Race Track Lighting

If you have ever seen a wreck, you know the dangers a car can pose, especially at high speeds. Race tracks are no different, and even with professional drivers behind the wheel, accidents are still possible. All it takes is one small slip-up. Therefore, proper race track lighting is essential.

Adequate lighting not only ensures the safety of drivers and their crews, but also provides security for spectators and makes the overall experience more enjoyable. Traditional lighting includes metal halide, halogen floodlights, and mercury vapor lighting. Race track lighting is moving away from those and changing to LEDs.

Brightness

Drivers need to be aware of their surroundings in all circumstances. Still, when on a race track, drivers need complete concentration on the track and the vehicles around them to ensure their safety and the safety of the drivers around them; therefore, race track lighting has requirements that need to be met for maximum protection and vision. Floodlights around the track typically require 700-1000 lux at a minimum, with horizontal and vertical brightness levels up to 2000. The ground and flat surfaces fall under the horizontal category, while the vertical lux levels apply to side lighting. For best performance, these levels should be 1:1.

To determine the watts required for the race track lighting, take the area in square meters and multiply it by the required lux. This gives the required lumens, which can then be used to determine the watts needed to light the race track properly.

Uniformity

Once the brightness is at the required level, race track lighting needs to be consistent. When lux is evenly distributed on the race track, it is considered uniform. The maximum uniformity is 1, but 0.5-0.6 regularity is also satisfactory. For optimal performance, 0.7-0.8 uniformity is recommended for racetrack lighting.

CRI

CRI, or color rendering index, is how we experience colors under lighting. The highest CRI can be 100, which equals sunlight. Low CRI values can distort how we see colors, taking away some of the enjoyment of the race. Seeing the cars in color, they actually add to the experience the other hand, distorted colors can be dull and unpleasant to watch for hours.

Flicker

Thanks to advances in technology, almost everyone has a cell phone capable of capturing slow-motion or 4 K photos and video. Proper race track lighting helps prevent flicker while capturing these moments, so spectators and reporters don’t miss the action.

Why LED for Race Track Lighting?

Many races run from afternoon into evening, limiting the light the track gets from the sun. This can harm drivers and spectators. LED lights offer long lifespans, helping to prevent surprise outages during the race. Used 10 hours a day, some LEDs can last as long as 22 years! Traditional race track lighting doesn’t last nearly as long.

LEDs withstand the weather better than traditional race track lighting. Lighting must withstand extreme wind and rain since race tracks are open to the elements.

With improper race track lighting, the track may experience reduced central brightness. Inadequate lighting can also increase light pollution. Light pollution disrupts local wildlife and residents, so minimizing lighting’s effects is essential. LED race track lighting systems are designed to reduce light pollution, so locals and wildlife aren’t disturbed by harsh lighting.

Maintaining a race track comes with its fair share of costs. Race track lighting doesn’t have to be one of the more costly expenses. Replacing the lighting with LEDs is a hefty upfront investment, but it will pay for itself in just a few years. To get the same brightness from halogen lights as you would from LEDs, you’d pay nearly ten times as much in operating costs as you would with LED racetrack lighting. Since LEDs are more durable than other forms of light, they cost less to maintain. You get brighter, more uniform illumination for less.

One of the last things drivers want on the track is glare. Glare from lighting can create shadows that disrupt the driver’s vision and create an unsafe space. LEDs offer bright lighting without the glare, so drivers can navigate the track safely.

Race track lighting needs to be bright, glare-free, and efficient. LED lighting is durable, so the lights can withstand exposure to the elements. They also have a long lifespan so that they won’t need to be replaced as often. Minimizing light pollution helps prevent disruptions to local wildlife and nearby residents.

LEDs do that by concentrating light on the specified area. Proper lux and CRI give spectators and drivers the best possible experience. Replace old race track lighting with LEDs and watch the races in a different light.