Update: Raining at Pocono and Jerry Punch is trying his best to lead the network through two and a half hours of rain fill. Punch and company are in the Pit Studio, so no Allen Bestwick and Brad Daugherty.
Now that SPEED has finished coverage of the Friday Sprint Cup Series practice, ESPN2 becomes "all NASCAR all day long" on Saturday.
The network will kick things off with live coverage of "happy hour" from Pocono for the Cup Series beginning at 10:30AM ET. It will be Dr. Jerry Punch, Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree calling the action.
ESPN has everyone on site including Allen Bestwick, Brad Daugherty and Tim Brewer. The pit road reporters in Pocono are Dave Burns, Shannon Spake and Jamie Little. Mike Massaro and Rusty Wallace are on-assignment in Montreal for the Nationwide Series.
It will be qualifying for that series that is up at 12:30PM from Montreal on ESPN2. Marty Reid will be handling the play-by-play with Wallace and Randy LaJoie alongside. On pit road and in the garage will be Jack Arute, Vince Welch and Massaro.
It will be Massaro that gets the opportunity to host the one hour NASCAR Countdown show at 2:30PM. This road course is very different for the drivers. As fans saw last season the mix of Cup drivers, Nationwide Series "regulars" and road course ringers is a rather volatile combination. It will be up to Massaro and company to set the table for this event during the pre-race show.
The race coverage will start at 3:30PM and there will be a new post up for in-progress comments. While Reid and LaJoie have worked together and have a fun on-air presence, the insertion of Wallace into the booth should be interesting to watch.
Wallace is an series team owner, his son races the car and Steven Wallace on a road course should make for some memorable moments. During the Friday practice TV coverage, the Wallace entry blew the driveshaft right out of the car and onto the track causing a lengthy caution.
This Nationwide Series race is scheduled to go until 7PM and lead into continuing coverage of the X Games. At the present time, the threat of rain is viable for Saturday and the cars are going to use rain tires, windshield wipers and brake lights if the weather turns damp. Did I mention this could be memorable?
SPEED sneaks-in NASCAR Performance with Larry McReynolds, Bootie Barker and Chad Knaus at 7:30PM and then follows with Tradin' Paint at 8PM. This week's media guest is Tom Jensen from SPEEDtv.com and Kyle Petty will be on the program despite not driving in the Cup race.
This post will serve to host your comments about practice and pre-race activities on ESPN2. The Nationwide Series in-progress post will be up at 1:30PM. To add your TV-related opinion on the topics above, just click on the COMMENTS button below and follow the easy directions.
The rules for posting comments are located on the right side of the main page, thanks for taking the time to stop by The Daly Planet.
68 comments:
JD-
Does Dave Burns have the day off? I don't see him mentioned in this column.
Steve,
That is the most polite typo correction I have ever received!
Burns is in Pocono, Massaro goes to Montreal on Saturday and comes back for the Cup race.
JD
Thanks JD. Its good to see Massaro getting a shot at hosting Countdown. I think he would make a great host for NASCAR Now, too.
Anyone know why ESPN came on early from Pocono?
They were supposed to begin at 10:30AM, but were on-ar at 10AM.
There has been no explanation from Jerry Punch and nothing on the graphic crawl on the screen.
JD
Jerry getting lost again
"more qualifying from Montreal" - now I know he meant more from Pocono and qualifying from Montreal but its more Jerry being Jerry.
RaceFanTV shows ESPN on at 10AM
JD,
My digital schedule on Charter Cable showed the practice running from 10 to 12:30. Did your's show something different?
Comcast guide had them starting at 10am also so it must have been planned for some time because I set the DVR last night. Nascar Confidential was still listed as Unique Whips so the guide doesn't update that quickly.
JD jayski schedule also shows practive 10 00 - 1050 AM - Not that it matters anyway now that its raining.
Yeah, it was still listed as 10:30 in my guide... it looks like a late change to cover the entire first practice. And dagnabbit, I missed the first half-hour. Still, it looks like it rained, so I didn't really miss anything... Looks like rain in Montreal too though, and that's what I'm really pleased about :)
I think this is the third time in as many days that I've seen the Childress piece.
