This afternoon at 3PM Eastern Time the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will be on the air from Martinsville, VA. The NASCAR on Fox production team will handle the broadcast, which means several things to TV viewers.
Krista Voda and The Set-Up will not be seen as the pre-race show because that is a SPEED program. Voda will be a pit reporter during the telecast, along with Adam Alexander. Sometimes, Fox chooses to add a pit reporter like Steve Byrnes or Matt Yocum to these stand-alone Truck races.
It will be Darrell and not Michael Waltrip joining Rick Allen and Phil Parsons in the booth to call the action. DW is a "Fox guy" and Michael is a "SPEED guy." DW has a long and distinguished history at Martinsville, and should be able to provide some good overall perspective while leaving the details to the "Dean" of the NCTS, Phil Parsons.
There is a weather situation in the area, and the Fox telecast is scheduled to run until 5:30PM. The Fox East Coast primetime line-up does not begin until 8PM with Cops, and many Fox stations do not originate local news at 6PM on the weekends. This is very different than the ABC situation fans know all too well from last season.
Rick Allen has come a long way as a NASCAR announcer, and works especially well on the longer tracks where the action is continuous. Martinsville provides a special challenge to the TV play-by-play announcer because the short laps and flat track make the racing sometimes less than stellar.
Hopefully, the Fox production team will remain focused on the personality stories contained within the field and not lose sight of everyone except the lead pack as the racing progresses. Martinsville contains some of the most memorable runs to the flag of any NASCAR track, so viewers should be allowed to watch the lead lap Trucks race to the finish line. In person, the final laps are just great.
This post will host your comments about the NCTS race from Martinsville on SPEED. To add your opinion, just click on the COMMENTS button below and follow the easy instructions. The rules for posting are located on the right side of the main page.
Thank you for taking the time to stop by The Daly Planet and add your thoughts to this on-going Internet conversation.
79 comments:
Nice HD pictures of the trucks on FOX. I only have FOX HD not SPEED HD, so this is a nice opportunity to see the trucks in HD.
JD,
Did FOX really pull an ESPN trick with Kyle's and Crissy'S interviews? Sure did sound like they were live interviews, but 10 seconds later they gave the command to start the engines. Crissy had to be pretty quick to get ready in 10 to 15 seconds. Looked fishy to me.
I did not notice that. From my point of view Crissy could have had enough time to get in her car after the interview. But who knows, If it was not live then so be it.
so far, so good!
great racing going on all over that little teeny track! hearing mike wallace coaching/spotting his daughter was priceless! nice catch on pit box assignments: booth guys ask and there's an immediate answer about the locations being set by owners points. seamless and professional.
good piece on harvick crewman and the new relationship with vfw and well-placed during the yellow.
and before i forget: VERY nice to have the race start quickly after going on-air!
ams: i'm still unclear as to why it's important to know if a driver interview is live or happened earlier. can you explain to me what the issue is for you? just trying to understand this one as it's come up before and i'm not getting it. thanks.
Someone in the past few weeks had made issue with ESPN letting us think that some of their broadcast was live, when it was actually recorded earlier. I would never caught it if they had not made issue with it. I thought JD had made comment on Sirius. I'm probably wrong about JD, but that's why I asked. Not really an issue with me either.
thanks, ams! i must have missed that discussion -- will go back thru the archives to find it.
(OK, i take some of my earlier comment back! DW just said something about teams having chosen their pit spots! ah well. it was thissssss close today!)
Mike calling Chrissy "Honey" on radio was priceless! :)
Overuse of Digger Cam
beyond belief. :(
Go Chrissy.
And Schrader
Time shifting video especially during interviews before an event is common. It is really easy now with the technology.
This goes on with command to start engines and other production elements that sometimes just seem to be "too perfect."
For many, many years the command to start engines at the Indy 500 was then followed by pre-recorded footage of switches being flipped and visors being lowered and gloves and belts being tightened.
The announcers are doing a nice job, but I am just not a fan of Chris Myers in this role. If you are a NCTS veteran fan, Krista Voda and her pre-race show are really missed.
