SVG Rewind: FloSports Makes History With First In-Car Camera on Short-Track Dirt Racing Livestream

Now in its seventh year, FloSports’ FloRacing streaming platform continues to grow and is now looking to bring some of the staples of big-time racing coverage to its motorsports productions. On May 26 at High Limit Racing’s Bob Weikert Memorial at Port Royal Speedway, FloSports deployed an in-car camera — marking a first for the streaming platform and in dirt car racing.

In terms of live production, short-track dirt racing can be drastically different from NASCAR and Formula 1 broadcasts. The drivers’ car control is truly remarkable, and covering laps from traditional camera positions often doesn’t do it justice. Streaming productions typically rely on getting GoPro video from the respective teams and inserting it into the production after the fact. FloSports, though, wanted to show that car control as it was happening, and thus began the pursuit of an economical solution for live, reliable, in-car cameras.

The in-car–camera solution that VP, Production, Joe Baker and his team needed would have to feature a reliable signal, be capable of 60 frames per second, provide multiple camera angles in one car, be easy to set up and adjust to a different car if needed, have a weight acceptable to teams, and be compatible with a streaming production’s budget.

The in-car cameras selected — and deployed in the cars of star drivers Brad Sweet and Rico Abreu — featured equipment provided by 3G Media and were run entirely by the FloSports production team.

The system used point-to-point RF signals because many dirt tracks are in the middle of nowhere and have little to no internet or reliable cell service. Fortunately, FloSports technology partner 3G Media is well-versed in this technology and fields many of the same folks that Baker worked with during his days working PGA, NASCAR, IndyCar, and NHRA productions at ESPN.

In this edition of SVG Rewind, Baker details how his team navigated the complicated development-process setup, selected the best positions for mounting the camera and transmitter, dealt with the impact of flying dirt and vibration on shots, and how the production went overall.

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