ABC is rolling out a new limited program series entitled NASCAR in Primetime. The premier episode is Wednesday, August 15th at 9PM Eastern Time.
The press release for the series says things that get NASCAR fans a little nervous. Things like "it (NASCAR) already has a firm hold on the hearts and minds of Americans...it's a seemingly unstoppable phenomenon."
The series is a reality show that follows fans, drivers, and officials around and "documents their every move." ABC says it had access to NASCAR's "inner workings" and "saw people and places that NASCAR has never before allowed to be filmed for TV." Well, that certainly brings a lot of interesting scenarios to mind.
Finally, the program summary says "People from every corner of America sing the praises of roaring engines and wax poetic about the smell of burning rubber."
I actually remember seeing a couple "waxing poetic" in the Talladega infield but I don't remember any burning rubber being associated with it. Actually, I believe the two things involved were a Ford F-150 "longbed" and some adult beverages. They sure were waxing.
NASCAR Images in Charlotte is the official "TV company" of NASCAR, and nothing moves off the track in "TV land" without them. We have seen their work on several networks, including some great shows on SPEED. Currently, we have the Survival of the Fastest series which is getting great reviews.
If NASCAR Images produced this series, and is simply selling it to ABC it has potential. Fans remember Beyond the Wheel and NBS 24/7 as two former reality favorites.
This season, there has been a big hole on Monday nights after Inside NEXTEL Cup on SPEED. The network chose not to return their NASCAR reality shows, and tried to produce its own, with not so good results.
It will be nice to see "something NASCAR" in primetime on a weeknight, but I certainly hope it presents things in a realistic light and not the "hype and tabloid" angle that has been plaguing some of the ESPN/ABC NASCAR content.
I think we all agree to try and delete Fast Cars And Superstars from our memory banks. Apparently, William Shatner is nowhere to be found in this series.
The Daly Planet will begin screening and posting on this new broadcast network primetime series after the premier episode. Please return here after you view it and add your opinion. Thanks.
6 comments:
Any chance they were filming the NASCAR officials during the NBS race in Montreal??? Such footage would be interesting to see...
Based on TV commercials it looks like this show is going to portray NASCAR drivers as "rock stars". One commercial was highlighted by video of David Stremme autographing a female fan's chest. Nope, it doesn't sound sensationalized and non-realistic programming at all.
Maybe we'll even see some video of Kasey Kahne hanging out with Paris Hilton on this show. LOL.
Oh my God! Another reality show?
That reminds me, whatever happened to that bus show with Rutledge on SPEED? I never WATCHED it but saw so many promos I feel like I watched the thing. Last I read it was a bad show and went off the air. Anybody know if that was true?
If what stricklanfan said was true, this has the P U stink of ESPN "All Tabloid, All the time" stamp on it. Stremme autographing a woman's chest?? So much for the "family values" NASCAR likes to try and promote.
I loved the NASCAR show from FX I think a couple years back, NASCAR 36o. I found that interesting but more of a documentary than a "reality show."
The show with William Shatner and stars I could not watch for 5 minutes. (Though I DO enjoy Shatners work on the first two seasons of BOSTON LEGAL and his work with Spader!! Third season has gotten too uneven and has jump the shark written on it)
John, I doubt this will be anything like BEYOND the WHEEL. I will have to pay more attention to the commercials when I see it advertised.
If the commercials do not nauseate me too much, I may tune in and pretend it's my job to watch and see what I think.
I heard this show is the first reality show produced with NASCAR cooperation where they DO NOT have final control/edit over the product. It is being produced by ABC News. From what I understand about NASCAR Images-produced shows like NASCAR Drivers 360 and the Driven to Win series, NASCAR and the drivers get to see the finished product before airing and request any changes.
It's supposed to be like NASCAR Drivers 360, which was a well-made show mainly showing off the track lives and families. Kenny Wallace, Kevin Harvick and Mark Martin have all said appearing on that show increased their numbers of fans and their popularity. I doubt the show will be too outrageous or controversial, as ABC/ESPN has to work with NASCAR in the future.
Also want to add to my comment above that NASCAR Drivers 360 did show some non-glossy parts of racing, like Harvick yelling at his crew during an entire race and Kenny Wallace getting into a bad argument (almost a fist fight) with another Busch driver in the motorhome lot after being wrecked.
So I would expect the same "realism" from the ABC show and wouldn't necessarily consider it ABC hype, since NASCAR approved it on Drivers 360.
NASCAR in Primetime will now air every Wednesday from Aug. 15 - Sept. 12 at 10pm, on ABC.
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