Saturday is the official day that the billion dollar NASCAR TV package shifts over to the ESPN family of networks. This signals the start of the run to the championship for both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series. That is the ESPN Infield Pit Center pictured above ready to go to work. To see the picture full size, just click on it.
It is going to be Sprint Cup qualifying at 10AM Eastern Time on ESPN2 to kick-off the day. Dr. Jerry Punch, Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree will call the action as a lot of cars try to sneak into the field for the big Sunday race. With the "Top 35" in points locked-in there should be some good drama among the cars who must make the field on time. As a side note, there is no Go or Go Home show on SPEED this week due to the unique scheduling of the Indy race. This qualifying session is scheduled for two and a half hours.
After this session at The Brickyard, it will be over to O'Reilly Raceway Park at 12:30PM for the final practice of the Nationwide Series. The "fun bunch" will be waiting for TV viewers as Marty Reid and Randy LaJoie will be calling the action at this stand-alone race. They will be joined on pit road by Dave Burns, Jack Arute and Vince Welch.
At the same time ESPN2 is showing the Nationwide practice, SPEED will come on-the-air from The Brickyard with a thirty minute version of NASCAR Live at 12:30PM from the SPEED Stage. Steve Byrnes will host with Jeff Hammond and Larry McReynolds alongside. They will be joined by Bob Dillner and John Roberts who will be reporting from the garage area.
The TV choices continue for fans as SPEED offers NASCAR Performance at 1PM. This is an outstanding show with Larry McReynolds, Chad Knaus and Doug Richert. They review a lot of topics from the crew chief's perspective and try to appeal to both the hardcore and the casual fan. This TV series has gained momentum this season and it has deserved the attention.
The fun continues over on SPEED with Tradin' Paint at 1:30PM. The veteran NASCAR reporter for the Associated Press Jenna Fryer was just on the one hour version of NASCAR Now from the ESPN2 studios on Monday and she will be the featured guest on this edition of Tradin' Paint. It should be interesting to see what Fryer says about the news stories of the week and also if host John Roberts or regular panelist Kyle Petty asks about her ESPN experience.
SPEED is done with NASCAR after that show for the day and there is a good reason why. The live action returns to The Brickyard and ESPN2 as Punch and company cover both sessions of Sprint Cup practice live at 2PM. The double session runs for two and a half hours and will no doubt use the services of the pit reporters and the crew in the Infield Pit Center. ESPN has not been involved in Sprint Cup practice at all this season, so this session should be interesting.
Then, TV coverage skips across town again as ORP hosts Nationwide Series qualifying at 4:30PM on ESPN2. Reid and company will handle this ninety minute program and then take a dinner break before returning for the Nationwide Series race coverage.
There is no NASCAR Now show on Saturday because the NASCAR Countdown program begins at 7:30PM from ORP on ESPN. With no Infield Pit Center, Reid and LaJoie will host the program from the announce booth using the pit reporters.
Live race coverage will start at 8PM on ESPN and this announce team has the potential to have a really good show. Reid and LaJoie both enjoy having fun on-the-air and this time they have three veteran pit reporters along to help that effort. The short track racing, the Cup veterans rushing over from The Brickyard and the Nationwide "regulars" trying to break through should make for a good TV combination of ingredients. Coverage is scheduled until 10PM and there is no late edition of NASCAR Now.
This post will serve to host your comments about the day's TV activity. There will be a new post up for the Nationwide race and we keep a running blog of the TV coverage, so make sure and join us here on Saturday.
To add your comments, simply 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. We do not want your email, there is nothing to join and no commercials to watch. We just want your opinion on the NASCAR TV coverage of Saturday's activities.
94 comments:
My first thought involves an interesting item for the Nationwide Nascar Countdown. Since IRP is a classic American short track -- how about a piece on the importance of short track racing to the development of young drivers across America.
They could even show footage of Joey Logano running regional touring cars at Stafford Motor Speedway in Connecticut. And JD - I bet you know who would be a perfect energetic supporter of short track racing --> notwithstanding the fact he almost never appears in the Nascar TV universe!
I think with Reid and LaJoie it will be interesting to see how they "frame" the race coverage.
They have the perfect platform to present some fun features during the thirty minute NASCAR Countdown show before the race.
No Allen Bestwick, no Jerry Punch and no Jamie Little. No doubt this telecast will be "unique."
