Note: We are on day two of comments about why the NASCAR TV coverage on SPEED has been so off-base. The column below sparked the discussion, which is taking place in the comments section. Thank you for all the great opinions.
The first of five Trackside shows aired Monday evening at 7PM on SPEED. These programs were taped during the weekend Fan Fest in Daytona.
The regular cast of characters were back once again. Steve Byrnes hosted the show with Darrell Waltrip, Jeff Hammond and Larry McReynolds as his panelists. Instead of the SPEED Stage or a live set outside among the fans, the show took place in the indoor studio located in the infield.
The program opened with Sprint Cup driver Paul Menard and Camping World Truck Series veteran Rick Crawford on the set as guests. The opening segment gave both drivers an opportunity to talk about the upcoming season with the panelists.
After the first commercial, the program returned but something was just not quite right. What fans were seeing at home was the casual conversation between the panelists and Crawford as he was leaving. There was little doubt that this content was not intended to be on the air. What happened next was amazing.
The panel was addressing the real problems NASCAR was about to experience. For some reason, this type of content has been banned from SPEED so far this season. Polite talk and softball questions have been the order of the day since SPEED returned to the air with NASCAR programming.
"When we get to California, I have a feeling it might look like a ghost town," said Darrell Waltrip. "Everybody that's broke drags everything they got down here (Daytona) because they know they can make a buck if they can get to start the race."
Apparently, the discussion on the set was about the reality of the season after the Daytona weekend. This is exactly the kind of frank talk that fans have been waiting for and not getting on SPEED. Waltrip had more to say about the Camping World Truck Series.
"NASCAR did this market study and they said that fans did not like the fact that there were no pit stops," said Steve Byrnes. He was talking to Waltrip about the truck series and the recent talk about changing the rules.
"Oh, they are not going to," answered Waltrip. "But, if there are no fans there, who cares?"
A commercial was suddenly inserted and that ended the only real talk about NASCAR issues on this program. If fans wanted to know about Jeff Gordon's baby, his recent trip to race Go-Karts or his animated character in Speed Racer, Trackside was suddenly the place for them once again. Reality had left the building.
Other than the accidental "real talk" that had mistakenly made its way to the homes of TV viewers, Trackside had joined the parade of fluff that SPEED has presented this season as NASCAR TV. Why and how this shift happened is anyone's guess.
How long it will continue is something only the SPEED executives can control.
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77 comments:
I caught that and I knew you were going to jump right on it.
If NASCAR says there are no problems, everybody walks the company line and says there are no problems.
Wouldn't it be great if the NASCAR coverage became a reality show like we just saw?...
BREAKING NEWS!!
DW Speaks The Truth, by accident. I was watching it on "tape". WOW!
I wonder whose head is going to roll over this one.
Funny! I jumped right onto TDP as soon as I saw that thinking that you must have posted something (being on the west coast, I assumed that the show had aired earlier).
Best thing to have happened to Speed recently. Man I could listen to that stuff all day. It's a shame that everything in NASCAR is so tied together in terms of money. With baseball/football/etc, there are plenty of outlets for "old timers" and other knowledgeable people to spout off without worrying about their paychecks being at risk.
Oh well, maybe someday.
Could it be our truck series production team friends found this is the only we they could relay information to the fans? Probably not but if they're taped how it got through is a gift, we actually heard real comments from some in the know.
That mistake was the only part of the show I watched. I thought (hoped) for a second that it was a new segment or concept within the show -- sorta like "DW Uncensored" or something. It was fascinating.Not much worth watching when things went back to the script.
I thought something was up, kind of lightning moment.
When DW isn't spewing his other crap, he sounds quite inteligent.
I applaud Darrell for speaking his mind. Need more coverage like this to bring the reality to the big wigs in charge of NASCAR.
Anon 8:14 I thought the same thing the first few seconds, and the same thing when they came back, same old fluff.But man it was nice while it lasted. Real talk about racing and the state of the sport, go figure.
Bless whomever made that wcrewup happen. The only real honest part of the show all night. Too bad they couldn't have been that honest for the rest of the time.
Loved it!
@ 3Bud,
I read your comment on the Ray post. Yeah, what about that money disbursement?
Will SPEED hope this goes away? We got a lot of inside info in those few precious seconds. Kinda hard to unring the bell.
When I realized what had happened I was thrilled. See those guys really do know what's going on and how we fans feel about our sport. This is the kind of discussion I would love to hear in even more detail. Too bad it will never happen again. It will be interesting to see how much this bell gets rung or if it gets stuffed into the back of the drawer. I'm even taping the next show to see if the reair is different.
well I totally missed this..forgot to even check the schedule here....see I said my thirst for the season is not great.