JD
"time shifting"! interesting term.
can we assume that the switch-flipping/visor down footage currently being used is also 'time shifted'?
ok, i am so done with digger.
great line: "you see 'three wide' on the side of the truck? just because it's on the truck doesn't mean you can do it!"
technical question for any of our tv guys: pit road at martinsville is obviously just flat out nasty for the teams. is it the same for the crews covering pitstops for tv? just curious . . .
"is it the same for the crews covering pitstops for tv? "
I don't see how it would be more dangerous for TV crews than at any other track. Most TV crews stay behind the wall where there are obviously some dangers, but not more than at any other track. The TV crews are not over the wall with cars flying by inches away from them. Hope that helps.
I imagine the angle of the pit stops has to make for some tough shots for the cameras.
TV crews have been coming here for many years. While it may be hard, the crews have been able to place multiple cameras around and above pit road to give you the best angle. I applaud them.
Typical bigger team bias by TV....Busch hits the #85, "there's nothing Busch could do"....if the roles had been reversed, we'd have heard, "the #85 shouldn't have been pushing the issue."
anon4:18 : thanks. i was clearly confusing with my question. i wasn't asking about where the tv guys are located physically b/c i know they're behind the wall. i had a quick thought while i was watching the race and obviously should have waited for the yellow to fly! thanks, tho'!
what i'm pondering is whether such a tight pitroad makes it harder to get around behind the wall, to get the shots of the pitstops, to get the angles we've all come to expect. for some reason, i just keep thinking it must be tougher to get a good shot at a tight place like martinsville. mike's comment is closer to what i was speculating.
Would appreciate a NASCAR official available to shed light on some of these "MUST PIT" issues.
It would be a nice addition to any of the broadcasts if NASCAR could tell us the "rule" on why some of these calls are made OR not made.
Might be a nice thing to add to the Sunday pre-race shows.
It looks like we will get this race in w/o weather problems.
What about this 71 truck Donny Lia.
its a great story, modifeid driver but we dont hear anything about him.
Lets talk about him !
whoa! how did i miss that there's a female rear tire changer for the #10 truck?!? now THAT'S a story someone should cover. is she the only over-the-wall female across all three series? i know we have a female crew chief and more than one female tire specialist in the series but i don't recall hearing about any other over-the-wall woman!
JD, the comment by Ken-Michigan just shows how you have talk about racing issues when you are talking about TV issues. I just thought I would point that out because you have rejected the use of racing information to assist our comments about the broadcast before.
Every time they use the Gopher Cam, I think Artie needs to donate a dollar to the Autism Speaks fund.
Then there would be a great reason to OVERUSE that gopher cam.
A few observations about the coverage so far:
- The Gopher cam is being ridiculously overused. I don't get the fascination with showing a bunch of trucks running over that camera over and over and over and over and over again. It's the same thing every time. It can be a cool shot if it's used occasionally but it's being terribly overused today. Every restart they go right to the gopher cam, then to the other gopher cam, then back to the first gopher cam, and we can't see any actual racing on the track! Please show me a normal camera view so I can what's going on, ESPECIALLY on the restarts!
- The 4-box for pit stops that covers the whole screen is a bad idea... ESPECIALLY when one box is following a driver that stayed out and is running around behind the pace car. Please go back to the 3-box with the wide shot of pit road next to it.
- The top 10 scoring ticker is a terrible idea. I want to know who's running 11th on back, and honestly the top 10 positions are the ones that are pretty much stable most of the time, so there's no need for the 1-10 crawl, followed by a 1-36 crawl. All this new style crawl does is delay the time we get our outdated information on who's running 11th on back. Someone at Fox please figure out what ESPN's doing on their fantastic real-time scoring ticker and copy that technology!
- There's been way too much Chrissy Wallace overkill. It's an interesting story and I'm glad she's getting some attention, but we don't need to hear about her every caution flag. Spread the wealth and talk about some other drivers please. There's a former Formula 1 driver named Scott Speed making one of his first few starts out there too and he's been all but ignored.
I like giving shout-outs to some of the new drivers and the drivers running further back in the back, but not doing that for just one driver and doing it over and over and over again for that one driver and ignoring everyone else.
TV can't win. I have to say I DID want to see the lug nut in front of that dog on digger cam. But we missed a live wreck. They can't cover it all. A lug on the track is important.
i don't mind the gopher cam. Every shot is not from that cam, so I don't see an issue with it. It adds a different angle to the broadcast. Maybe it is the animation and not necessarily the camera itself that is bothering you guys?
