ESPN has a quiet day from Phoenix, with the network showing NEXTEL Cup qualifying at 5:30PM Eastern Time on ESPN2. This program is scheduled for two hours in length.
Dr. Jerry Punch, Rusty Wallace and Andy Petree lead the coverage. On pit road will be Allen Bestwick, Jamie Little, Dave Burns and Mike Massaro.
There will be no early version of NASCAR Now, and the late night show will be at 12:30AM early Saturday morning. Marty Reid's name has just been added to the list of hosts for this program on the ESPN Media Release.
These two programs are ESPN's NASCAR presence on Friday. The network returns with Happy Hour coverage and the Busch Series race on Saturday.
This page will host your comments about qualifying and the late night NASCAR Now on ESPN2. Please keep your opinion TV-related, and read the rules for posting on the right hand side of the main page. To add your comment, simply click on the COMMENTS button below, and follow the instructions.
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48 comments:
Looks like Dr. Punch, Suzy and Brad will now have free reign to make endless football references this afternoon and for the next two weeks. Per the That's Racin' website, MNF just announced Stuart Scott will be interviewing Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson via satellite at halftime on Monday.
My take on the terrible espn coverage. Someone in espnland has a long and vengeful memory, and is trying to get even for NASCAR cutting them out of the Cup picture a few years ago. how better to hurt them than to drive viewers away with poor coverage. hurt
I'd like to know if the ratings for qualifying and practice are up or down on ESPN2. It'd be interesting to see comparisons between last year and this year.
TV ratings from last Sunday's Nextel Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway were down 14 percent from a year ago, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Sunday's Dickies 500 received a 3.7 rating on ABC, down from a 4.3 the race received last season on NBC. The race ranked No. 7 among the top 10 sports programs of the week, behind four NFL games and two college football games.
Last Saturday's Busch race at Texas received a 1.3 rating on ESPN2, down slightly from the 1.4 it received last season on TNT.
http://www.thatsracin.com/242/story/9032.html
The Busch race only did a 1.1!!!not 1.3!!!!
Does anyone know if Robby Gordon was excused from qualifying? He was supposed to be the third car out.
And of course, no mention that I have heard from the ESPN guys.
After all year and I still can't stand to hear Dr. Jerry Punch's voice. It's just dead. Sounds like he's reading to himself instead of talking to an audience.
Just for any ESPN readers and sponsors.
The tv is on ESPN, but no volume so I don't have to pay attention to the commercials.(sponsors of the program)Listening on Sirius Radio. They have announcers that keep up with what's going on. When ESPN puts some people in the booth and pit road that are more than personalities, have Nascar talent, I'll be glad to try again.
Glenn
Is it me or is qualifying better. I am actually seeing cars on the track and hearing about the cars on the track. Still using the stats box around the cars which I do not like. Of course as I was typing this they broke away from the 17's run and showed the booth to say goodbye to Aric. MAybe I spoke too soon. Definately Tivo the runs so we'll have to see who they skip over
Ah yes, the day would not be complete without Jamie being able to drool over Hornish.
Just for any ESPN readers and sponsors.
The tv is on ESPN, but no volume so I don't have to pay attention to the commercials.(sponsors of the program)Listening on Sirius Radio. They have announcers that keep up with what's going on. When ESPN puts some people in the booth and pit road that are more than personalities, have Nascar talent, I'll be glad to try again.
Ditto here, although I'm listening to MRN on the radio.
Rusty and Andy disagree on-air...interesting
Will someone please tell Jamie (giggle, giggle, did your hands shake) that the effects of adrenaline are different on different people. Some shake and, quite frankly, some throw up. Even after a full season, they really need to have rookie training for these people on ESPN.
Newracefan said...
Still using the stats box around the cars which I do not like.
November 9, 2007 6:20 PM
I disagree. I have always liked the "stats box." It provides more important information that I would not normally see. I like more important information.
Not good to miss the entire run of current polesitter (Truex), first missing it with a full screen and then small screen of Hornish interview. No commentary at all during that run, just Jamie ending the interview with we have a new polesitter.
