This week has certainly seen the tempers running a little higher and the smiles coming a little less quickly among some of The Chase contenders. Friday at Dover will present an opportunity to get to the front of the field for the start of Sunday's race.
The trek to qualifying will start with morning practice over on SPEED at 11AM ET. This is one of the programs SPEED added to the schedule only a few short months ago and the increased coverage is welcome. Especially with the COT, practice is often very interesting.
It will be Steve Byrnes, Jeff Hammond and Larry McReynolds handling the practice action from the broadcast booth with Wendy Venturini and Hermie Sadler reporting from the garage area.
ESPN2 is up next at 3PM with Sprint Cup qualifying. Dr. Jerry Punch, Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree will call the action. Down on pit road will be Mike Massaro, Jamie Little, Shannon Spake and Dave Burns.
Following this session, NASCAR Now will air from the ESPN studios in Connecticut. The show will update the happenings at the track and cover the rest of the NASCAR news. This show is scheduled for 4:30PM.
Over on SPEED, it will be John Roberts on-the-air with NASCAR Live at 5PM. Roberts will be joined by Randy Pemberton and probably Hermie Sadler as his reporters. Bob Dillner has this weekend off. This show serves to recap the activity in the garage, catch fans up on the stories of the day and also to promote the rest of the NASCAR TV schedule for the weekend.
Next on SPEED will be the Nationwide Series practice that was recorded slightly earlier in the day. Byrnes and company will return to call that action which should last for ninety minutes.
All of that leads to SPEED's traditional Friday end-of-day show, Trackside. Byrnes and "the fun bunch" of McReynolds, Hammond and Elliott Sadler will welcome Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch as guests this week. This is a free-wheeling talk show that covers many NASCAR topics and lets both guests stay on the stage for the entire program. The show begins at 7PM.
For West Coast viewers, Trackside will re-air at 10:30PM ET and NASCAR Now over on ESPN2 will re-air at 1AM ET.
ESPN2's coverage of qualifying should be fun to watch because there are 12 teams that really want track position at the start of this race and are putting a big effort into getting just that. Dover is an unforgiving track where accidents are concerned and another mistake by several contenders could end any hope of a championship. Starting up front is going to be big.
This post will serve to host your comments about the NASCAR TV on Friday. Both of NASCAR's two remaining TV partners are going to be very active and the contrasts in style between ESPN and SPEED are often very distinctive.
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. Thank you for taking the time to stop by The Daly Planet.
50 comments:
Hubby is happy we know what times the NASCAR stuff is on! Thanks for posting our "social/meal schedule" for Friday LOL
Thanks for your hard work keeping this blog going!
jo,
All the NASCAR TV partners have been great in giving me info for each racing weekend.
As we come down the stretch, both ESPN and SPEED have been super at keeping me updated on specific guests and program changes.
So, thanks to the PR Depts. at both SPEED and ESPN for helping out all of us who like to watch NASCAR on TV.
JD
The only problem is that we have to endure the ESPN bunch with JP putting us to sleep. I really enjoyed things when it was the Speed crew doing the practice and qualifying because they are more entertaininga nd knowledgeable about everything going on, but it will definitely be interesting to see how does well in qualifying tomorrow as well.
Enjoy the day folks, I'll be at the Texas Motorplex breathing nitro all day watching cars go in a straight line :)
Thanks to the PR Depts. @ SPEED & ESPN for keeping us updated! It's nice to know whose going to be on :).
Thanks for all you do to keep us updated on it all JD...even at the last second sometimes :)
@bevo--Have fun! Give John our love! How awesome that he'll be entering the same way he left :)!
It's so sad that ESPN didn't take the day off. They won't give the cars on track the coverage they deserve.
I'm sure SPEED could handle qualifing.
Daly Planet Editor said...
As we come down the stretch, both ESPN and SPEED have been super at keeping me updated on specific guests and program changes.
A thanks to SPEED for up to the minute info.
It's good that ESPN sends info to JD, but I can't give any thanks.
