DESERT DINGO RACING DEBUTS TWO NEW SAT COMM AND NIGHT VISIBILITY TECHNOLOGIES TO THE BAJA 1000

Class 11 team is the first to employ a satellite-base SMS communications system and will be one of two teams fielding high-visibility electroluminescent number panels

ENSENADA, MEXICO, November 18, 2009 – Desert Dingo Racing, a Class 11 team making its third run at the Baja 1000, will compete this year using an SMS-based satellite communication and tracking system from EMS SkyConnect and high visibility electroluminescent number panels from TrailGlow Lighting. This is the first time that these technologies have been used at the Baja 1000.

“One of the greatest challenges that any Baja team is faces maintaining communication between the race car, chase teams and support vehicles, said team co-founder Jim Graham. “We’re the first team to use EMS SkyConnect’s TNT (Text and Tracking) system that will allow us to stay in constant communication and know where everyone is at any point during the race.”

The TNT system includes an integrated display and keypad in each vehicle and a roof-mounted unit that contains a GPS antenna and an Iridium transceiver. The race car unit includes pre-programmed messages that can be sent in a matter of seconds. Team members in California will be using a Web-based application to track and communicate with the race car, chase trucks and support vehicles.

The technology behind the TNT system has been deployed worldwide on airline fleets, ocean-going cargo ships and emergency vehicles. This is the first time the technology has been deployed in an off road racing environment.

Desert Dingo will also be one of only two teams running electroluminescent number panels developed by TrailGlow Lighting – http://www.trailglow.com. The panels look like typical number panels during the day, but light up as bright as neon at night, operating off of the race car’s 12-volt electrical system.

“TrailGlow’s INERGY number panels make it easier for other vehicles to see us and for people staffing checkpoints to record our number,” Graham said. They also add a ‘cool factor’ to the car that’s a real attention getter.

The team will also be using an INERGY pit sign and safesty vests during the race which will make it easy for the race car to find the pits at night and keep team workers highly visible at night.

For more information on the EMS SkyConnect TNT text and tracking system, contact Joel Goron, Global Channel Sales Manager with SkyConnect – http://www.skyconnect.aero - at 240.638.2589 or jgoron@skyconnect.com. For more information on TrailGlow’s number panels, pit signs, safety vests and custom logo work, contact founder Paul Lukey at 877-760-4569 or paul@trailglow.com . To see both products installed on the Desert Dingo Class 11 in Ensenada, contact Jim Graham on his cell phone at 831.234.4337.

About Desert Dingo Racing
Desert Dingo Racing is a team of high tech professionals based in Santa Cruz and Silicon Valley who campaign a 1969 VW Beetle in off road races in the U.S. and Mexico. They are the official World Diabetes Day off road race car and the team raises money for diabetes education and awareness programs sponsored by the International Diabetes Federation. To learn more, visit http://www.desertdingo.com .


Desert Dingo Racing