Funny that Rusty Wallace commented on Kasey Kahne's hair and how he didn't recognize him when he saw him today. Dr. Punch didn't seem to quite know what to say to that, but it was a legitimate thing to notice - dark blonde to black is pretty drastic change and TV viewers were going to see it in the interview.
Kasey seemed to minimize the hair color in the interview, but from what I heard one of his sponsors -I assume Budweiser because he's colored his hair in the past - supposedly read Kasey the riot act after they saw his hair. He kept a cap on all weekend whenever he was out of the car last race, which is why Rusty's probably just noticing. I'm surprised they didn't color it back by this weekend since he went to so much trouble not to be pictured without a cap last week. Maybe they were worried his hair would fall out. Anyway, it's been talked about on Kasey fans boards so I didn't have a problem with Rusty commenting on it.
Who cares about Carl's MOM!!!
Anonymous said...
Not good to miss the entire run of current polesitter (Truex), first missing it with a full screen and then small screen of Hornish interview. No commentary at all during that run, just Jamie ending the interview with we have a new polesitter.
November 9, 2007 6:32 PM
I saw most of Truex's run. Are you considering it a missed run because it was seen in a split screen with Hornish? I do not think that would be a missed run.
Please please please no shots of moms! Geesh!
Ok the Carl's mom thing has got to stop. Showing her during his qualifying run was just crazy. They were doing so well when I first starting watching but it's starting to fall apart
Busch Series Fan! said...
Please please please no shots of moms! Geesh!
November 9, 2007 6:39 PM
what happened to all the talk of viewers that want to see family?
I want to see families in: the prerace show, the prayer, the anthem, and victory lane. I am very much in favor of that.
I do not want or need to see them at any time cars are on the track.
I never saw anything on tv about viewers wanting to see the families. Usually the families aren't interesting anyway. And especially Carl's mom they have shown her way too much.
I just saw that Carl's mom will be a surprise guest on Trackside tonight.
Kidding!!!!
You all are really cracking me up this afternoon. I have some new ESPN news that I will post shortly.
Thanks again for adding your comments today.
JD
Busch Series Fan! said...
I never saw anything on tv about viewers wanting to see the families. Usually the families aren't interesting anyway. And especially Carl's mom they have shown her way too much.
November 9, 2007 6:46 PM
People said they waited to see families on this very site! I guess you guys only meant during pre-race.
Well it wasn't me wanting to see the families. I can't watch shows non-stop so maybe a few people like the families.
Elliot adds a lot to the set...Rusty has obviously been reading the Daly planet...he was poking fun at his own butchering of the driver's names...
Boy Sadler is teaching Rusty how to pronounce some of the drivers names! He needed something like that the beginning of the broadcasts he's done.
Do you think that Jerry Punch and company know Elliott Sadler is the co-host of Trackside on SPEED?
How about Carl Edwards mentioning his Chase program on SPEED while being interviewed live on ESPN?
What's the big news, JD?
What's the big news, JD?
Daly Planet Editor said...
Do you think that Jerry Punch and company know Elliott Sadler is the co-host of Trackside on SPEED?
How about Carl Edwards mentioning his Chase program on SPEED while being interviewed live on ESPN?
November 9, 2007 7:07 PM
JD, Even if they did know about Trackside, wouldn't it be bad business to make a big deal out of it?
I really don't understand why espn has been so reluctant to cross promote this NASCAR season. They cross promote the NBA games with TNT, so it isn't as if they don't do it for anything else.
Maybe not necessarily the supplemental programming, but the on track activities should be promoted.
They told me that ESPN had The Daly Planet up on the laptop in the office trailer last week at the track.
My bet is that they were reading your in-progress comments during the Cup race. How bout that for access?
I will put the ESPN info up in a sec, I was just asking if you guys thought the ESPN guys knew about Sadler and SPEED...no conspiracy theories!
Go Schrader!!! :)
You'd think they'd have to know wouldn't they JD?
I'm enjoying the coverage today...
Dr Jerry does not sound 'dead' to me.. I enjoy him...
If I had my way, rusty would go where brad is, and the both would be Dr. Jerry, Andy, and DJ. I think they'd flow much better together. With all the years between them in friendship there, there is defiantly a comfort level there.