JD
Sounds like Rusty won't be involved in the coverage tomorrow, which is interesting considering he made himself news today by insisting - without being asked- that Roger Penske fired Ryan Newman and that the parting wasn't mutual. And went on to make all kinds of other comments, some which the articles note are inaccurate (that Roger Penske has never fired anyone before Ryan, for example).
Just when I thought Rusty had gotten over his obvious bias against Jeff Gordon (which was very noticeable for a good part of his ESPN commentary last season) now I'm going to take everything he says about Newman this Sunday and onward with a grain of salt. I hope Rusty knows he's just making himself look bad.
Too bad because he was improving a lot earlier this year after being bumped from the booth - but the more ESPN uses him as this season goes on, the more arrogant and back to old habits he seems to get.
I wish that Rusty Wallace would just go away and take his idiot son with him! I have a lot of respect for Newman as a driver.When they were team mates, Rusty shared nothing with Newman. Earlier this season, teamwork was the buzzward in Cup circles. Rusty started talking about how important teamwork was. I just about threw up.Now that ESPN is narrating the races, I'm sure we'll have endless coverage and interviews of Stephen Wallace as he continues to wreck everyone including his Uncle Mike.
JD
This was mentioned over in the truck race comments but I thought I would ask it here since it may be relevant to todays race.
Everyone was asking what was up with Speed's coverage this year, that it is going downhill.
Since you have an inside to the broadcast side of Nascar, has there been any raiding going on? TNT's coverage from what everyone says was massively better than last years and Espn seems to have picked their coverage up over last year.
Have these networks "stolen" talent from Speed and Fox? Or did they just get better and Speed got worse?
BillWebz
anon 12:54AM: i agree with your observation about rusty wallace. when i first read his remarks, i was annoyed by not only the inaccuracies but by the assumptions he was making, especially when it became clear that wallace hadn't spoken with penske at all and was basing his comments on "knowing" how penske thinks and works.
once i moved past being irritated by that part of all this, i started getting really annoyed. wallace is now a commentator on espn and, if being an owner isn't enough of a bias for that position, he now carries on a feud from his driving days and presents a factually thin series of statements. and he was just cleared to do cup race broadcasts, wasn't he?!?
a shame, really. i felt for him when it came to sitting in that booth when he son would have "a moment" on the track. and i was ok with him being cleared for cup broadcasts as well b/c i do believe he has a knowledge base which would be interesting to hear. but now, these most recent comments will be front and center in my head and that's a problem.
in my opinion, he crossed that line between racer and broadcaster and he has elimintated whatever credibility he had built with me this season. he's made significant improvement and we've commented on what a refreshing change it's been. sadly, that's now been compromised for me. someone should have had "the talk" with him and explained that he simply cannot put his opinions out there the way he did now that he's supposed to be part of a broadcast team. his every word will now be heard by me through a filter of doubt.
i don't expect anything to "be done" by espn but he's lost my respect and it will take an effort of some magnitude on his part to gain that back.
It's time for ESPN to fire Rusty Wallace, He will slam Ryan ever chance he gets. ESPN shuld be professional journalists.
I was wondering if everyone would take Rusty's ridiculous comment they same way I did. I was floored that he opened his mouth out of turn like he did. Does anyone know when/where he actually said it because I missed it, just read about it. The JG abuse last year and now this RN mess shows Rustys lack of class and makes it impossible for me to trust his opinion on asnything.
http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines
/cup
/07/25/rnewman.rwallace.
penske.
split/index.html
Newracefan the link will get you to the story @NASCAR.com I liked Ryans reply about "Rustys personalities" plural.
As far as cRusty - he has shot himself in the foot with me. I want him now to join Brent Suzy & Co. His credibility is toast.
He is an owner who unlike Kyle P. cannot set his owners agenda aside while on TV.
Today again I'm a Tivo maniac, checked the front page ( thanks JD) and set up recordings while having my first cup of coffee.
I will be watching Jenna & Kyle today live that should be really good TV.
The show for the Nwide hopefully should (maybe) focus on Nwide drivers, its gonna be a great race.
Rusty's timing could not have been worse. He is going to be in the Infield Pit Center with Brad (owner) Daugherty and Ray (owner) Evernham for the pre-race show and all race long on Sunday.
Earlier this season, Rusty took shots at Newman and he should have been talked to immediately. Hopefully, they bring this issue up in the production meeting on Sunday.
JD
I don't look at Rusty's bonehead comments as a owner speking but as a vindictive former driver with an agenda and they don't belong behind a microphone as a broadcast employee.
Just a thought here -
How many owners does it take at ESPN before they say "Enough!"
