Tonight, ABC Sports will be showing the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race live from Richmond, VA. The NASCAR on ESPN production team will be producing the race.
Dr. Jerry Punch, Rusty Wallace, and Andy Petree will host the coverage from the booth, with Allen Bestwick, Mike Massaro, Jamie Little and Dave Burns on pit road. Tim Brewer will be in the Tech Center.
NASCAR Countdown runs thirty minutes tonight, starting at 7PM Eastern Time. Suzy Kolber will be hosting alongside Brad Daugherty.
Please use this location to add your in-progress posts and also for post-race comments. The rules for comments are on the right side of the main page.
To add your comment, simply click on the COMMENTS button below. There is no sign-up, and you do not have to leave your email address. Thanks again for adding your opinion of the TV coverage of tonight's NEXTEL Cup race on ABC.
290 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 290 of 290I must admit these commercials are a tad rediculous. Neil Goldberg is so.....BLAH! I dont care if he worked at ESPN in the old days, he is a completely different guy now.
I'd hate to say it but I'd rather listen to Jerry Punch more than Rusty Wallace. Way too many commentators. Benny Parsons we miss you.
We've got 50 laps to go and only 20 minutes until ABC is supposed to go off-air. This should be interesting...
They won't fix anything this year but I sure hope ESPN/ESPN on ABC gets a clue for next year. J. Little has just been embarassing ... interviewing Steve Letarte. It is so apparent that the NASCAR folks don't like talking to more than half these folks. They should replace Rusty with DJ! As much as the fox guys drive me crazy at least they are engaged, knowledgable, clearly insiders, and having fun!
Sometimes during local breaks on Hotpass, the ESPN/ABC feed doesn't go to break. If you switch your audio to them, you can hear the guys in the booth during commercial. Many times at races, I listen to the TV feed and the ESPN/ABC guys don't interact at all like the guys on the other networks. On the other networks, they would visit and point out things they saw and should mention - or even laugh at things. You could tell they are friends and truly enjoy calling the race. In the ESPN/ABC booth, they are so SERIOUS and don't sound like they are having a good time at all. They don't talk much to each other and spend the time getting direction from their crew.
It wasn't until right before the pit stops after the 2nd red flag that their crew played them the scanners from the 20 and 24. Isn't that something that could have been done during a red flag break and then played to the viewers during the red flag - in advance of the pitstops??
My point with this is that maybe they are limited by information their crew gives them and/or maybe they are given too much direction making them "stiff" and unable to react naturally. Other networks may let their crews "wing it" and call the race as they see it without as much direction. Just a thought.
Missed another restart
No. ABC will stay on the air even if the race goes over.
Actually they did not. We say the cars going to turn on. But at least they stay until the finish now.
34th place is 45 laps down, the Chase drama is over ESPN, sorry
Two or three green flags in a row on TV missed???
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?
Do none of the folks in production have clocks???
DONT MESS WITH JAMIE LITTLE! lol
anonymous 11:09 -
Cowlishaw is doing a chat on ESPN.com, I'm just posting some of his gems of knowledge. Sorry for the confusion.
Why should the #24 give the #8 a favor ... he needs to win and keep the #48 from winning to have the lead when they reset the points...
There is something flapping on Gordons tire??
HEllo??
Is tv mentioning this..I have it muted and listening to MRN
Do these guys WATCH THE RACE
Okay, mathematically, unless Harvick really messes up or gets caught up in a mess he's in the chase. Why can't they just let it go. Jr. is most likely out of it. I like Jr. and Harvick, and Jr. is doing a hell of a job but aren't there at least 42 other cars who started the race?
YES TV MENTIONED IT! Rusty said a bag was on the front splitter
MRN has informed us that the Chase Drama is over, noting Harvick has dropped the hammer.
It's over!!! Earnhardt's can't win AND lead the most laps so Harvick's magic number is lower than 34th now. 34th place is 45 laps down, it's over.
anonymous 11:13 -
Shhhh!!!
(don't mention the audio thing!)
:)
You know whomever posted that the espn people have no relationships w/the drivers and crews absolutely nailed it.
But, I'm wondering why. Burns & Bestwick were with NBC for 8 years, Massaro should have good relationships from his 8 year RPM gig. Petree & Rusty spent how many years in the sport? Daughtery is Brian France's friend. So why such coldness and downright bad feelings between espn people and the drivers & crews? Anyone??
