Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Greg Biffle Calls Carl Edwards Out On "Inside NEXTEL Cup"


The tale of Inside NEXTEL Cup on SPEED this season has been one of an up-and-down TV series. Sometimes informative, and sometimes way off-the-mark, this decade old NASCAR series was rumored to be on its last legs.

Monday night, as host Dave Despain welcomed his regular panel of Greg Biffle, Michael Waltrip, and Kenny Schrader, things looked to be a bit on the boring side after a single file Martinsville race that featured little racing and lots of bumping.

After the opening conversations, Despain brought-up the on-going story of Carl Edwards pushing around Matt Kenseth after the Martinsville Cup race. This was made more real for SPEED because it was reporter Bob Dillner's camera crew that captured the brief confrontation.

In most circumstances, the current INC panel has been a group of peacemakers who put the best interests of the sport and the sponsors ahead of any momentary loss of reason that may occur after a long and hot race. Not this time.

Once Despain showed the footage, and asked the panel about their thoughts, things took a very interesting turn. For one brief moment, the kind of frank and sometimes brutally honest comments that made this show a hit years ago rose from the ashes.

Greg Biffle was just back from being married, is a veteran Cup driver, and is a Roush/Fenway Racing team member. His response to Despain was fully expected to be coated in politics and cliches. Instead, what happened next was amazing.

"Carl came from a few rows back, bombed down into turns one and two, and door-slammed Matt up the racetrack. Then, to make matters worse, as they were on the corner exit ran him (Kenseth) off into the back stretch wall," said Biffle.

"If you drive like that, you have got to be able to take it," he continued. "You would expect that Carl would figure if he drives like that, somebody is going to race him the same way, especially a team mate. So, in the next corner...Matt just bumped the back of him and he lost two or three spots back to where he was," he stated.

But, Biffle and the panel were not done yet with Carl Edwards. Not by a longshot. Things were about to go from plain talk to harsh words. Greg Biffle ended with his parting shot at Edwards by saying of his actions after the race "I think the true colors (of Edwards) are coming out there." Then, in another moment that reminded viewer of the "old days," Michael Waltrip spoke-up.

"When I think about it, its disrespectful to Jack Roush," said Waltrip. "When Carl came up to Matt after the race with the TV cameras rolling and started pushing on Matt it really made me sick to my stomach. I'm a car owner now and I see it through Jack's eyes and I don't like what I saw," exclaimed Waltrip.

Kenny Schrader was to the point, as always. "They need to sit down and get over it, Carl didn't handle that right at all." His face told the story of someone who had been through a lot worse in racing, and thought Edwards antics to be ridiculous.

The remainder of the show was good, and it was good in part because Despain had stumbled across what former INC host Allen Bestwick knew so well. To get the best out of the three panelists, get them wound-up early on something they feel strongly about. Bestwick was the master at this, and he would then transition the panel into the highlights and things would take-off.

Unfortunately, Despain does not have this touch, and simply uses his monotone to read the script for the highlights, actively trying to quash all driver antics. In this show, the drivers continued to pour-out the good information, despite the repeated interruptions of Despain. He simply cannot lose "control" on TV.

The difference in this show was having Greg Biffle back on the set. On the subject of Tony Stewart, the panel again got Despain off-track and began a discussion of Tony "self policing" the Martinsville track. Said Waltrip, "there has to be somebody in charge." Biffle and Schrader were dialed-in to goofing around, and for once Despain lost his leadership position to good old INC laughter.

The panel was all over the correct information about the race, and several times corrected Despain while he was reading his script. Even teasing each other during their own highlights, Waltrip and Biffle were having a great time. Having a solid third panelist to join Waltrip and Schrader is a key to this series carrying on.

The candid comments and great information flowed better on this episode than they had in many shows. This was due in-part to Michael Waltrip keeping his head in the game for the entire hour, with no sponsor plugs and no changes of topic for reasons related to his team or manufacturer. What a difference a dialed-in Waltrip makes for the viewer.

Toward the end of the show, Waltrip stepped-up to offer the official explanation of the green/white/checkered flag finish. The panel led Despain through a recap of why and how things happened in the final three laps of the Cup Series race. Today, these guys were earning their money.

In a wonderful stroke of luck, the show came up "light," and this allowed the panel to talk about life outside of the NASCAR circle. Finally, it was clear to viewers how the personalities of these three drivers are so completely different. Waltrip talked sponsors and family, Biffle talked fishing, and Schrader said he was going out to eat later. This was the type of fun that SPEED viewers have been missing.

There are only a couple of episodes left for INC this season. After months of problems and turmoil, to see this type of free-flowing and orderly show clearly suggests that SPEED executives got involved and decided to put things in order.

If only for one night, the kind of casual and chaotic fun that allowed this show to become a hit was on display again. SPEED has not announced if INC will return for 2008, but with a fresh host and the continued support of the production executives, this franchise may have not taken its last breath.

The Daly Planet welcomes comment from readers. Simply click on the COMMENTS button below, or email editor@thedalyplanet.tv if you wish not to be published. Thanks again for stopping-by and leaving your opinion.

118 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yep, I agree, it was a pretty good show.

I thought it was interesting to hear Despain explicitly point out that they would be doing an unusually intensive recap of this race for the benefit of the SoCal fans who may have missed seeing it because of the fire coverage preempting the race broadcast on the ABC affiliates out there.

Anonymous said...

I also found it interesting that DESPAIN mentioned that ABC did not carry the race due to the devastating fires, and they would try to inform the West Coast viewers.

While other sites said LA stations in the area chose to break in or keep PIP, on CBS or NBC, ABC did not.

I was THRILLED to hear them talk HONESTLY about Carl. I used to like Edwards but he started showing odd moods last year and pulled a couple of stunts. The one I remember off the top of my head was when he was mad at Jr, almost bumped Jr's hand off while Jr was in the car...THEN Carl MARCHED into VL where Jr was and started an argument there. IN VL?? Super tacky. And to butt into Dilner's interview. Boy needs anger management.

Then to see last nights show and Biffle's comment "true colors" showing. WOW. Mikey minced no words. And even though either distantly related or thru inlaws, but a close connection, Schrader told it like it was.

Great show and I loved the closing remarks...Mikey saying "Y'all don't know how COMMITTED we are to this show" To which Schrader said to Mikey "YOU Need to be committed."

While I feel Despain enjoys the boys, it's really starting to irritate me he obviously never watches the races. This came up last week on WT when a called commented about the last several laps under caution. Dave didn't know why but if he would WATCH the races, it was to help the car dry up with SPEEDY dry.

Still, break up this group, aside from the host, and it would stink.

KENNY and MIKEY make it for me and Biffle was great last night.

Sophia said...

Hmm..I didn't see the first post when I started this...got interrupted. Glad somebody else noticed the Despain comment about ABC. :-)

Anonymous said...

And how about Biffle asking "What is reasonable speed?" when they were discussing the GWC finish that turned into a yellow/checker finish.

Sophia said...

Biffle kept a decent poker face when asking the reasonable speed question but the other guys were dying to jump on that bandwagon again.

I also liked the comment about how Biffles nice wedding ring, matched his watch. Mikey said something about how well tailored Biff looked...and then Mikey said yea, look at Schraders shoes.

to which Kenny said irritatedly/but with an aw shucks attitude/ but MEANT IT "Don't show my shoes"

They did not, but the look on Mikey's face was like an 8 year old with a big secret!! I have no idea what that was about the but the VIBE was fun.

Now I do like despain but I am really annoyed he does not watch the races.

I think WT needs to be two hours but I do wish the host of INC was somebody like JR but he is busy all day Sunday how it is.

Still, I think the regular trio is good and should stand. Biffle has gotten better. I can't remember the remark but I saw the same expression on his face last night as he had for the "ugly car" comment from last week.

Anybody notice THAT and could you recall the comment that triggered it?:-)

Man, just thinking of last nights show makes me smile.
And yes, the HONESTY for a change was refreshing.

Anonymous said...

I always felt that IWC was a good barometer of what drivers were liked, disliked, respected etc, because of the feedback from the drivers panel during the shows.

The show lost that for me the last year or so,

Last night that feeling was back,

It's painfully clear to me that Carl has "Issues" within the NASCAR community and Roush. Comments like Biffle's last night are not the result of one or two icidents no matter how public and moronic it was.

Has "Cousin Carl" shown the public what may have been known in the Nascar community for quite a while??

The panels comments lead me to believe yes.

Good Show Guy's there may some life in that old girl yet!

Anonymous said...

This particular show is interesting in light of Carl Edwards teleconference which was showcased on Nascar Now. While Biffle made a point of saying that even if there hadn't been issues between the two teammates in past races there still would have been the incident at Martinsville, and there we had Edwards complaining that he never gets congratulations from his own teammates when he wins a race. Guess Tony Stewart was right last season when during a post race interview he called Carl Edwards the Eddie Haskell of Nascar. Nascar Now did a good job showing the Speed footage and then putting Edwards on the air for his rebuttal. This is the kind of stuff that ESPN needs to focus on.

Anonymous said...

I think the last two shows have been really good and up-beat. I just wish they would stop changing things up and go with the current drivers. No more BV and if one of them can't be there then just have the other two.

Sophia said...

I almost Forgot Tony called carl the "eddie haskell" of NASCAR!!

While Tony has his own hot head issues, he is who he is.

Carl, has long tried to act SO GRATEFUL and aw shucks, I love doing what I do, racing cars.

but I missed the teleconference. IF NO TEAM MATES congratulate him??? Well that does speak volumes.

Also, it came across on INC that CLEARLY Carl will never win "Miss Congeniality" behind the scenes.

