On a day dominated by college football, ESPN2 will give some time to NASCAR on Saturday night. It will be 9:45PM when the NASCAR Countdown pre-race show begins. The only questions is, on what ESPN TV network?
The first hurdle for NASCAR may be finding a place to start the race. With a college football game beginning at 6:45PM ET on ESPN2, Allen Bestwick's pre-race show is scheduled for only three hours after the kick-off. As viewers know all too well from last season, college football has a way of affecting the Nationwide Series coverage.
ESPN Classic Network appears to be the company's only option, as all the other networks continue to have live college football in-progress. If things all go as scheduled, it will be ESPN2 where Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty will appear with Bestwick from the Infield Pit Studio.
This is an abbreviated pre-race show of only fifteen minutes. At 10PM, coverage of the actual race begins with ESPN's regular NASCAR team. It will be Dr. Jerry Punch, Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree calling the action. Down on pit road will be Shannon Spake, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Dave Burns.
Fontana is a wide track with multiple grooves that should make for great TV pictures. Look for the possibility of Draft Tracker coming out and for the great triple splits on caution flag pit stops. Fontana has some of the biggest pit boxes on the circuit.
The long pace laps should leave plenty of time to Tim Brewer and his Tech Center. Brewer was essentially put on hold last week with the sixteen second laps at Bristol. Both Brewer and the Infield Pit Center gang should see a lot of air time on the race tonight.
The challenge once again for the ESPN gang will be to deal with the race and not The Chase all the time. Keeping both these issues updated will be the toughest assignment for the TV crew. Agendas are bound to overlap and the pit reporters will once again be put on-the-spot for issues that may be uncomfortable for drivers and crew chiefs to deal with on-the-air.
This post will serve to host your comments about the ESPN2 coverage of the Nationwide Series race from Fontana. To add your TV-related comment, 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. Thanks for taking the time to stop by The Daly Planet.
310 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 310 of 310gee, Brad's back on the lead lap in it only took NASCAR two BS debris cautions to get him there.
WOW the seats are really empty tonight
88girl & Jo, Ditto.
I don't like this track and it's too late so I know I won't like ESPN's coverage, but aside from the usual lack of info I don't find this broadcast as bad as Bristol and that's saying something. Not sure what exactly, but something.
I believe there are only 33 cars running.
I really hate when teams get away with horrible amateur strategy decisions like the 88 just did.
Oh well, so far the coverage has been really good. All of the East Coasters who decided not to sleep in this morning to see the race tonight are missing a good race and great coverage from ESPN.
Oh I hope Kyle and Carl stay 1 and 2 just to keep the hype story going into tomorrow night...
88girl maybe it's not as bad because we're too tired to be as critical?
Nobody there! I mean - NO BODY! They spread the folks out to make it look like more fans. This is a rather boring race I guess that's why Nascar decided to call the debris cautions to bunch up the field.
Oh good lord the sweet spot, and draft tracker. It just got worse than Bristol
Oh boy, draft tracker.
Anon 11:22 I really hope you are joking - if you think this is great coverage you must be sleepy. Is it better than Bristol Nwide - some, is it great race coverage - NOT
Was it me or did that Draft Track thing just not make a whole lot of sense?
NASCAR should ban teams that just start the race and park the car even if it means only going with a 35 car field.
Richard - according to nascar live leaderboard there are only 33 cars still running with a couple more several laps down.
JD - draft tracker was pointless more so than usual
I couldn't follow what was the point they were making.
BAN DRAFT TRACK (& sweet spots are for tennis rackets)
Jo,
I thought the same thing about anons comment. You said it first, though.
We need a good crash. No injuries, just some excitement.
Draft track reminds me of when I was 10 years old and my halloween costume was a ghost, running down the street in a bedsheet with eye holes.
If you knew what ESPN paid for Draft Track, you would need CPR.
Dot said...
We need a good crash. No injuries, just some excitement.
August 30, 2008 11:30 PM
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Yup but espn would probably be at commercial when it happened LOL
And Kevin Harvick actually singing??? C'mon we need more passing and side by side. This is boring! I think they need to add more banking or something.