I love the fact that the pit reporters are NOT wearing firesuits today - they look silly.
Who ever dressed Shannon & Jamie (?) should get a brownie point - the colors for each compliment their looks - Nice job.
I see ESPN still has all the graphics and the cars in little boxes for the entire Q run. Bummer I don't need to see the stats for the entire run. Please full screen the cars
Newracefan said...
I see ESPN still has all the graphics and the cars in little boxes for the entire Q run. Bummer I don't need to see the stats for the entire run. Please full screen the cars
July 26, 2008 10:58 AM
I am there with ya'
I'm hoping that this isn't a taste of the race coming. so let me remind ESPN why we loved TNT (omg the end of the world is near I still am saying nice stuff about TNT) show the race its about the cars on the track wide shots - call Mr. Wells & Landis if you need help.
Jerry is at Indy, Marty is at ORP, and there's an IndyCar race in Edmonton.
If I just heard the announcement correctly from Dr. Punch - Bob Jenkins will have the call?
Wouldn't it have made more sense to give Bestwick the afternoon off from Sprint Cup and send him over to ORP?
Although, this should be a strange blast from the past.
Too bad for Rusty Wallace. I agree, by now after last season and the currnent. I think I saw this comming. I would think he would have known better. Did he not have someone coach him? At least I have an excuse, which I will keep to myself, he does not. Mr.Wallace had an accomplished career. I hope this does not destroy his legacy in NASCAR. But it may hurt his broadcast career. How sad stuff like this comes to the cream of the crop.
It will be interesting to see who ESPN "dusts off" for he IRL event - remember, Vince Welch and Jack Arute are also at ORP. Unusual wealth of motorsports riches for ESPN this weekend.
I am so excited that Bob Jenkins is doing the Indycar race. I wish they would add him this weekend to the Cup broadcast since he does so much work for the track.
Just like Fox/SPEED used Ken Squier for Daytona, it'd be cool to see ESPN use Jenkins for Indy..
I see Rusty is back to his old tricks. Watching his attacks on Gordon last season and knowing his history with Newman, I knew it was only a matter of time before he started on him too. Unprofessionalim at it's best. He sure isn't doing himself any favors as every time he pulls something like this he comes across as petulant, uninformed, and bitter.
Could you imagine one of the other driver/crew chiefs involved with the broadcast teams doing this? I could never see DJ sinking to this.
Has anyone noticed how good Doc is during the show today?
He has been "on" more like his old self, his questions and comments have been spot on, his energy is up. Just good to see him in his element.
Yes, Jo, I agree his energy is up today. What a differecne from race coverage play by play.
Hey folks, live quailfying is on can we get back to that. Enjoying the coverage and interviews.
I think it's a volume thing, there is a lot less going on at one time during qualifying compared to race time. JP is on it today
I am DVR for qualifying so am behind. BV was fun in the booth and now ES, ESPN is showing more of the cars than last year but there have been an awful lot for video clips, interviews and now in the booth interviews. This may be a product of the track where there is a bigger gap between Q runs. Hopefully that is the case
Rain in turn 2 -
Its a good interview w/MMartin now
Hes talking about possiblity of a competition caution due to tires lasting 7 laps. Yikes.
Yes, I agree Brian was fun. He did seem relaxed and comfortable.
There is now a new post up for your comments about ESPN's Rusty Wallace and his comments about Ryan Newman.
We will return this thread of comment to the on-air race activities of Saturday from Indy.
Thanks!
JD
Just an FYI on the Bob Jenkins information. Here is the ESPN info:
"When American open wheel racing was unified this year, one of the premier events from the former Champ Car World Series became part of the IndyCar Series schedule. The Rexall Edmonton Indy from JagFlo Speedway in Edmonto, Alberta, Canada, will be run this weekend, and ESPN will have coverage Saturday, July 26, at 5 p.m. ET. The race also airs in high definition on ESPN HD. A replay airs Monday, July 28, at 8 a.m. on ESPN Classic."
"Bob Jenkins will call the action for qualifying and the race with analysis by former IndyCar Series star Scott Goodyear. Brienne Pedigo and Jon Beekhuis report from the pits."
For those of you who do not follow this series regularly, Bob Jenkins has been calling the action in the IRL support series on ESPN2 for the past several seasons. This is a good opportunity for him to step-up and show what he can do live.