And no offense, I have always thought there was something off about the toothy smile of his. Ever since I saw him wanting to kick Jr's butt in VL...angry, but that smile on his face like some crazy person.

Not that i am calling him crazy.

I am just saying

Anonymous said...

During his early years, I considered Biffle to be overly aggressive. Over time, I have come to really respect him. He is now more comfortable in front of the TV camera. He's allowed his real personality to show without always trying to be PC. I think that he adds to the program.

Biffle has all but endorsed Tony Stewart's Eddie Haskell assessment of Carl Edwards.

stricklinfan82 said...

Bravo to those guys for putting on a great show.

I applaud Greg Biffle for his candid comments about Carl Edwards. You can tell that there are a lot of behind the scenes issues with Carl and the guys at Roush Racing. Greg pretty much mirrored the only quote I've seen from Matt about the incident, which went something like "I'm just glad the cameras were rolling so the rest of the world can see what Carl's like in real life"... Yikes.

I'll be interested to see how "The Chase is On" addresses this issue. Carl sure does seem portray himself as a genuine good guy on TV so I was quite shocked to hear these behind the scenes comments about how Carl acts when the cameras aren't around. All I have to say is WOW!

Anonymous said...

Edwards is just a plain old bully. And we all have dealt with those types that want to intimidate people and then wonder why people don't warm up to them? Sad to say I have a hard time watching Speed sometimes because Waltrip seems to show up even when he isn't scheduled too. Like on Fri. during Nascar Live when it was raining he showed up and took up about 15 min. of the show at least, talking about him. Can't stand it. Then he was on INC talking about not driving fast once they leave the track, well then I remembered , didn't he flip a car or truck and then ran from the scene and hide out till he sobered up? Take Despain and Waltrip off that show and it is watchable, mostly because I enjoy hearing the radio chatter from the drivers...But anyway Edwards is a bully and isn't gonna become someone different in a few days, felt bad for Kenseth. Used to be an Edwards fan but no more....

Anonymous said...

CarlEdwards should enroll in anger management therapy. That being said:

"Carl came from a few rows back, bombed down into turns one and two, and door-slammed Matt up the racetrack. Then, to make matters worse, as they were on the corner exit ran him (Kenseth) off into the back stretch wall," said Biffle.

It's well known that CE had alternator issues which caused him to keep the brake blowers off. This was the cause of him running into MK.

This fued was a carry over from the last race where Carl and Matt got together. Carl is racing for the Bush championship and doesn't feel Matt gave him enough room to get around him.
-----------------------------
"When I think about it, its disrespectful to Jack Roush," said Waltrip. "When Carl came up to Matt after the race with the TV cameras rolling and started pushing on Matt it really made me sick to my stomach."

This being said from a guy who was caught CHEATING, adding sterno to his fuel.

Getting drunk and rolling his car, then leaving the scene to avoid detection.

When Waltrip spoke of being disrespectful, he must have been looking in the mirror.
----------------------------------
There is a bigger issue going on. Kenseth has been the number one driver at Roush, and Edwards is trying to take that spot. These two are not friends, and they not going to be.

Anonymous said...

With Kenseth's comments on the issue, anyone else think maybe Carl is getting some help to keep that body, maybe time to check for some performance drugs. They do cause anger and rage problems, he looked like a madman in the video.

Anonymous said...

To
Anonymous October 24, 2007 2:57 AM
Anonymous October 24, 2007 2:18 AM

What do Michael Waltrip and his past have to do with Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth? You can't compare two teammates getting into it to a driving accident. You sound like an idiot who is using your hatred for Waltrip to protect Carl Edward's actions. I think we all can agree that Edwards messed up, what does Waltips past have to do with anything?

Kathy said...

I love this show because you get a feel for what it would be like if you sat down with these guys and talked about the race...it's fun and less formal than other shows. I was shocked at how hard these guys came down on Edwards. It seemed that there are a lot of hard feelings among the drivers toward him.
The more I see Biffle, the more I like him...his straight-faced humor is a great balance for the antics of the other two. This show really suffers when Kenny or Mikey are absent.
I know there has to be a "format" for presenting the race clips but the best moments are often the unscripted exchanges between the panelists...keep them coming.

Anonymous said...

This being said from a guy who was caught CHEATING, adding sterno to his fuel.
Funny you seem to know this, despite the fact that NASCAR has never released any information on it. Or are you just making it up?

Getting drunk and rolling his car, then leaving the scene to avoid detection.
Funny you seem to have evidence that MW was "drunk" despite the fact that law enforcement doesn't. Or are you just making it up?

Anonymous said...

I thought the show was interesting, however I still dislike the way Mikey can trash one driver, but if he likes a driver he won't say a bad word about him. Think about it, has he ever said anything bad about Toney or Junior? He doesn'e analyze a race as it happened, he tries to paint it in a different reality. There was nothing wrong with saying that Carl Edwards acted inappropriately, however Tony Stewart has done things just as bad and Mikey just glosses over it. For instance, at the July Daytona race, Tony ran into Denny Hamlin. On INC, Dave begins to discuss this and Mikey basically cuts the conversation off and says they should be disucussing something that happenned to Junior instead! If Mikey wants to be on a show that analyzes the previous days races, then he needs to be more objective. Otherwise, do us all a favor and get off of the show.

One more thing, I tend to agree that if Dave is going to host INC, he should watch the race. However, it should be noted that he has a show on Sunday nights in which he has to prepare for that may take up a lot of his time, preventing him from watching it closely. It would be interesting to compare his INC performance between when the race is on Saturday versus Sunday.

Anonymous said...

It's an opinion show.

They offer their opinions.

That's why they are there. Not to be unbiased reporters of events. If that's what the show was about, they'd bring in reporters.

I thought everyone knew this.

Anonymous said...

To be able to critique the show properly you really have to be neutral on liking or disliking anyone on the show, some of these posts clearly show a personal dislike for one or more members of the show. That show made me laugh, think, get angry and annoyed but most of all I was entertained, GREAT show, I really miss it when the season ends, I wish they would have something during the off season to let us know what everyone is up to. I like the panel that was on last night.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Hey Guys,

Let's get back to the show. Waltrip's Daytona issue is behind him and there was no evidence of any alcohol use in the accident in question. In addition, Waltrip has been on this show for ten years.

What is interesting this season is how the series has gone through different "moods" depending who is in the third seat and what mood Waltrip has been in at showtime.

Do you think this series should come back next season, or has it run its course?

JD

Anonymous said...

"Waah!" A driver shows some fire in his belly and everyone starts crying. Maybe they should all have cardboard personalities like Kenseth.

The INC deck was stacked against Carl. Biffle and Matt are buds and he admits it. The reason Carl came from "rows back" is that those "rows back" were all brake checking because of the 41. Carl had a clear line and got around them.

Matt started the whole thing by cutting Carl off in the Busch race at Kansas. Matt was mad because Carl got a better re-start, again.

Now Carl makes a peace offering and Matt continues to whine. Bottom line: Carl should have decked him at Martinsville. Justice, old school racing style, back when the sport had a heart.

Anonymous said...

Sure, John, bring it back in 2008.

I'd prefer to see someone other than Despain in the host seat, but as long as the three guys who were on Monday are together, it works.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Kevin in Brownsburg said...

Bring it back in '08, just don't bring back DesPlaines! He reminds me of a professor I had at Indiana State. He had the uncanny ability to take the most exciting topic and turn it into an hour of agony based soley on his presentation of the subject matter. I would love to see John Roberts, Matt Yocum, Wendy Venturini, or even DW hosting. I will credit DesPlaines for 1 thing, he knows more about NASCAR than Erik (with a K) Kuselias. Of course that's not saying much since my 6 year old son knows a heck of a lot more than Eri(k).

Anonymous said...

Yep, I would like to see it back in 2008.

However, I do not like how Despain tries to get them back on track throughout the whole show. Let these guy's get on a role, bring back the hot-seat guest each week. Most of us watching have already seen the race, we watch the show to hear the drivers discuss things that went on durring the weekend that may not have come up.

Kevin in Brownsburg said...

anonymous said...
Carl needs to lay off the roids and the HGH

October 24, 2007 8:55 AM

You know, that was my first thought when I saw the video. I've been around guys who use 'roids and they would flip out like that. These were 6'5" 280 lb football players who had been drinking and fortunately I could move faster than them! Whatever the reason, Carl defintitely has anger management issues and needs some help. Let's hope he gets it before someone is hurt. I remember Tony Stewart calling him the "Eddie Haskell" of NASCAR because of the "aw shucks" persona he put on in public. It looks like Tony speaketh the truth.

Anonymous said...

I agree with the poster who made the reference to the idea of steroid use by Carl Edwards and the anger, instability side effects. I have wondered this about Carl for the last few months, and I'm not just picking on him. I wondered if Jr was using them last year. He bulked up and got really agressive on the radio. Then it stopped. This is a problem in every other sport why NOT nascar? Do they test?

About INC PLEASE bring it back for '08 with ANYONE as host other than Dave Despain!

Daly Planet Editor said...

OK folks,

Last chance to get this one back to TV or we close the comments.

We are talking about the show, if you enjoyed it, and what do you think works best for INC?

Should Despain remain or move back to WindTunnel? If he should move, who should host?

Thanks!
JD

Anonymous said...

to the person who suggested Mikey never criticizes Tony (I'm assuming he means Tony Stewart)...he has, on this show, at least once I can recall. The year of Tony's tongue lashing of his brother, Mike made a comment to Alan about Tony's problems now being Alan's fault like they had been Darrell's as NBC prepared to take over that year. It was subtle, but not complementary. I'm not a big fan of Mikey's, but most of the time, I think he tries to judge based not on one incident, but on the overall opinion he may have over a period of time, keeping in mind the emotion of the sport, as Carl himself noted in his own radio interview this week. Football players hit each other every play, but in racing...it just gets the tempers going. Shows like INC nearly always have a story or two after any short track race.