Dot when ever I think that it's usually my driver so I try not to wish for wrecks. And yes JD DT and sweet spot was more confusing then anything else.
what is the point of showing a single car running alone? it is lap 93 if we don't know what the stupid thing looks like it's our fault. Geezz mr director find some racing, cuz I know there is some.
Daly Planet Editor said...
If you knew what ESPN paid for Draft Track, you would need CPR.
August 30, 2008 11:32 PM
--- Proof that the gov't. isn't the only ones who spend $$$ foolishly
JD
First, I can't believe folks emailed about the peanuts vs cashew thing. Nevertheless there is a HUGE difference (as a fan of both!) :)
THANKS for the RS link on Tony. I gave my opinion...just taking it with a grain of salt for the most part. But like somebody else said, the writer did not impress me. Also I find it hard to believe TONY gets more boos than Kyle Bush on the trucks before the race..just turned on this race to see DRAFT TRACKEr and from reading the comments, I have NOT MISSED a thing.
Snoozer track.
thanks again for the RS article, JD. Saved me a trip to the library to read the mag, even though I go there often..was very curious. :)
Alex, do I have to look for your name also on the marquees? You're giving Jo a run for her money. lol
JD, how much is draft tracker. I could just draw on my TV with red and green crayons.
nrf: thanks for the confirmation. when i hit that channel earlier, i got the "not availble: see ordering information" so i guess it's part of the premium package for comcast.
granted i'm not totally focused on the race right now but it seems disjointed and choppy to me. sure wish i could see more of the cars further back in the pack since the 18 is so far out. i jusr keep thinking there must be some racing going on back there . . .
Dot is now officially on tour with us
Here's the question marks I forgot in a couple of my posts. ??
That's not a hot dog wrapper ... They went to foil this year ... The food guy was tired of being yelled at ...
JD
Re: Price of draft tracker. I would not need CPR as whatever it is I think ESPN is JPS and it's JPS
(Just plain stupid) what the paid..and the gizmo just plain silly.
:-0
Total waste of money..glaad ESPN has it to wiz away.
I'll be here all night.
But seriously, you know the race is boring when we have an extended explanation (with support graphics) of trash on the grille.
Doc has a wicked sense of humor, very dry and very funny, you just really have to be paying attention cuz it is a little more highbrow than say...the chuckel hut. My favorite was about three weeks ago when he said someones front tire changer was the first one off pit road.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
That's not a hot dog wrapper ... They went to foil this year ... The food guy was tired of being yelled at ...
August 30, 2008 11:37 PM
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Anon please don't stress yourself over it, honestly we can not expect accuracy from some one who thinks flashcubes are still prevalent in the stands. LOL
Well Harvick's good run will be over now that the Mrs. is back at the track. He was on Stewart's show a couple of weeks ago, seems she decided to skip Pocono and he started getting good results so she's stayed at home since then
Thanks Jo. You still get top billing.
NRF, I agree with what you said about "your" driver being in the wreck. Seems to happen to my drivers too.
This crowd is smaller than the one at the LA Tech - Miss St. football game.
Jo / Dot - ESPN got Draft Tracker from another company who bought the technology from the Univ of WA ...
I like Fontana ... They DO use drafting techniques there & at Michigan ...
But, when one car dominates a race with very few cautions and the majority of the field is lapped half way through ... It sucks ...
Boy Rusty's voice can etch glass - very irritating!
Told you so! :)
Tough luck for Brad
ri88
I don't know if it was MEANT to be humor but one of my favorite MRN moments was last year, Dave Moody announcing that a certain driver of the Paralyzed Vets of America, was limping down pit road!!
I know he didn't mean to make fun of the disabled, but with the tv muted and hearing that line, my room mate and I just looked at each other and bursted out laughing.
Like was it a pun?
or just one of those descriptions that came out before you knew it..or did he mean to do it.
Man, I need to pop in a DVD..this race track is pitiful...and I feel the ambient noice is annoying when I turn it up...Keselowski car not running?
Bummer for Brad!
Blogger Vicky D said...
Boy Rusty's voice can etch glass - very irritating!
August 30, 2008 11:41 PM
--Amen it was so nice while he was quiet
Did Jerry say "milked" this young man? What does that mean?
