This Sunday at Homestead marks the end of the first season of NEXTEL Cup racing on ESPN and ABC. The company bought the final seventeen races of the season, including the entire Chase for the Championship.
The NASCAR Countdown pre-race show this week will be forty-five minutes long and begin at 3PM Eastern Time. Suzy Kolber is listed as the host, and Brad Daugherty will be alongside of her in the Infield Studio.
Race coverage will begin at 3:45PM, with the green flag falling around 4PM. The race is scheduled until 8PM, which will hopefully include coverage of the championship trophy presentation and post-race interviews.
Dr. Jerry Punch, Rusty Wallace and Andy Petree will anchor the ABC coverage. On pit road will be Mike Massaro, Allen Bestwick, Jamie Little, and Dave Burns.
This announce team is coming off a very good Busch Series telecast from Saturday afternoon, and they have good weather and a race track in outstanding condition. These ingredients should combine to produce a good telecast. Fans should be watching for ABC to spread the attention around to cars in the race not contending for the championship, but in the news for other reasons.
This is Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s final ride in the DEI #8, Ricky Rudd's official last race and several other drivers are still without a ride for 2008. There are several storylines to follow.
This page will host your comments about the NASCAR Countdown show and the NEXTEL Cup race telecast on ABC. To add your opinion, simply click on the COMMENTS button below and follow the instructions. Please keep your comments related to the TV issues associated with the race, and read the rules for posting on the right side of the main page.
There is nothing to join, and we do not want your email address. We simply want your opinion about the performance of the ESPN on ABC crew as they produce the final race of the season. Thank you for taking the time to stop by The Daly Planet and leave us your comments.
344 comments:
1 – 200 of 344 Newer› Newest»JD, do you think it is possible for the coverage to move to ESPN after 8 if it runs long? There are no live sports on ESPN after that time.
Where is Dave Burns on that pit road list? Please don't tell me that Spake has replaced Burns. I hope that's a typo...
I hope I'm disappointed in this, but I fully expect an hour or more of a split-screen on the 24 and 48, with the cameras zoomed to not show any other cars around either. I've basically decided that if they go to that view at any point in the first hour I'm going to just listen to the coverage on MRN and turn off the TV, at least til the end.
45 minutes of time to fill during NASCAR Countdown. Here is a sampling of stories that deserve some air time:
- Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson's battle for the Championship
- the top 10 in driver's points, a.k.a the Battle to Make the Banquet
- the battle for 35th position in owner's points between the 21 and 22 teams
- drivers looking for rides next year (Stremme, Raines)
- teams looking for sponsors next year
- drivers making their final starts for their current teams (Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch, Yeley, etc.)
- Ricky Rudd's final career start. A fine 30+ year career is certainly worth of at least a retrospective video looking back on his career
- the final race for the "current car"
- the end of the era of the #25 number for Rick Hendrick / Papa Joe Hendrick
- the conclusion of the Busch and Truck Series seasons on Friday and Saturday, and the crowning of Hornaday, KHI, Edwards, and RCR as champions in those series
- end of season Report Cards? Fox did this at mid-season, would be nice to see ESPN follow-up with a year-end review of ALL the teams and other issues like the CoT that Fox documented earlier this year
- qualifying and Happy Hour review, who's going to the back, what happened to Earnhardt Jr. in Saturday morning practice, did Truex go to a backup car?
So many stories to cover and so little time to do it, let's see how many of these make it to the ABC airwaves in the midst of all the "Jeff and Jimmie" hype.
Anon,
Thanks for that correction. It is Burns on pit road.
JD
The Truck Series makes it on an ABC Countdown show! Good job guys.
Music videos just do not tell the tale like experienced announcers who take the time to review the information.
Some people are not getting the Countdown show, but some kids show, btw.
I can't believe what I'm seeing right now. For the first time all year ESPN is using Countdown to focus on news items and not just focusing on Chase Hype. Maybe, just maybe, they're finally "getting it"?
Apparently, KABC in Los Angeles is running a morning childrens show instead of Countdown.
This will knock the #2 market in the nation out of the ratings for the pre-race show.
I am going to be kept updated on this situation.
"Elliott Schrader" - there's a Kolberism for you.
Daly Planet Editor said...
Apparently, KABC in Los Angeles is running a morning childrens show instead of Countdown.
This will knock the #2 market in the nation out of the ratings for the pre-race show.
I am going to be kept updated on this situation.
November 18, 2007 3:19 PM
You're joking, right JD?
Nope, they are showing a children's program. The AOL Fan House writer lives in LA and was going to write about the pre-race show, only it is not being broadcast.
This is going to be a huge story when it is all done.