"- There's been way too much Chrissy Wallace overkill. "
How can you say that? She has been THE story all weekend and there is a lot of interest in how she runs. I think there is just enough coverage of her.
don't have mrn for trucks but have tv on pretending it's radio...just way too many WASTED *&^%$#@ DIGGER shots and glad to see others feel the same way. I have no FEEL for what is going on as between all the fancy stupid cam angles, crashing or spins happen.
anon 4:47: you probably have just uncovered the real issue for me: that annoying animation! the angle is interesting every now and again (NOT all the time, fox guys! please note the difference!) but that freakin' animation seriously makes me want to turn channels! and i'm finished with all the hype about the t-shirts, guys. i can't imagine there's too many folks who are watching their very first race with fox so by now? pretty much everyone's heard the drill about the t-shirt.
ams: agreed on that lug nut. seems to me that someone was/is riding around "one lug nut shy of a full round." or something.
Leave it to a Waltrip to never forget a sponsor! Even if it was from 6 years ago! LOL
IMHO Digger is the only thing overcovered so far. Todays coverage has been better than the other truck race on FOX. Minimun bells and whistles. Had to miss a restart for us
I've heard that 'whoosh' sound all race we heard last week coming from one of the announcers. I'm positive it's DW.
Two more missed crashes within a lap after a restart because of the overuse of gopher cam (15 and 16). They are using that camera way too much.
Gopher Cam would provide a better view if it was on top of the curb instead of on the track itself.
Then the animation would literally be popping out of the grass / earth.
Ditto 5.08 strickfan comment!!! &^%$#@*
Steve I actually HEARD that whoosh WHILE DW was talking about an hour ago and am now totally confused at what that is..but it's a diff tone than the graphics whoosh unless somebody is messin' with us.
;-)
got my laundry done and trying to WATCH the race now
OK FOX
GET OVER DIGGER
Certainly is a little bit tough to see the Digger "cut" into the lap action.
Hopefully, during this final run to the flag they will ease out of that and cover the finish.
JD
"daly planet editor said...
Certainly is a little bit tough to see the Digger "cut" into the lap action.
Hopefully, during this final run to the flag they will ease out of that and cover the finish."
red says: i believe this comment comes under the heading of "nudge, nudge, wink, wink" for those of us who are monty python fans!
can someone post a top 10
I don't get local channels on DirecTV where I live so I don't have the luxury of using the DVR to check on this myself so I'm honestly curious here.....
If anyone has the time and motivation can you check how many green flag laps have used the gopher cam angle vs. how many laps have not? I'd love to see the ratio because it has to be astronomically in the favor of laps using Gopher Cam.
Fox needs to understand that this is TERRIBLE angle for live shots of racing and to stop using it every single lap.
It should be interesting if anyone dares talk to Brendan Gaughan after this race. His crew chief knew for 100 laps there was no way they could make it the entire way on fuel, and thought it would be smart strategy to stay out, stay out, stay out, stay out, then finally make that long needed fuel stop with 20 laps to go? YIKES!
Here's a shout out to Scott Speed. He's done a great job today and is running 13. (Since the announcers haven't given him kudos, I thought someone should point out his excellent day.) ;-)
setzer
bensen
skinner (just ran out of gas)
kyle busch
crafton
crawford
schrader
darnell
starr
kvapil
hornaday
lia
speed
bodine
cook
braun
musgrave
Sure would make for better TV and a more decisive finish if NASCAR would make them race ALL THE WAY to the checkered flag.
amazing finish! and we saw most of the cars cross the line.
If I remember correctly isn't this Bobby Hamilton Racing's first win since Bobby Hamilton passed away?
I wonder if we'll see another ESPN-like scene of a reporter chasing down an angry Kyle Busch after a race.
This will surely be a hot topic to debate on TV and Internet after Kyle Busch again made a boneheaded mistake and took out a Truck Series regular that is trying to race for a championship.
JD, did you say Johnny Benson's going to be on NASCAR Now on Monday? Let's hope they leave some time for JB to comment on this, because even the mild-mannered Benson has to be awfully upset about being taken out by a Cup driver just feet before the finish line.
and one final comment before i walk the beast:
ahhh, karma. sweet, sweet karma.
if'n i were busch, i'd hustle away from mr. bensen as fast as possible.
