Here we go again with another season of one of SPEED's most popular shows. RaceDay is absolutely the "Super WalMart" of NASCAR. There is something for everyone. The Daytona show runs from 11AM to 2PM Eastern Time.
John Roberts returns to host this series with Kenny Wallace and Jimmy Spencer alongside. The fact that Wallace made the Daytona 500 this year is going to be a fun dynamic to watch. Hermie Sadler has been a utility player for this show, reporting on the track conditions from the RaceDay set and also as the second pit reporter.
Wendy Venturini continues to define her role as the source for news and information from the garage area. Her personal relationships in the sport work well for access, but she has kept things on a very businesslike level on the air. Her weekly Real Deal features have worked well to provide an "away from the track" break during this multi-hour program.
RaceDay has changed from its casual and semi-organized past into a franchise program for the network that goes head-to-head with the pre-race shows of TNT and ESPN/ABC once the Fox coverage of the Sprint Cup is over.
It should be interesting to see if this series can continue to build the momentum of the past several seasons. The task of presenting a live multi-hour show every race weekend is big. SPEED has shown that they can not only handle the responsibility, but they can thrive in this environment.
This page will serve to host your comments about NASCAR RaceDay on SPEED. To add your comment, simply click on the COMMENTS button below and follow the instructions. The rules for posting are on the right side of the main page.
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NASCAR Live is on now. I feel this coverage is good. Larry Mac is such an asset to the program. I am enjoying it as I type this.
ReplyDeleteLou
Kingston, NY
Anyone now what this PReSeason Thunder show isa ll about before the race broadcast? No discription on my TV guide.
ReplyDeleteIf it about the 1pm airing on FOX. I believe it's a season preview show.
ReplyDeleteJD any ideas?
Junior Johnson's cylinder head story about Chevy and Hendrick causing him to switch to Ford was rather "interesting."
ReplyDeleteThey just showed the MWR Gold Wheels while going to a break. Those wheels should look cool on those cars.
I agree - breaking news by Darrell and Junior Johnson at 9am was kinda funny. They all seemed a bit surprised he was so honest. Guess no one had previously asked him!
ReplyDeleteAm curious about the Preseason Thunder show myself. Interesting that Speed's Raceday will go head to head with a Fox show since they are owned by the same company. I can see the reasoning behind Speed going up againts Espn's & TNT's pre-race show, but their own "team mate"?
ReplyDeleteBillWebz
Hey Guys,
ReplyDeleteDo you remember the poster who was screaming at me about the old NASCAR Images company?
I was mentioning the lack of programming and he told me proudly they had created a "Pre-Season Thunder" show for Fox before the Daytona 500 coverage began.
So, it is a NASCAR Media Group (new name for Images) production that is a season preview.
JD
I read that Preseason Thunder is supposed to follow around certain drivers. No idea if they are following them on track or off track. Jimmie Johnson and Montoya were two of the ones listed. It was four or five drivers named.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed watching Junior Johnson and Darrell Waltrip (and later Mario Andretti) sitting in rocking chairs in the motorcoach lot this morning on the early edition of NASCAR Live. Darrell even had his big mug of coffee as they chatted. Nice calm way to start the morning.
Will John Roberts finally cut back his use of the word "Folks" ??
ReplyDeleteis it a crutch or is it in the script ??
please.... stop it !
WOW....what was that ??
ReplyDeletesomeone hit the wrong button. is nobody even paying attention in the truck.
during a commercial break, the truck goes LIVE to the stage while Brian France is getting wired up with his mic and nobody knows they are LIVE !!
i could understand this happening for 2 seconds....but this was LIVE for about 60 seconds.
WHOA !!
Love the Raceday crew! But three hours of RaceDay, plus 1 1/2 hours of prerace on Fox is too much. Not much going on this morning. The race doesn't start until 3:30 (or likely 3:40). I think after this commercial we'll come back around 2:30 or 2:45.