Dot. get your mind out of there shame on you!
Milked? I'm a city girl - whats he mean????
Pops milked this young man? HUH?
One of the funniest things JP said last year was when somebody had a flat tire and he said that tire's completely gone - then the camera panned to the car and there was the tired still there and then JP said - oh it's only flat on the bottom!
Oh good I'm not the only one Dot
I don't understand
Soph! TFF!!!!!!!
I was not going to go there, but how did Punch get a visual of Pops milking Brad?
Milked = groomed
It's a farming term ... and No, not with the cows & goats ...
@8, my mind could've been there, if I knew what he meant. I even replayed it to make sure what I heard. Jo, I'm also a city girl. Never heard that term before.
Gilliland is in the race?!?! Never would've known by the coverage ...
Hey ESPN - What the heck is with Kevin Hamlin's car ??
The Monday Night Football commercial doesn't make sense... "If life gives you paper jams, make paper footballs." But wouldn't the paper be jammed in the printer? There's nothing to make a football with.
Thanks anon.
I didn't know 'milked' ment groomed, I thought it ment to push and pull until you had wrung all the usefullness form something. Is that wrong?
its a farming term....you need to bring documentation for that one.
For the first time I don't mind missing the race action (inaction) by seeing Tim and the 88 in the garage.
Thanks Anon 11:48 - got it now!
Great time for another field recap. They did not get far back enough last time.
ESPN has lost the overall perspective. They had it going for a while.
JD
hey espn guys? are you still with us? do you see how bad your coverage is: we're re-living dr punch's "mis-speaks"! i get that the 18 is running away with it again tonight, i get that the 88 is off the track (and i suspect a fair number of his east coast fans have tuned out) but there's still a race going on and continuing to show one a single car, running all by itself is pretty boring.
are you SURE you can't find any racing anywhere on that track? really, really sure?
(and, being as i never even saw a cow until i was 21, i had absolutely no idea what "milked" could mean in this context. i'm not certain i understand even now . . . )
v.tr.
1.
a. To draw milk from the teat or udder of (a female mammal).
b. To draw or extract a liquid from: milked the stem for its last drops of sap.
2. To press out, drain off, or remove by or as if by milking: milk venom from a snake.
3. Informal
a. To draw out or extract something from, as if by milking: milked the witness for information.
b. To obtain money or benefits from, in order to achieve personal gain; exploit: "The dictator and his cronies had milked their country of somewhere between $5 billion and $10 billion" Russell Watson.
great reporting Dave
I liked the tech center when it wasn't on screen
Good job
Why is it so difficult to say he had a cracked distributer cap???
So now when I want to see Brewer we have no picture
See Dot I told ya crash during commercial
I always think Tim Brewer is showing us his rings instead of a car part.
The least the booth guys could do is mention the actual NW drivers other than Brad once in a while.
Unless one is spinning. Good job to get TV time.
Bevo,
That would be too quick, and they have to slow things down for us so we don't notice that there isn't much else going on.
Jo, Comedienne and clairvoyant. You can charge double.
Maybe one of the pit reporters could go over to Brad's team and milk some real information out of them for the viewers....
Hi Bevo - I was wondering the same thing
jo said...
"I liked the tech center when it wasn't on screen
Good job"
just seems to me like it's a basic part of producing a broadcast: cue the tech center then actually SHOW the tech center. not the first time this season that's happened, either.
Looking at the stands I would advise the GM of California Speedway to freshen up her resume before the weekend is over
Now JD wants to go on tour with us. That marquee is getting crowded.
Roommate is going to bed. It's only 9:16 here.
16 years or 16 races? I thought it opened in 1997.
Blogger Daly Planet Editor said...
Maybe one of the pit reporters could go over to Brad's team and milk some real information out of them for the viewers....
August 31, 2008 12:05 AM
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OMG you didn't say that - but maybe the reporter could find a young man to talk to
JD,
Do you know who exactly at ESPN thinks that 25 spotters talking over each other at the same time is informative?
Dot said...
Now JD wants to go on tour with us. That marquee is getting crowded.
Roommate is going to bed. It's only 9:16 here.