This isn't the place to comment on the actual incident, but I find it interesting that people complain about the personalities being 'cardboard'...are drivers supposed to pretend to be loudmouth jerks even when it's not their normal personality? THAT would be just as phony as Tony acting like a Boy Scout. Some drivers are just quiet, even boring guys and I have no problem with that. And to tie it into the show, a forum like INC does give a person like Biffle, who's not known for being particularly dynamic, a place to 'call out' a teammate in a pretty fair sort of way (IMHO). There are plenty of other articles covering that part of the subject.

But I find the Despain comments interesting. AS I'm watching, I never really analyze Dave's ability to lead them through the show (except it's a bit distracting as he's looking at his notes or talking about his director's 'voice'...) But later, when you have time to think about it...I still like Alan better. I get that some people think he's boring or plastic or whatever, but I think, like the drivers, that's just Alan being himself. He knows NASCAR better than Despain, who comes across as pretty cynical rather than embracing it. Get WT back to 2 hours and give us Alan back. I hope they do renew.

Anonymous said...

I thought the discussion about Carl and his actions was outstanding because all three panel members were so candid in their opinions. What gives a lot of weight to what they said was that Ken is Carl's cousin, Greg is Carl's teammate and Michael is not only an owner, but someone who has been involved with a physical confrontation with another driver in the past. That all three - and particularly Ken given that he's related to Carl - were willing to speak out so strongly about what Carl did really speaks volumes, and it's an indication to me that many in the garage area probably found that incident pretty shocking and out-of-line if the panel was willing to go so far in what they said.

Unfortunately I don't think the panel can always be this candid in their opinions about other drivers because they have to race against them every week, but it made for a very interesting discussion, as it always is when they don't hold back on their opinions.

I agree with anonymous at 9:10 a.m. - I'd love to see them bring back the hot seat guest!

Anonymous said...

Let's not make any suggestions of who the viewers want as the host of INC because then Speed will go the opposite way and put someone in there that no one likes. This past show was delightful and Biffle's comments were extremely interesting regarding Carl. Like Schrader said, Jack is going to have to sit Carl & Matt down to discuss this. I also think Carl is looking beefier I always thought he was working out harder and longer. I enjoyed everyone's comments too.

Jeannie said...

To answer the blog owner's recent question in the comments section here:
I think if they cannot replace Dave Despain {DD} (who has always seemed to thumb his nose up at Nascar racing) then it should stop production.
The show premise is a good one. It was interesting to watch before DD. He doesn't add anything to the show/he takes away from it-making it boring.
p.s. I have no feelings one way or another about DD, so please don't lump me into a DD hater club. thanks.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Kevin in Brownsburg said...

John has asked us to keep it on topic so let's try to do that.

Say YES to INC in '08!

Say NO to DesPlaines in '08!

BTW, will NASCAR Now have Eri(k) back hosting tonight?

Anonymous said...

Bring it back,
SAME panel!
Eat crow and call Alan and beg him to come back!
Cross Vicker's name off of the substitute panel list.....
I'll be there!

Anonymous said...

Where exactly on the show did Biff call out Edwards? Calling out and trash talking are two different things. Oh how you forget that Biff and Harvick used to crash each in Busch in 2001 - usually on purpose.

To Waltrip - he sharply criticized Tony Raines on INC show after Raines took him out in Daytona Busch race a few years ago.

Did anyone notice the comment Waltrip made about Jr having engines from the R&D shop (on Wind Tunnel) and that he did admitted a conspiracy and added that Dale Jr was talking out of both sides of his mouth to which Despain said that Waltrip said that not Despain.

Anonymous said...

Dang. I'm sorry I missed the show Monday night. Should've recorded it. Oh, well.

After hearing more details about Edwards and his behavior, I wonder if there is something going in his life that is causing additional stress. Maybe he's unhappy where he is driving-wise and just doesn't know it. Or maybe he's bipolar and should be on medication. Perhaps something is going on in his personal life and he doesn't know how to leave it outside the track. Whatever it is, I hope he gets it taken care of soon.

I will admit that I was disappointed to read that Carl Edwards hasn't been much of a team member and is going to get to know his teammates and crew better. Why wasn't he doing this from the get-go? Is he that arrogant? And this is the same guy that gives his trophies to kids that are ill? Where's his compassion for his fellow co-workers? Hasn't he ever heard that TEAM means 'Together Everyone Achieves More' and that there is no 'I' in TEAM?

Anonymous said...

I really think that NASCAR needs to check Carl for roids or HGH.. the guy has changed in the last year and half and is hanging out with JOhn Cena the wrestler and we all know they do roids.. I really think this needs to be taken care of before he loses control and really strikes someone.. saying that I would love that boy to try that crap on someone his own size..

Anonymous said...

I want the show back in 08.
I want the same panel back in 08. Change the name of the show, if needed, not the panel.

I have made no secret of the fact that I do not enjoy Mr. Despain. I would be pleased if he never appeared on INC again.

I have also said that John Roberts has the talent and personality to host this show without trying to be the star.

slithybill said...

The series has definitely run its course with Dave Despain as host. It's become nothing but a highlights show. Give Mr. Despain a second hour on "Wind Tunnel" on Sunday nights, or better yet give him an hour a night Sunday through Thursday.

Bring INC back in 2008 as Inside Sprint Cup! Since the show will get a new name it would be the perfect time to bring in a new host. While I would love for Allen Bestwick to return as host, my understanding is there is no way that will happen as long as he continues to work for ESPN.

Kevin in Indy earlier mentioned Wendy Venturini as host next year. What a great idea! She would be perfect. Just like Mr. Bestwick, she's at the track for every race and is talking to ALL the drivers and crew chiefs and officials. She would be able to add additional perspective from behind the scenes, unlike Dave Despain. Her focus is NASCAR and only NASCAR. Working with Jimmy Spencer and Kenny Wallace she has proven she can handle Schrader and Waltrip. Her off-the-cuff interviews with drivers on pit road or behind the driver introduction podium show she can think on her feet. She would be perfect to host ISC.

Add my vote for Wendy Venturini, and keep Biffle, Schrader and Waltrip. I initially didn't like Biffle on the show, but he has grown on me. Glad to see him finally loosening up. His keeping a straight face when he asked "What is reasonable speed?" reminded me of some classic Johnny Benson interjections.

So bring back the show, keep the same panel, add a "hot seat" guest, and name Wendy Venturini as host!

Anonymous said...

Definitely bring back the show next year!

I don't mind Despain, but I certainly wouldn't change the drivers on the panel. What a perfect mix of personalities.

I still don't understand how people can't like Michael Waltrip. He is fantastic on this show and on his other appearances on TV.

I had to watch Biffle's comments again because I couldn't believe my ears when he said it. Way to go, Biff!

One note for INC next week - they said it would be live since the drivers would just be getting back to Charlotte from the Atlanta COT testing Monday. I would imagine the show will be a bit more crazy with them doing it live. Personally, I can't wait.

Anonymous said...

John Roberts would be a good choice for this host job in 2008.

I was pleasantly surprised when Biffle gave his honest opinion on INC Monday. I was hoping he would, but was prepared not to blame him if he didn't because of the circumstances.

But I hope he doesn't suffer any ramifications from being honest; I read the transcript of Carl's teleconference and he didn't seem happy with Biffle. Combine that with Geoff Smith trying to downplay with the "boys will be boys comments" and I'm thinking Mr. Biffle (and Mr. Kenseth) might get a talking to from the Roush marketing/PR team. Let's face it, Carl Edwards is the up and coming Roush marketing gold mine (and he's a decade younger than Biffle) and they aren't going to want to mess with that.

"CARL EDWARDS: I was definitely shocked at Greg’s comments. I believe that he’s going to think about that a little bit. I think he, you know, hopefully he’ll – that’s not really how he feels. I don’t know. I don’t know exactly what the issue is."

Anonymous said...

Bring back the show for '08. I don't want to trash Despain, but this show isn't his element. He's really good on WT, and he used to do a motorcycle show where he was completely comfortable. Keep the rest of the panel. This show is really where I got to "know" the drivers outside of the race itself. Especially when they had the Hot Seat. The banter between Waltrip and Schrader was generally priceless, and Bestwick would end up being the "straight man" to those two.
Also, they've got to put it back to 11:00. That's pushing bedtime as it is.

Anonymous said...

INC: Would benifit from better panalist in my opinion. Biffle isn't too bad, Kenny S. is okay if he has a decent supporting cast. Watching the show for years I've wondered what Waltrip brings to the table. In days before he drove for DEI his claim to fame was being DW's brother. Brother of a former Cup Champ. I still have visions of when the camera would pan to Waltrip and he'd hit a button on his chair and it would make him drop about 6inches and he's go on about that bit for a long time. Not what people tune into see. When drivers like J. Benson were on the show they seem to bring a seriousness to the discussion. Maybe two goofoffs Kenny S. & Waltrip are too much for me but one would be enough. And I often wondered why more racing journalist like Steve Waid or someone isn't on a show. Or D. Poole or M. Mulhern. As on Trading Paint sometimes has NASCAR writers face off against K. Petty. It would be nice to hear some opinions that aren't from the fraternity of the drivers, now I do want drivers on the show but someone with a little substance and not just there to be the class clown all the time. I think Vickers is over his head at times when he's on the show. Kenny Wallace can be a goof but he also can add something to the conversation and isn't always trying to gear or stear the question back around to him in a round about way, ala M. Waltrip. I don't hate Waltrip but he's not one I care to listen to at length about Nascar because it eventually comes back to him and it gets old as a fan of nascar, I don't always need to hear how it all affects Waltrip and MWR...How Despain got this gig is beyond me, he has very little interest in Nascar and how many people tune into Wind Tunnel to hear a few phone calls on the race and 51min of the show is on open wheel or motorcycle racing, unless they've booked a JR or Gordon on the show, then more time is devoted to the most popular racing series in North America...