ReplyDeleteBrian France (on right now) always sounds like he's running for president. Talks a lot, but doesn't say much of substance. Kudos to John Roberts for trying at least to ask substantive questions to France, (unlike last season when he and Kenny and Jimmy fell all over France in praising him, which Kenny and Jimmy are still doing today). Roberts is asking about the number of cars without corporate sponsorships and the drivers' showing emotion. But France just blew by with PR ("this is going to be the best Daytona 500 EVER!") and didn't answer the questions. At least Roberts tried, which is what he's supposed to do.
NASCAR Now was just on and they should immediately ban Ray Evernham from picking race winners. He picked Hendrick or a Toyota car as winner today. Can't imagine that Kasey Kahne or Elliott Sadler or their crew chiefs feel very good about that. You're the owner, you're supposed to pump up the troops even if they have no chance (and Kasey and Elliott had their best or near-best finishes in 2007 at Daytona last year.)
You really do not want the CEO on-camera when he should not be. Luckily, nothing was said or done that was damaging. I would not like to be the Master Control Operator at Fox in LA right about now.
ReplyDeleteGet home in time to see Rutledge dancing - sheesh guys what is this?
ReplyDeleteBillWebz
Spencer didnt seem to happy about that Rutledge spot. Really, what was the purpose behind that? Had no clue what /where he was till the end.
ReplyDeleteBillWebz
Could have lived without the Rutledge piece but I did laugh at some of it. Real Deal, good as always. Dillner doing well too
ReplyDeleteThough not RaceDay, JD have you heard anything about Nascar.com dropping their prerace show online? I don't see any advertising for it, and you would think if they were gonna have it today it would be all over their homepage.
ReplyDeleteBillWebz
Hey ken-michigan just for you:
ReplyDeleteFolks, stick with us....stick with us, folks....folks, stick with us....folks...folks, stick with us, folks....folks, stick with us, folks....stick with us, folks....folks, stick with us, folks
Seriously, don't these guys have anybody that will tell them if they overuse words or phrases.
Please for the love of god stop it.
I tried very hard to get the Turner guys who run NASCAR.com to provide me information and a media contact for this season, but no luck.
ReplyDeleteI was going to include them in all my preview columns, and also look at their pre and post-race coverage.
No matter how many times I emailed, they just passed me around to other people in the organization. Turner Interactive is the company that runs the website. Hey, I tried!
JD
The Ken S piece was unbelieveable, I'm sitting here trying not to cry. Wow
ReplyDeleteI have nothing against Rutledge or any other personality who provides comic relief. The question for SPEED is that during the preview show for the biggest race of the season, do they need it?
ReplyDeleteThat feature was poorly thought out and poorly edited. The trademark of these Rutledge and Riki pieces from last season is that they do not make sense at the end. It is almost forced.
Even Spencer was embarrassed, and that takes a lot. Should be interesting to see it this continues.
JD
They just showed the 1993 Dayotona 500 finish where DJ won, and unless they editted it from the original broadcast, which it doesnt appear to be. They only showed DJ crossing the finishe line then cut to his Mom and then to his Father in the booth. So the complaining about not showing all the cars cross the track can go way back, 15 years at least.
ReplyDeleteBillWebz
I do think some "comic relief" is needed in a two or three hour show. Two straight hours of interviews and talking heads gets old very quickly.
ReplyDeleteI would rather see canned sketches with Kenny and/or Jimmy though instead of the forced antics of Rutledge.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteJohn Roberts has been saying stick with us folks since he's been on Raceday, which used to be called NASCAR This Morning. He said it when it was called that, too.
ReplyDeleteI realize that we're trying to help improve the broadcasts, but some things are just getting too picky.
Or should I say, some folks?
It does not get any better than Ken Squier.
ReplyDeleteSomeday, some way, there should be a way of honoring Squier at Daytona.
C'mon... it was nowhere near this bad in the past. Almost every commercial break is now proceeded by "Folks, stick with us" and he says "Folks..." constantly.
