LED scoring panels debut in practice at Mid-Ohio (VIDEO)

IndyCar’s new LED scoring panels made their debut during practice for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio ahead of this Sunday’s race.

Following testing earlier in the year, the new LED panels have been attached to every to aid fans and spotters in keeping track of where each car is running.

The panels are fitted to either side of the car’s airbox and display its running position in real time. When a car is in the pits, it displays a running clock, and will flash green reading “PP” when the driver is using push-to-pass.

Initial feedback at Mid-Ohio has been very positive, with Dale Coyne Racing strategist Michael Cannon sharing his thoughts on Friday.

“For the show, I think it’s beneficial,” Cannon said in a release. “From a team perspective, we just look at it being more weight on the car and go: ‘Oh, great, just what we needed.’

“You get some places like Indy – 500 miles, people on different strategies, etc. – sometimes it gets a little tricky for people to keep track.

“I know I’ve sat in the grandstands during the Indy 500 and even I have a hard time following it sometimes. I’m a believer in it.”

Cannon’s thoughts were echoed by Lance Fulks, a fan who has attended the race at Mid-Ohio for over a decade.

“I think it’s a really nice addition,” Mr. Fulks said. “Year after year, watching, it was hard to tell who’s leading the race, what position [a car is in] because you can’t see much of the track from any one position.

“You don’t see the passes, that type of thing, so it’s really nice to have [the LED panels]. Even with all the sunlight, it’s easy to see them.”

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