When the green flag drops during this weekend’s 58th annual DAYTONA 500, race fans will not only be watching the “The Great American Race,” but they will also see a lot of new technology deployed at Daytona International Speedway’s motorsports stadium.
Fans will be watching video and other digital media on almost 1,500 HD video displays and digital signage while also experiencing high quality Wi-Fi. This technology would not be possible if it was connected to the Speedway’s previously antiquated network infrastructure. That’s why the Speedway’s new network runs on CommScope
“We’re creating the first and only motorsports stadium on the planet. We needed partners that understand our vision, who understand what ‘best in class’ is, and know what it’s like to be under the spotlight,” said Joie Chitwood III, president, Daytona International Speedway. “With CommScope, we found a partner that was ready for that challenge of reimagining a true American icon—Daytona International Speedway.”
For the project, CommScope supplied fiber and copper cabling equivalent to more than 140 laps of the Speedway’s famed tri-oval track, including:
- 250 miles of Category 6 structured cable, offering performance that exceeds Category 6 performance standards by up to 300 percent, with a cost-effective design and robust reliability that can help make network downtime a thing of the past.
- 100 miles of single-mode fiber-optic cable, designed to operate from 1,280 nanometers to 1,625 nanometers to increase the useable wavelength range over conventional single-mode fiber by more than 50 percent and future-proof the network for next-generation equipment.
- 12,500 terminations to create a comprehensive connectivity solution throughout the stadium.
In addition to the video displays, digital signage and Wi-Fi, the Speedway’s network needed to be equipped with network bandwidth and flexibility to offer services that would both enhance the fans’ experience and improve track operations. CommScope’s comprehensive cabling infrastructure solution connects and supports virtually every communication and facility management function in the Speedway, including:
- High-resolution security cameras
- Fire and safety services
- HVAC and lighting controls
“The Speedway’s network infrastructure was old and outdated,” said Dr. Ispran Kandasamy, global leader, Building Solutions, CommScope. “The DAYTONA Rising redevelopment project provided the Speedway with the opportunity to start with a clean slate—and CommScope delivered a comprehensive solution ensuring that all the new communications components work together seamlessly to help deliver memorable user experiences on each and every occasion."
DAYTONA Rising was a $400 million renovation project to the Speedway that expanded and redesigned five of its entrances (now called injectors) that lead fans to a series of escalators and elevators, transporting them to three different concourse levels. Each level features spacious social areas, or “neighborhoods,” along the nearly mile-long front stretch. The Speedway now has 101,500 permanent, wider and more comfortable seats, twice as many restrooms and three times as many concession and merchandise stands. In addition, the Speedway will feature more than 60 luxury suites with track side views and a completely revamped hospitality experience for corporate guests.
A video of Joie Chitwood III discussing the decisions and planning that went into DAYTONA Rising can be seen here.
“The solutions that we’re enabling will keep fans connected throughout the stadium and allow them to experience the event at a higher level, and with greater ease, than ever before,” said. Craig Neeb, executive vice president, chief development and digital officer, International Speedway Corporation, which owns the Speedway. “The technology will also help our operations team provide a safe, comfortable environment for our fans to enjoy the race.”
To view images of CommScope’s network solutions deployed at Daytona International Speedway, click here to see our DAYTONA Rising album on Flickr.
Click here to download our Success Story: A new Daytona International Speedway rises—with state-of-the-art communications technology powered by CommScope.
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About CommScopeCommScope (NASDAQ: COMM) helps companies around the world design, build and manage their wired and wireless networks. Our vast portfolio of network infrastructure includes some of the world’s most robust and innovative wireless and fiber optic solutions. Our talented and experienced global team is driven to help customers increase bandwidth; maximize existing capacity; improve network performance and availability; increase energy efficiency; and simplify technology migration. You will find our solutions in the largest buildings, venues and outdoor spaces; in data centers and buildings of all shapes, sizes and complexity; at wireless cell sites; in telecom central offices and cable headends; in FTTx deployments; and in airports, trains, and tunnels. Vital networks around the world run on CommScope solutions.
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About Daytona International SpeedwayDaytona International Speedway is the home of “The Great American Race” - the DAYTONA 500. Though the season-opening NASCAR Sprint Cup event garners most of the attention - as well as the largest audience in motorsports - the approximately 500-acre motorsports complex boasts the most diverse schedule of racing on the globe, thus earning it the title of “World Center of Racing.” In addition to eight major weekends of racing activity, the Speedway will host the inaugural Country 500 – The Great American Music Fest at DAYTONA over Memorial Day Weekend in 2016. Rarely a week goes by that the Speedway grounds are not used for events that include civic and social gatherings, car shows, photo shoots, production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training.
This press release includes forward-looking statements that are based on information currently available to management, management’s beliefs, as well as on a number of assumptions concerning future events. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results to differ materially from those currently expected. In providing forward-looking statements, the company does not intend, and is not undertaking any obligation or duty, to update these statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Source: CommScope
News Media Contact:
Joseph P. Depa III, CommScope
+1 828-431-9803 or publicrelations@commscope.com
Andrew Booth, Daytona International Speedway
+1 386-681-6714 or abooth@daytonainternationalspeedway.com
Financial Contact:
Jennifer Crawford, CommScope
+1 828-323-4970