To many times the shows don't start on time or get "bumped" to another channel.
bevo,
Was wondering where you were. Hadn't seen you post in a while (or I wasn't paying enough attention). Thought you might have gotten caught up in Ike.
JD,
Do you know anything about that new golf show that comes on SPEED after Trackside?
You might be trying a bit too hard with " fun bunch " and " free wheeling " . That group is a bunch of something alright . In truth they are barely adequate . Its amazing what NASCAR fans will settle for .
The broadcasts badly need profesionalism over free wheeling , because free wheeling is another way of saying incompetent .
free wheeling is another way of saying incompetent .
Says you.
I enjoy Trackside. It's fun. God forbid, we should have fun. It has to be all tabloid nastiness, like ESPN, all the time, right?
Andrew - For more info on the golf show after "Trackside" ... Check out the site below ...
http://www.hpteeshottour.com/
It's NASCAR meets the PGA ...
Gymmie - If you read your email (which I know you did), you'd remember that Force already entered the race track the way he left it last year ... Except he did it on his own terms (alive & well, sitting upright) ... ;-)
gymmie & karen,
Thanks, getting ready to head out! I went Friday and Saturday last year and I'm glad I wasn't there on Sunday when Force crashed. I was there when Koretsky crashed a few years ago and that was plenty for me.
The storm went east of us, if it would have hit a little bit down the coast we could have had some problems. Just got a couple of inches of rain and 40-50 mph winds for a few hours. Some relatives down in Lufkin got hit pretty bad though, trees in the house and cars.
I'll try to check in from the track on the old Crackberry to see how ESPN and Speed do today. Going to be rough for them with the Ryder Cup adding to football and baseball this weekend. Plus I saw ESPN is devoting all of Sunday to the last game at Yankee Stadium so there goes most of the east coast viewers.
Did anyone catch Ryan Burr's interview with Biffle and Ky. Busch on Thrusday? Ryan Burr was asking Biffle about how it felt to be a favorite now in the chase...Biffle chuckled and said he didn't know how he went from the dark horse to a favorite in one week. Kyle Busch chimed in and said, "that's ESPN for you."
I got a good kick out of it.
This is yet another reason that the tv contract needs renegotiated with Disney getting LESS of the contract ...
Comparing the schedule of events on the Dover speedway website to the tv coverage on Zap2it.com ... I see some issues ... like the morning practice of the Nationwide series ... Sure it's on from 6:30-7:50am pdt ... SPEED could air it since Mickey Mouse doesn't want it ... The cameras are already there as SPEED's airing Cup practice right after it ...
SPEED's airing the Nationwide Happy Hour 2 1/2 hrs after it ends ... as it is scheduled to end 10 minutes before Cup qualifying ...
SPEED could air a "NASCAR Live!" during the East series qualifying ...
ESPN2 is airing only the last hour of tomorrow's Sprint Cup practice sessions ... and that's 3 hours after it ends ...
This is pretty sad ...
haus20, no I did not catch the show. But if ESPN is going to be true to form, and so far they are consistent. I expect a story bashing him next week.
I got a lot of email about Kyle's comment to Ryan Burr. Biffle look amused that Burr had suddenly made him one of "the big three" going into Dover.
Ryan is still new to NASCAR, but I certainly wish someone there would help him with all these questions about point racing vs. going for the win. It just makes him seem so out of the loop to ask it over-and-over again.
Anyone have the Dover weather for today?
JD
Kyle Busch that is....
Dover, High 69 Low tonight 54 sunny w/some clouds. No rain in the forcast. Heading to Dover tomorrow.
I only watch bits and pieces of Nascar Now. I don’t enjoy watching someone embarrass themselves on TV.
I caught the Greg and Kyle interview and thought it was funny. I also thought that we would see some kind of negative report soon on Kyle from ESPN as their payback.
I agree, JD, that Burr needs a lot of help with his script. It’s almost like he has slipped back to last season with asking a question that the person has just answered. He can’t listen and change, he just reads the script.
The other day I tuned in to hear Burr say Richie Rudd. I immediately changed the channel. Although that might be an unfair slam. His speech is so “juicy” that he might not be able to pronounce Ricky.
