The speed traps can do freeroll splits, but will never be able to do transition ones - they can't distinguish the buggy from the next hill pusher.
i think timers would work if there was a person who would could tell the device when to look and when to not look. the timer minder does not need split second accuracy, it needs someone to tell it to start looking at some point after the lead truck and before the first buggy, They a also need an oops button when that person knows they flubbed it. They could at least get the lead buggy often enough to make it worthwhile. Link a bunch of these via a mesh radio network and you would have a very slick system. I am willing to help. Worst case, we try it and it sucks. best case, buggy gets more geeky. And again, not being able to get the 2nd or 3rd buggy every time is no reason not to have this. The guy in front is likely the one people are the most interested in. (AEpi and the driver's mom aside). Being a zoo alum, perhaps I have gotten used to them not being on camera.
The rotated Jumbotron was the best idea ever. It kept the people in the chute off the street really well. It did screw the pka timers but that is a small price to pay.
I think the dance cam was spontaneous in that prior broadcast. Some kid was dancing, I mentioned it and used it as a way to throw out some of the magical drinking words, someone in the truck added a graphic within a few minutes and created broadcast gold.
I really struggled with the audio this year. For most of the women's prelims, I was talking but it never got on the air. they eventually fixed that, at about the time the chute audio started to work. Then, I was facing about a 2/3 second delay in my headset and a slightly longer one in the chute speakers. It is really hard to talk when faced with that. Try it some time. It is mind destroying. I kept finding myself going slower and slower. Eventually , I moved the ear-cups aside when it was my time to talk and plugged the ear closer to the speakers. This helped a bit. It got much better when the audio feed in the headset quit. Then I used them to block out the sound from the chute speakers. This delay never went away and thus, interacting with the booth was never smooth or easy. Also, I did not have an active back channel so it was hard to coordinate with the gang in the booth. There were many times when i had something to add but had to sit on it waiting for an opening that never came, especially given the delay i n what I was hearing vs what they were saying.
As far as commentary goes. I think we had too many cooks in the kitchen. Less is definitely more. I think Will plus one in the booth and one in the chute is the right mix. The plus 1 can rotate, The guy in the chute can rotate. Like martinis, 4 is too many.