Unknown said...

As a big #16 fan I know that Kenseth was Biffle's best man at his wedding a couple of weeks ago now. Not surprising he took MK's side. Would have rather had Carl tango again with Junior that's for sure!

Unknown said...

As a big #16 fan I know that Kenseth was Biffle's best man at his wedding a couple of weeks ago now. Not surprising he took MK's side. Would have rather had Carl tango again with Junior that's for sure!

Anonymous said...

It would be nice to hear some opinions that aren't from the fraternity of the drivers

That's not what this show is about.

What you want is a whole oher snow.

Tracy D said...

Whoever suggested Wendy Venturini as host, you're a genius. What a great idea!

Unknown said...

Here are my suggestions for INC in 08:

Since they are going to have to change the name, they should also look at revamping the show in a different direction.

1. Instead of Inside Winston Cup becoming Inside Nextel Cup becoming Inside Sprint Cup, drop the cup and make it Inside Nascar.

2. Expand the show to 2 hours. Add a Busch (oops Nationwide) and Truck segment WITH drivers from each of these series.

2a. Let the first 45 minutes be about cup with a new host (I like the Wendy Venturini suggestion)

2b Then do a 1/2 hour with Buschwide panelists

2c Then do a 1/2 with Truck

2d. Finally, bring all the 3 series together for a 15 minute "gab fest". Not only would this open the show to the other 2 series, but it would also let the drivers compare the different series, cars, tracks etc.

3. Incorporate some form of internet component, either a live chat for asking questions during the show, or an open forum on speedtv.com that you can post questions to be answered on the show.

4. Create a spin-off call Inside Nascar / Practice. A 1/2 hour show on Thursday night that would setup the weekends activies, who has to race their way in, how they are prepared, who is the favorite. This would be hosted by the same host of the Inside Nascar, but would be interviews with crew chiefs, crew members etc.

BillWebz

Vince said...

JD, I haven't watched this show more than once or twice since AB and JB were let go. Sounds like this weeks was a good one. Sorry I missed it.

I'd watch it again if DD wasn't the host. I think he's the perfect host for WT, but is not right for this show. I think John Roberts would be a good fit. He's already used to dealing with Jimmy and Kenny on RaceDay. I don't agree with some other posters that would like to see Wendy as a host. Although I like her, I think the guys would run rough shod over her and take over the show.

I'm not a Mikey fan, but when he's not plugging one of his sponsors, Toyota, or something else he has a vested interest in; then he can be good. Especially with Schrader.

From the interviews I've seen with The Biff at the track, I think he's really knows his stuff when it comes to the cars and I like his low key personality and sense of humor.

So I guess what I'm saying is for 2008, keep Mikey, Schrader and Biffle. Replace DD with John Roberts or someone else who can keep Mikey under control, but still let the guys go off every now and then. And maybe I'll start watching this show again.

Vince said...

Oh, I forgot one other thing. Bring back the Hot Seat guest segment they used to have. That was great!

mant2003 said...

Okay, BillWebz let's not get over our heads here. I mean this is somewhat of a low maintenance show, with four chairs for four buts and probably no more that 3 cameras.
I don't think this show is meant to be a big fancy 2 hour feature. They should change the name of course and I agree with JD, every show should start off with a controversial topic to get the panel going. I don't think the panelist could resist talking about the Edwards situation. All the shows should start like this show started.

Anonymous said...

Despain needs to go, I use to like his wind tunnel show, but don't watch it anymore either.

Anonymous said...

Bring back the show next year with DD. AND no more BV. I wish mikey and kenny would stop drowning out Biff when he is trying to explain something.

Sophia said...

I agree WT needs to be longer and on more often. Dave reminds me of talk radio guys from years ago and I LOVE that about him.

I am mainly NASCAR FREAK, and watch some IRL and a little F1. Still, I enjoy WT IMMENSELY and had never heard of the older reporter interviewd some months back (Economaki? sorry only been around a few years watching NASCAR)

Still, it is growing more irritating and especially lately DAVE DOES NOT WATCH THE RACES??

As far as him keeping the boys on TARGET/TOPIC, thank Chris Long for that who wanted INC to be a SERIOUS REVIEW of the races (Big yawn)

And, please, not to sound like a female chauvnist pig, as I am not, please keep it a MAN host. I like that it's all boys on the show. :-)

I also agree Biffle has come a LONG way and to keep Schrader, tweak the name.

Also, if Mikey would just dropped the all sponsor all the time, He is INDEED more enjoyable but I Like him anyway..most the time.

However, adding DW as a host, please no. I like him 'mostly' in the booth but two Waltrips on the same show?? Too much even for this Waltrip fan.

Just being honest.

Anonymous said...

Mikey "under control"? HA..........you wouldn't have a show.
For 2008 bring back AB, keep the panel as is.......let the show get back to entertainment and the fun it used to be...FOR OVER 10 YEARS.

Grani Girl

Sophia said...

Oh, I also STILL miss the OPENING TEASE!


They did that for a couple weeks, shortly back, I think once with Bifffle and once with Waltrip, That little PERSONAL TOUCH ALSO helped to set up the show.

When they start off with video and the graphics, it seems to be just another show. I think the opening tease should stay there.

:-)

Anonymous said...

Watched the show last night. It was a very good show. I actually watched the whole thing too! I don't always bother to watch past the first half hour but when the guys are interacting as they were this week, it keeps me tuned.

I hope it's back next year. I do enjoy it when it's as it was this week.

Mikey sure does seem much 'looser' now. That goes a long way toward improving this show.

Anonymous said...

Dale Jarrett is going to be free next year he can host the show. His dad did back a few years ago, but it was diffrent programing back then.

Vince said...

Hey all, AB is great, but he's under contract to ESPN.

Sophia, you never heard of Chris Economaki? You need to Goggle him! He's been referred to as "The Dean of American Motorsports." Those old enough to remember Wide World of Sports on ABC in the 60's will remember his calls of the Daytona 500. He's a classic.

Race Fan In Ohio said...

I guess I am in the minority here, since I would like to see DD host the show again next year. Since AB has a contract elsewhere, he is not an option. I liked him, but we've already been there and you can't go back. The only person other than DD that I would like is Wendy. She's good, has an in with the teams via her boyfriend/husband, and has been around racing all of her life.

As for the pannelist:

I like having Schrader around, he brings a lot of experience and history to the show, one of the oldest of the current drivers even though he does not do as well as in earlier years.

The Biff has come a long way. He has been able to convey to the viewers the wealth of knowledge he has. And plus, he has an interesting sense of humor.

Then there's Mikey. In years gone by I got a kick out of him, but his schtick has gone stale. I don't see what he really adds to the show except deviation and interuption. Without him, the show would not need someone to keep him in line or get back on topic.

How about someone that is at each race like Hermie Sadler! He does a great job explaining the tracks, has an in depth knowledge of the racing, an interesting sense of humor, and a great accent!

Bottom line/s - you can't go back to the "good ol' days" with AB & Mikey. You have to move forward. The show is more of conversational program built around highlights. DD is good in that situation and I think The Biff, Kenny, and Hermie would fit in beautifully!

Just my $0.02

Anonymous said...

In my opion Mikey and Kenny should start their own show and call it kiss up to nascar. I can't stand either one of them. and allof this PC BS has gone to far, let's get back to (honesty) saying what you really think.

Sophia said...

Vince

I did google Economaki after the Despain interview.

REmember I NEVER EVER watched NASCAR until 2004!! Except a few Indy races.

So forgive my ignorance.;-)

But I totally love interviews with colorful older guys that have been around the racing forever. And Chris was the real deal.

:-)

I wish I had taped that show I enjoyed it so well.

Anonymous said...

I hope ISC comes back in '08. It's the only reason I like Mondays.

Anonymous said...

I think you have to give Mikey some of the credit for keeping INC on the air to this point. Like him or not, his goof ball style helped the show gain A LOT of viewers.

I used to think Marty Smith would have been a great choice for a host, now that he's with ESPN he's starting to be more "effected" and doesn't always show his "common sense" opinions that he had in the past.

Anonymous said...

I actually get a kick out of INC and it should be back next season. I'm wondering if the downturn perceived in the show is directly related to an ever increasing use of political correctness or is it because the three guys are afraid to really express their opinions for fear of being called on the carpet by the Nascar bigwigs. I know that even journalists have been called and "reprimanded" by Nascar officials when they dared express opinions contrary to official Nascar gospel (just talk to the guys on Sirius who've been called by Nascar mucky-mucks for things they've said on their radio shows). If the reason the show has become bland is because of fear of Helton/France, etal, that's a pretty sorry statement against free speech. If INC could be anything like it was this past week, it could be one of the best racing shows on TV.

Anonymous said...

Like that name- INSIDE NASCAR. Wendy V would make a great host also but lets not forget that the show as tinkered with when Fox/Speed shook things up at the top and it mostly failed. They tried INC as two hrs and failed. moved it to 8PM Eastern and it failed. Hell it overlapped into 24 so I never watched it.

Whats the deal with the poster saying move it to 11:00? The Show is on at 8PM and midnight Eastern and I a couple of more times MOnday after night and Tuesday morning.

Kathy said...

Keep the show and the panelists for 2008. Get rid of Mikey??? Did you catch it a couple of weeks ago when he wasn't on??? Dull as dishwater.
And...gotta keep it real...don't like the idea of Wendy in Dave's seat...it would change the whole chemistry of the show.