Harvick fastest car on the track...give us a caution to make it interesting!!! Ragan! Kid is impressing!
Well I guess ESPN still believes that Junior is still going to have the immaculate win that will bump Harvick.
Erik...
Perhaps it is more the fact this group has no chemistry with each other that is the issue instead of what/who they know. When has this broadcast had any real laughs or looseness to their commentary? FOX, even TNT at times had their laughs when Benny was alive. Now neither TNT nor ESPN can run a broadcast with that level of comfort or chemistry.
Okay I think the booth is going to cry when Jr. is out of the chase.
It's a race ... isn't that the idea ... earn your finishing position ... don't give them away?
It's a shame we're not going to get more than a Dale Jr. and winner interview because ABC will certainly rush off the air.
why? nothin but my local news is next.
Yeah just like last night ... just the Kyle Bush interview on ESPN ... no others.
Is the 96 blowing up and they aren't mentioning it?
They should just let the SPEED Channel Crew do the races ... all of them ... at least they have fun. And their commentary/information is really good. God will Rusty just shut up?
DEI Engines! SUCK
The announcers say HOW APPROPRIATE for the engine to blow?????????????
David Ragan...wow. They NEED to interview that kid!!!!
OMG he's exhausted ... leave him alone.
Mike Massaro shut up already!!
They only showed the FINISHING GRAPH for a couple of seconds!?!?!?
KEEP IT UP A LITTLE LONGER.
I am a fast reader for crying out loud.
LEAVE JR ALONE.
Man..&^%$$$@!%@$~^&@$~%@$^~&
Just say goodnight Jr.
Absolutely no tact or compassion whatsoever.
Jr. just said something like "they always blow up when they put the engines in my car."
The follow-up would be, since they are now DEI-RCR joint engines, the one in his Chase counterpart Harvick did not.
Doubt the telecast will actually follow-up.
ESPN makes it so somber.
nonymous said...
You know whomever posted that the espn people have no relationships w/the drivers and crews absolutely nailed it.
But, I'm wondering why. Burns & Bestwick were with NBC for 8 years, Massaro should have good relationships from his 8 year RPM gig. Petree & Rusty spent how many years in the sport? Daughtery is Brian France's friend. So why such coldness and downright bad feelings between espn people and the drivers & crews? Anyone??
I started to think about what you said above, and I think it's pretty clear. First, Benny Parsons set the standard for respect from the people in the garage, and Matt Yocum was drafting right behind him. You can see it on the faces of the crew guys when Benny would do his Benny in the pits. With Yocum, it's in every interview he does. I'm at least glad he does both Fox and TNT. I sure miss Benny Parsons.
PLease tell me they will interview 2nd and 3rd place drivers!
DEI AIN't figured out the unleaded fuel problem maybe?
Ugh...I did n't want JJ to win...but SHEESH.
I was hoping Tony would win.
DEI engines are not the problem. How many have Truex and Menard blown combined? One.
Amen Sophiaz123! Would have rocked if Smoke won, or Ragan. And of course, no interview with him as of yet.
will speed wait for ABC to start victory lane?
Remember
For folks with SPEED
Victory Lane is on tonight!! LIVE
Hey Rusty. How about Harvick's brakes? He sure blew out his right front tire didn't he? With a top ten finish. Guess you don't know half as much as you think you do.
Hey Everybody,
Thanks again for taking the time to stop-by and comment. Trust me when I say the TV guys go right to this blog, and your comments, after the race.
There will be a full column up about the race in just a little while.
JD
it obviously wont be live since it would have started by now.
Bevo
I take it you wonder if Jr drives the cars too hard.
I have often wondered about that as well..and he admitted doing so in that race a couple weeks ago.
Sigh...that's why I never put all my eggs in one driver, er basket.
:-)
Where did Sauter finish? Was he in the top 10? Will have to wait for VL.
Ragan 3rd, Sauter 5th, Yeley 10th, Reut 13th.....can't believe they haven't mentioned any of these runs! They should have all gotten a shout out at minimum!
Speed has to wait till ABC signs off
The 70 was 5th. ESPN said that already.
ESPN/ABC ... your coverage of this race was an abortion gone wrong. I hope the Editor of this BLOG is correct in saying that you read this.
local news is next on ABC. VC should be on within seconds on SPEED
SophiaZ123 -
Yep that's part of it. Don't forget the hard feelings in the company and people wondering where they'll work next year. A bunch of distractions tend to show up in the details of engine construction.
