Kick It Up: Company Wants To Bring NASCAR Experience To Homes

Guitammer Co. Wants To Bring Audio, Special Effects Technology To NASCAR Fans' Homes

Ohio-based Guitammer Co., which specializes in audio and special effects, "wants to bring similar technology to NASCAR fans," according to Erik Spanberg of NASCAR SCENE. Guitammer, through its ButtKicker brand, "wants to go even more mainstream with audio kits designed to fit under a couch and provide the physical rumble that accompanies the roar of live sports and other events." A partnership with NASCAR "will debut later this year, with NASCAR-produced DVDs, video games and online racing aligned to work with custom wireless audio kits produced by Guitammer." Guitammer President Mark Luden: "What's the one thing people always say when they're watching a race? They say, 'You have to be at a race to see how fast the cars are, to hear how loud they are and to feel the speed.' That's what we want this to be like." Spanberg reported the NASCAR-branded version of ButtKicker "has yet to be released but will likely be ready this summer." ButtKicker uses a "low frequency audio system" and sends the sound "into the listener's body, recreating the ripple effect of sound's physical sensation." Luden "anticipates eventually creating a system that syncs and links the audio from live NASCAR broadcasts with the ButtKicker for portions of races." NASCAR's endorsement of Guitammer "should help once the company reaches the stage of trying to use the same technology for live races" (SCENEDAILY.com, 4/30).