JD
JD, what is the point of having extra pit reporters and commentating crew on hand for ORP race coverage? couldnt ESPN save money if they just flew Jerry Punch and gthe gang over to the ORP track. they always say how close the tracks are to eachother. So if they are so close why do they need substitue crew? I think its wrong to take Marty Reid to call the ORP broadcast when there is a IRL broadcast the same weekend. Makes me sense to me. Looks like ESPN likes to pay $$ to useless extra employees.
Geez, I though we were going to see qualifying this morning. Instead I'm seeing everything but. If this is a preview of ESPN's coverage for the rest of the season we're in for a long four months. The over the top graphics are really annoying. I want to see the cars on the track in full screen. And although I like a certain amount of interviews from the drivers on the grid, all the in studio interviews are way too much for me. We see one car do a partial qualifying lap and then a 5 minute interview with some driver. Enough all ready!
As far as Crusty's comments about Ryan, it's what I expected from him. He has no class and never will have any. Compare him to DJ.
anon1209 Too much overlap. While we were watching qualifying NW was practicing. While cup is practing NW is qualifying. There is concern some drivers will really be running to make the race after cup practice.
OK I'm now officially afraid for race coverage on ESPN, we suffered thru a ton of very well done interviews w/ a side of qual runs. It was as if the cars on track were an oh by the way to the show. As many have stated, wayyyyy to much graphics, not enough focus on the car on the track! We got the usual batch of drivers being interviewed. Kurt did nice damage control, MM was his usual self and cars on the track basically ignored. Not a good omen. I want race buddy!!!
JD said:
At the same time ESPN2 is showing the Nationwide practice, SPEED will come on-the-air from The Brickyard with a thirty minute version of NASCAR Live at 12:30PM from the SPEED Stage.
hmm. i'm on comcast outside philly and, altho' their schedule says i'm watching nascar live, i'm actually seeing late models racing down a drag strip. espn does have qualifying as scheduled.
and i REALLY don't want to see nascar performance pre-empted for this . . . or anything else, for that matter! in fact, the only reason i have the tv on is to watch nascar performance. and has bootie been given, well, "the boot"?
Red on no my DVR has got what? I need to fix this now I was planning to DVR everything and watch this is not good.
newracefan said...
Red on no my DVR has got what? I need to fix this now I was planning to DVR everything and watch this is not good.
hey nrf! well, i guess we both mis-read or something b/c nascar live is on right now (12:30 pm) and they've announced the pole winner for tomorrow. so, i guess nascar performnace is on at 1PM.
sorry for the "oops" on my part!
Red,
bootie in under suspension for "Actions detrimental to NASCAR", so to speak. Since NP is from the track, Bootie can not participate since he is barred from the track.
Red it's not your oops it's Comcast. NP was suppose to be on at 1230 not 1p according to the guide so I needed to add the next show on the list to get TP. Good thing I was home to fix it. Thanks for the heads up.
What happened to Bootie I though he was back? I think his rapport with Chad and Larry Mac is what helps make NP
hey rick! i thought bootie was out of nascar's corner, had turned in his dunce cap and was back at the track this weekend? is that just wishful thinking on my part?
I second many comments like Vince and Jo's.
Way too many ESPN graphics and interviews as usual.
I turned OFF quals and getting ready for NP.
Hopefully SPEED can show a 30 minute show with NO TECH problems.
Again, rather than watch and get mad, I am at the point I am TURNING OFF the tv..then I read here 'what I missed' or not.
Like I had no idea Rusty made comments as I didn't see or read them. on to that topic.
Thanks for keeping us updated JD.
some of us truly are growing impatient with the sport and LOUSY COVERAGE of ESPN.
So much for our gushing over 'improvements for the season'.
as somebody said, "I am very afraid"...if it was not the BRICKYARD, i would skip the race or tape it entirely to watch later...but I love this track. Have on SPEED now waiting for NP.
bootie's back! woo-hoo!! welcome back, bootie barker, you have been missed!
Great news about Bob Jenkins and JD you must have been keeping it secret about RL being at ORP for the race today. Randy & Marty compliment each other a lot. NW practice is going ok but what we are watching might be taped delayed since they are talking about cup qualifying and that's already been run.
Vicky D said...
NW practice is going ok but what we are watching might be taped delayed since they are talking about cup qualifying and that's already been run.
July 26, 2008 1:06 PM
Thanks Vicky I thought that was what they said too.
So is this a tape delay?
man, did chad just give an amazing, clear, interesting explanation that followed the steering wheel down into the power steering box. and now it's bootie's turn to pick up from there! excellent.
other than a minor snafu with which camera was supposed to be called up, this is quintessential nascar performance and re-affirms that this is the ONLY non-race show that i make an effort to watch every week.
please give these guys a set time and make it somwhere in or before all the pre-race "stuff" on saturday or sunday. they have done such a wonderful job explaining what we never realized we had questions about and i am in awe of the knowledge that a crew chief possesses and has to manipulate each week!