KABC joined NASCAR Countdown at 3:30PM Eastern Time already in progress. They just switched at 30 minutes after the hour.
The receptionist at the station did not know why they covered the first thirty minutes of the biggest pre-race show of the year in the #2 market in the US.
ABC certainly is a mess sometimes.
Yep, KABC joined right in the middle of Tim Brewer talking about adjust ability, my oh my.
I thought that was a good story on Rick Hendrick - ties in with an ESPN.com story earlier in the week, better than another Gordon/Johnson story would have been, and a good use of Jerry Punch.
Its so wonderful to see Jerry Punch doing what he does best...reporting. Imagine if he hosted the Infield Studio and prepared the features for the pre-race show.
What a difference that would make.
They switched to Nascar when the show was over at 3:30, just in time to tick people off w/the Tech Center!!
And to think people wonder why the ratings are down. It's kind of hard to draw viewers when stations like this don't even air the pre-race shows or at times parts of the races themselves, wouldn't you think?
And I thought my ABC affiliate's pre-empting of NASCAR for the Pennsylvania lottery at 7:00 was bad....
Brent Musburger needs to get over his obsession with thinking no one goes to a NASCAR race unless that city's NFL team isn't around to distract them!
At Texas he stated that X thousand fans are here because the Cowboys are thankfully playing at 8:00. Today, the large crowd at this race can only be attributed to the Dolphins being 0-9. Apparently in his mind if the Dolphins had a winning record the stands would be empty!
Guess what Brent, there are NASCAR fans too that aren't solely obsessed with football like you are!
Did the woman doing the invocation just call the late NASCAR chairman Bill Francis Jr? Ouch.
Best NASCAR Countdown show of the year. They mentioned nearly every storyline I brought up earlier, the Dr. Punch piece about Rick Hendrick was excellent, and there was no Aerosmith!
I sooo could've done without ABC pulling up the plane crash ... that was over 3 years ago ...
Why do we need a Chase ticker for this race?? Geez, talk about redundant..
I think its amazing that Aerosmith is gone after ESPN bought that song and paid for the new music video.
The Hendrick plane crash was not something that was on my mind, especially after last season. I am still trying to figure out why that was used instead of a Ricky Rudd piece or an Earnhardt Jr. feature. Just editorial decisions I guess.
Carl Edwards in race reporter again...I wonder if there have been many drivers turning down ESPN down or if they just love Carl (and his Mom) that much.
I'll point out my first problem with ESPN's coverage at the 6 lap mark. I'm listening to MRN while watching the TV coverage (the radio is delayed by about 10 seconds or so) and the radio guys have raised there excitement to tell me that Jeff Burton has hit the wall and is losing ground. I turned the volume up on the TV to find that they still hadn't mentioned what happened, then they showed Burton, then after realizing he was slow and being passed, Petree mentioned that he "thinks" Burton may have scraped the wall, which finally leads to a highlight of it.
A few laps later, ESPN goes to commercial without updating Burton's situation...while at commercial MRN let me know that Burton decided to stay out and is okay, but he has lost a lot of ground.
Also, while ESPN was at commercial, Truex Jr. touched the wall but controlled the car...I wouldn't be surprised if it was never mentioned or showed by ESPN. These are the types of things that TV only viewers are missing out on - the actual complete race coverage.
The pre race show was way better. I totally agree about Brent -sheesh! I wish ABC had chosen to delete a JJ/Jeff story or the Chad interview and added a Ricky Rudd tribute. Jerry had some good stuff today, alot of different story lines. Not to shabby. No music video!! Grade on pre race A- .
Thanks for the improvement.
Two commercial breaks in the first 29 laps...makes it hard to get into following the race on TV.
illpolo - MRN broadcasts are "ahead" of the tv broadcasts when they're at ISC & independently owned tracks ... PRN is on a "delay" when they're at SMI (Bruton Smith) tracks ...
So, you'll hear something on MRN ... look at the tv & wonder WHY the tv isn't showing you what you're hearing on the radio ...
So many stories they could've done on the pre-race show, but they wasted ALL of that time with a Hendrick Love Fest ...
And they wonder WHY the tv ratings are down ...
Honestly, how much are they PAYING for the Blimp?? We get waaaay too many of those worthless shots, imo.
Alright, just like yesterday it's time for ESPN to catch us up to speed on who got trapped and who didn't, how many cars are on the lead lap, etc.
I think the TV crew has a lot of momentum from the good Busch race on Saturday. Jerry is especially up on the information.
Maybe they are just happy to see light at the end of the ten month tunnel.
@illpolo--I generally have Trackpass up and there have been so many times where I've seen on TP where they have up that there's a caution or hear something about it on the drivers' radio yet I look at the TV and they're still showing green flag condition and the announcers are yacking on about some nonsense! I can understand if TV is on a 7 second or so delay, but I'm not talking seconds I'm talking minutes!