Slightly OT:
Yesterday I was watching the 1994 Pepsi 400 on ESPN Classic and I was comparing / contrasting to what ESPN currently offers:
1. Camera views. The current ESPN is much better on the closeups and showing more action for a longer period of time. I think it has to do with more cameras at the track since it seemed there was only 6 or so cameras for the old Daytona race.
2. Announcers. The old show had B Parsons, B Jenkins and N Jarrett. They were more "exciting" than the current offerrings, but it seemed there was less depth to their commentary (not a bad thing). It did seem to me though that, even back then, they only commented on what was on the screen and not what was on the track.
3. Overall package. The old ESPN didn't have any tickers anywhere (cept what they put over it now at bottom of the screen). Loved not having anythign in the way, but then missed the instant notification of where cares where at (1st, 2nd etc).
4. Pit reporters. J Punch was a pit reporter for the race. Thing I noticed, when they cut to him (PIP) they never showed his face, only the driver he was talking to and the Mic. Liked that.
Bill H
I like the analysis from Bill H. Chances are, there are a lot of viewers who wish for the "less is more" style of coverage, as opposed to what most sports programs provide.
This is definitely not limited to Nascar either...
Some of the most enjoyable sports memories from recent years have come while out at bars, restaurants, or casino sportsbooks where there are several televisions with different games on and no audio. Similarly, I could cite how I watch a lot of baseball or football games with the sound muted and only turn it up when something important happens.
This is rambling but...it would be nice if all the broadcasts had less of the things we don't need (gopher cams, Tech center, bottom-line scoreboard updates, driver interviews during racing, and so on).
It occurs to me that the world of sports has several well-known "calls" made by announcers at important games that are as well known as the events themselves.
Can anyone here honestly imagine that a Jerry Punch race call would ever be one of those?
I too like watching the old races on ESPN Classic, and yes less is more and I really like that too. I saw the interview with Kyle and Biffel yesterday and Kyle's response was priceless. I am sick of the scripted garbage and that seems all that ESPN's people can do right now and that is really sad. As for Trackside, I enjoy it because it is pure entertainment and not tabloid crap.
@bevo--yes that's how it was here as well...I didn't notice winds but I wasn't outside any...just the rain.
@haus20--shoot! I missed that dig by Kylie and of course I deleted it and told it not to record to replay. Oh well!
@anon 9:10--sorry worded it wrong...but you know what I mean *giggle* Yes I agree about they should give Disney *less* of the practice/qualifying coverage...because their idea of coverage is COVERING the action with other garbage and not showing it all live. And then if a race runs long and they have to bump HH to later in the evening, TPTB decide without proper warning that they'll be interrupting halfway through to show some silly baseball highlight show. So you have people who taped and went to bed or those who stayed up PISSED! I know a few east coasters who were pissed...I don't know how to take myself to bed so I'm up late anyway.
@JD--Ryan has grown on me but yes he needs some assistance in asking the right questions.
Nice to see some real coverage today! Chatting with Schrader and Stanton after their hits and following up to find out what happened. And Kudos to Sammy for keeping her off the wall! I hope someone feeds Miles..he seems to be a bit hungry today :)
JD- Could/would you speculate on what portion of Ryan B's questions are likely written by him and what portion are written for him? Thanks
Ryan is a regular reader of TDP and I hope to let you all ask him questions in an off-season interview.
He is still working to learn the sport and his real strength is hard news. He has been great where tough issues are concerned this season.
It's just so unfair to hang him out talking shop with a couple of drivers IMHO.
Most of the questions are his, but the agenda is often driven by another source.
JD
That would be great fun! I look forward to Q&A with Ryan :)
I'm not used to watching espn, and when I glance over and see them show a driver, my eyes are drawn to "BEST LAP" in red. It makes me think there's a new provisional pole sitter but then I glance below that and it says "Currently 14th". Ugh...
Okay, I'm not convinced that Dr Punch has prerecorded those plugs & bumpers for the race coverage ...
The background noise sounds different ... as well as his overal vocal tone ...