Anonymous said...

remember ever since nascar took over speed despain lost all or allmost all of his loved motorcycle coverage.he hated nascar back then and still does today but cant do much about it

Anonymous said...

It has taken awhile for the show to get back to it's former self...Bestwick was perfect for it.. I have watched this show since day one...it's nice change of pace....some fun.. and a little information....Despain seems to have loosened up a bit and has some rapport with the three of them....

Anonymous said...

I remember reading somewhere that Despain was brought in by some new producer because Bestwick let the drivers get out of hand too often. The show is always better when Schrader is there because he gets respect from all drivers and owners. Biffle has improved greatly over the season. Waltrip's act is growing thin. As for Biffle's criticism of Edwards, don't forget who his best man was. I enjoy this show because the fans get a sense of what the drivers really think without the use of a fluff filter. The only time we got this before was Pitbull and NASCAR couldn't stand it. Occasionally we get unfiltered opinions on Tradin' Paint. By the way JD did you see Tradin' Paint last week with Mike Mulhern. That wsa enjoyable to watch. Bring back INC next year with a few tweaks.

Anonymous said...

I have read, carefully, all 66 comments about INC with a specific eye towards the comments regarding Carl Edwards. I have had the pleasure of working with Carl for the past two years on "The Chase is On," on SPEED.
The allegations, or implications about possible steroid use are baseless.

Carl is not arrogant, nor does he have anger management problems. He told me today that he did lose his temper, but he won't apologize for caring so deeply about his job. I am not an "apologist" for Carl, but as someone who works alongside him every week for 11 weeks, it troubles me to see speculation about his character. He is a good man, as is Matt Kenseth.

I can't speak for others in the broadcast world, but I read JD's site often, and find it insightful.

We do live a society where free speech is protected and encouraged. For that I am most grateful. However, words, and even opinions come with some sort of accountability. I recognize that not everyone likes my work...comes with the uniform.
However, some of the personal attacks I read in regards to colleagues, or competitors is unwarranted and hurtful.

I appreciate this forum and the opportunity to express my feelings. I don't feel the need to defend myself, and Carl certainly doesn't need my help. There are issues on a world scale that deserve perspective and concern. Carl, Matt, Schrader, and Biffle are racers, and are well compensated for what they do. They are also sons, fathers, friends and neighbors. They are people like you and me.

Respectfully,
Steve Byrnes

Anonymous said...

Steve--

Your comments are greatly appreciated. It is good to hear from someone who's clearly "in the know."

However, in regard to your statement about perceived personal attacks, you must remember than darned near everyone mentioned here is a public figure. As much as they're a father, son, and so on--they've chosen a life that means they have to accept the fact that people will express and opinion about their behavior, personality, or racing ability.

Sometimes they will do so in harsh terms.

This is a reality they must accept. If they (or you) can't, well, they (and you) know the real-life alternative.

Having said that, I hope you'll keep coming back and setting things straight as much as your position will allow.

Vince said...

Annon @ 5:33,

Amen. Well said. The drivers and media personalities mentioned here in JD's blog are all public figures. And they are well compensated for what they do. If they don't like being under the microscope, they can always work a 8-5 job like the rest of us and be anonymous. Although sometimes they get lamblasted here, they are public figures and this is a public forum. It's a free country and as long as us posters are civil, all's fair.

Sophia said...

Steve Byrnes!

Was that really YOU???
(I feel like that kid in the Little Debbie/Schrader commercial)

Anyway, I must say there seems to be a PUBLIC perception that Carl does have if not an anger problem an ATTITUDE he "Tries" to keep polished but has often inserted mouth, and put in both feet, so to speak.

The bursting into VL last year to lash out at Jr and last week butting into Dilner interview with Kenseth.

Do I think he is on drugs or nuts? Well, no, but I think if you act like a jerk in public THAT comes with the territory.

Please note, I am a Tony fan but also am honest enough to know he talks out of both sides of his mouth. But he is who he is. As opposed to Carl who 'tries to create' one image, while being busted sometimes in another.

I agree it might have been the passion of the moment, but I do not watch the Chase show you host because of him being on it.

I enjoy your work immensely and DO appreciate your coming on this board (Provided it's really you! :-) and I kind believe it is you.

Also, I appreciate your words in general as I am VERY WEARY of being UNABLE TO TALK about INC with the CONSTANT THRASHING of a certain LONG TIME member of that show and outright LIES posted about him here earlier today.

I may gripe my displeasure sometimes but hope it's never taken as "hate mongering".

I know we can't all like the same people or life would be boring.

I STILL LOVE and enjoy Despain on my tv (esp WT)but do wish the man would at least watch the Cup races he is talking about on Mondays or better yet, LISTEN on MRN when they are available.

Thanks for taking time to post here.

Oh, and that Canadian Curmudgeon poster? Sir, you gotta shorten your name as all we get is your blog link?

Sophia

P.S. Love trackside but you all need better mics to MUTE the screaming crowds better. That way we could hear the nice dulcet tones of the voices on the panel.

Anonymous said...

Allen B was perfect, but I feel certain ESPN would not let him moonlight even if SPEED would take him back. INC is still better than NASCAR NOW with Erik K. - and seems to me to have been improving as Mikey's Cup performance has improved. I would suggest Steve Byrnes or John Roberts - either of whom would have the advantage Allen B did of having been at the track with Mike and Kenny. Really need INC followed by a 2nd hour of Wind Tunnel.

Sophia said...

p.s. Addendum to my Steve Byrnes comment

I admit I have been VERY harsh on Rusty Wallace AS A BOOTH COMMENTATOR but have no idea what he is like in real life (but have a strong hunch) Many of us have STRONGLY CRITICIZED the putrid ESPN coverage.

I am sure Jerry Punch is a nice human and Andy Petree...but if somebody isn't fit for being behind a mic and it's almost universal...well you gotta wonder if the suits are clueless.

Which reminds me, I am VERY SADDENED to read here that those on Sirius radio have been taken out behind the woodshed by NASCAR for giving real opinions!? Could that poster give some details?

What makes that so bad is the dichotomy of PATHETIC ESPN coverage; Where NASCAR sits deaf, blind and dumb. Why are they not calling those people to task!?!?

Yet they have time to eavesdrop and give demerits so to speak, to radio guys.

Makes no sense to me???

mant2003 said...

An opinion is an opinion and people shouldn’t have to tone down their opinions just because Steve Byrnes said it wasn’t okay. Yes, these people have families, I think everyone knew that before they called Edwards out, the real question should probably be did Carl Edwards know he had a family before he went after Matt Kenseth.


I agree with Michael Waltrip on the disrespect issue but I want to take it a step further. Edwards not only disrespected NASCAR and RFR but he also disrespected the NASCAR Community.

I received the Edwards speed footage in an email the other day from a colleague who is not a NASCAR fan. In that email he added the statement

“Redneck on Redneck crime, a NASCAR Tradition”

After seeing the footage air on CNN, a nationwide news outlet, I was embarrassed to be a NASCAR fan. What Edwards did cross the line way more than any recent riffs between other drives, he looked and acted like a mad man. He disrespected himself and anyone else that has to do with NASCAR.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone remember several years ago when INC was about to be cancelled and the guys on the show begged people to call and write about keeping the show on and the network got so many responses they kept it on. I enjoy the show but sometimes Mikey gets a little too much. I always thought Johnny Benson knew his stuff and did a good job. Also, I enjoyed the question of the week that they don't have now.

Anonymous said...

I'll be very clear on this. I am not condoning, or encouraging his aggression towards Matt. I am not suggesting anyone tone down their comments.

What I am saying is that it's unacceptable to say that someone abuses alcohol, steroids, or anything else without being accountable.

To be sure, I work in the public eye and have been told unflattering things in person. Not fun to hear, but I love my job so I take the good with the bad.
Steve Byrnes

GinaV24 said...

If they can keep doing the same type of "work" they have done for the last couple of weeks, then I say Yes, bring the show back. When they are all in the game, it is a great show, but Despain is a pain in the neck. I hate him as the host of this show because of his control issues and his disdain for NASCAR. That doesn't work for me. And as long as Mikey doesn't promote himself, his sponsors and suck up to NASCAR so hard there is a great big noise as all the air leaves the room, it's a great show.

Anonymous said...

What I am saying is that it's unacceptable to say that someone abuses alcohol, steroids, or anything else without being accountable.

Welcome to the internet, Steve!

Newracefan said...

John, It's great to see that Steve B. (someone actually involved in Nascar TV) reads this blog. I was disappointed in Carl but his major mistake was showing his anger toward another driver on camera. What made this such a big story is that it seemed to go against Carl's perceived personality and was directed toward a teamate. I am sure most if not all drivers have done things equally as stupid but but did not get caught on camera. Nascar is a tough sport and the access we as fans have to the drivers and crews comes at a price. Carl is paying it. I am glad Steve choose to comment on the steroid question but lets look at Carl yes he's buff (works out alot) does he really look like he Hulk Hogan (sorry only wrestler I know).

But back to the real question yes yes yes keep INC (like the name Inside Nascar). I also would like to see them keep the same .It was pretty rough when Mikey was not doing well professionally (evidentially financially too and we all know how much fun that is) but he was the reason I started watching in the first place and I won't trash him now. Schrader and Mikey together are the heart and soul of the show even when they are not in the race. Biff has increase his ability to participate in the discussions and a new panelist would have to go thru that learning curve (otherwise know as can't get a word in edgewise). DD doesn't bother me but I like the idea of John Robert's or Wendy (but I'm not sure she could keep them on track without looking like a bitch, it's the price we women pay when we are put in charge of others). I only saw a few shows with AB so have nothing to compare DD to.