ReplyDeleteI like John Roberts and think he does a great job reining in Jimmy and Kenny.
Just would like him to come up with some other way to go to commercial every once in awhile.
Exactly. Enough is enough JR.
ReplyDeleteThink of another way to go to and come back from a break.
Won't the producer tell him ?
To make it to "that level", you should be able to adjust.
The White Board guys are cracking me up! Yes, it's stupid, but still funny!
ReplyDeleteJD, why don't I have preseason thunder on my local affiliate?
ReplyDeleteTwo straight hours of interviews and talking heads gets old very quickly.
ReplyDeleteThe lack of comic relief or plain entertainment -especially focusing on the drivers, who are the people we want to see - is really where they need to mix some of the elements of the old NASCAR Nation show in. They used to reuse some of those NASCAR Nation stories on RaceDay. For some reason, all the fun stories about the drivers have gone away on RaceDay, there is only Rutledge. (Who came on after NASCAR Nation was canceled).
Wendy has the excellent Real Deal but they seem to all take place at team shops. But the NASCAR Nation stories had fun stuff like the drivers racing go-karts like madmen or Michael Waltrip giving a funny tour of his motor home. Or the drivers joking around while playing a charity tennis or golf game, or seeing the new animals Richard Childress just killed and had stuffed and mounted (ha)at his amazing house.
Or there was one time with DeLana Harvick, I can't remember when, when she "punked" Kevin in arrangement with RaceDay.
There is nothing entertaining now to break up the interviews except Riki, who I guess is gone, and Rutledge. And neither of them are all that entertaining. Maybe they could hire Vicki Johnson from NASCAR Nation back to just do those kinds of stories. She couldn't handle hard news, but she was good at that lighter stuff and she would be easier to take than Rutledge.
Why are you guys complaining about something so insignificant? Who cares if he says "folks." I believe this is a show that is not scripted. he could say whatever comes to mind first. if it is "folks" then so be it. that's no big deal.
ReplyDeleteAnon,
ReplyDeleteWhat local Fox affilate is not carrying Pre-Season Thunder?
JD
JD, all I have on my FOX station leading up to the race broadcast is a show called "road to daytona"
ReplyDeleteis that different from the "preseason thunder" show?
the station is XETV
ReplyDeleteRight now on Fox is "Road to Daytona"
ReplyDeleteOnscreen guide calls it a behind the scenes look at testing and training.
What or where is "Pre-Season thunder"
Isn't XETV the station in Mexico that feeds San Diego?
ReplyDeleteThe show is a reality style preview show called Pre-Season Thunder.
JD
This Fox shows looks VERY good and interesting just in the first 10 minutes.
ReplyDeleteBye RaceDay. Too bad both shows are on at the same time.
XETV is in San Diego. It is licensed to Mexico but has its offices in San Diego and is run by a San Diego company.
ReplyDeleteRight now is see "road to daytona" on XETV. Am I supposed to be seeing "preseason thunder"?
I am under the weather abit and just woke up and MISSED the older guys on RACEDAY. Wah.
ReplyDeletebut I gotta tell you, THREE hours is just TOO LONG for me.
I find it bizarre france was on live w/o knowing it. WOW.
Whoever said it's like he is running for president is correct. When he was on the show yesterday I went and did something because he just throws bull, tells us what he thinks we want to hear, or lives in his myopic bubble.
I am glad I an read what I missed but woulda liked to have seen DW and what's his name on the front porch with coffee.
Drinking mine as I type.
P.S, I MUST bring up this word verification thing is GETTING LONGER most ALL THE TIME...anybody else notice this? 8 to 10 letter all the time.
I do use the "vocals aid" but honestly, that stuff sounds scary. The girl giving the number sounds nice but who are those voices IN the background talking over each other?!? I tried googling that.
Ok, they just showed France, did he say Jr had something to do with the ratings? It was just a soundbite. Sigh...even Jr said the sport does not rest on his shoulders and I wish the media would start blaming HIM for all of NASCAR's ills..