Top 10 for scott speed and still no mention....... Good for him!
great coverage. although i wanted to see an interview from Benson and video of the fist fight.
we were 15 min over on national network TV. it would have been impossible to cover everyone.
Johnny Benson will be on the Monday NASCAR Now panel with Mike Wallace and Mike Massaro.
That should be interesting.
It's shame that fellow-NASCAR newcomers Scott Speed and Donny Lia BOTH finished in the top 10, yet fellow-newcomer Chrissy Wallace got the post-race interview and the only on-air mention of her finishing position (17th, behind both of the other newcomers by the way), just like she got all the in-race attention among that group.
Chrissy's a good story but NOT THE ONLY STORY involving a NASCAR-newbie. It's a shame that much like ESPN last year, only the pre-race story line dominated the attention throughout the day and after the race. Even when two similar, yet better, storylines developed during the race, they got completely ignored because they didn't fit the pre-race storyline and hype.
Other than this misjustice and the TERRIBLE OVERUSE of Gopher Cam the broadcast wasn't bad at all.
Good comment by Kyle Busch blasting the pit crews. He also admitted he was hit (by Crafton, from replay views).
Class act by Chris at the end of the show to share condolences to Phil over the death of his mother.
Mercy, good stuff until they only interviewed 3 drivers.....
No Johnny Benson interview?
And Kyle says he's 'got reason to be upset'......
Give me a break, that kid needs a talking to, but not with words.... If he's not careful and keeps taking out these regulars who are racing for the championship as apposed to his little extra weekend 'hobby' (so far 3 trucks or more taken out by the Keebler Elf this season in the truck series) them boys are gonna get together and have a little blanket party with him.
Can't believe FOX wouldn't just stick it out for another 15 minutes and interview some of these cats who don't ever really get national tv exposure. For my money, keep this series on Speed please.
Congrats to Bobby Hamilton Racing. Good stuff for them. Loved that is was still a Bobby original chassie.
Once again -
It's becoming a weekly issue. The network leaves the air with so much left undone.
Interviews that needed to be done, didnt get done.
So much of todays tale was left untold.
I realize the show ran over, but hey, if you're going to run over... whats another 5 minutes to really finish the job properly.
FOX grade = C +
I slow-mowed the hit by Kyle on Benson and the closeup shot shows Kyle's tires turn to the right to spin out JB. Plain as day he meant to spin him out.
Very good camera work on the hit.
well we are not supposed to bash drivers but sorry, KYLE IS A BRAT AND PUNK and needs to be taken behind the wood shed. THE ARROGANCE of this young un is mind boggling. What about the guys MAKING A LIVING ONLY in the truck series?????????????
Man oh man...and Fox SAID they were going to get Johnny B's side of the story but our tv did not show that...and then they went off the air.
Schrader according to TV finished FOURTH and they could not talk to hiMm?? Enough with Chrissy.
Good to see Bobby Hamilton Racing in the winner circle...poignant and Dennis seemed concerned about his ill mother.
Wonder if clueless Ryan will have to ask about THAT on NASCAR NOW.
The Gopher came HONKED ME OFF to no end.
GRACIOUS. MRN tomorrow...more of the same ALL DIGGER ALL THE TIME.
I also would like to know the ratio of digger during green flag racing...did we see ANY INCIDENT LIVE???
Ugh...I need food but this was a disturbing finish....only good part Kyle got taken out but JB deserved second.
MERCY..and then Matt Yocum seemed to be empathaizing to Kyle after the mic turned off....geesh
JD,
Thanks for confirming Benson's appearance on NASCAR Now on Monday. I really hope Allen Bestwick makes sure to bring this up to Johnny so we can hear what he has to say about today's events.
When he was on the program after the Atlanta race, when everyone was commenting on the tire controversy Johnny was basically silent on the issue and was never asked for his thoughts after he personally was one of the victims of a tire failure during the Truck race that weekend.
ESPN caught a good break with one of their panelists becomming a major news story this week so let's hope they take advantage of it.
Thanks Steve..your replay CLEARLY saw what my house mate and I saw.