To the poster asking about the Biff ugly car face. Michael said Biff's Ameriquest car was ugly and Biff made the pouty lip face as he agreed with Mikey that the car was ugly, it was priceless.

PS Eric on Nascar Now Bummer and still hyping Carl/Matt Jeff/Jimmie, no Jeff Green, No Doug Reichert that actually was news. Chasing Glory was very confusing going back and forth between 2006 and 2007 Jimmie Johnson.

Anonymous said...

My take is that there are several ways to look at the situation, and without any proof everything stated here should be taken strictly as speculation.

Having said that, it seems that Carl has gone out of his way to carefully craft a public image of Mr. Positive, nice guy, goody-goody, "This is the best track in NASCAR - uh, where are we?" When cracks appear in that image, such as the incidents described in many posts above, it is only natural to try to find reasons. What are the choices? Steroids, other drugs, anger issues, the inability to keep up the phony image, or something else?

Should we just observe, nod our heads, note that it seemed out of character, and move on? Lacking any facts, we have chosen to speculate and look for reasons. Having a teammate state the things that Biffle did about this being the real Carl tells us a good bit about the situation. I give Greg much credit for not simply falling in line and saying all is well, but instead having the decency to give his opinion based on his first-hand observations. Considering that athletes have been in the news lately with substance issues, it is reasonable for fans to suspect that when viewing out of character behavior. When Carl exhibited behavior that strayed from the public perception of him, my conclusion is that Carl's attempt to play the role of super nice good golly-gee guy has come back to bite him, and any speculation about substance abuse, while probably incorrect, is deserved as result of his attempt fool the public and portray himself as something he is not.

But that's just my opinion.

mant2003 said...

Yes, Steve Byrnes you have to take the good with the bad because of your job but Carl Edwards also has to take the good and the bad because he is a public figure.

Good- he had a good finish at Martinsville a tough track that Carl Edwards doesn’t usually ran well at

Bad – He went after Matt Kenseth and put HIMSELF in a position to be criticized. I really don’t believe people would be saying those things about him if he could have kept his fist below his waist.

Sophia said...

Well, I am not surprised Nascar "NOT" is still whipping up the Matt?carl story. What's more baffling is they WANT the same thing to happen with Jeff and Jimmie. Idiots. NASCAR drivers may get mad but let's NOT MAKE STUFF up.

also, whoever said Steve "Welcome to the Internet", I think we know many anon jerks says such things (people on drugs without FACTS to back it up)

But I thought even Mr. Daly posted the rules here you can't make certain type comments about drivers and that would fall under that category. It's one thing to say somebody acts like a brat or has a real anger problem.

It's a whole new level to say something more snarky. It's why I frequent VERY FEW message boards and the NASCAR ones especially.

SHEESH, I gotta put on my shin guards and knee pads and helmet because I am a Mikey and Despain Fan! :-)

But it does get a little old the same old, same old. It's like posting with 12 year olds.

I remember when INC was 90 minutes and liked it that length as they had on more guests.

I still think SPEED needs to make a Monday night NASCAR package (VL, INC and some other shows and not the creepy shows or slutty shows they have now, late night.

Just make Despain watch the races so he can APPEAR more informed. I do not find him disdainful and humorless. His humor is often dry and may go over people's heads but I enjoy him.

But honestly, I would think it part of his 'homework' to watch or listen to the Cup race.

Oh, and the carl thing being played on CNN? Well, try living in a city with 4 tv stations where the Craftsman Truck driver got caught with drugs. The media had a field day with that one. :( People have personal problems though it may appear online, most have PERFECT FAMILIES.

(Sarcasm)

If SPEED wants another poll vote for INC, of COURSE I say bring it back and agree, KENNY AND MIKEY together are the soul of that show. The fill in du jours just ain't the same.

Anonymous said...

Since Mr. Byrnes wants to discuss Carl Edwards, I will add my opinion.
When Edwards first came on the scene, I was neutral about him. The more I saw, the more I thought that he wasn’t “real”.
When he entered Jr.’s Victory Lane and laid hands on him, I saw a bully.
The incident with Matt, again, showed me a bully.
Substance problems? If true, NASCAR will handle it.
I just see a bully and I have no time or interest for such.

Anonymous said...

"Well, I am not surprised Nascar "NOT" is still whipping up the Matt?carl story."

They actually had new information to report on that story, so I can't blame them. (I do blame them for rehashing Jimmie and Jeff's Chase chances with no new info when that could wait until Friday-they should have reported more of the day's news.)

Marty Smith relaying Jamie McMurray's thoughts on this was quite enlightening. Three out of the four teammates (we haven't heard from Ragan) do not get along with Carl Edwards. More importantly, they have NO problem saying this in public - to TV reporters! This is a huge comunications breakdown when it results in an incident that unsettles even other drivers like Waltrip and Harvick (Harvick weighed in this afternoon in an teleconference interview -if Harvick thinks you're acting bizarrely and should be embarrassed, I'm sorry, that's pretty bad).

Anonymous said...

Mr. Byrnes,

Thank you for your second post. I now totally understand where you are coming from and totally agree. Carl has too much on the line for this outburst to bust his career. RFR apparently hasn't signed his lastest sponsor, and if this incident causes the sponsor (Aflac) to bail, the Cat in the Hat isn't going to be pleased at all. Added to that, RFR needs to thin their herd within the next couple of years and Carl just put himself on the chopping block big time. Just ask Kurt Bush how that feels.

That being said, my opinion on INC:

This week's show was a blast from start to finish. I like DD and didn't mind that he wasn't up to speed on the race, he's not supposed to be the expert, he's supposed to rely on the expert panel for the inside skinny. Besides, this particular weekend he was dealing with the F1 championship (BTW, is that over yet?) among other races. He tried a couple of races ago to subtly hint at ESPN's horrible coverage (think Draft Lock joke) and none of the panelists got the joke. I, of course, was giggling like a kid! And, Sophia, if DD did watch the race on ESPN - no wonder he didn't know what happened on the track!

This show needs to be on next year for two reasons: (1) I just can't stomach Nascar Now. It doesn't matter how much JD pumps me up to watch, it is just a flat snore fest for me. I've already read everything their talking about off of jayski. They offer nothing new and cater to their own agenda and ask stupid, stupid questions. (2) Since INC's inception, this is must see TV for me. The Monday night recap. It's my dessert coffee after dinner. It just feels right.

Tweaks to next year? The name could be changed, but not to Inside Sprint Cup. If that acronym was used, it would be ISC and that's just a "little too France" for me. So, change it to Inside Nascar, IN, and then you can be "in" by watching IN. Catchy, eh? As for the host, as long as DD keeps up the patter like the last two weeks, keep him. If not, Speed has a stable of hosts who would be admirable. Just not Wendy. She's fine on RaceDay, but not directing traffic - the boys would take over in a heartbeat. Oh, and to Race Fan In Ohio - Wendy Venturini's BROTHER is Arca driver Billy Venturini. You might want to Google her if you're interested in her background.

As for panelists, in my heart you need Mikey, Kenny, and Johnny. But, Greg is doing great too. Mikey just needs to stop treating this like a commercial and plugging his sponsors and get down off the "I am an Owner" high horse. While some of his insights from becoming an owner are great, the majority of them make him sound like he's elevating himself and that just doesn't fit the format of the panelists being drivers.

I also like the idea of expanding Monday night coverage to more than one hour, including other series and bringing back the hot seat. Oh, and a really, really nice thing to do would tell us who led a lap during the race. Currently, the only place I can find that is on jayski and he's said he's not running that page next year, so now I have no outlet to keep track of that stat. And with the poor commentating from the ESPN booth, this stat, along with many others, is never told to us. INC used to have a yellow arrow next to a driver's name if he led a lap and two arrows next to their name if they led the most laps....

Just my thoughts....

Newracefan said...

I need to clarify and add to my earlier post; first to clarify I said
I am glad Steve choose to comment on the steroid question but lets look at Carl yes he's buff (works out alot) does he really look like he Hulk Hogan (sorry only wrestler I know). I ment to add that I don't think he looks like a wrestler on steroids and people need to rethink that one.
Second Steve Byrnes would also be a great INC host, he can keep DW, Larry Mac, Jeff, and Elliot in line sohe certainly can handle Mikey and Schrader

Sophia said...

Anon 7;31

about DD watching the race so he would "know" about the race, good poing. ESPN would leave him clueless which is why I mentioned MRN. Though I do realize he is busy prepping for WT and ALL the racing fit to print, so to speak.

I thought the last couple of weeks have been a hoot. BUT if it isn't Kenny and Mikey and somebody who is FINALLY gelling with them, like Biffle, not worth it.

Kenny misses way too many shows for my taste but I know he is addicted to racing and on the road alot in other series.

STill, SPEED should add incentive to keep KS on the show, reign in Mikey's sponsor plugging (though Mikey has been better about hogging time lately) AND keep Biffle on.

Last night was so good, I felt like I was 'eavesdropping' on the guys. :-)

ALso, I am shoecked Jamie Mac said that about Carl.

Sorry, Carl. You really are the Eddie Haskel of NASCAR. Oh, and I remember him spinning Tony out on Pit Road last year...not cool.

And while drivers have fought behind the garage over the years, it's the 'two faced' aspect of CE that is making fans think twice about him.

With all due respect to Mr. Byrnes comments. Heat of the moment comments is one thing.

The old Eddie Haskell personality is another. :-)

(Not that I think Tony Stewart is the spokesperson for NASCAR, either!?!?)

Anonymous said...

The problem I have with INC is the incessant Toyota and NAPA plugs and everyone sucking up to NASCAR.
I wonder if Stewart, Kyle Bush, and Waltrip will be the team for next year - with Schrader as the host.