I hope they show the mistake on the repeat...if they show the repeat at 11pmest
I have known for awhile the guys on speed have no choice but to talk about what the suits want...shame but I still like the hosts... :-)
oh and DW has been honest on Despains show a few times last year.
I was incredulous thinking that I was listening in on some private conversation as it took me a moment or two to figure out that it was actually Rick Crawford standing there. This is how the truck series will be this year - small fields. Thanks for the information.
Sounds like a couple of folks will join the unemployment line tomorrow.
That was a great thing about HotPass, if you surfed around and played with the audio feeds you would get some candid talk during the commercials. I remember Dr Punch worrying about having to question Mike Helton about the tire situation after the Brickyard last year.
DW was totally different during those breaks, I wish he would be like that when the cameras were on.
This was entirely unprofessional on SPEED's part. These sorts plublicity stunts cause far more harm than good.
When commenatators are allowed to talk up NASCAR's potential problems spewing out a bunch of negativity, it can feed on itself, and become a self fulfilling prophecy. It will cause fans and potential sponsors to turn away. Who would want to sponsor a car running around in a "ghost town"
SPEED's lack of professionalism could have cost NASCAR's teams millions in potential sponsorship dollars.
When I saw it I was like...I thought JD said this was taped. Then I was "Oh yeah, it's too light out to be "live". It was a very "odd" mistake but I'm glad it happened. Sadly this is the chatter we want to hear these "quiet" weeks but only via "error" will we actually hear it :(
It was great to hear them speak what us fans have been saying on the boards. So they "hear" our pain and are concerned as well if there will be anyone to watch whatever "show" is out there on the track this year :(
BUMMER! I MISSED the error of real talk. Second show is different Obviously the show was edited.....the on 'real moment' and I missed it...oh, well.
guess they will jam in more commercials to fill in the gap :(
Until these guys are "allowed" to say what they think on the air, SPEED will continue to do the fans a great disservice.
At least the guys on Sirius say what they mean and really think.
i saw a normal show...no extra 4 minutes of commercials...did they just NOT GO to commercial on the earlier show?
Did everybody see the two segments on Jeff G?
I hope whoever made the mistake still has a job...
I wish I would have caught this.
Maybe not a perfect analogy but the first thing that jumped into my head was the WWF. Vince McMahnon always refused to admit it was fake/scripted. When he finally rolled with the punches the public did not mind and his company got more successful than ever.
I wish NASCAR would realize people are not stupid and give people what the want. The truth and real opinions. I do not watch these type of shows because I don't want to hear DW or somebody else essentially reading NASCAR press releases.
I want to hear real opinions from people that we all realize know much more then they share with us. I think taking the muzzles off would be one of the best things that could happen.
Then people like me might start watching more then the last 10 laps of each weeks race on DVR.
They fixed the reair.
I guess I'm in the minority here but I don't want to hear a bunch of doom-and-gloom on shows like Trackside. We all know how bad the economy is and there is plenty of coverage about NASCAR's financial woes on the internet - and the country's economic woes in general. So what if Trackside chooses to see the sport through rose-colored racing glasses? NASCAR is my escapism of choice and I'd just as soon it stay that way.
I'm sure someone will post it on youtube at some point for those that missed it. Wow. Ooops. Someone at SPEED for the mistake and maybe Waltrip for being honest will get the brunt of the backlash.
It makes you wonder why suddenly people are beginning to turn on the sport. It's bad enough that SPEED had it's collective had in the sand while a number of teams were biting the dust, bu to put on the happy happy, joy joy spin on things is just salt in the wound.
You think they would have gotten the message back in 2001 when big E lost his life that the sport was going to get more scrutiny, but looks like someone shook the Etch-a-Sketch brain
This crew is the best...If you want to know history thru out the race..Great stories..Lets go with these guys!! The last half of the nascar season is a lower product than what we had at the first part of the season..(To put It politely)Larry Mac..Is the Chris Berman of Nascar!!(JD does anybody read this stuff?)Its like Football! The more important the game,the worse the anouncers are!!!COME ON NASCAR!!!
Something weird was definitely happening there. I saw a guy walk right across the shot, and they weren't cutting away from that main camera at all. Usually they'd cut to close-ups, but they didn't then.
nothing but the truth!!!! I love it DW!!!! I just wish SPEED (I'll wait to throw in the other networks that cover NASCAR) would take their freaking head out of the sand! I mean, COME ON!!!! Everyone knows the issues and we should be talking about them. I agree we shouldn't beat it to the ground to death, but the issues should be discussed! ON the other hand we do need to remember this is entertainment for many fans and a way to get away from all of that everyday doom and gloom for a few hours!