This will be the test. Will they reset the field, who on tail end. It's a mess. Will ESPN clear it up?
The pit stop mistake was something I didn't hear from ESPN. There was a car on pit road stalled and that would have been spotted as the reason pit road was closed on the Earnhardt-Kyle Busch collison.
Maybe it's just me, but Jerry and Co. seem to not have any idea how BIG this yellow is for the championship. They sound like they are calling a golf game. No excitement in their voices at all.
I guess they missed it. We know JJ and JG tail end but who else????
Well, if this was a test for the guys in the booth, they failed. Miserably.
And for the second day in a row, the ESPN guys couldn't deal with the yellow flag during green flag pit stops scenario. Instead we got a Sportscenter minute, Reed Sorenson jack incident, Jeff Gordon radio transmission, and then a restart. A field reset and an explanation of who benefitted / got screwed by that yellow was desperately needed there and ESPN failed to deliver.
This extended yellow would have been a great time to squeeze in another commercial break to allow us to see more green flag racing later on. Instead, we got a long radio transmission from Jeff Gordon and the useless In-Race Reporter.
Well guys, for the first time in about 6 weeks, Tony Stewart isn't on hot pass so am actually watching the ABC broadcast.
It really seems that Rusty and Andy are continually trying to 1 up eachother.
I gave up on the broadcast & have MRN on-I give up!
Two Michael Waltrip Racing cars in the top 10 and neither has been mentioned on TV yet during this entire broadcast.
Wow, this race kind of fell apart for ABC in a hurry. The old vibe of grasping for straws and missing the real stories is back with a vengance.
espn - wow- they are really going down the tubes fast - no rest,no pit info - no notice #8 was black flag, we got Jeffy/JJ and now commercials. MRN & tackpass have both noticed this. not espn caution by mennard - commercials
So I am thinking maybe they should just tape the whole darn thing, edit it and replay it for us at midnight. With everything they have missed so far.... it would be as meaningful!
I was so hopeful after the Busch race but this is already terrible. Maybe they just can't do two races is a row. How about different guys for Busch and Cup. I'm grasping at straws here.
more freakin commercials - its a caution again -but- we just had 4 mins of commercials. no re set again. i thought it would be better...
Triple pit shot with the 17, 24, and 48. Please stop with the 24-48 hype and cover the actual race. Earth to ESPN, if the 48 doesn't have a major problem he's not losing this championship. We do not need to see every pit stop the 24 and 48 cars make all day. It's just not necessary. There are 43 drivers in the race, not 2. If the 24 and 48 are not racing for the race win I don't need to see them as part of the triple-pit split.
I think ESPN & ABC need to do NASCAR fans a favor and give up their contract to broadcast NASCAR. This race coverage is awful!
Now another commercial break and there will be no field reset...I wonder if they realize that we aren't a the track to figure these things out...maybe they think that we couldn't possibly need more than the crawl across the top of the screen.
ESPN - do everyone a favor and void the rest of your contract...stick to sports with a ball.
With the way this is going we are definately going to run into some issues when teh race runs up against the music awards program tonight.
Reutimann and Dale Jarrett are right around the top ten but you will never get to see that unless you have Hotpass. Thanks a lot ABC for the Jeff and Jimmy show. Dont worry about showing the rest of the field.
Even the race recap that focused on the 24/48 battle never mentioned the fact that both cars lost a lap early in the race and got them back when the Earnhardt Jr. crash happened. They can't even properly document the story of the only 2 cars they've been focusing on all day. I can't believe this.
well it's 5pm and not even 100 laps into the race.
Also there is no ABC logo on my tv though I AM THANKFUL the black circle is OFF the track...but most of the time it says ESPN on the screen??
Is this in case they switch stations?? JD? SOMEBODY?
i wanted to listen to the TV for part of the race but am out to get the boombox for MRN.
ENOUGH of the lack of info.
AND TOO MUCH CRAP on the screen with graphics??
Barney and Dave M, I hope your station comes in clear here today. :-)
5.08 and not even ONE THIRD INTO THIS RACE??
yikes
Well y'all have fun watching - I'm waving the white flag, I give up. ESPN/ABC has won. I'll listen to the race on Sirius and use FOX Trax while I watch the Cowboys game.
Split screen JJ and JG show, it's the race of our dreams. (sarcasm) Are there really 43 cars in this race. I'm starting to think most of the field started the off season early. This is rediculous
Show more cars than just the 24 and 48! It's not like they're seperated by 3 points and whoever finishes ahead of the other in this race will win the title.