Anonymous said...

Yes! I would love to see ISC(Inside Sprint Cup) next year, it's one of the best Nascar shows out there. I like the name Inside Nascar too, but wasn't there already a show called that? Keep the panel, they work great together. I have nothing against Despain, but I think John Roberts would be a great host for the show.

Amy in Ky

Anonymous said...

Someone mentioned Darrell Waltrip as a possible host, and several others disagreed. I'm no "DW" fan, and would normally disagree reflexively. However, I remember an episode several years ago on which neither Schrader nor Bestwick appeared, and the Waltrips and Ernie Irvan joined Benson. Yes, the Waltrips did their usual thing, but Benson and Irvan played off one another well, talking about Benson's Busch forays driving for Irvan, and several other things. Their rapport with one another did not allow the show to become "Waltrips with Special Guests." If someone wants to hire DW, make sure there's someone else on the set who has a good rapport with Schrader or whomever the fourth panelist may be.

Anonymous said...

It's commendable that Steve is coming on here to defend someone he clearly likes, but if Carl was using something he shouldn't I doubt that he'd be using while he was taping the show they do together. Unfortunately, Carl put himself in the position where rightly or wrongly there's going to be this kind of speculation.

Anonymous said...

I also, like some others, am leaning towards Carl using some type of substance. My guess is steroids. I can speak from experience when I say they can play with your moods, cause erratic behavior, etc. Carl certainly has had his "bully" moments in the past year or so. Remember when he was pushing Jr around in Victory Lane at a Busch race last year. He seems to enjoy using his physique in a threatening manner. He does appear to have packed on some bulk since he came into cup. Not saying he doesn't work out but how does this guy have that kind of time to put into weight lifting? Like I said, I am familiar with the signs of steroid users, and I think he is dabbling around with something.

Anonymous said...

I like Despain, but not on this show, he's not good when he's expected to give the floor entirely to others and just sit there, it's just not his thing, he needs to be part of the interaction, and he's really not on INC. The rest are good, Biffle has come around nicely, Ken is fun, and Mikey, while he has his annoying moments, is very entertaining, and at times downright insightful.

They should definitely bring it back.


There are some things that you all need to look at before you go off the deep end on Carl Edwards. Not defending what he did, but I don't think the over the top coments about roids, and counsoling are fair at all. Not everyone is nice all the time, and some of the nicest people I know have horrible tempers, and with folks like that it's a shocking surprise, just like Matt described it.

I think Carl's problem is he has overextended himself with his Busch title run, coupled with racing in the Chase, he's overwhelmed, and he's starting to crack under the pressure. Carl is 25 years old, he's a kid really, and like too many kids in NASCAR he's come too far too fast. Denny Hamlin hasn't exactly been the nice guy he was his first year, he's having it out with everyone, his teammate Tony, Paul Menard, Kyle Petty, his own pit crew. Hey, and while we're at it, let's talk about Kyle Petty, a senior NASCAR driver, and all-around nice guy. What was that little helmet slapping incident about? Should we throw Kyle under the bus, accuse him of using steroids, and needing counsoling? How about Mike Waltrip, as a young man, he reached into another drivers car and ACTUALLY punched him, didn't fake it, on TV. I did notice he didn't really say anything bad about Carl, he just said he felt bad for Jack Roush. Again, Mikey didn't go after a teammate, but seeing how Jack Roush runs that team in open competition with no rules, it's not a wonder they don't get along.

Greg Biffle's comments have to be seen as coming from Matt's friend, from the perspective of he didn't like what Carl did to Matt, his friend, and Greg let his emotions get the best of him. Also, in case you didn't notice, later in the show he expressed surprise when he was informed that Carl had brake problems caused by his electrical failure, he didn't have all the facts and seemed to take pause on his earlier critisism. I also think he's still steaming about being ordered to let Carl go in that one race(New Hampshire?), he's brought it up in every interview he's done since.

I don't know if anyone else heard this, but Carl tuned to Matt Kenseth's radio during the caution and tried to explain to Matt that he had no brakes, Matt basically blew him off. I know this because I was on Pitcommand and listening to Matt's radio through the entire conversation. Matt just didn't care why it happened. If I was having a rough day on the track, fighting to keep my car in position, or for that matter, on the track, just got punted by a teammate and when I tried to explain to him that he didn't hit Matt on purpose, he basically says, tough, I'd want to punch him too. In fact, I think that radio discussion is what set Carl off, not the actual incident.

I'm a big Matt Kenseth fan, but he should've handled that radio call better, whether he likes Carl or not. I also think that since he was so quick to forgive Jeff Gordon when he pushed him last year after a race, he was so forgiving I thought I was going to throw-up, he can cut Carl a break and let him off the hook. I think there's a lot of jealousy about Carl's success at Roush, and that shouldn't be overlooked with Matt. He's having a horrible chase performance, and it can't be easy being beaten in the standings by the new kid. Notice there were no issues last year when Carl was stinking up the place and Matt was winning 5 races.

From the comments Geoff Smith made, I don't think they are any happier with Matt or Greg on this issue then they are with Carl. Jack told Matt, and Carl, but it was meant for Matt, not to wreck his equipment because they don't like each other. I don't think Jack was happy with Matt after that Busch race. After all, that's Jack's championship on the line, not Carl's, and Matt didn't exactly help the boss out hitting Carl. Even Ken and Mikey said on INC they thought Kenseth was in the wrong in that race.

Geoff Smith went out of his way to say Biffle had the same problem when he came to the team, the other drivers didn't like his style. That was a shot from the Roush management at Greg for his comments on INC, it sounded like they were saying the pot was calling the kettle black, you weren't exactly well liked yourself when you got here, remember? If Roush thought this was such an awful thing, and all Carl's fault, they would've punished Carl, but they didn't. If anyone is harmed by this, they are, and they seem to feel like it was just a fight, and not drug induced insanity on Carl's part.

We're all making too much out of it, just becaue it was caught on camera.

Anyway, this is my first post, sorry it's so long, and I'm sure I'm going to regret it. But I felt strongly enough about folks unrealistically expecting perfection from a young man, and being stunned when they don't get it, to speak in his defense.

Anonymous said...

"What I am saying is that it's unacceptable to say that someone abuses alcohol, steroids, or anything else without being accountable."

I notice Steve didn't say anything about abusing sterno. lol

Many drivers in the recent past have had scuffles. Gorden, Harvick, Montoya, Bush.

Carl has done many things behind the scene (to help others out), that most will never know about. Recently after a Saturday night win, he flew the next morning to participate in a bike ride. This ride was to help raise funds (over $25,000 were raised) for a friend that became paralyzed.

Carl has a good heart. He made a mistake and has admitted it. Lets move on to Atlanta.

Anonymous said...

I would like to thank the Daly Planet. Their articles are consistently the best on this site. I would also say many great responses have been posted.

All the drivers in the chase are doing a hell of a job. They are the best of the best. Unfortunately only one man can win.

The COT is a whole different story.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for taking the time to comment, Mr. Byrnes. I like Carl Edwards, but I have to say when he loses his temper, he *really* loses his temper. And that's just what we see on camera this year and last year. I noticed in Survival of the Fastest or one of those shows recently that someone from his team held out a bottle of water or juice to offer to him as he was walking back over to them at a race, and Carl just slapped it out of the man's hand, splashing it everywhere. I realize he is a son, friend, and neighbor, but he also represents Office Depot and Roush Racing (and to a certain extent, SPEED) when cameras are rolling. I don't really care what he does off camera, unless he's so hard to work with that it disrupts RFR. But if he needs to work on controlling his temper, then he needs to start now.

I don't know if David Poole or Jim Utter wrote it, but a new column is on the Thatsracin.com about the way carl handled his "apology" yesterday. I have to agree with the writer:
"So now, this is a full blown mess.

It’s going to dominate the weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, you can count on that. That absolutely will not be the media’s fault, either.

Edwards has absolutely nobody to blame for what’s coming but himself."
http://www.thatsracin.com/242/story/8554.html

Last thought on the media: to the posters in the NASCAR Now column thread who wrote that Marty Smith was too old to wear his hair that way, I think he read it and it must have made him mad. Because on NN today his hair was so spiked it looked like stiff meringue peaks on a pie. Not that I don't agree with what you all said, but maybe he'll realize it looks crazy sooner than later if we leave him alone.

Sophia said...

I never thought about commenting on you know who's hair.

But since others have opened THAT box, indeed, his hair cut look is better suited for 10 year old boys or punk rockers. It does look silly on a mature man. Sorry.

If a woman wore her hair in a ridiculous manner it would've gotten commented on LONG before now.

Kind of like that one trampy chick with the cleavage baring dresses and every changing color/hairstyles on that racing show that shall remain nameless.

;-)

P.S. I just stopped the DVD I was watching and turned on the midnight version of NASCAR NOW to see Marty's hair. Looks like a bad case of bed head, after falling asleep with wet hair.

And WOW to the comments on Carl!! Ouch. Methinks "Carl does not play well or get along with others."

Now they are talking to Rusty W. Didn't he NOT speak to Ryan newman for a year or more??

Anonymous said...

I like INC and want it to return next season ... But, with a different host ... Since Robert Iger won't let Allen Bestwick moonlight for Rupert Murdoch, then Steve Byrnes would be the best choice for hosting ISC ...

Return it to the 90 minute show that it was a few yrs ago ... But, bring in more Hot Seat guests when all three series are not running ... More coverage of the Busch (Nationwide) and Craftsman Truck series will get more people to watch the races ...

It's hard to believe that some people are just now realizing that Despain does NOT watch the races ... and he's been hosting the show for almost two full years ... Despain is best on Wind Tunnel & that show should go back to 1hr M-Th or 2hrs on Sunday ...