Anyway, pretty cool they had the page open last weekend! Way to go JD. You've rocked this season for sure. One of my must go to web site every day...
Thank!
what did I say about make'n sure everything looks good before hitting 'leave your comment'...
mercy..
the there there's where a shot at Dr Jerry.. just poking fun.
and that was sposed to be,
Thanks!
Well, somebody said something to someone....that's for sure. My new column will be up shortly.
Well, Punch trying to squeeze all the open wheel terms in today. He hit provisional pole and starting grid. Maybe he can be sent to cover the open wheel series next season. He already knows the language. I will continue to say that if you don't speak NASCAR, back away from the microphone!
I thought qualifying coverage was better this week. Showed less of the booth and more of the cars. Talked about the cars on the track for the most part. They strayed occasionally but someone would comment about the run and get them back on track. Elliot Sadler coaching Rusty on pronuciation was classic and Rusty made several comments about the internet bashing him, can you say The Daly Planet. The Carl's mom stuff is getting excessive, hopefully now that her birthday is over it will go away. The follow up with Schrader was great and showing David Reutimann walking out after blowing up was a step in the right direction. Poor MWR no cars in the race, I wonder if Mikey will be in the booth for the truck race.
JD, As I recall, Rusty broke into big-time TV as the 2nd half 2005 driver host of Trackside after FOX's share of the NASCAR broadcasts ended. Thus, Eliot Sadler in effect took Rusty's place on Trackside when Rusty went to ESPN.
Eliot did an imitation of Patrick Carpentier on PRN's NASCAR call-in show Monday night - southern, french Canadian.
Lisa Hogan said...
Well, Punch trying to squeeze all the open wheel terms in today. He hit provisional pole and starting grid. Maybe he can be sent to cover the open wheel series next season. He already knows the language. I will continue to say that if you don't speak NASCAR, back away from the microphone!
November 9, 2007 7:31 PM
Using that logic, Wendy Venturini should not be on Race Day. She called it a "starting grid" before and I have no problem with it.
I'm no Jamie Little fan (she has improved drastically but not enough for my tastes - paging Lindsay C.!) However, I have never seen her drool over a driver. Whatever her personal friendships or lack of with the drivers, she seems to keep it professional. I just don't like the questions she asks -she's too dramatic.
On this site I've seen Jamie and Shannon Spake (who needs to stay on NASCAR Now where she is great and out of the garage area) called all sorts of names , dingbats and bimbos and dummies, and probably sometimes by other women. As a woman, it's not the most empowering sight in the world to see here.
like others...had this on with the sound down as I did some things on the computer and was on the phone over 90 minutes off and on.
I just gotta say one thing.
I AM TIRED of Carl's mom. What is the deal with her?? Is she DATING somebody from ESPN. ENOUGH.
They did not show ASHLEY JUDD this much at the IRL races for crying out loud.
I am also TIRED of seeing the family 'drama shots' during races or practice.
JUST SHOW US THE CARS.
anons: I have mentioned all of the ESPN and SPEED staff that don't respect the language of my sport.
I have not called Jamie names. I have pointed out things about her that irritate me. The Hornish thing is cumlative. You must not have watched the Busch series this season. Jamie does not get a pass from me because she's female.
Sorry JD, sometimes I just have to bend the rules a bit.
Lis,
Its OK...you are a regular. Sometimes, you just have to bring the heat.
Hey gang, there is some new ESPN news posted on the main page...
no offense Lisa, but Dr Punch has been around NASCAR longer than lots of the folks that post in here have watched the sport..
Never heard anyone complain about 'the starting grid' before..
And I've heard plenty of folks call it the 'provisional pole'..
@JD--I like conspiracy theories :)
@billy delyon--agreed about the 'provisonal pole' thing. *technically* until qualifying is over it is provisional as they haven't officially won it. Even if a GOGHer is the last to go you never know if they'll pull that hot lap out!
To y'all about Carl's Mom:
Don't you remember the precedent of this -- Kim Burton wringing her hands on top of the pit box?
At that point I got very, VERY tired of seeing Kim "on display" like that any time Jeff had a chance at winning a race.
Carl's mom, too, "shall pass"...
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