KB PURPOSELY did this and then acts all innocent.
I can't stand certain drivers.
B+ for todays coverage.
5:50 here in ATL. Instead of FOX filling the last 15 minutes until their local news, what are we watching. 4 minutes of commercials, then COPS! They interviewed the winner, great, it's good they found Kyle, he gave a respectful interview, and it was good they found Crissy. I'm just chapped! We could have heard from 2nd and 3rd places and maybe even Johnny. I don't know how things work but no one can make me believe COPS brings in more revenue that a race. I changed the channel. FOX lost me completely. And just for that I'm not watching their 6:00 news.
Great hearing from everyone, this is real fun as long as we stay away from personal attacks.
See ya tommorrow.
We went from the race to an infomercial for a weed wacker!! I'd sure rather see what this weed wacker does than to hear from JB or some other interviews!
NOT!!
JD, why don't you keep your word and delete comments like SophiaZ123's. You said we will not bash drivers here and some people are clearly crossing those lines.
For crying out loud, could not' FOX stay on 10 more minutes...we got the last feww minutes of infomercial for JACK LaLANNES POWER JUICER or some such deal.
I agree..many stories left unsaid but this is my last comment. My room mate went to get food and I am cranky..but I HATED what happened to JB..or any full time driver from that un named PUNK.
signed
anonymous ;-)
what your local station does is not the fault of FOX. IT IS THE AFFILIATES!!! they are the ones who complain that they don't get to show that weed wacker infomercial on-time because that weed wacker show MAKES THEM MONEY. This is NOT the NASCAR on FOX crew's fault. If you don't want that to happen complain to your local affiliate.
p.s. I lied. another comment. Johnny benson is so quiet and keeps comments to himself.
Will he even DARE comment on the hogging of KYLE BUSCHS appetite to be in all three series? Crimeny...I am starting to think TRUCK and NATIONWIDE regulars should have their own SCORING SYSTEM and the cups theirs....
Sorry, I am really hacked off about this and need to let it go, I know.
No ESPN news tonight, darn it. I wanted to see the fist fight and I am NOT a redneck woman. lol
D.W. said ex racers want to know lap times. Perhaps he will share that with the cup tv crew. Then for the first time this year Fox can get the time interval right.One prediction, the "digger" stuff toys are on the way. This garbage will continue to trash up the telecasts untill it's no longer profitable.
Yeah out here on the west coast we got 12 minutes of a "Friends" episode instead of 15 more minutes from the track....
Totally agreed on the Keebler Elf (kyle) comments. I will be tuned in FOR SURE to hear what JB has to say about that incident.
Sofie, I too complained about him taking out regulars (on another web site). This has been my complaint about him since he took out Brendon (and a couple others) at Daytona, these guys are in this series racing for the championship, they race ALL the truck races. Its not just a 'hobby' for them.
And then the kid has the temerity to say quote "someone got into me also so I have reason to be upset too" even though HE started the whole friggen thing. The TV guys need to take more of Hammon take when Cris asked him about the incident, this is the big time, not some little dirt track saturday night race, its NASCAR racing, your never going to earn any respect from fellow drivers or long time fans if you act like a jackarse after taking people out each week. What did Yocum (spelling?) say, "Kyle bush, always exciting to watch regardless".
No offense Matt, but what I've seen this kid do so far is not exciting, its reckless and scary. All this talk of him "being able to wheel the car anywhere he wants" is such crap when he wrecks as much as he does...
NASCAR needs to reign him. Its not fair to the JB's and Brendons of the Truck series.
(oh, and on a side note, if you went to FOX.com's NASCAR page today, there was not ONE mention of the Truck race. NOT ONE. Come on, its on your channel, and you've got NOTHING? Thats just weak IMO.)
The FOX web division is a completely separate organization. I don't think anyone there reads this.
I realize they (the web crew) probably doesn't read here, just thought geez, its on FOX, its NASCAR, a series old time fans believe is some of the best racing today, and are extremely fond of, that hey, maybe FOX.com might want to promote it a bit??
But hey, what do I know. ;~P
BillyD
yes, on Kyle's behavior. I think we are ALL SICK of this "talented driver" (sigh) taking out guys in series he drives in for FUN.