JD, do you know if the ESPN director was in the truck during SPEED’s coverage of practice this morning?
Just seemed to be their style. Close-up of one car on the track, follow to pit road, close-up on the next car, follow to pit road, etc. :)
Jamie's pushing "the big one" now?? Doesn't she know it doesn't happen very often at Dover??
Please ESPN ... Get rid of Jamie & Shannon !!
The director for Sprint Cup Practice is different from the director for Sprint Cup Qualifying.
They hardly interview any of the drivers ...
But
They just had to hunt down Kyle ...
Joey's not even in the Cup race ... and they're still interviewing him???
Earth to ESPN ... NOT everybody loves Kyle/Logano ...
Anon 7:03 has hit the nail right on the head,and Joe Gibbs is right, you win with people. That bunch is something alright, unwatchable!
ok...I had to turn on ESPN for 5 minutes to see the Jr/Hendrick on radio soundbite.
Jr saying he needed to change how he talks and be calmer due to exposure of his radio chatter. He said if folks are going to listen, keep their opinions to themselves. Good for Jr.
He is not the only potty mouth. And they are talking Kyle B and from what I read, Logano earlier.
I tell you, the media WILL make toast out of sliced bread if they do not leave him alone and allow him to mature a bit...some soundbites are better left unsaid methinks. :)
Just clicked off the tv. Heading out to hear music soon.
Nice to read what was going on today here on the blog.
Thanks JD and everybody for keeping us all informed.
Hello,
I am know I am jumping a day ahead to Saturday, but if ESPN can't do the Sat. practices live, why isn't SPEED...? They have worked together on weekends prior to this one.
Marybeth
Speed is doing Nationwide Qualifying but can't do the first cup prax on Saturday due to Rolex Sports cars in Salt Lake City.
Yo JD did you see that Mike Joy is going to announce a baseball game for Fox this weekend? How did that happen?
JD- Thank you. I really have enjoyed Ryan, Nicole, and N-Now this year, and especially the quasi-return of Inside Winston Cup with Allen B. What ESPN has done this year with N-Now has been nothing short of amazing. ALMOST as amazing as the continued high quality of TDP.
Like racing, N-Now proves that it is the people that make the difference.
@anon 4:23--of course! Remember when he wasn't in the N'wide race and they went to go find him and bring him into the infield center while (in my best Gomer Pyle voice) surprise...surprise...surprise RACING was going on on the track!
@ryan--I know Steve's done a ball game before...spreading their talents around. WE can share :). And of course Mike does the Barrett Jackson shows too :). I don't watch them but sometimes I'll still be on SPEED and catch him :)
ryan,
I will have a full story on that tonight at 9PM.
JD
NP sounds fun tomorrow! We know Steve will be watching :)
I enjoy Allen, Nicole, and Ryan on NASCAR Now too.
I just find Trackside too noisy and everyone talking over everyone else. Also, our phone service has been intermittent and hence the DSL and internet goes down. It was just down for 24 hours last night and most of today. If anyone wants to check out a picture of my neighbor's house it's on my profile. A tree sliced right through it during Ike's destruction of Houston. Still half of Houston is without power, but we are doing much better than Galveston folks. Hopefully, JP can stay involved with the races tomorrow. Also there's the last Grand Am race for the season too tomorrow. We really enjoy those and Boris Said might be in the Krohn car substituting for Tracy Krohn.
Vicky,
SPEED is going to have to re-tool the SPEED Stage for next season.
The fans at the Stage and also the viewers are not liking it.
Once a nice and novel concept, its time has clearly passed.
JD
JD - great news about Trackside for next year. I forgot to mention that I don't like those folks in the background including those with all those irritating signs.
Why did SPEED cover Cup practice from OUTSIDE the race track? Just because ESPN has the crew in the infield studio and not the booth doesn't mean that SPEED should follow the same way of thinking. They missed so much and it was very noticeable.
Anon 9:55AM,
The logistics for Dover in the announce booth did not allow it. This has been an on-going issue at some tracks since SPEED added the coverage of early Cup practice.
JD
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