I have a question. I'm watching rain delay at happy hour, and they are showing the Dale/RC piece again. It was good but this is its 3rd airing this week.
BTW Brighthouse had it as 10:30 as a start time
Rain all over east coast and New York and Pa today. May be rough day.
My Tivo and DirecTV both had a 9:30 CDT start time
Is Darkmain going away when the xgames do? I hope so
I know we are in a rain delay. But I am enjoying Richard Childress on the set.
Still not sure why ESPN had 10 (or 1030) til 1230 ET when practice was only for one hour. Now that have a lot of time to fill and no ABest.
WOW RC wants better side by side racing! He also admitted the cot costs 1 1/2 times more & hopes to see costs cut next year. He is calling NA$CAR to task in the nicest way - wants better racing.
Go RC!
Thanks guys, that helps a lot. All my ESPN info had 10:30AM and my cable system also had the same time on the guide.
Let me ask one question: DOES ANYONE MISS ALLEN BESTWICK RIGHT ABOUT NOW??
JD
Yes miss him lots!
Does JP look different to anyone else? Can't put my finger on it but something looks really different.
bevo,
Sometimes TV folks make little adjustments to their appearance. That help you a bit?
JD
Anyone know when the Arca race was/is. Could Pocono delay practice so much due to weather that it occurrs the same time as the NW race??
Our channel guide showed Bassmasters instead, Nascar comes on. RC's hair looks really red today. I thought JP sounded tired again during qualifying yesterday. Yes, these special pre-recorded segments are fine the first time around. Maybe JP is too busy trying to read his notes (look at the pile of paper in front of him) instead of listening the guests in the studio.
Thanks JD, I put it on freeze frame to try to figure it out. I'll look again, that didn't even cross my mind.
nrf,
1PM today...weather not looking good for Pocono or Montreal.
JD
And gone to standby programming...
Am I the only one that noticed that there seemed to be much fewer full-screen video packages during ESPN's rain-fill show than there ever were during any of ESPN's Cup qualifying or practice show debacles?
Boy if Montreal rains out today and runs tomorrow at the same time as the Cup race on Sunday things will really get "fun", as you would put it JD. Not only for the point leaders Bowyer and Edwards, but for ESPN. JD, any idea how ESPN would handle a Cup-Nationwide scheduling conflict? Would they air the Nationwide race live on ESPN2 against the live Cup race on ESPN or would they tape-delay it until later in the evening like Fox used to do when such a conflict arose?
stricklinfan-
They'll run in the rain in Montreal. Ought to be fun, some of the best F1 races the past few years were in the rain.
stricklinfan,
Montreal will run in the rain unless there is standing water on the track causing a dangerous condition.
The Nationwide cars in Montreal have rain tires, windshield wipers and brake lights.
NASCAR will get the race in if they can, whether or not they will make the cars qualify or start on points was my only issue.
JD
OMG! Chrissie Wallace on the set and no TV for the ARCA race....how great is that.
Interesting, she's wearing an oversized ESPN shirt and not one with her sponsors on it.
bevo,
You are getting good at this TV stuff!
stricklinfan,
Montreal will run in the rain unless there is standing water on the track causing a dangerous condition.
The Nationwide cars in Montreal have rain tires, windshield wipers and brake lights.
NASCAR will get the race in if they can, whether or not they will make the cars qualify or start on points was my only issue.
JD
Oh wow, I completely forgot about rain tires, I thought NASCAR gave up on them a couple years ago. I guess that would bring a whole new definition to the term "fun". If we thought the Mexico race was a mess.....
And JD, ditto about the TV hype for an ARCA race that neither Speed nor ESPN is televising. Even Speed Channel themselves had Scott Speed on Trackside last night talking about winning the pole for the ARCA race. Talk about a letdown. This race had the best finish of the entire year in 2007 (when Speed covered it on this same ESPN Cup weekend, by the way) and there are so many compelling storylines. Versus, we need you to pick up live coverage of the entire series!
If you check the forecast for Montreal, I think the guys are gluing the lugnuts on the rain tires right about now for 3:30PM.