The purses are much smaller and he loves the attention but it's just not fair imo.
Glad to see another one agree.
:-)
JD, will you have a column on the IRL race tonight? It is the first one this year.
Well, I'll leave my opinions on Kyle Busch's bushleague move on the last lap out of this, but I did have a problem with Matt Yocum putting his arm around him after the interview - as if he approved of the move.
I'm sure he's just staying on a driver's good side for future interviews and it probably happens all the time but the director/producer should have cut away before the suck up period of the interview...
Good coverage of the race overall, other than all of the missed wrecks due to the stupid gopher cam.
I wish JD would have an IRL post! 1st reunification race, but it doesn't seem the same without PT!
I wish JD would have an IRL post. He said he might for the first race.
I HATE THE MULTIPLE SCREEN SHOTS..anybody else? We almost kicked our tv's...sheesh. we do not have 60 inch tv..we thought they would NEVER get rid of Dan W camera
can we make this an IRL thread?LOL
Already I am not sure I can take Marty Reid's excited voice for 3 hrs...even my room mate said "Gee, you realize how good the NASCAR guys are voice wise...this IRL is gonna be a long race"
:)
Guys, what Chrissy Wallace did today was very impressive. I had my doubts about her, but she finished 17th in her first NASCAR race.
Contrast that with Erin Crocker who has 29 truck starts (2 in 2005, 25 in 2006, and 2 earlier this year). Erin finished 36th in her first race (crashed out).
Erin did not get a top 15 until this year, in her 28th race. She finished 14th at Daytona (and then finished 22nd at Cali). In running the full season in 2006, her best was three top 20s (two 16th place finishes and an 18th).
So basically, with one race (and no confirmed scheduled races coming up) Chrissy Wallace has already surpassed Erin Crocker in my mind. She's still got a LONG way to go, but that was more potential than Erin ever showed, and I doubt Chrissy's Germain equipment and crews were as good as the ones from Evernham Motorsports.
While I agree that Scott Speed should have been mentioned more, Chrissy backed up all the coverage she got with a good showing.
anon at 8:04 pm
"Well, I'll leave my opinions on Kyle Busch's bushleague move on the last lap out of this, but I did have a problem with Matt Yocum putting his arm around him after the interview - as if he approved of the move."
I could not agree more!! When Yokum was doing the interview, I was yelling at the tv "stop being an apologist for NASCAR and this arrogant punk!"
If you want to be taken seriously, Matt, you have to be willing to challenge the Kyle Busch's of the world when they make stupid and outrageous statements like "I had a
reason to be upset too". You have to have the credibility and guts to say "you got hit because you spun the truck in front of you" or "the video shows your nose wan't in front of Benson"
NASCAR better sit this kid down for a race
If I worked in the Geico advertising department and I knew I was being forced out of the Nationwide series, I'd be jumping at the chance to help find Mike Wallace a sponsor in that series and swap to his daughter in the trucks with the same team.
Germain racing is a powerhouse in the trucks.
I cannot believe the bashing going on here!! you guys can be more professional than that. Where is JD to maintain order here??
What in the world are you talking about? Everything is fine in here from what I see.
I don't know if Germain is a powerhouse in the trucks or if they just have a "powerhouse driver" in Todd Bodine. The Germain 9 truck hasn't ever done much at all, and Marks - can't remember Marks' first name- hasn't done much with Germain in any of their trucks so far.
Less than two weeks ago there was an article saying Germain didn't have a sponsor for Wallace so they didn't have money to get her a motor to race with. That was after she tested for them, so they didn't have a firm deal for martinsville. So that deal and team came together very quickly. (Mike must have put together the Geico part.) For Chrissy to do well with a fairly last minute deal is pretty good.
Hey guys,
Just watching the action. No IRL posts for me, except a special on the Indy 500.
Everyone is doing a pretty good post-race job of letting off some steam. No problems, let's just get back to TV stuff.
JD
There is a new post up about the Fox coverage of the Truck Series race from Martinsville.
JD
The 'Germain equipment and crews' won the championship 2 years ago. As far I recall, Ray's team didn't have Erin or anyone else run well in the truck series.
Taking nothing away from Chrissy, but those are good pieces that Germain racing puts together for their drivers.
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