They're talking about Jeff Gordon needing to "take a gamble". Hello ESPN, Johnson still has to finish 20th or worse for Jeff to have any chance to win this title. It is out of the 24 team's control.
This over-hyping and only following the 24 and 48 cars is awful. I was afraid this would become a 2 car broadcast and it's certainly lived up to that so far.
What do you guys expect. Jimmie and Jeff will be talked about the most since they are fighting for a championship.
OMG now we're looking a JJ's pit stop from 2006 and holding the cup during green flag runs. I give up too.
Why are they showing all this crap during green flag racing???
WHAT was with showing Jimmie's pitstop & junk from last year during GREEN FLAG racing ????
great minds think alike...
Well, I thought we were going to get a better broadcast from the guys in the booth today, but they've gone down the toilet. They are missing way too much and not telling us what is going on with anybody, but the guys up front and the JJ and JG show. No more news on Jr. Nothing. Geez.
I'm off to get my radio and listen to MRN. And find out what the hell is going on seeing as Jerry, Rusty and Andy aren't telling me anything.
They can also keep the football crawl off of the bottom of the screen. If I want to watch football, I'll watch football, not the race.
They showed last years highlights for a minute. Oh no.....
Dave Blaney is 6th, Greg Biffle started 37th and has come back from a lap down to break the top 10. Johnny Benson is mysteriously "out". ESPN has mentioned nothing about any of these stories.
No more news on Jr. Nothing
Um. Didn't we complain here about hearing too much about Junior.
Yes we did. So why are you mad that they aren't showing him. They said he got blakc flaged and is laps down. What more do you want.
What a fiasco of a broadcast from ABC. This one reminds me of TNT's problems at Sonoma.
I'm just glad that the Raiders played early today and I've got MRN for this one.
Green flag racing and we are watching a season highlights video.
SHOW THE RACE!!!!!!!!!!!!
ABC wins I quit I got MRN on Fox race trax going, trackpass on puter & I'm switching to my beloved Cowboys. I hope abcespn admit they are not any good at race coverage and give up the contract. Blessings to all of you who are gonna endure this shoddy junk. Green flag racing and they are showing old footage from old races! Good luck all
More highlights during green flag run. This is beyond, I can't even think of the right word.
Kind of strange to see them suddenly return to the old problems of showing videotape footage under green and using hip-hop music to commercial instead of racing noise.
Full field rundown would be great.
So all of you now listening to the radio. Does this mean we won't be getting comments from you? Or are you just saying your listening to the radio.
5:15 I really don't understand, last night they all did fine, now they are the same usual mess. One observation: Yesterday Allen was directing traffic (and feeding Dr. Punch his info) unlike today when they have him stuck in the pits where although great, he is needed ELSEWHERE.
Leave it to erik to come on here and defend the absolutely awful coverage. I notice you don't comment on any of the other race blogs covered by non-ESPN stations, which I can only take to mean you don't watch any other Nascar racing other than ESPN.
Try watching the coverage on another station and you will see how awful ESPN is at covering the race.
You refuse to listen to race fans about their complaints and then wonder why ESPN's ratings have gone downhill. Keep making excuses and neglect the power of this site.
A taped review of the season during GREEN FLAG RACING!!! Are you kidding??? It's time for ESPN to hand the coverage over to ANY other network, this is beyond disgraceful.
I understand the rationale for updates -- sportscenter minutes, etc.
But is it really necessary to keep the ticker going for most of the race?
It is really annoying, particularly when most of the information is being repeated -- updates for games in progress, I get-- to keep people from switching away to check.
Oh great, now MRN is talking about nothing but Jeffy and Jimmy.
What happened to Reutimann he was 25th or so and now 35th and 2 laps down. ESPN never talked about him when in 6th so I guess I'll never know
It stinks! They show the 4 Most Memorable moments" from this year and want us to vote!
Then, show us 1/2 a lap, then go to commercial.
ESPN really must want out of the contract.
And as posted earlier --
Anonymous said...
So I am thinking maybe they should just tape the whole darn thing, edit it and replay it for us at midnight. With everything they have missed so far.... it would be as meaningful!
November 18, 2007 5:01 PM
I wholeheartedly agree.
I am SO GRATEFUL to have an MRN affiliate this year that does not ditch NASCAR for H.S. games.
I am DONE with the tv.
Good grief...nobody gave a dam about our gripes. ESPN is sticking it to us and showing THEIR VERSION Of 'this last race of the season.'
I enjoyed today's WT MUCH MORE than this race with DW being honest; LOVED and laughed during RACE DAY but hated the sucking up to Brian France...disgusting.
DISGUSTING that France and NASCAR are allowing this race coverage to suck so badly.
Tape this race folks and use it to induce sleep if you have insomnia.
