Saturday, October 25, 2008

Nationwide Series Qualifying on ESPN Classic


Marty Reid will host the Nationwide Series qualifying from the Memphis Motorsports Park on Saturday morning. Rusty Wallace and fan favorite Randy LaJoie will be alongside of Reid for this session and the race later in the afternoon.

Handling the interviews and reporting on the news from the garage area will be Shannon Spake, Vince Welch and Mike Massaro. Spake, Massaro and Wallace will be flying back to Atlanta for the Cup coverage on ABC Sunday afternoon.

This is a stand-alone Nationwide Series race with fifty cars trying to make the field. Lots of colorful characters and some notable young drivers are going to be in the line-up.

Race coverage begins at 3PM with NASCAR Countdown and then the on-track action follows. For those without ESPN Classic, the race will be simulcast on SPEED once the live Craftsman Truck Series race is over.

This post will serve to host your comments about the NCTS qualifying on ESPN Classic. To add your comment, just click on the COMMENT 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 drop by.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

They should have simulcast qualifying on espn360.

Newracefan said...

For some reason I totally faded on the fact that qualifying was on Classic also and I was getting very confused. Thankfully JD set me straight.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Well, well, well! The graphics department has been busy.

Thanks Marty!

Anonymous said...

Marty Reid just mentioned the simulcast. I have Classic - It has moved channels since last year so I had to refind it. After this I'm going back to Speed & will watch the race after the trucks.

Thanks JD for the schedule on the front page, keeping track of who is showing what when this weekend is like co- ordinating a NASA launch. lol

Anonymous said...

once again, just so the espn folks read it (and maybe get it this time): i do not have espn classic as it is an upper tier that requires additional payment. i would perhaps be willing to pay for it of it carried significantly more racing programming than currently.

will track n'wide practice some other way . . . as kyle mentions, the least they could have done is a simulcast on espn360.

thanks for absolutely nothing, espn. yet again.

Lou said...

OK, Robert Pressley got the car in 9th so far of 24. Nice job

Anonymous said...

I guess what I don't get is NASCAR I would think is top tier on ESPN ,they pay enough for it so way treat it this way? I mean if they are going to put it some place where many can't see it what is the point. It's not just the Memphis race ,it's the way they seem to treat NASCAR as a whole.I don't bother with the other ESPN programing because of the lack of respect they have shown to the drivers, fans, and sport in general. I get Classic but will watch on SPEED. I just don't get it, why treat your product so poorly.If they did not want it why go through so much to have it, is it sour grapes from being left out of the 2001 program package? It really does not make any sense to treat the sport with so little respect then expect to have any credibility.Thanks from me to JD on the program listings, and all you have done. Keep up the great work.

Anonymous said...

Well, well, well! The graphics department has been busy.

I dont have classic so im missing it. Do they have new graphics or something?

Daly Planet Editor said...

They opened the show with the changed promo panel for the Memphis race that now included SPEED and the simulcast.

Today, the top moving ticker on the screen during qualifying mentions the race will be simulcast on SPEED.

Marty has mentioned it several times since the start of the show.

That must have been one fun phone call.

JD

Newracefan said...

JD I'm very behind so I was hoping you meant they got rid of the box the cars qualify with all the surrounding graphics but even before I read your second post I was disappointed. Baby steps I guess

Lou said...

JD,

I hope that one phone call was a result of TDP. Hence your promo.

Memphis race promo:

"TV viewers with ESPN Classic can tune directly into the Memphis Nationwide Series coverage at 3PM for NASCAR Countdown and the race will follow. For those NASCAR fans without Classic, the race will be simulcast on SPEED."

You know, that just did not seem all that hard to say.

Yes, it sounds good and hope TDP and your posters had an effect, to make that possible.

Newracefan said...

Is it me or is the crew (yes I'm actually including Rusty, but I can't believe I'm saying this) covering qualifying actually paying attention to the cars and making comments about them instead of something else? This may be the best qualifying coverage ESPN has ever done. I'm liking Marty Reid

Glenn said...

It's a little late to promote the simulcast, if you don't get ESPNC what good does it do to tell you it will be on Speed.

Anonymous said...

@NRF I was just thinking the same thing Marty Reid is doing a good job and Rusty seems on too. Good job guys.

Anonymous said...

Good job on qualifying today, ESPN crew (yes even Rusty) showed cars on track (in a box but -sigh- it was an improvement)
Nice job talking about who was on track at the time. Also they were sure to mention who was unsponsored, or who will be. It was nice to hear Zaxby's & other sponsors who will be back. Thats the kind of info we should get, not a pre taped interview with some one else.
Thanks guys, good job.

Anonymous said...

Not NASCAR but,

be advised the IRL is also relegated to ESPN Classic and ESPN360 today, 10:30 p.m. ET from Surfer's Paradise.

JD- who will be on the call for that?

Marty from some ABC affiliate in Tennessee? Or old buddy Bob Jenkins?

Anonymous said...

West Coast Diane said:

A little behind as watching via TIVO. I am blown away. Great job in the booth...and believe me, can't believe I'm saying that...it is like a conversation between 3 people discussing track/car info, insight on drivers, some side stories. Sounds so "NATURAL"!! Do you understand that ESPN CUP Guys!!! And they have excitement in their voices when people are close to making pole, miss the pole, slip up, take a nice line. Oops, got to the Marc & Joey show...not showing car on track...oops, Joey in a small box. Showing car at end of run. Not sure of that sequence. Now Josh Wise in small box. That's good.

Just need to cut all the stuff on the screen down and show more track and car.

But thank you for the booth...even Rusty sounds good. Like Randy and Marty doing good job. Again NATURAL, NO SCRIPT!!! This group is not having any problems finding stuff to talk or get excited about and it's just a single car going round a track. The race should offer so many more opportunities for this type of booth dialogue.