Hey guys Bootie was back on NASCAR Performance 2 weeks ago in Chicago.
Sorry about the Bootie info, I think SPEED was playing it close to the vest.
That is a long way for Barker to go just to stay outside the speedway for a thirty minute show.
Anyone have more info on that?
JD
anon 1:23: thanks. I thought i remembered that as well but the 6 weeks has seemed too long to me from week one so i assumed i just calculated incorrectly. then when i read that richert was going to be on with chad, i figured i must mixed it all up in my mind.
what a funny viewer question that led to chad and bootie showing us thier hands! and chad is so personable on tv, looking straight-on into the camera, speaking to us, not larry mac, speaking calmly and intelligently. and my man bootie just keeps me smiling: that heavy virginia accent and that head full of knowledge that seems to just flow. i REALLY like this show.
I got into NP a few seasons back, actually shortly after I became a Nascar fan. It is one of my favorite shows, I cracked up about Chad/vs Bootie's hands. There's nothing wrong with a well manicured mans hands, he's trying to make up for all the years of abuse (tire changer, fabricator, etc I bet they were a mess for a long time).
It will be fun listening to Bob Jenkins call the IRL race today. He will be in Indy on IMS radio calling the race tomorrow. Bob deserves to be the lead commentator for ESPN's nascar coverage.
Im enjoying ESPN's coverage from both tracks today. Marty Reid and Randy Lajoie work well together and should get more races to brodcast. ESPN has had some good reports and coverage from the Brickyard too. Punch is on it today, and maybe he has been reading up on this site...
Well I just watched TradinPaint which could be called Love fest.
Jenna & Kyle on every subject have agreed mightily.
The best comment Jenna had was telling Kyle drivers need to man up & qualify - & he agreed with her. Last season that would have drawn a reaction.
Even Tonys dust up w/ an official Thurs nite was brushed aside & laughed about. By both of them. The biggest fan reaction came when Jenna said KB would win.
So much for a variety of opinions.
Tradin Paint was OK, Jenna and Kyle argued a little but generally agreed. It seems like Kyle has gone to the opposite extreme, last year he was just argumentatively evil and now he see's everyone's point. Yawn. How about something in between.
In my opinion this was by far the worst TV coverage of a Cup qualifying session this year. It stuns me that intelligent minds at ESPN can't accomplish the easy task of televising 47 cars making one lap (and in a few rare instances two laps) around the race track.
The last car finished its qualifying run with 18 minutes left in their programming block, so that potential window for extra Tivo style format time made all those qualifying laps that were missed during commercial breaks very difficult to swallow.
Just like last year ESPN also chose to turn their qualifying broadcast into their own version of 'Trackside'. While cars were qualifying the announcers were busy having coversations with drivers about their cars and their feelings about the Brickyard. In several instances we also missed parts of qualifying runs to show that Trackside clone on the entire screen.
And just like last year full-screen video packages, Dish Tech Center, and interviews on pit road caused us to miss parts or all of some drivers' runs, most notably half of Tony Stewart's run while we were watching his win in '05 and all of Martin Truex Jr.'s lap while we watched full-screen shots of inspection, Tim Brewer, and then a long crowd shot.
ESPN even added in another creative way to ignore on-track qualifying runs. While go-or-go-homer A.J. Allmendinger was qualifying, ESPN decided it would be more important to throw in a "what you missed" video package that recapped what some of the fast top-35 drivers did earlier in the session. The network was not in commercial yet not a single second of A.J.'s timed run was seen on television. That is a complete joke.
ESPN should be extremely ashamed of today's broadcast. Let's hope that by '09 ESPN gives qualifying and practice shows back to Speed Channel where they belong.
I like using the lap tracker to track the current lap against the driver on the bubble to make the race, other that that everything else was a complete disaster.
With ESPN's Cup production team returning to their old tricks and with ESPN's 'B-Team' that doesn't understand finish line camera work presumably covering the Nationwide race at ORP it looks like this is going to be a disasterous weekend of NASCAR on ESPN.
I hope I'm wrong but ESPN certainly hasn't given me any reason to be optimistic.
Haven't been watching all day, but I just heard Mark talking about needing an unlimited supply of tires - and they're on the cords in 5 laps?
