Sunday, October 19, 2008

Sprint Cup Series on ABC From Martinsville


There is a new post up for comments on the Martinsville race, click on the TDP logo at the top of the page.

Any way you cut it, this is going to be a long day. Allen Bestwick is going to start the ABC coverage with a thirty minute version of NASCAR Countdown. Bestwick will have Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty alongside in the Infield Pit Center.

The shortened preview show should focus on the random nature of luck at Martinsville, where cautions can switch the entire back of the field to the front when pit stops are done. Several of The Chasers have good records at this track and it should be interesting to see if one superteam has figured things out this weekend.

Dr. Jerry Punch, Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree will be upstairs in the announce booth after spending practice and qualifying in the Infield Pit Center. They will be joined by Mike Massaro, Dave Burns, Jamie Little and Shannon Spake on pit road. Tim Brewer will be in the Tech Center.

This track is called the paperclip for a good reason. It consists of two short drag races and two hard left turns with yellow curbs on the inside. Patience and payback are usually the two themes of the event.

Controversial Scott Speed is in the field, as is Kenny Schrader in the Hall of Fame Toyota. Chad McCumbee is in the #45 and veteran Mike Bliss is in the #00. Ultimately, the lap-down cars begin to play a critical role as the race progresses.

Look for Bestwick to be on-the-air coming out of commercial breaks. He will be supplying updates on the race and also lead the field rundowns. With the short track, Tim Brewer should be appearing in a split-screen under green flag conditions so fans can continue to see the race. Martinsville is loud and small, so we should be hearing rather than seeing the pit reporters on a regular basis.

This track makes it tough to insert replays under green. One good aspect is that the track level cameras provide great speed shots, even at these lower speeds. It is tough to get the in-car cameras in use when the racing is tight, but fun to see them when things are spread out.

The way to tell when the production team gets tired is when they allow one high camera to follow the field around-and-around for several laps. Fans want cameras to be cut each lap high and low to get the sound and feel of this unique racetrack.

The challenge today for Punch is to continually update the field and leave the commentary to Jarrett and Petree. It is easy to get viewers lost as to what happened on the track, even with the scoring ticker crawling on the top of the screen. As we have said many times, the ticker on says where a car is, not how it got there.

Tempers get tight at this track. Last week the ESPN on ABC pit reporters were aggressive and got up on the pit stands to talk with the crew chiefs. It is going to be important for the pit reporters to keep up that intensity and get the real stories of who is where and why.

This post will serve to host your TV-related comments about the NASCAR Countdown show and the Sprint Cup Series race on ABC. To add your opinion, 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.

258 comments:

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Jessica said...

Hopefully on TWIN there will some scanner from Speed because he is getting an education;)

Anonymous said...

Its a surrender flag LOL

Anonymous said...

sophia, what's so frustrating for me (and perhaps for you as well) is that i do love our sport and it's just painful to try and watch a race on espn. it just sucks the joy out of it.

i won't stop watching. i wish i could make myself turn it off and just use the radio and laptop. but as long as there's a visual -- however poorly produced and directed, however irritating and unprofessional the call -- i'll turn it on.

and sometimes, i feel really crappy about having allowed myself to put up with espn at all on race day. but i just can't quite turn it off completely -- yet. i've been reducing my tv time and i'm boycotting all other parts of the espn company in protest.

but actually turn it off? lord, i wish i could . . . but i can't.

Karen said...

Isn't the blue flag for somebody to move over to let the leaders by?

Anonymous said...

back from commercial, lets go to tim brewer. who cares?!?!?!

Daly Planet Editor said...

Man, it sure is hard to watch this with no play-by-play commentary.

It's like having a pit reporter running the show. Nothing in terms of excitement or telling a story, just questions and observations.

Very hard to watch this today.

Dot said...

Please quit showing TB in the big box.

alex said...

I wish I could take a nap and wake up in a time where nobody had heard of the Chase. The obsession with the top 12 is nauseating.

BobinNev said...

NRF: I didn't see what you saw but normally that would be the move over flag.

The Loose Wheel said...

Blue flag with the yellow cross is a "move over" flag. It is used to warn slower lapped traffic to yield for faster lead lap cars. Its often ignored lol.

Andy Petree did a good job of adding to TB's tech-splanation.

Jessica said...

I just wish it wasn't so much work to 'consume' a race. I really shouldn't need broadband Internet access and three websites just to know what is going on.

Anonymous said...

ya' know, andy, i want dale to catch the #48 as much as anyone else but that is MUCH more than 1 car length behind, dude!

The Loose Wheel said...

DAMN 41!!!!

Cost AJ the LD...

Anonymous said...

This is atrocious. Would anyone else be willing to put up with the Chase being on cable if it meant we got the Fox and TNT crews all year? ESPN's coverage is just pathetic.

I don't even know if AB could save this with the producers' obsession with everything except THE ACTUAL RACE.

alex said...

It's drinking game time... as the race winds down, which non-chase driver will we "Give a call to ___ ___" ? I say none, because a non-chase driver won't be on the screen for the last 30 laps.

Anonymous said...

does espn really think we care about seeing someone explain for 2 minutes why a rotor or engine or tire does something?

no, we tune in to see who wins and who is in what place and who wrecks.

we dont turn on a baseball game and see a closeup of why the wood on a bat helped a guy hit an RBI single.

The Loose Wheel said...

I care about why things happen.

Anonymous said...

was it me or did i hear that the #99 took 48 tires just then? man, no wonder he can run so freakin' fast sometimes!

(and yes, i know it was just a mis-speak but it made me laugh regardless! i'm not picking on the small stuff when the big stuff is so horrible.)

stricklinfan82 said...