It's been awhile since I whined about the word veri. I KNOW it's important but honestly, sometimes it feels like a "Russian SPY test"
:-)
Anon, I think you nailed it...
ReplyDelete"Rutledge....not all that entertaining"
I would rather see Kenny doing infield interviews of fans, etc. Of course Kenny is in the race today so that's not possible.
They could definitely do more driver profiles like you said.
I should clarify. XETV's transmitters are in Mexico that's why it is licensed there, but the rest of the station(offices, company) is in San Diego.
ReplyDeleteMy guide says Fox is airing "Preaseason Thunder", but the show just came back from commercial as "The Road To Daytona", so apparently the shows are one and the same.
ReplyDeleteKCPQ, the Fox affiliate in Seattle, is showing "Road to Daytona". KCPQ's website schedule lists "NASCAR Preseason Thunder" being on at this time.
ReplyDeleteAnd according to their online schedule, they didn't bump any NASCAR programming to their second-tier station (which I don't receive in my part of British Columbia) like they did with the Rolex 24 coverage.
My digital cable scroll lists Daytona 500 coverage starting at 11am PT.
Am I missing some Fox pre-race coverage? Or is this what "Road to Dayton" what they mean when they say "Pre-Season Thunder"?
--KarenB
Thanks for clearing that up Rick.
ReplyDeleteEarlier Wendy reported that Smoke's crew was thrashing to get the 20 car to inspection after they made changes. Since then I haven't seen any followup. Apparently everything is fine???
5 letter word ver :)
I have Charter Communications and they are showing Road To Daytona. According to my Zap2it Tv guide I use on the web, it says I should be watching NASCAR Preseason Thunder.
ReplyDeletePreseason Thunder is the same thing as Road to Daytona. Chris Myers and Jeff Hammond were on to introduce Road to Daytona before it started. It's part of Fox coverage because Chris said "we hope you'll join us at 2 for the pre race show, now Road to Daytona presented by Goodyear."
ReplyDeleteThey probably changed the name after submitting the schedule to the TV guides.
No Riki Rachtman in the picks.
ReplyDeleteThey did follow up on the #20. It made it through inspection and was being pushed to pit road.
ReplyDeleteIsn't "Preseason thunder" the title of a show from previous seasons?
ReplyDeleteMaybe the guides just never changed from last year.
8 letter word ver :(
Yeah, I knew they wouldn't start the race without the 20. I must have been on break when they gave the news.
ReplyDeleteTell me, did Wendy actually report it or did the cameras just show the 20 car on pit road.
7 letter word ver ;)
Wendy reported and to quote a crew member Last in inspection first in the race
ReplyDeleteTW is calling the show PRESEASON THUNDER but I am still on RACEDAY.
ReplyDeleteMAJOR BUMMER these shows overlap? Makes no sense...Frankly, I wish they would have cut RD shorter but it's live and I want to hear any late breaking stuff since I tuned in late.
Wendy just said they are going to honor Dale Sr on lap three with pit crews holding up three fingers for his NUMBER 3, as it's the 10 year anniversary of his win at DAYTONA.
That was such an amazing story how EVERY SINGLE CREW member went out on pitroad to high five/shake hands with Dale after he finally one the race. Friend or not, everybody was happy for him on that day.
Never been a scene like it before, and probably won't be another one like that.
Must have been amazing to see LIVE as it happened.
8 letter word veri but sometimes only 5 and LARGE letters..that helps.
ReplyDelete:)
Seeing Chad Knaus reminds me, did anybody see NASCAR Performance last night? Interesting to see the sides of the COT and how it protects the driver more..and the holes in the steel in case the jaws of life are needed.
There is WENDY doing her stroll.
She is great on this show.
p.s. Thanks for word Veri comments, LOL.
But the NASCAR Nation stories had fun stuff like the drivers racing go-karts like madmen or Michael Waltrip giving a funny tour of his motor home. Or the drivers joking around while playing a charity tennis or golf game, or seeing the new animals Richard Childress just killed and had stuffed and mounted (ha)at his amazing house.