Have they brought up that ridiculous U.S. Grand Prix from back in 2005 when the Michelin-shod cars all retired on the first lap because their tires beaded up and collapsed.
Which led to the discussion that the cars should have just slowed down.
Couple of updates:
1 - The entire ORP complex lost power last night at the end of the Nationwide telecast. It was not a SPEED or NASCAR problem. That is why the live telecast never returned.
2 - Tire story is being told in a very soft way by ESPN. This issue is huge and I am getting email from the track saying it is at a critical point for the Cup race.
3 - I am going to wait to reports the CBSsports.com story until I get official confirmation about which Earnhardt the column addresses. Will hopefully re-post with comments shortly.
JD
Thanks JD for staying on top of all this today.
I knew it was a bigger story than was being "reported" since MM had something almost critical to say
Let me throw this awful idea into the suggestion bin -- which Mike Helton is probably pondering.
If the cars are going too fast for the tires to withstand the track, the "easy" fixes are either more tires or . . . RESTRICTOR PLATES.
If it rains overnight, they might again use up all the rubber.
Of course, the last time a flat track had restrictor plates, Jeff Burton led all 300 laps at Loudon (I know, I was there - not a fantastic race).
JD
Thanks for all your behind the scenes work as always...I have ESPN as background ONLY due to the huge tire issue.
Thanks for the explanation of power outage last night.
Also I would like to know which Earnhardt is on the alleged list. Jr is such a sweet guy it's MIND BOGGLING to put him there..shows how clueless CBS truly is.
Very hot and muggy here, too.
hey jd. thanks for the updates. as for the tire story: "official" word is the track is uber-green and once some rubber gets laid down in practice, they might be able to run longer. i have serious doubts about that, tho', as i've never heard of tires going to cords in 5-7 laps at indy, regardless of how green the track was. the #88 team is playing nice and saying it'll all be fine sometime later in the day. i'm not holding my breath. how about we let old man martin take the hit from nascar and goodyear this time around and keep stewart and earnhardt jr out of it!
as for cbs sports online story: trash talk at best. hard to imagine the nitwit was referring to Sr when he uses the phrase "young punk." of course, hard for me to use that phrase with dale, either. i say don't even bring it back as it may drive mouse clicks to their site and that, after all, is all they want.
some things are better left unread. or, as forrest gump was reported to have said: "stupid is as stupid does."
OK what CBS story, I missed it and now I need to know what you are all talking about. I was busy listening to CK saying everything is fine (he does that a lot but says something else in private) and Zippy being very afraid.
Thanks, here is some more info:
It was actually the head honcho from SPEED who checked-in to inform us of the problems last night. The racing group at that network is very user-friendly.
There is a new post up for your comments about the X Games promos featuring the Darkmane character and the Wrecked promos featuring people towing stuff.
JD
Kudos to Mike Massaro for an interview with no hype and he knew when to stop asking questions.
Hope this professional approach continues. The memories of Massaro being pushed to keep asking embarrassing questions of Junior last season is still painful.
JD
Why are they showing a video package of Carl riding his bike to the Nationwide race last week now during a live practice?? Same old ESPN.
As several others have commented, this has been a mess for ESPN.
They were actually playing back pre-recorded features over cars on the track during qualifying.
They left the live action anytime as if it did not even matter. They rarely replayed any driver who ran during a commercial and kept the focus on what ESPN wanted to do and not what was actually happening.
So far, not very good. Hopefully, Marty Reid and the "fun bunch" over at ORP can lighten the mood.
JD
It's as if they can not think of enough things to talk about during practice and had video clips set up. It never seemed to be a problem for the Speed guys.
Did Doc just have to think about it before he identified Jeff Gordon as the guy talking to Jimmie. Your kidding right.
Perhaps I did not hear it right in todays first practice.I thought C. Edwards told J.Little that Darnell was going to Q the N.N.S.car.Now Punch talks with Reid like it's a open question.
Cool!!! Robby lfames the tire dust!!!
Kang, I got the impression that now Carl was going to try and get there on time. AS in He changed his mind because the Cup car is better
Who knew tires could burn. Have you ever seen a tire fire. Had one in Phila some years back so much smoke they had to close the highway nearby.
Oops spoke too soon he has to change that mind again, poor Carl not having a good day so far.
After the Trackside episode with qualifying going on as background noise earlier, ESPN is now providing us a third straight practice show filled with video packages. All these taped features would be great for a pre-race show or for NASCAR Now. They should not, however, be used as replacement materials for the on-track action that is going on behind them.