August 31, 2008 12:07 AM
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Its the TDP critique w/comedy tour,
and we're coming to your citay
Bevo,
It will never happen. There's a very rude comment in my head as to why, but I won't type it.
JP's voice is cracking bad
so, watching and listening to leffler's pit stop, i have a question: anyone know if there's a ringtone out there anywhere that sounds like an airgun?
red try DWstore.com it's on the same page as Digger LOL
Oh by the way I miss Fox
dot-
I know what you mean but eventually money (or the lack of) rules the day. Check out Dave Moody's blog about the lack of promotion out there for a good read
how can SPEED make hours upon hours of quals and practice interesting and ESPN can't keep me involved for two hours?
Yes, I can tell time. Went to bed 9:06.
red-
Speed has one too
Caution comes out with 12 laps to go - drat! This race is sooooo boring, I just want it to be over NOW.
No, it's not late here - I'm on the West Coast.
Hey, did you see that blown tire? Wasn't that fascinating viewing? Well, okay, so the commercials are more exciting. Can't blame ESPN for everything though - California is just one huge boring track. More of the same tomorrow? I may have to visit the local laundromat instead - cart-racing, you know...
newracefan said...
"red try DWstore.com it's on the same page as Digger LOL"
you make me laugh! but it seems to me to be a natural for a diehard nascar fan . . .
nrf,
Maybe ESPN will show us only one car finish tonight and you can get that warm and fuzzy NASCAR on Fox feeling back....
JD
yes JD I will give you ESPN does do the finish better but right now I'm having a hard enought time staying awake for it, so it doesn't count if every one is snoring by the time the race is over, good camera shot of the finish or not
BTW if anyone is interested in that tease for the NHRA coverage - Alan Johnson is leaving Schumacher to head up a new team being financed by a member of the ruling family of Qatar
As usual, the top cars are all manned by Cup guys. And they wonder why the small teams go out of business.....
And I think Doc stayed up the whole race too! Another win by KB. Man oh man!
Oops! Forgot to mention ESPN in the last comment. Shame on me! On to the interviews...
Thanks Bevo. I was wondering.
Anon 12:21, Ditto.
well, that's that. i'm the last one awake in my home but i won't continue watching espn tonight. and tomorrow is suspect as well.
thanks for the laughs, gang! hope everyone has a great labor day weekend. and a good rest of the evening to our CA contingent!
NASCAR Now at 10AM and all the Sunday NASCAR shows are listed on the front page of the site.
Have a good night everyone!
JD
Zzzzzzzzzzz
Good night all Doc just announced this is KB 7th win in Nwide series. Enjoy the evening west coasters.
Tip your waiter , try the chicken -
There are more people in VL than there were in the stands.
Anonymous ri88girl said...
how can SPEED make hours upon hours of quals and practice interesting and ESPN can't keep me involved for two hours?
~~~
This is so true..but I knew listening on Friday I would enjoy those shows more than this race.
I have been elsewhere tonight and I had NO IDEA it was "Open Mic Night" here, lol.
I also thought milked meant (aside from the farm term) you had pushed something for all it was worth.
Reading this blog has certainly been more entertaining than the race.
SHOCKER!! Kyle wins. Blech.
I just have a normal ring tone, low volume...but I would love to find an old fashioned bicycle horn sound effect...remember the black rubber horn you would squeeze? It would have two tones. One when you would squeeze down, and another when you let go.
I can mimic the sound as I type this but that doesn't help you guys reading. :)
TWO interviews! WOW!
NO pre-race coverage due to the football game. A very boring race with very boring coverage. Finally, just two interviews.
Is ESPN as bored with their coverage as we are?! No wonder they cut the whole thing off as soon as possible.
Switchin' over to the Weather Channel now - it's more exciting than the race or ESPN coverage!
ESPN didn't have time for more interviews. The race was over, and the time window is up.
Anon 12:34AM,
Do you find that rather ironic considering the start of the telecast?
JD
JD,
There is a good chance that the Nationwide COT will not be rolled out until 2010. A lot of owners are upset as to the cost of the new car and Joe Balash has said That it could very well be delayed. When you hear owners saying things like I might as well move to cup, It well cost me as much or less, I think they will listen to the owners.
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