ALL THIS JUNK OVER GREEN FLAG RACING???????????
What the heck is the deal?
I guarantee today's ratings will be the worst in years and France will continue his ALL IS WELL with the sport speech.
Pathetic.
Grateful for my access to MRN...sorry for those of you stuck with ESPU..and there WILL be no post race coverage but at this point, who cares??
Wow! What an excellent commercial broadcast...it is just too bad that they keep interrupting the commercials to show THE RACE!!!
2 laps commercial...2 laps commercial...old highlights...commercial...this is pathetic
I set the bar on the floor for my expectations for ABC ... It means anything they do that's good, is a step up and they can't sink any further ...
Though, when they brought up the plane crash ... They sunk below the floor ...
To Anon @ 5:25 -
Right now I'm listening to the radio and have the TV muted.
But in a few minutes I'll go to the garage and get the car ready for my Thanksgiving trip and just be listening to the radio for a while. There is no sense in even trying to watch this crap from ABC.
JD,
You asked for a full-field reset and ESPN gave us a Sportscenter minute and senseless Brent Musburger rhetoric. I don't think they have us on their laptop this week, LOL.
Musburger is still talking about football! Stop it already! This is NASCAR, not the NFL.
Yes, I really am done listening to the booth. But I've finally figured out what ESPN's mindset is. They feel cars on the track are boring, so they are showing us anything else. It's very sad & it will suck for us fans.
OMG it's Sports center minute and now to Brent I can not stand this. It's about time for more green flag stops and they haven't reset the field from the last mess
Brent and his freakin' football reference to bring us back from commercial.... Don't go away mad, Brent... just go awy!
What happened to David Reutimann? Does anyone at ESPN know? Anyone?
Why do they seem to think we want to spend 15 seconds watching Kevin Harvick's car on its way out of the pit box, zoomed in so close we can read the decals behind the right front wheel, when there's green flag racing going on and the pit stop is over? Argh.
I think anonymous (Erik again, not fooling anyone) doesn't know the meaning of a run-down. ESPN has got to STOP running pre-produced material and replays of earlier this year or last year during green flag runs. There is time to show relevant material during a caution. Their commercial ratio seems really high right now. Are they front loading the commercials and are we deserving a less interrupted finish to the broadcast? I agree with those of you here who thought that last night's Busch race was well done. It baffles me that they can't use the same formula today.
well, MRN just did an interviw with Jeff a few minutes ago.
:(
They did just mention kenseth pit stop and a brief mention of Robby Gordon's name at least.
Hip, hip, hooray!
I found the race on radio. Now, maybe, I can keep up with more than 2 cars.
Wonder if they will mention that Dave Blaney is having a great race and just led a lap?
There must have been an ESPN memo that read:Our goal for the Homestead race is to produce our worst race ever. We will repeat all our mistakes, just bigger and better. Remember, ESPN's arrogance is more important than NASCAR, the race, and the fans.
Makiki
What did happen to DR? Do we know?
LMAO Makiki!!!! Memo indeed!
At the commercial pace they are on right now, we should see the last 100 laps commercial free.
Does anyone else find the uneventful Crew Cam replays as senseless as I do? If something happened during the stop then fine, certainly show the replay. Otherwise, don't waste our time.
SHOW THE TRACK (and not just the parts inhabited by the 24 and 48 cars).
Sophia-
MRN's coverage should be looked at as "stand-alone" coverage of the race...meaning that they have nothing to do with ESPN's lovefest for the 24/48. They HAVE to at least talk about or cover the top 2 drivers, it just seems like overkill because all of the overdone coverage of those two drivers by the TV channels.
And this is coming from a 48 fan! I love your posts and thoughts by the way.
HELLO MRN is interviewing some FORD guy from HOMESTEAD during green flag racing?
Does nobody care today?
(ready to fling the radio and tv out the winda)
With the broadcast booth guys concentrating on the J & J show, they are missing lots of other stories to report on for us - ie Reut, Benson and others who have had issues today. It's very disappointing coverage.
Problem is erik, they are NOT showing green flag racing. So you can only keep up on the radio. Don't make yourself look more stupid than you usually do.
Sophia, I guess radio figured he was a mover and shaker --- that was Edsel Ford.
But, I'm with you about the interview. LOL
boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Jees Erik.... Your comparison does not work! The reace is spread over 1.5 miles at 180mph and football has 22 guys in the box. There is abosolutely nothing wrong with telling us what is going on with the "minors"... when something is going on with them or has happened to them.
that's better...now if we could get that a couple of time a race it would be great.
LAP 144: a FULL FIELD RUN DOWN!
Erik, pay attention. see how this is so much different from a ticker. Information, not just running position.
