Initializing View

The NASCAR.com web site has a paid subscription service called Race View that allows race fans to watch an animated version of Cup races in near real-time. This service displays animated race cars and telemetry data. It also broadcasts radio traffic between drivers and their crews.


So where's the problem? During the 5 races for which this service has been available so far this year, I've spent more time looking at the screen below than the Race View application shown above.


It hangs at the end of the initialization sequence. Sometimes it makes it all the way to 100% before hanging.


Okay, so maybe you're thinking there is something wrong with my computer configuration. I'm sure that it works on someone's box. I don't believe it to be an issue with my system because it does load occasionally -- sometimes with sound and sometimes without. It also consistently starts when I attempt to replay past races.

So, from a user-perspective, this has signs of a load issue. The application starts when a race is not in progress but fails to start during a race. And when it does, it is long after the start of the race -- sometimes hours. When it does work, response is much slower during live races than races replayed later.

If you are going to build applications to be used by paying subscribers during live sporting events, you'd better be prepared to handle concentrated high load levels during the events.

Too bad they refuse to give refunds. I can only hope it improves over time -- maybe only due to others giving up on the service as the season progresses.