When it comes to technology and even social media, the Off-Road Industry (OFFROAD NATION) remains in a stooper, in part due to the archaic-minded mavens at the helm and likewise due to the snake oil salesmen who have delivered these the industry a sour taste of used car salesmanship. This remains true from aftermarket parts manufacturers to race promoters.

I have my array of email accounts and keyword search tools that scan the web and more specifically the more prominent aspects of social media, scanning for anything pertaining to marketing, social media, public relations and e-commerce. Many of these search queries are focused intensely upon the overall #OFFROAD industry but delve into the #POWERSPORTS, #AUTOMOTIVE, #ACTIONSPORTS, #4X4 and related realms. Though, the update that arrived just moments ago was from one of my underground insiders, who forwarded me the content from an RDC thread, which opens as follows:

DRIVE Off-Road Racing announces another exclusive and innovative contribution to the Off-Road and Desert Racing Community.

DRIVE Off-Road Racing and Off Road Warehouse will be feeding live race timing data, direct from their Timing Computer, to competitors and fans through twitter.

To receive live timing data visit http://twitter.com/DRIVE_ORW_GP where you can view Starting and Lap times, complete with average speeds, or sign up to receive the data as "tweets"; text messages on your phone.

Although the data comes direct from the Timing Computer, all timing data is UNOFFICIAL until Official Results are announced after the race.

Wireless Internet connections can be less than perfect, especially in remote locations, so that Data Transfer can not be guaranteed.

Competitors will now be able to receive starting and lap time for all competitors in their pits; and monitor the progress of theirs and their competitors’ vehicles.

Spectators and fans at home will be able to monitor the race results from their computers or cell phones.

THE RESPONSE

First and foremost, I commend your technological initiative and its segue into the social media realm of public relations, promotions, marketing and overall communications. Secondly, I commend your organization for engaging the beyond-2000 technology and marketing methodology that other archaic-minded and utterly-misled promoters simply fail to embrace.

As for your specific Drive Off-Road Racing project, it's good to see a motorsports promoter within the #OFFROAD industry harnessing the Twitterizer code base, but I highly recommend you provide more than the mere raw data you're currently cranking out. While this is indeed useful, its entertainment value is short-lived. One must harness the lifestyle aspect of the event to engage and even breath life into the financially-viable concept of entertainment value, providing a sustainable marketability by which a community as well as financially-contributing partners (SPONSORS) can cling to. Keyword is viral.

Also, prior to promoting any further, I suggest branding the Twitter background according to your marketing objectives. To maximize your marketing effectiveness on Twitter, a good graphic Twitter template to follow can be found @DIRTFORGE. A more conservative template can be found @ScottMonty, who is an acclaimed social media professional working with @Ford. My only reservation with the aforementioned accounts and their Twitter graphics is that there is a lot of real estate left unclaimed on each. I can provide you with the template used for the Adobe Illustrator or Fireworks PNG template used for the @DIRTFORGE template.

And lastly, I recommend using your primary Twitter account @Drive_Racing rather than @DRIVE_ORW_GP. I realize how you may want to promote ORW and its specific race through the race-specific account and how you may want to utilize this account for beta testing purposes, but the @Drive_Racing account has a greater lifespan and will thereby be far more effective at acquiring eyeballs and establishing your brand, using the background graphic to do the deed of serving specific races and race partners (SPONSORS).

Anyhow, I wish you the best and offer any professional assistance and/or advice you may need.