And now they're ignoring Cup practice at the Brickyard to provide a live update of grass growing and paint drying at ORP.
ESPN, if the on-track action of qualifying and practice sessions bores you and you would rather spend your time producing broadcasts of NASCAR history lessons, driver profiles, and hype can you please air these shows seperately when there is nothing going on on the track and leave the on-track action to a network that will actually stay focused on what is going on, like Speed Channel?
As a NASCAR fan I am insulted that ESPN is using qualifying and practice sessions as nothing more than a platform to air a bunch of unrelated garbage and hype. I hope NASCAR is watching and will make a "kind suggestion" to the powers-that-be at ESPN that they would be better served by either changing their focus to the place it should be (on the events they are supposed to be covering) or by giving up the rights to these sessions and letting Speed Channel air them instead.
This is going to be a LONG 17 weeks if this mess continues.
After the commercial break that began just seconds after the track opened back up for practice Dr. Punch teased "we'll be back to cover the final laps of this practice session".
What does ESPN do immediately after the break? Show a video of the "kissing of the bricks" tradition, have the booth talk about the tradition, go to the Dish Tech Center, show 30 seconds of Jimmie Johnson, then go to another commercial.
The mess continues.....
Where is Speed Channel when we need them the most? NASCAR, are you watching how your product is being portrayed by this network? I'm definitely jealous of the teams in the garage that are apparently getting a different video feed of exclusively the cars on the track.
stricklinfan82-I TOTALLY agree w/your assessment on the ESPN coverage! I wouldn't even be bothering w/it, except for updates on the current tire situation. That video stuff should be saved for pre-race.
SLF Amen, this was a mess, I tuned in to see the cars not the video pieces. DJ and AP did a geat job in the booth but never really got into a flow with all the interruptions, I am so disappointed I thought they learned from last season. Lets see how the "B" team does with NW.
I suppose that was the most fitting ending to ESPN's supposed coverage of Cup practice. They dumped out a couple minutes early to show the pre-qualifying down-time from ORP.
Maybe the 2nd team (or maybe 3rd team, depending on who was sent to do the IRL race) production crew in ORP can step up and salvage the day, although my fear is we'll be seeing jumping pit crews and a fist-pumping winner at the finish line instead of the rest of the field finishing, just like last year.
Thanks for nothing today ESPN.
In response to what Stricklinfan just posted - my guess is the second team is at ORP since Marty, Vince and Jack are all there.
JD - Any idea if ESPN is actually producing the race footage in Edmonton or if its pictures from TSN or some other Canadian TV outlet (like those F-1 telecasts)
I was watching the Cup qualifying on my DVR and I just knew I would come here and find posts about the horrible coverage.
It really does come off as though the qualifying is secondary to airing all the other stuff. I'm sure the small audience for a qualifying show are folks who actually want to watch the cars qualify.
I was in and out but had the HORRIBLE tv on about the tire situation.
Just one request.
MORE GRAPHICS on the screen please when showing the cars qualifying? Car might as well be on a treadmill...can't see the **** track.
And SLF, I PROMISE YOU, sadly, things ain't gonna improve the next 17 weeks.
I hate to say it but I wish my trumpet friend was here to play taps. I would have had a funeral to bury TNT's coverage and a picture of Race Buddy. :(
We are so screwed.
Sorry for those that think we over react because we love QUALS and practice. It's so hot out with swamp weather I thought I would watch TV all day but ended up multi tasking and using it as radio to hear tire updates.
Was tempted to use a chainsaw on the tv but realized, that would not fix the ESPN quibbles.
;-)
On to watch IRL..and count how many cars cross the line tonight.
My guess.
ONE
One tip-off that ESPN is taking a "split feed" from a Canadian TV network on the Indy race is the fact that we did not see Bob Jenkins and his booth team on-camera during the opening segment.
Cutting-in the pit reporters with their own RF (wireless) cameras is no problem, but it did not appear that there is no announce booth and the video is just a split feed.
Perhaps, one of our Canadian readers can help us with what network in Canada is carrying the IRL race?
JD
oops, it "did" appear that there is no announce booth...
Well asmuch as TNT listened ESPeeN
did not. They have missed 2 drivers quals in NW while talking to stremme.
UHHHHH - its called Quals - so we get to see ALL the cars qual - not just the ones ESPeeN has a "storyline" on.
Sophia said it best
We are so screwed.....
IRL is on TSN north of the border, they're actually paired with ESPN from now until after the Nationwide race, except for having Sportscentre instead of Sportscenter at 7:00 pm.