SEE - everyone call him Warren but his real/stage name is Lauren Wallace.
Dale and Andy are doing the best they can. And I do enjoy listening to them. What a difference when there are no canned videos to show and fill time with.
It is kind of refreshing to listen to C. Wallace.
OMG I actually have Versus- who knew now what shows have I been missing?
Montreal - low 70's with 60% chance of rain. Looking at the radar I'd say 100% the rest of the day.
Here - clear skies and a high of 106... think Montreal looks pretty good right about now :)
I believe Arcaracing.com will have live timing and scoring during the race today.
Newracefan-
Lots and lots of bull riding :)
Unfortunately Casey might be driving that thing a lot more in the future
nrf,
Got a friend who is trying to revamp that network with mainstream sports. He is working hard for 2009.
Keep an eye on it because it has some hidden gems.
JD
Bevo, triple digit temps here all weekend. Rain sounds great to us down here!
The Dinger is up next, he can be a great interview if the other guys work with him a bit
Thanks Bevo I guess I should have clarified it to Nascar shows. Isn't there something that is shown on Versus?
vicky d-
I'm in Fort Worth, it's been that way all week here too.
Bevo, it's been a lot cooler here in Houston this past week, 95 but somewhat humid.
newracefan-
NHL and college football, I actually watch it quite a bit. And I like the bull riding :)
It would be awesome if the Nationwide guys did an F1-style qualifying format... awesome but an absolute disaster!
So,
Off to Montreal and Marty Reid with Rusty Wallace and Randy LaJoie.
Did anyone see the replay of Steve Wallace's car spitting the driveshaft?
JD
Did anyone see the replay of Steve Wallace's car spitting the driveshaft?
When did it happen, I have yesterdays practice on DVR but wasn't sure if I was going to watch
Lot of echo on Arute's mic.
Rusty's having a rough go of it.
I wish they would get rid of the stats boxes throughout the run. I have at least 3 inches on each side of colored stripes and the box with the car is 8 by 12 (I measured) this is just stupid. Heaven help those with a smaller sized TV.
nrf-
I agree, all they need is a small box with the difference between the car and who's on poll
Shouldn't a reporter ask Goodyear if those rain tires are indeed 7 years old?
Rusty is such a goof. They were talking about how Brad K things were stolen out of a transporter last week (including his passport)and Rusty's comment was that who ever stole it was going to be on jail for a long time because NASCAR does not tolerate things like that. I know NASCAR has power but the last I checked they can not put anyone in jail. LOL
bevo said...
Shouldn't a reporter ask Goodyear if those rain tires are indeed 7 years old?
I was thinking the same thing wouldn't the rubber dry out or harden or something?
There is a new post up for NASCAR Countdown and the Nationwide Series race. Thanks.
JD
I don't think ESPN needed RW up in Montreal Marty & Randy along with the pit reporters can handle the broadcast duties like for the truck races with Allen & Parsons. Can someone tell me how Nascar determined what drivers are in which group?
Vicky- practice speeds, slowest go first and then it works is way up with the fastest going last
Well I thought it was on points first of all until I noticed Carl Edwards qualifying a lot earlier then I got confused. Thanks for the update.
Anybody watching this discussion with Jeff Burton? Jeff is just so good on TV. He really needs to think about doing TV after he retires. AB is also better at leading the discussion than Doc. Nothing seems forced from him
Now we find that both A Bestwick and D Burns ARE in Pocono but not used until now. What did they have - furlough - so as to to pay them OT?
sean,
we jumped to the new post that is up for the 2:30PM show.
Burton is one of a handful of drivers and former drivers who could be great on TV.
Ever seen Ricky Craven?
JD
This outta be an adventure!
Rain tires!
I'm watching the stuff they had in place of practice since it rained out and I agree with whichever post it was who mentioned the stack of papers in front of Dr. Jerry. Have I just not been paying attention before or does he always have that much in front of him? And what on earth are they? DJ and Mr. Petree had a piece or two and he had a whole forest in front of him :(. I don't even recall Allen having that much in front of him.
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