I have not heard Reutimann mentioned on MRN?
I went to get a piece of cake? What happened to DR?
We all want to know?
P.S. Thanks, Lady..Edsel Ford...I forgot the name...beautiful car!! Before my time by the way?
;-)
but somehow, MRN seems DISTRACTED today?? WTH is the deal?
Its the same people complaining week after week here. Sophiaz, Sticklin, Lilpolo, buschseriesfan. Wekk after wekk you complain. You'd think you would stop watching since every week you claim "Im done with ABC this season".
The problem is Erik that everything going on the football field we can see. We can't see the entire race track and pit road at once. Therefore, we need the announcers to tell us what is happening. And announcers set the "feel" for the event, since we aren't there. If they sound bored, we will bored. If they are excited, we will be excited. They aren't just there to say "yellow", "green", "checkerd." If that's what ESPN thinks we need, then let them have no announcers. We'd all be better off.
WTH is the deal?
The deal is your a whiner and can never be pleased.
And the lucky dog during this caution is ............? ESPN, please fill in the blank.
WHERE is the video of HOW Newman spun??? NOT after the fact ??
We will have to wait for INC to find out about Reut and maybe Benson. Lap 140 plus and first thru the field. Look the 00 in front of 48, too bad it's because he's not on the lead lap. OBTW the 42 is driving crazy enough that the 48 is afraid to pass him and evidently has been for a while with a bunch of 3 wides too bad we haven't seen any of them
The reason we complain is that we are NOT at the race. We depend upon the talking heads to keep us abreast of the happenings on the track.
And we are not getting the information.
48 and 24 still in the triple pit split. Show us the race leaders. Please!
Oh. goody... just when I was missing those commercials....
ESPN is 100% perfect on not mentioning Lucky Dogs and 100% perfect on ignoring mentioning cars that fall out of the race.
Nice to see that they're striving for some sort of perfection anyhow. Sigh.
I see the trolls are back.
Nice icing on the cake.
I can tell there will be no end to the race on the tv.
At least the MRN guys can give us rundowns and interviews after this race is over. I am happy to see this season end.
MRN ...Dave Blaney still struggling with a very tight car but sill inside the top 10...No drama in the race Moody said! :-)
I car in the garage area, thanks DOC how about who and why
Only one car is out. So how cna they mention cars out of the race. Its jsut Benson.
johnny sauter hard inside crash and with vickers
Erik,
Go get your own blog please. I have had it with you.
Go start your own site, create the information and then host it every race day live.
We don't need your snide comments. Have a good off-season.
This is ridiculous! ESPN has only been showing commercials, pit stops and single car shots of cars on the track. Isn't there any racing going on?
ESPN couldn't find racing action with a divining rod, two hands and a funnel.
All we ask of any network in any coverage of any sprot is to keep us in the game. They do that by telling us what we missed, replaying things that happened out of our view and timing their commercials such that we actually see the game when it is happening. I can't wait to see the draft tracker in a football game. Erik, I think you need to quite behaving as though you have the holy grail when it comes to this race watching routine.... some of us actually think we shoulf enjoy the 4 or 5 hours we spend watching something we love.
Erik, hopefully one day you will realize that this isn't stick and ball! One of the biggest reasons this season has been a failure for ESPN is that they haven't figured it out either. Racing is unique in the way it should be covered. As soon as you and your bosses figure that out, the coverage will improve immediately.
Thank you JD. I have had it w/him today too. I had the wreck happening on MRN when they were showing Jeff passing someone...sad.
I'm also insulted that I wasn't named as one of the complainer...:(
My boyfriend has turned to the hockey game. He has had it with NASCAR and ESPN.
It amazed me how much lower the broadcasts can get after we say they are at their absolute worse.
Thank you JD! Bye-bye Erik.....
Sophia - That so-called "Ford Guy" that MRN was interviewing ... IS actually Edsel Ford II ... The great grandson of Henry Ford ... He is the grand marshal of the race ...
So I switched back from NFL - to get commercials. How is it NFL & race have commercials at the same time? I don't get it!
Anyone figure out what happened? They just stopped updating the race info like cars out and laps down and even Lucky Dogs.
I think the championship coverage is kind of throwing things off for them. What a tough way to wind things up.
Did we ever see how Vickers and Carpentier wrecked? I heard it on radio but was not looking at the tv?
should be green another lap round
For those who listen to MRN, can you point me in the direction of a that streams the broadcast. I have had it with this coverage on ABChowmuchwecanscrewwithviewers... I got a wood floor to lay today....
That's a brilliant idea PGHarley. Maybe they can DraftTrack Beyonce's backside tonight. Wouldn't that be cool!
Erik,
If you get a chance, email me please.