WHERE IS NASCAR VICTORY LANE???
Hopefully NVL will be on following this program at Midnight EST.
No post-race interview with Ragan or Sauter?! Lame. Especially Ragan - just standard procedure to interview the top 3. And you'd have thought they'd get to Sauter with how much they talked about him.
Considering EVERY chase driver got interviewed (except Carl Edwards, since he was out of the race), looks like ABC's gonna follow in their predecessors footsteps. Not looking forward to 95% of coverage on 12 drivers.
that mean it will be NVC right up against NASCAR Now.
Yep I think you're right about Benny & Matt. According to the accounts I read of Benny's service, thousands attended, and three people gave eulogies. Ned Jarrett, Bob Jenkins and Matt. I listen to Tony & Matt's radio show every week, and Matt always mentions Benny.
They still interviewed Edwards at the end. Why, I don't know, other than the fact he's in the chase. You are correct about 95% coverage of the top 12.
VICTORY LANE IS ON NOW!!
Not having to do with coverage..and not sure if anyone mentioned it already, but if we had stuck with the top ten for the chase...
1) we would have had a tie for 10th between Busch and Truex.
2) Harvick would have been only 6 points behind that tie.
3) Boywer only 19 in front of that tie.
I don't fault Nascar at all...just an interesting observation...and was fun to keep up with hypothetically as this ended up being a snoozer drama-wise.
I think they should hire professional commentators for the booth and let the past drivers sweat it out in the pits.
Mike Massaro asked way too many questions. Let the guy go, we got all the information we needed.
Terrible terrible terrible terrible to skip over interviewing David Ragan and Johnny Sauter, who both finished in the top 5. It would have taken all of 3 minutes of air time. I guess that's too much to ask for a network that obviously only cares about promoting the 12 Chase drivers and Earnhardt Jr.
I'm not surprised they didn't interview Ragan or Sauter. Mike Bliss once finished 8th in this race and TNT not only ignored him all night but never interviewed him. If you are not a Chase driver in this race, unless you win, you will not be interviewed.
Yeah, that's certainly an epidemic in the fall Richmond race. Mike Bliss finished 4th in 2004 and Dave Blaney finished in the top 5 last year and got ignored too.
Just because TNT did the same thing years ago, that doesn't mean ESPN should get away with it either. It was stupid when TNT did it and it's stupid when ESPN does too.
ABC = Absolutely Bad Coverage
To be fair, unless I missed it, I don't think Speed interviewed Ragan or Sauter either on Victory Lane. I'm not just out to bash ESPN, if Speed omits those drivers too that is also inexcusable.
I think we'll end up seeing the following headline on Jayski tomorrow:
Ragan, Sauter quoted after Richmond race?... UPDATE: Yes.
Too much hype over the Race for the Chase ... good of NASCAR to do something about the point system to make it more competitive, however, it's up to all of the Networks/Commentators to look at the whole race ... not just the competitors involved in the chase. Not fair to the drivers or their sponsors to not say anything about them. Sponsors should take notice and complain to the powers that be at NASCAR.
That was funny! Kenny Wallace just said he backed into the person behind him. ABC/ESPN take note. A little levity. Doesn't have to be serious all the time.
Well Speed is going through the field showing where everyone finished ... even mentioned a lot of the lesser known drivers with a positive spin to it. Way to go SPEED.
Still waiting on NASCAR Now, Dan Fouts with the play-by-play??
Long football game on ESPN2.
hmmm... I think all the reporters are hanging out (behind VL) to see the drivers be intrduced as Chase drivers live on Nascar Now - BUT the football game on ESPN2 just went into OT.. oops. haha! typical...
Ok..when you get to be my age, time blurs by.
But wasnt it earlier THIS year on TNT, Kyle Petty got his best finish in YEARS and Dave Blaney did well and neither were interviewed?
Those ommissions have nuttin' to do with THE CHASE.
Also I just got into this NASCAR addiction latter part of 2004.
But I have to say, I did not like the smell of this whole CHASE deal
Especially once the offical 10 races begin. Hell, whether one of my favorite guys is in it or not, I like to hear what's going on in the back of the field.
With this "Fake playoff chase set up" the drama is manufactured. One hardly will EVER SEE nor hear of our other drivers.
I feel like they should just put the CHASE guys in separate races I find it so offensive.
But apparently, many love the Chase. I think it stinks because when some of the guys I like get into it, I feel really bad for the guys like NOT in it. Even the drivers says it's like being in two worlds.