I can't believe they wait until the action is heating up with 70 laps to go to finally start theorizing on what is causing the tires to melt. Two extended discussions and two Tech Center pieces under green inside 70 laps to go when this issue has been going on ALL DAY LONG is inexcusable. What is ESPN thinking?

Anonymous said...

Poor Jeff :(

Anonymous said...

that's what i'm saying. i can find out why tires or an engine are doing something. not with 50 to go. c'mon son.

Anonymous said...

lets get some pre-taped videos with 18 to go!

BobinNev said...

Another ginormous head shot. I picked a bad week to stop drinking!

Newracefan said...

20 to go and more video clips. For crying out loud, has there been any PXP today?

stricklinfan82 said...

Pre-taped comments and isolation on the leader running by himself with under 20 laps to go and all kinds of racing going on in the top 10? Unthinkable.

Anonymous said...

newracefan said...
20 to go and more video clips. For crying out loud, has there been any PXP today?

yep but not on espn. mrn's doing just fine.

Newracefan said...

Red if I listen to MRN I have to give up 48 scanner not ready to do that yet. Hey is there a radio station around here that has the race?

Jessica said...

Wikipedia has a good graph for what the various flags mean http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racing_flags

Anonymous said...

so, caution out at martinsville with under 20 laps and all punch can tell us is . . . biffle got his lap back?!? how about setting up teammates running 1 and 2, one in championship contention and one pretty much out? one whose car comes in quickly and one who takes about 10 laps to come in? any of this more important right now than the #16 getting the lucky dog?!?!

stricklinfan82 said...

The play-by-play man really seems lost today. Earlier he asked if the leaders would consider short-pitting under green on a short track with a major tire issue going on. Now he just asked if the leaders would pit with under 15 laps to go, even though they pitted no more than 30 or 40 laps ago. Yikes.

Dot said...

Looks like the race will be over early today. How long will the post race last? On air till 3/6pm.

Anonymous said...

nrf: wxtu (the country music station) used to carry the races. i haven't tuned in this season. i think they're down about 87 on the fm dial!

Anonymous said...

no analysis from ESPN leading to the last 8 laps of racing. That speaks for itself.

Here you have 8 to go and HOW CAN DALE JR GET AROUND JJ and instead we get more commercials.

Newracefan said...

Why did they even come back from commercial to go to another one. Just keep going and then run down the lead lap cars with the time you saved when you do come back.

Anonymous said...

danicng with the stars. desp housewives. who cares about nascar on ABC?

Vicky D said...

And with 8 laps to go the bumper music coming back from the commercials is so loud and irrating too.

alex said...

Does anyone know if they used that much time to clean up the mess or just whittle down laps to have a single-file restart? I probably already know the answer...

Sophia said...

Red,

You felt my post..of course I will keep up with the sport but pick and choose the race i want to watch.

Major sunspots today with local MRN and been too busy working to pay attention..but the tv has been on the background either muted or turned down low. But this is just so painful.

I did catch part of Raceday and will watch the shows tonight...SR and VL and of course TWIN tomorrow.

Sadly I "feel" the love of the sport more from those shows than the broadcasts.

So, maybe I should've explained myself better...killed my passion for WATCHING the sport..course when in a car during the race MRN comes in crisp and clear but can't bring the car into the house!! :-)

but i am reading the same old issues with the announcers on here. It's like that movie Ground Hog day. I will still keep up with my boys and was happy to catch the Schrader brief interview on RD.

but the Chase obsession is just too much.

BobinNev said...

Must be the last 5 laps. JP fell asleep.

Daly Planet Editor said...

NO COMMENTARY AT ALL FROM PUNCH ON THAT....AMAZING.

Anonymous said...

really? talking to the "in-race reporter" leading up to a GWC? really? guess setting the drama just isn't important right now.

Lou said...

No commericals the last 15 laps on hotpass.

Anonymous said...

raceview shows Joe Nemecheck the leader coming to GWC , lol

Dot said...

@ Alex, it would be too exciting if the lap cars were on the inside.

Anonymous said...

Did anyone else notice the field of rubber chunks in the shot of cars coming to the turn? Tires are still a mess.

Anonymous said...

dr. punch, the championship is NOT hanging in the balance here in any way shape or form.

Anonymous said...

At least we got to see cars cross the finish. Nice.

Would have been nice to have had it called!

BobinNev said...

It was nice to see the entire finish!

Anonymous said...

and mrn still calling the finish behind the leaders: "denny hamlin and casey mears beating and banging behind the leaders!."

Vicky D said...

Live Leaderboard locks up at 11 laps to go maybe JP was watching that instead of looking out the window. Congrats to JJ he's unbelievable!

Anonymous said...

in closing, EPSN is awful

Anonymous said...

Is this the first they've mentioned Casey all day?

Let's see 40 minutes in the TV window...will we get it all

Jessica said...

So, where can i go to see jimmie, junior and carl in the post-race press conference? (btw, sweet emotion is the first bumper that makes and sense)

Daly Planet Editor said...

OK guys, there is a new post up for you to tell us about the ESPN coverage of The Chase this season.

Please take a moment to stop by and leave your opinion.

Thanks!

JD

bevo said...

In a word - sad.
This coverage was like watching a punch-drunk boxer.

Back to HotPass next week for the rest of the season.

Anonymous said...

mrn called the banging to the finish between drivers. punch had a frozen espn leaderboard wnd was way off with the finish.

espn is bad

Daly Planet Editor said...

COME ON OVER TO THE NEW POST AND LET IT FLY ABOUT ESPN AND THE COVERAGE.

JD

Anonymous said...

My station KXLY-TV preempted NASCAR Countdown for some news special on cosmetic surgery. As a result, I missed both the invocation and the national anthem. Any others who were affected by this?

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