REPLAY XD1080® named the Official Camera of the Star Mazda Race Series
marketing partnership that will see each of the 20+ Star Mazda race cars competing in this year's championship equipped with a pair of the company's flagship Replay XD1080 cameras. All cars will have one forward-pointing camera in a 'shark fin' mounted on the top of the roll hoop; the second camera can be placed at each team's discretion – looking back at the driver, mounted to the driver's helmet, suspension, footbox, etc.
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Recorded high-definition digital footage from each car will be downloaded after the race and made available to Carolinas Production Group, Inc., the TV company producing the "Mazda Motorsports Hour" airing on Discovery's Velocity Channel beginning in April. Footage can also be utilized by teams and drivers as a testing and educational tool; the Replay XD1080 cameras can be synchronized with the data system on each car, allowing video playback with data – engine rpm, throttle position, g-loadings, braking, etc.
"The partnership between our series and Replay XD addresses two very important needs for us," says Star Mazda Championship founder and President Gary Rodrigues. "With our new TV deal, a major international aspect of which has yet to be announced, the footage from the cars will bring fans right into the middle of the action in a way that is unprecedented for a driver development series. And since the cameras will be mounted on each car for the full season, teams will have access to the video with the data overlay during private testing as well as race weekend practice, qualifying and the race. This will immerse drivers in the relationship between what they feel behind the wheel and what the car is actually doing, a potent tool that will help accelerate their education."
In addition to the Star Mazda Championship, Replay XD is involved in a wide variety of motorsports, from circle track, drag racing and drifting to karting and motocross; a Replay XD has even recorded the action at 425 mph on a land speed record car.
The Replay XD1080 is a product of Stable Imaging Solutions, LLC and was designed by
a group of racing professionals with over 50 years of experience in the high performance racing industry. The development team saw the need for ultra-lightweight cameras that could capture never before seen video footage from the most extreme racing and action environments on earth. The Replay XD1080 has been put through the most grueling conditions possible and has come out unscathed with crystal clear footage.
The Replay XD1080 is the smallest and lightest self-contained video camera, just about the size of a small flashlight. It has a rugged aluminum case and weighs just 3 oz., making it sturdy and light enough to mount virtually anywhere without affecting the performance of people or machines. The Replay XD features a high clarity CMOS sensor for capturing crisp and color-rich video and is equipped with an omnidirectional microphone to combat wind-noise and distortion. Images and audio are recorded on microSDHC cards with storage capacity of up to 32 GB for extended recording.
"When the Andretti Autosport Team came to us in need of a way to capture shots to help aid its drivers during testing sessions and race day, we jumped on the chance to take part in the program last season," said John Spar, President of Replay XD. "The goal now is to offer that same view to not only the teams, but also to the viewers at home that want to enjoy all of intense competition this series has to offer."
The Replay XD1080-equipped cars and drivers of the 2012 Star Mazda Championship will make their debut in the season-opening double-header at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, March 24-25.