BUT COME ON SPEED EXECS!!! what are you afraid of? you already gave your money to NASCAR.
kelly
I saw the flup and for a second thought they were live. It was symptamatic of the awful stuff Speed has shown of Nascar Pre Season activities. Total fluff. The Gordon interview was beyond embarrassment. Only thing missing last night was Spencer and Wallace. Could be a l-o-n-g season.
DW speaks Truth!
I have to say I like the Truck racing!!!!!!
Nascar wake up!!!!!!!!
+"When commenatators are allowed to talk up NASCAR's potential problems spewing out a bunch of negativity, it can feed on itself, and become a self fulfilling prophecy."
On the other hand, when they show the stands at Cali and there are only 20,000 fans sitting there and 30 cars for the show, what are you and they going to say? I prefer honesty to lies and ostrich actions even though it may hurt for a while. We've had enough of the former in Washington. We don't need it in NASCAR.
@ Dot, not sure if you caught it but they mentioned the full purses of the races and if they don't have a full field why not split it up among the teams that show up. I guess from what i read this a.m. they "fixed " the reairing. Wouldn't it be nice if that had not been a mistake but just plain talk to the fans. NAAAAAAA!
I have to agree w/bevo. One of the perks of HotPass was the off camera audio. Sort of like listening to the scanner at the race during commerical breaks of the TV audio feed. Those comments from trackside are the issues that have been posted all off season. I guess my question to SPEED and DW is. Why will they not discuss it? I know that there are issues out there, I would just like to hear from those in the sport to discuss them to the fans.
After I saw the On-Air mistake I knew I could come to TDP to read all about it. Thanks JD!
JD, any official comment from SPEED? I also should add if every program on SPEED was as authentic as DW's comments that inadvertently made it on air, I would never change the channel!
Guys, it wasn't a mistake. The show was taped. SPEED had plenty of time to realize the blooper; edit it out; and air the final version without any of us knowing what had taken place. SOMEONE made a conscious decision to air the behind the scenes comments. Perhaps to "stick it" to NASCAR management knowing that they can't back up their normal "our way or the highway" attitude?
not just Hotpass--when you're at the track listening to the MRN feed, you get funny stuff all that time (stuff the general public is not supposed to hear during the ad breaks...off color jokes, comments on specific people...) Some of the best things I ever heard were like that. But anyways--I didn't bother to watch Trackside because I just thought it would be fluff. Interesting to hear what happened. But I will say that an analyst who once got fired (many years ago) told me that he was let go because of speaking honestly about his sport, and the suits didn't like it. They can take your hard card. That's *always* bothered me about NASCAR, because it's not so in other sports. Look at how commentators all ripped on NFL officiating, on specific players' troubles, controversial 'coaching' moments, etc, this season. Yet the biggest disaster (Brickyard) all we got were lame excuses and no real apology.
NASCAR hasn't denied there will be ecnomic issues this year; why not just let them *talk* honestly about it. They're selling backstretch tickets to Daytona for $55--what a Nationwide ticket cost last year. You know there are going to be local drivers trying to make the truck & Nat. fields (& Cup too, perhaps). Get it out in the open. I'm also glad to know that DW *does* have a serious thought in his head, even if he fears saying it.
Somebody should get fired over this. Very irresponsible behavior on the part of SPEED.
SOMEONE made a conscious decision to air the behind the scenes comments. Perhaps to "stick it" to NASCAR management knowing that they can't back up their normal "our way or the highway" attitude?
Having worked in TV production for many years, I can tell you, there are a number of ways this can happen by accident. I have seen much worse happen through carelessness or incompetence.
John, your observation "a commercial was suddenly inserted that ended the only real talk..." refutes your premise that it could have been an accident, or carelessness, or incompetence. Are you suggesting that only ONE person in the production booth saw this and tried to cover it up? No way.
I thought the show was taped as well, so when I saw the "goof," I couldn't believe what I was hearing. OMG, the unvarnished, a-political opinions of the panelists! What a relief.
So why don't we get the real deal all the time? Nothing DW says is going to affect sponsors or how many fans show up in California.
It's just my luck that I turned the show on & all I saw was Jeff's go-kart episode. All the fluff on these shows keeps me from watching almost all the time, but I figured since the season is getting started, maybe there would be something worthwhile on. Looks like Speed could cut some of the blathering announcers & just have a couple of good ones, like John Roberts and Wendy. There are of course others, but these two are really good.
Just a heads-up, this show was taped and replayed from the Fox Master Control.
This was clearly a mistake, as the original airing ended without a close or a copyright in the last segment.