ReplyDeleteFebruary 17, 2008 12:59 PM
==================
Yeah I also would like to see more of those on NASCAR RaceDay. We watched NASCAR Now this morning (pretty good!) and Marty Smith went back with Jimmie Johnson to the mobile home park Jimmie grew up in. That was pretty neat, Jimmie looked excited, he was trying to find his exact mobile home lot because he was too little to remember it exactly. The manager lady's husband was a Dale Jr fan and had a #8 sticker on the mailbox. It wasn't meant to be a funny story overall, but that part with the manager lady was humorous and Jimmie joked about it with her. Poor Jimmie, no respect even in his old mobile home lot.
Go KENNY!!
ReplyDeleteGo many of my 'boys'.
Only 6 letters, LOL.
Speed is not overlapping Raceday with Fox's pre-race show. The "Road to Daytona" is a lead-in 1hr nascar show that will probably be aired again.
ReplyDeleteSpeed's Raceday does go head to head with TNT and ESPN which is fine with me.
Interesting this is that they aren't showing a Pre-race show on Fox this year, unless it is the show they have on now (watching Raceday so not sure).
ReplyDeleteThe word verification is getting longer. I also think it is somehow connected with time, like it expires after awhile. I have seen if I wait 5 or more minutes, even if I type it right it acts like I did it wrong.
BillWebz
Bill H said...
ReplyDeleteInteresting this is that they aren't showing a Pre-race show on Fox this year, unless it is the show they have on now (watching Raceday so not sure).
The word verification is getting longer. I also think it is somehow connected with time, like it expires after awhile. I have seen if I wait 5 or more minutes, even if I type it right it acts like I did it wrong.
BillWebz
February 17, 2008 1:59 PM
the race will not start until around 3:30. everything before that is the pre-race show. 2:00-3:30 will be a pre-race show
GS
Road to Daytona is not airing again. I checked the listings for the next two weeks, checking Road to Daytona and PreSeason Thunder. No reruns.
ReplyDeleteUnless they rerun it next year for Speedweeks.
So they did overlap today; I'm glad I watched Road To Daytona (I missed the first few minutes) because it was excellent.
Enjoyed Race Day for the most part. DVR helps can finish chores and FF thru commercials. Just missed the last few minutes (still learning this DVR stuff) I DVRd the Fox show and will watch later. Love Bootie and Chad and I also saw the Nascar Performance piece on the jaws of life, kind of puts it all in perspective doesn't it. Off to Fox. See you all on the other blog
ReplyDeleteIf you consider "Road to Daytona" a pre-race show, then Fox and Speed did overlap.
ReplyDeleteAs a rule however the rest of Fox's coverage this year will start after Raceday ends. Or Raceday will end before Fox's coverage starts ;)
Bill h
ReplyDeleteTry refreshing before you start typing your post. It seems to help.
Makiki
I had been a fan of Raceday but after this past week Ill need a few more red bull's just to get through it. It appears they have gone in a new direction. Dave Despain ,Ken Squire. I was witing for Barney Hall to show up. Last year I felt that Rutledge was used to attract a younger demographics. Then Riki Ratchman appeared. Both had there funny moments however when RR was doing Fantasy picks it always seemed like a battle for words and JR and Spence never were comfortable with him around. I noticed he is not on Speed anymore which was not a bad move until I say him on NASCAR.com this season.
ReplyDeleteThe kid knows more NASCAR then any of the non driver analysts and has a passion for the sport unlike I have seen.
It was no surprise to hear Tony Stewart say that Riki is his favorite interviewer. Speeds big time loss. NASCAR.coms gain.
I am tiring of the boogity boogity.
It was cute for a while but now has the humour longevity of the Dice man. I feel Dale Jarett did a phenomanal job and look forward to more of him when he hangs up the helmet
does anybody know where nascar raceday is set up at charlotte tomorrow?
ReplyDelete