing and scoring technology delivers significant benefits to the race teams that compete in AMA Pro Racing’s U.S. Championships,” said John C. Farris, Jr., vice president commercial development, AMA Pro Racing. “The investments we’ve made in safety, technology and staff have allowed us to make great strides in elevating the professionalism of AMA Pro Racing operations, further developing the AMA brand of professional motorcycle racing.”
The new equipment, both software and hardware, is from AMB i.t. – the same company used by NASCAR, CART and the IRL, as well as numerous other racing organizations throughout the world. AMA Pro Racing has its own custom designed software package to handle registration, transponder assignments, race results and the creation of results on its website, amaproracing.com.
“This new system enables us to provide more benefits to our riders and teams. They are given a lot more information, and more ways to access it quickly and conveniently,” said Ken Rogers, director of timing and scoring, AMA Pro Racing.
The new equipment has been tested at several different AMA Superbike tests the past few months. The new timing equipment will also be used at the March 9 Daytona AMA Supercross events and possibly some of the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Motocross Championship rounds this season.
The timing system starts with a loop of underground wire that acts as an antenna. Each bike is fitted with a transponder with a unique ID number, and as each bike passes over the loop the antenna picks up the I.D. and sends information into a decoder. From the decoder the information goes into a timing computer running the AMB timing software – Time Gear.
Time Gear software has the ability to manage up to 16 decoders and produce data on any number of segments. It is completely customizable. AMA Pro Racing will use this software to create custom result screens that can be seen over the in-house television system and by the teams via a new wireless video feed. These results screens can show overall results for practice, qualifying and races, as well as segment times.
All racing teams will have access to the new wireless network to obtain statistics and information in the paddock. Each team has a receiver or wireless network card in their transporters that can access an Intranet web site. This web site will have results and times from every practice, qualifying session and race. It will also have daily schedules, information alerts and an archived results section.
So far, four of the five major factory teams are participating in the program and several support teams are also considering the upgrade.


(Editorial note: Which, unless pricing has changed since the 2001 season finale at VIR, costs each team $5000.)