Here is a program note. There is a special one hour edition of RaceDay that will air at 1PM prior to the Gatorade Duels from Daytona.
As this is a special set of races that only occurs once a year, there is not the normal network pre-race show.
Immediately after the Duels, there will be an edition of NASCAR Victory Lane. That show is scheduled for 5:30PM with a re-air at 12:30AM Eastern Time, but it would be wise to record the whole programming block.
Here in Florida we have been having rapidly changing weather this week. In addition, any incidents on the track in the first Duel race could push the entire program line-up back. Set-up your recording devices with that in mind, and things should be fine.
There will be posts up on Thursday around Noon Eastern Time for your comments on RaceDay, the Duel races and the Victory Lane program. Thanks.
I can't wait for the Duels tomorrow. I have one request for the guys in the production truck if they are reading this. If there is a battle for the final transfer spot in the final lap please keep the cameras focused on that battle all the way to the line.
ReplyDeleteThis new Duel format has been in place for the last 3 years. In 2006 TNT did a fantastic job of keeping the cameras focused on the transfer spot battle on the entire last lap and all the way through the cars crossing the finish line.
In 2005 and 2007 though when Fox/Speed covered the Duels they kept the cameras focused on the transfer spot battle for 15/16 of the final lap but at the line used a very wide shot and completely lost sight of the cars battling for the transfer spot. Those most important cars got completely lost in the middle of a large cluster of cars racing in a huge pack. Fox did a great job of following the dramatic K. Wallace/K. Earnhardt battle in '05 and the Said/Bliss and Marlin/M. Wallace/Nemechek battles in '07 but left the viewers at home clueless as to who nipped who at the stripe by turning the cameras away from them at the finish.
The one thing I want more than anything in the Duel coverage is to SEE the battle for the transfer spots LIVE. I don't want to watch a great battle for 15/16 of the final lap and then have to rely on Larry Mac and Mike Joy to read the scoring monitors and TELL ME who won the battle to the line. If I want to HEAR who gets that spot I'll listen to the radio broadcast. If I'm watching TV I want to SEE who gets that spot.
JD, Since you have a SPEED HD logo up on this column I wanted to ask, is an update on SPEED HD still on the way?
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that my cable company, COX, says they have not heard anything from SPEED about SPEED in HD and that they have no reason to add a channel they have not heard about.
SPEED responded to my inquiry with a comment that I chose not to report. The bottom line is, SPEED has absolutely no control over when and even if cable companies add them.
ReplyDeleteThe suggestion of the network is that you call the cable company and tell them that you want SPEED-HD as an HD channel.
Since the feed just began, it seems as if Daytona content and the frequent calls from NASCAR fans just might do the trick to get the ball rolling.
There was a lot of cost in this for SPEED, and it was a good move. We shall see how long it takes for big cable companies to add this new channel.
JD
Daly Planet Editor said...
ReplyDeleteThe bottom line is, SPEED has absolutely no control over when and even if cable companies add them.
February 13, 2008 9:28 PM
JD, If that is true, then why does my cable company keep saying otherwise? I keep calling them and they keep telling me they need to HEAR from SPEED before they, COX, take any action towards adding SPEED HD.
It is a relatively small world in cable TV land. They certainly know SPEED-HD is out there, and all you can do is tell them you want it.
ReplyDeleteSPEED has an entire HD Marketing plan out in the industry, so everyone knows they are up and running.
JD
In 2005 and 2007 though when Fox/Speed covered the Duels they kept the cameras focused on the transfer spot battle for 15/16 of the final lap but at the line used a very wide shot
ReplyDelete...which is exactly what this blog and its readers were asking them to do: show a wide shot of the finish.
...which is exactly what this blog and its readers were asking them to do: show a wide shot of the finish.
ReplyDeleteWhat Stricklinfan stated very clearly was that they should NOT do this for the duels. The news in these two races is who gets the last spot for the 500.
In a regular race, yes, we want the wide shot at the finish.