Use the same graphics package for that show as ESPN these days actually.
Thanks, strick. Once again, you saved me a lot of typing. :)
I think that the person in charge of programming content is not a race fan. Seems to think showing cars on the track is boring. Must fill every second with anything except cars on the track. When absolutely necessary, show a close up of a car in a little box surrounded by graphics.
I am just not a fan of the ESPN style of covering NASCAR. There are only a few on the air staff that I enjoy. I like Randy. The rest of the bunch at the NW coverage could have stayed home. Reid sounds too similar to Punch to me. They have the same voice timbre and cadence and sound like they are anywhere but a race track. Reid’s reading from a monitor and fake excitement are not enjoyable.
I will be watching this race tomorrow morning and I am sure that the mute and FF buttons on my remote will get a good workout. :)
Randy LaJoie's line that he thinks Terry Cook is going to do "the valet" tonight (start-and-park) was absolutely hilarious. He's been a blast to listen to throughout the broadcast.
Sadly he's right about Cook, and of course based on team orders Terry has the added pressure of making absolute sure his #91 parks before his team car the #90 pulls in. It's a shame to see anyone do a start-and-park, especially a legitimate racing-winning driver like Cook.
JD
QUICK OFF TOPIC IRL question, we are screaming at the POOR camera work on IRL (need more wide shots) and missing all the wrecks LIVE. Is it a different group than NORMAL JD covering the IRL? Or is it a FOX PERSON..as a rule, they only show the Indy winner and flagman junk...but things seem off tonight.
I love the guys' voice ...Jenkins? Much better than Marty Reid's..no offense to MR fans... but this voice sounds like class racin' announcer voices and we like him. IF ONLY the camera work didn't STINK.
Jo,
I like your ESPN nik better than mine..last year I used PSPN..like yours better.:)
It should be interesting how the tire deal continues tomorrow....hope it doesn't rain tonight...Yip!!
Lisa H
a big AMEN to your fake excitement comment on a certain commentator.
They need to make the guy tonight PERMANENT announcer on Indy races..and give us some better camera direction..and if this guy is winging it from a remote location, I will cut him some slack. LOVE THE DEEPER VOICE. Easy on the ears for sure!!
:)
There is now a new post up for your comments on the Nationwide Series race from ORP tonight on ESPN at 7:30PM ET.
Nice to hear good old Bob Jenkins on the IRL race still doing a solid job.
JD
Only the pit reporter cameras today on the IRL race are controlled by ESPN. This is a "split feed" where ESPN is taking the already produced video from the Canadian TV network.
Save the yelling for Sunday!
JD
Thanks JD.
I knew I could count on you for the TV scoop! LOL.
I worry about the tire deal on Sunday but have chocolate in the house to use as a mood swing aid. :)
Just to compare announcers.
Jenkins has a great voice but is like JP...low on enthusiasm....ZZZzzzz..can they even see the race or are they listening..one never knows who loses a signal these days...as we have seen on SPEED numerous times this season.
You wanna hear fun, list to the F1 crew...for a remote viewing those guys are a blast to listen to. Hobbs and Varsha are a hoot and a half. :)
I just watched qualifying and the practice sessions (I had to record them). I'm reminded of the phrase: A tiger doesn't change its stripes. Coverage has to get better than this.
The first thing for me has been a common complaint on this thread. ESPN seems to have set storylines and if a driver doesn't fit into them it's like he doesn't exist. I really notice this because I like more non-mainstream drivers. Plus, too many features for qualifying and practice shows. Viewers tuned in to see cars on the track -- show them.
Personally, I'd also like to see lap times displayed on the ticker during practice. Teams don't tell the driver what speed they ran, they tell him the time. A lot of times, the lap time is more indicative of how close the field is.
I've enjoyed having Randy LaJoie in the booth today.
My feeling about the tire problems at Indy this weekend is similar to 2005 when there were so many problems at Lowe's after the re-pave -- I'm hoping that doesn't turn out to be the case.
I know a lot of the things I said were repetitious, but I wanted to say them for myself too.
I watched part of the Nationwide practice today and actually liked it. I thought the commentating was calm, well-paced and professional.
Sounds like it's a good thing I slept in and had some errands to run this afternoon ;(.
@anon 3:59--they mentioned last week that they were going to show Cousin Carl's bike ride segment this week :)
gymmie said...
@anon 3:59--they mentioned last week that they were going to show Cousin Carl's bike ride segment this week :)
and show it, they have . . . over and over again.
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