Thank you.
Off subject, but has anybody heard what happened to Johnny Benson? I'm from west Michigan and he's our local guy.
JD-thank you for ridding us of Erik's posts, and his anonymous posts. Spirited discussion is great, childish yapping is not.
Makiki
Bob Osborne sure is boring isn't he? Why have him on the broadcast? Also, ABC Channel 13 here in Houston went off the air for a couple of laps but I guess they are back on track. Guess everything will be ok when the Music Award Show comes on later.
We can measure the discontent by the number of posts here....143 comments a couple hours to go.
Well, JD, they ARE reading this blog...I just mentioned a few minutes ago the black ABC bug was GONE...guess they decided to put it back.
Daly Planet Editor said...
Anyone figure out what happened? They just stopped updating the race info like cars out and laps down and even Lucky Dogs.
I think the championship coverage is kind of throwing things off for them. What a tough way to wind things up.
November 18, 2007 5:59 PM
I'm not gonna blame the championship race for throwing them off today. They have constantly ignored every non-Chaser that has made unscheduled stops, fallen out of a race without causing a yellow, or received a Lucky Dog all year long. Nothing has changed. I and many other have been complaining about these things for months.
Another caution, another complete avoidance of the Lucky Dog by ESPN. The strive for perfection continues!
JD
This site is awesome. I think by the time the race starts I look forward t to this site more than the actual race...and this is coming from a Jimmie Johnson fan who is engaged to a Jeff Gordon fan. You would think we would have enough to argue about.
As soon as I see a post from Erik or an anonymous poster who posts something completely irrelevant to the actual race coverage and instead tries to attack or ridicule the regular posters here, I get fired up and immediately start typing a defensive response...usually I don't bother submitting it since it goes against what you would like for the site. But those who are here are just trying to get quality race coverage, not just for us, but for our families and friends who love Nascar but don't sit and post on the Internet like we do.
To JD, sophiaz, stricklin, pam, haus, newracefan, buschseries, and those I have left out...keep up the great work!!!
JD is it possible who ever coordinates (I know there is a better term) the Busch does not coordinate the Cup races, and if it's not the same guy he needs to be promoted. I also think they have more agendas in cup races and they take presidence over the racing
This is so different from the great Busch race last night from the same crew.
They really need to peel back in the pack and just chase the good racing for a while.
Why did they hold the shot of Gilliland so long as he went to the pits? Where's the racing?
Oh good. More spots.
This race may give the TNT race this past summer competition for the most commerical minutes...This is unbelievable.
Over the last couple of season, this is the time in the race when tempers got a little tight.
This has been a very calm affair, but we should see some racing and strategy moves coming shortly.
btw...did we see Draft Track today?
Daly Planet Editor said...
btw...did we see Draft Track today?
November 18, 2007 6:07 PM
Shhhhhhhh!!!! Don't remind them!
JD... Don't tempt fate. (grin)
Why is ESPN talking about Chase Austin and Jeffrey Earnhardt under green? What cars are they driving out there? Talk about the race on the track in front of you, please!
When the drivers fall out of this race, do they tumble into a hole so ESPN cannot interview them? I'm missing the interviews and want to know what happened. Too much jabbering in the booth.
somebody needs to turn down their email you got mail chime on MRN. :-)
Was that you emailing, Moody, JD? He was getting ready to speak when I heard the email chime, LOL
So, no Draft Track, no Aerosmith, no Brad Daugherty in-program, almost no Tech Center, and no recent SC updates...hmmm..
It's all the Jeff and Jimmie show. Truex Jr. just blew by Gordon but no reference to track position or anything actually having to do with racing.
ESPN will not let go of the 24 and 48. There are other cars on the track and some of them might actually be racing for position out there.
Did Rusty just stick to his script while Kenseth retook the lead? Is he really at the track watching the race? I forgot he knows just what the fans want....Blah, Blah, Blah! I actually caught that one in the few times I didn't have the TV muted.
Side by side J & J show-ugh. Why do they feel the need to just show the car they are talking about?? We all get it-ESPN does not understand racing anymore..
This Jeff Gordon commercial was cute the first 149 times I watched it..but after 150....
They really need to watch the rotation of some of these commercials...I think the same way about KK commercials...
David Ragan just gained a spot and may get rookie of the year
Doc said "There are 39 cars still on the race track" could have fooled me with the spilt screen 24/48 show. Don't get me wrong I'm a HMS fan but I want to watch the racing not my favorite cars for 4 hours
Well, I have to get going so I am going to TIVO the end of the race. Hopefully it doesn't get moved if it runs over time.
We shall see.
See you on February 17 for real race coverage on FOX.
Looking forward to SPEED HD.