One can garner quite a bit of information by reading the live race threads on THIS SITE as well as on the SPEEDtv.com message boards ... That is something that Bob Varsha readily admits to during the F1 races ... Mikey has alluded to doing the same thing over the past two years ...

Keep Biffle, Schrader and Mikey ... IF one of those guys can't make a particular episode, bring in Jeff Burton, Harvick or Kenny Wallace (NO Vickers / Stremme / Sorenson) ... Biffle used to build racecars (from the ground up) when he raced in WA/OR, so he knows the technical stuff ... Schrader's been around in many series for a long time and brings his vast expanse of racing knowledge to the show ... Mikey brings in the driver / owner / broadcaster aspect to the show ...

As I've said before, one must watch & listen to Biffle & Schrader closely as they tend to speak in tongues - but you will learn the truth from them ... Based of Biffle's statements and Schrader's reaction, I'm convinced there is definitely more to the story about Carl Edwards than what any of us have seen or been told ...


My opinion of Carl was cemented when he was a guest on the radio call-in show "Loveline" back in Feb 12th ... The archive of the show had been on their website, but they only keep the most recent 6 months of shows on the site ... JD - IF you're interested in hearing it, you might want to contact WestwoodOne as they syndicate the show ...


Kathy - In the entertainment industry, Biffle's form of humor (comedic timing) is what is known as "Deadpan Humor" ... Someone who's very good at this style is Reba McEntire on her tv show "Reba" ...

Anonymous said...

Since there isn't a NASCAR Now column for last night's show (I understand why there isn't one. There can't be one every day, it's a daily show and most people probably don't watch it much; I've only been watching this week because of the Kenseth/Edwards issue.)

I'll just comment that Nate Ryan from USA Today - who had only the Matt Kenseth interview and was on to talk about it - was very good. I've seen his name on the articles but hadn't seen him on television and he came across well.

And as for INC, I agree that Dave, as great as he is on WT, has got to go.

Anonymous said...

I did not watch the show, but I do want to thank Dave Despain for thinking of the people of southern California in their time of crisis and changing the scope of the show for their benefit.

Also, I want to thank Greg Biffle for his honest opinion, and also for filling in the details. At first, I did not know whether Edwards and Kenseth had an on-track incident that day because it was not covered live by ABC. (SPEED did show an incident between the two at Kansas in the Busch race.)

Finally, Inside Sprint Cup should be on during the 2008 season with Steve Byrnes, Ken Schrader, Michael Waltrip, and a rotating panelist between Biffle, Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, and Kyle Petty. I believe that this show can be saved.

Tracy D said...

Kudos to Steve Byrne for defending his friend, CE. However, what Carl did is, legally, assault. Shoving Kenseth, pushing him with a cocked fist, is worthy of an arrest warrant in Virginia. The violence in Carl's face was beyond scary. Battered women and abused children recognize that look. I'm shocked that the two sheriff's deputies who walked by the "incident" didn't stop and do something.

I'm not against beatin' and banging, and a good shouting match can release tension. But you don't do what Carl did and stay in the spotlight with a reputation for being a "good guy." Even abusers try to "make nice" after losing it.

Anonymous said...

"Carl is 25 years old, he's a kid really, and like too many kids in NASCAR he's come too far too fast."

Anonymous 10:44, your post was thoughtful and I appreciate your opinion. However, Carl Edwards is 28 years old. He, Denny Hamlin (27 in a few weeks), and others that age are not kids. Many 28-year-olds have spouses, children, and job responsibility. They cannot lose their tempers at their jobs or cause team disruption - as much as they would like to - because they need to support those families. Why? Because they're not kids anymore.

And I don't think we're making too much of it because it was on camera. Actually, what's rather stunning about this whole deal is that Carl knew the cameras were rolling for Matt's interview and yet he didn't care. Unlike most other heated driver incidents, he'd had time to change into other clothes (his Metal Mulisha ANNIHILATE t-shirt - BTW their motocross site already is promoting that he had the shirt on during this deal-just 22 dollars!)and do post-race interviews, etc. If he really wants to portray "hardcore" like those guys appear to portray from their carefully posed photos, well, then, maybe he needs to concentrate on dirt bike racing. Or getting a gig with John Cena.

I don't expect perfection from Carl. However, I don't expect him to be a bully. It's interesting that two of the best comments from last season came because of Carl: Tony's "Eddie Haskell of NASCAR" and Dale Jr's comments after Carl stormed into his victory lane: "That was uncouth. (Pause.) I've been waiting to use that word all year."

Anonymous said...

*** I just looked at this Metal Mulisha site. They're proud of Carl, I guess?

"Check out our buddy Carl Edwards rocking the Metal Mulisha Annihilate T while getting into it with his Roush Fenway Racing NASACR teammate Matt Kenseth! FSU!"

I have no idea what FSU is...

Is Carl going to discuss this on The Chase Is On program he taped yesterday?

Lucky for him and the other Roush guys that ESPN isn't bothering to air Cup practices tomorrow (only a taped delayed HH on Saturday) or to air Busch practice tomorrow and qualifying Saturday. Less time for questions.

Sophia said...

Anybody see this latest update on Jayski??????

Sorry Steve Byrnes...but this is truly sounding suspicious. :(
Not pointing fingers, I am just saying..and I was a former Carl fan in the earlier years but that has gradually crumbled over the last year.

"Kenseth Comments: Kenseth wasn't very surprised when Edwards accosted him shortly after the race. "His behavior has been real erratic lately, honestly," Kenseth said of his Roush Fenway Racing teammate.

"You don't know what to expect with him. That's the thing that's a little bit troublesome. One minute, he has so much respect for you, and he's real friendly and everything's so much fun. The next minute he wants to kick your butt and he's swearing at you. It's a little scary. You never know what you're going to get. I thought it was good in a way that the cameras were there because a lot of us see that, and nobody else does because he kind of puts on a different front."(USA Today)(10-24-2007)"

Anonymous said...

I DVR the show weekly and this week was one the season's best. I have grown to really respect Biffle for his honesty. He doesn't beat around the bush about how he feels about anybody. I never really cared for Greg before but after watching almost every episode this season I can say my opinion of him has changed. Mikey and Kenny are who they are. They bring life to show, that Dave all to often tries to kill. Keep the show alive another year.

Anonymous said...

Carl's upset his teammates don't call...maybe they know what's going on and don't want their numbers to show up on any phones owned by Carl!!!

Anonymous said...

I tried to watch but I still can't get by Michael Waltrips DOPEY Demeanor. Maybe calling him Mike or Michael instead of Mikey would be a start in helping him act and speak more like a grown up and not like a child. Mikey was the little kid who liked the cereal in the TV commercial. I used to think the Toyota TRD was a sharp group until they gave him all of that money to start race teams.Boy he really needs to start acting his age and show us he is as smart as Biffle and Kenny.

Anonymous said...

Hi Steve! Thanks for popping in and sharing your two cents. I love Carl and Matt so this is hard for me. I truly didn't (and still don't) know what to make of the Sunday incident. I hoped it was just something playful but as the week goes on I just don't know! And we need to get you a sponsor for the right side of your shirt :-)

I'd LOVE to see Steve host IWC! I think he'd rock! He's just as knowledgeable and welcomed by the drivers as Allen is. I think he would be great! I so miss Totally NA$CAR, that was the best. I loved when he helped Kyle decal one of the cars. The King was slightly impressed, but they didn't get the gig FT :).

I'd also LOVE a return to 90 minutes. It's hard when they aren't running all 3 series but they can use other filler such as bringing in 'Hot Seat' guests, "behind the scenes" materials, etc. I recall when they had the Busch only version they did that.

Mikey, Schrader and Da Biff can stay, but Vickers needs to go! Bootie and Herman can be designated sub hosts. I'd love to see Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, Elliott Sadler pop in as well!

Anonymous said...

On Marty Smiths article...quote from Jamie McMurray "I know for a fact that Matt and Greg and I won't ever be friends with Carl away from [racing]. We have nothing in common."

The metro sexuals have taken over the sport, and NASCAR has gone soft.

Time for Carl to forget about these three crybabies and give them the chrome horn.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Thank you all for a great set of comments that once again show the diversity of The Daly Planet and the fact that we can talk and offer our opinions about topics like this.

Thanks to Steve and the other media folks who are stopping-by, we hope to encourage more of this as we wind-up the season. Hopefully, we will be able to offer some columns by TV folks during the off-season about their experiences this year, and then let you all react to those.

Thanks again!

Kevin in SoCal said...

Sorry I'm way late on this, but I had to add two answers to questions asked.

One) Wendy Venturini is also engaged to an engine builder at Joe Gibbs racing, as well as being the sister of Billy Venturini, a driver in ARCA.

Two) FSU on the Metal Mulisha website means "F*ck Sh*t Up".

Third, and back to topic) Inside Nextel Cup is a great show, I definitely want to see it come back next year and go back to 90 minutes. And they have three "Questions of the Week" not just one.

Anonymous said...

I thought that the way that the Trackside guys backed off on the Edwards story tonight when they had him on stage was a glaring example of conflict of interest. Because he's "one of them", they gave him a bye. Absolutely pitiful, esp since their crew was involved in the incident.

Lost a lot of respect for them tonight.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, they backed away bigtime. Maybe they've decided they are entertainment only show? Jeremy Mayfield was on Trackside to backtrack one evening last year after he made some comments after Ray Evernham never being at the track earlier that afternoon. (That was the beginning of him getting fired.) They did not take it easy on him and treated it as a news interview, even as Jeremy tried to back away from things he said. I remember Steve Byrnes saying how can you say these things about the person who is your boss?

But looks like mayfield is not in the "friends we treat with kid gloves" club.