Yet France DEEMS it a SUCCESS.
I am surprised I have not seen Sauter on VL. Then again, we saw how moody the boy is on ABC Primetime...maybe something ticked him off? I dunno. Boy should be thrilled and grateful to have done so well.
"I cant thank ESPN enough in getting our sport out to new fans" Jimmy Johnson on NASCAR NOW after the race
well we now know two things about Jimmie Johnson:
1) He's never actually seen an ESPN broadcast
2) That man can lie through his teeth.
Ok..Race day NEVER interviewed Sauter or I missed it.
THEN I switched over to NASCAR NOW, and behing Marty Smith JJ was doing the NASCAR "Hat dance" and Burr had to ask what was going on??
Marty said he gets to pose for different sponsors and go "woo" a bunch of times.
I read years ago it was called the "hat dance" as they change caps a bunch of times.
I just thought that was odd Burr had to ask what that was about...guess he doesn't know about NASCAR after all.
Then again, he is an ESPN talking head. Sheesh.
I am also surprised Marty didn't explain it a little better.
Sophia, I think Ryan was actually curious as to what the heck Jimmie was doin. For guys who aren't NASCAR fans, is does look a little odd. And Ryan is "learning" this sport. I agree though that Marty gave a plnety lousy answer.
How is JJ going to see the broadcast????? He is going by the fact that ESPN has a diverse and large audience.
I'm watching the replay on ESPN. They cut out on the wreck that took McMurray out for a bazillion commercials. They come back for a handfull of pitstops, now, guess what, more #@%* commercials!!!!! Who's directing this coverage?!!!
These past few weeks with the races being on at night and me getting up early for work, I have started missing the end live. At first it bothered me, but now I realize it is a blessing. If the race is interesting about 1/2 through when I go to bed, I'll fast forward through the Tivo recording of it in the morning to see how it ends, if it was boring, I just look at the results online.
What am I trying to say? I am not sure, but I do know up till this summer, I would stay awake and watch the race, sleep or not, favorite drivers doing well or not, now, I can take it or leave it. Thanks ESPN.
Bill H
"I cant thank ESPN enough in getting our sport out to new fans" Jimmy Johnson on NASCAR NOW after the race
What's his evidence to back up that statement? (Answer: There is none.)
Good job being Mr. PR, there, Jimmie, but you picked the wrong horse.
Allen Bestwick says Kevin Harvick declined the ESPN/ABC request for a pre-race interview because he was focusing on the race. Since when is Harvick not one to talk?
Maybe it was the stupid questions from not too long ago (not asked by AB I might add).
Kevin had time to talk live with MRN five minutes later.
I suspect he's unhappy with ESPN. Not surprising.
Wow! Lot of Cowlishaw bashing going on! He's the best one out there who IS keeping the conversation fun and jovial...Love his jokes and smart ass coments about everything! Very funny guy...both in print and on ESPN...
Anonymous said on September 9, 2007 at 8:51 PM ...
"I cant thank ESPN enough in getting our sport out to new fans" Jimmy Johnson on NASCAR NOW after the race
What's his evidence to back up that statement? (Answer: There is none.)
Good job being Mr. PR, there, Jimmie, but you picked the wrong horse.
I don't understand the problem you have w/ Jimmie. No mater how poor the broadcast is, ESPN HAS A LARGE AND DIVERSE AUDIENCE. Also, people who tune in to ESPN expecting stick and ball stuff see NASCAR. How does that stop the exposure of the sport to new people, even to people who just happen to tune in during a race? Even though he CAN'T see the quality of the race broadcast on ESPN, Jimmie has a point when it comes to exposure.
I don't understand the problem you have w/ Jimmie.
The "problem" is, he has no evidence to back up that statement.
Jimmie just showed with his comments that unlike what gets mentioned on this blog, not all drivers hate ESPN. He supports what ESPN is doing.
Frankly, people are asking for the impossible. You're never going to get a broadcast that caters to non-fans, NASCAR newbies, and die hard NASCAR geeks.
Frankly, people are asking for the impossible.
What, the "Worldwide Leader in Sports" is unable to produce an accurate, polished, no-fake-hype racecast?
Then maybe they shouldn't buy the rights to the races.
how much is nascar being paid by hendrix to give the cchampionship to his drivers i was a junior fan since hes going to be driving for hendrix next year does this mean junior will be giving a chamoionship by cheating? go tony #20
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