This broadcast may very well surpass TNT's Sonoma debacle as the worst ever TV coverage of a Cup race by the time the checkered flag falls. They're certainly not ending the year on a high note by any means. You'd think now that they've had 9 months of experience since Daytona that they would have progressed and not digressed.
Full-screen race recap during green flag racing..... the debacle continues.
Well, that was a pointless 4 minutes of coverage, we found out the old cars are going to be on poles in front of diners, all about another Earnhardt, another race series and other non-race chatter. I can read the screen, but I sure miss the other information that the pit reporters and a good broadcast crew added to the race. Now we get our token Suzy and Brad minutes. It all adds up to many minutes of nothing.
Two more drivers released from the care center with no ESPN reporter there to interview them. If the pit reporters are too busy can you please take up my suggestion of a few weeks ago and add Shannon Spake to the Cup broadcasts to be the roaming garage area reporter?
Good point about Ragan. He just passed the other ROTY contender and nothing from ESPN.
Don't try to make drama where none exists. Just tell the stories on the track and let the actual stories develop. There's your drama
Poor Sam...he just can't graps the stock car racing yet...shoulda stayed in ARCA a bit longer
07 having problems ? Lost a cylinder as per JJ's spotter Hello booth did you notice, no we got tech center tape.
MRN Brian vickers left the care center...hard hit but he says he is ok
Lucky Dog 31 we might get this one from the booth
Clint Bowyer's having exhaust pipe problems, causing the car to lose power. Thank you NASCAR Hotpass for that update.
I wonder if ESPN will ever mention anything about him.
RESET THE FIELD
Illpolo said...
JD
This site is awesome. I think by the time the race starts I look forward t to this site more than the actual race..
Couldn't agree more. I so look forward to this site every night actually.
A "journey"!!!! IF it was a journey for you Jerry.... it has been like wandering the desert for us, my man....
What did Doc say about starting the Busch series and next year NATIONWIDE?? I have the cc on and read that
Kind of strange to see them suddenly return to the old problems of showing videotape footage under green and using hip-hop music to commercial instead of racing noise.
I heard 70s rock (Boston, More Than a Feeling) and 80s rock (The Cars, Just What I Needed) sending out to commercial before the next break was R&B, not hip-hop (song title unknown but it's popular nowadays). I give them credit for mixing it up if they're going to use music to send to breaks.
The coverage is still subpar. Beyond subpar, actually.
The 07 team spent that entire caution working underneath his car, and no one at ESPN even noticed! I can only imagine what I've missed from all the other drivers that aren't on NASCAR Hotpass.
And of course, we finally got a Lucky Dog mentioned by ESPN, but as always it's only because the recipient was a Chaser this time! All year, if a Chaser gets the free pass it gets mentioned, when a non-Chaser gets it, it's ignored.
pgharley, the seem pleased by their year in this broadcast??
If they were making a journey across the desert, they would've died of thirst.
Bummer about clint's car problems. :(
clint back on pit road. WAY...car jacked up
Clint broken exhaust pipe.
WAH
I thought there were 43 cars in every race. Championship or not.
Thank you Allen Bestwick for finally updating us on Clint, even though it was a generic report and not the detailed truth about the exhaust pipes we got on NASCAR Hotpass.
Chad Knaus pre-taped interview. Stop it already!
Soph.... I certainly need a drink after this one is over... 91 days to Daytona!!!!
To say something positive about ESPN's coverage, when they do show us the racing back in the pack the shots are fantastic. I wish all the races were at night. The cars just look a lot better. And it seems like they are going twice as fast at night.
Oh boy. A Chad interview! Just what I was missing tonight. NOT!!
I mean the difference between was is said on TV versus the radio is amazing.
If the guys actually did their homework.... they would have seen (as I have many times) that the shirts the guys in the shope wear have both Dupont and Lowes logos on them. Just show up on race day Rusty! Where is DJ when we need him?
Clint is behind the wall now. ESPN is completely oblivious to the situation.
I think we could all use some adult beverages to get thru this broadcast!!
Nice compliment Vince. I DO love the night races.
i wish they had more...but actually at night so the drivers do not have the sun issue..and the races not at night...start by 1pm. :-)
Clint's car on jackstands in garage according to MRN. sign
ok, this Russian password thing is taking me THREE attempts today...and I am putting in the correct deal, too...most of the time
;-)
Blaney still in the top 10 !!!
:-)
ESPN viewers still don't know the guy THIRD in points is behind the wall. Instead we get to listen to Brent Musburger babble on and on about the championship race. This is a joke.
A 3-foot tall picture of Mr. Hendrick. Arrrrrrrrrgh!
See what this coverage is doing to me? I can't even use real words anymore.
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