I have no idea if the commercial at the end of the mistaken segment was inserted manually or this is just how the show was screened and the computer rolled the break on a time cue.
The issue here is that behind the scenes, the real talk is happening about NASCAR's situation for this upcoming season.
We need that talk to translate to the TV screen in the same frank and honest way that the Trackside crew was talking about it off the air.
Both Trackside and Preseason Thunder are pretending everything is fine and it is clearly not.
It is time for SPEED to step-up and speak-up before NASCAR Now comes on the air Feb. 2nd and addresses these very issues.
JD
Anon 10:18: "somebody should get fired over this" -- how about starting with Brian France and Helton? I'm tired of the media having to toe the line or NASCAR will punish them. I just read an article about how the liven things up -- the suggestion was "someone needs to hit someone". NASCAR has sucked the sport dry of emotion and fun, but they are still out there pretending things are great. Well, the emperor has NO clothes and it would be nice if the fans could actually get real information, not pablum.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PANodfEgiuA
I missed the show last night, but found this on youtube for anyone else who missed it. If SPEED produced a full hour of this discussion, I would go out of my way to watch it.
WOW! Thanks for the link Alex....it was very interesting and REFRESHING to see "REAL CONVERSATION".
IMAGINE how difficult it must be for all these guys to keep their jobs and be harnessed by NASCAR suits to talk fluff and promos...we can't blame Steve, Larry, Jeff, DW, etc. :(
suits so out of touch with what fans want....it's very sad.
J.D.,
In your experience, how much time off-camera, off-set, do the talent have with each other before and after the programs? I'm wondering if this was the first time all four men were together to discuss all this.
Is it also customary not to have anyone check the broadcast in "post" to make sure everything is kosher before air?
West Coast Kenny
Alameda, California
Did anyone else read on Jayski that Tradin' Paint is gone? There's going to be some game with fans instead. So much for discussing the day's issues with members of the media.
And it gets worse and worse as the ostrich (Speed) sticks its head in the sand up to its tailfeathers.
NASCAR is not a major league franchise, it is a family business. And just like with all families, they don't air family business or family troubles. Waltrip is a member of the family and he may talk up a storm and even say some things NASCAR doesn't agree with, but he isn't going to air the dirtiest family laundry out for all to hear.
The family aspect has helped NASCAR but in cases like this it has also hurt it.
Its starting to look like we need a Nascar revolution.. between the pros'who know what there talking about..Larry,Jeff,DW....ETC..and the Dictatorship that is now nascar!!Being a Superbike fan I have seen these guys at there worst..These guys being (DMG)Daytona Motorsports group..The first thing they wanted to do (asap)was to show who the new boss is..There target? Mat Mladin, over some comments he made about the new bullies in town..(They took his championship away)Bogus claims about his bike!! Well It worked ,everyone just clamed up except for Japans factory teams,they just pulled out..They get a bit of a rash when you start trying to bully them around..So when Nascar starts throwing there weight around Toyota,,That is when we may see some changes at Nascar!!Just like with the Bikes,,Who would be left??
Yes, I sure would like to see some straight talk about the off-track issues surrounding NASCAR, but I also want some straight-talk about on-track iussues. Tha last thing I would want to see would be SPEED's adopting the predominantly negative spin found in the print media.
Now if SPEED had not put The Speed Report and Windy Despain into hibernation after the banquet, many of the issues could have already been discussed on TV.
TDP will have an update on the end of Tradin' Paint when the details are ironed out.
This is a big development and one that we are going to be careful to get all the facts about before offering a comment.
The show is cancelled, it will be replaced by a trivia show using the SPEED Stage and the fans.
We will keep you posted.
JD
Did anyone else read on Jayski that Tradin' Paint is gone? There's going to be some game with fans instead. So much for discussing the day's issues with members of the media.
We can't risk anyone saying something negative about NASCAR during the show.
(Think "Pit Bulls.")
Why SPEED is so willing to roll over on this I don't know; SPEED is the customer who PAID for the rights--why are they afraid to just do an honest show, like the Sirius NASCAR Radio guys do every single day?
This sums up the situation at hand. Thou shall not speak ill about NASCAR.
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/motorsports/story/990307.html
Some, like Cluka, are angry enough to talk about their plight. Others cannot afford to be quite so candid and public.
“There’s an unwritten rule” about saying unkind things about NASCAR, Cluka said.
Are you suggesting that only ONE person in the production booth saw this and tried to cover it up? No way.
The show was taped far in advance. There was no one IN the production booth, because the show wasn't being broadcast live.
The tape is played back by a single Master Control operator, who, I can tell you from experience, may well have had several other things happening around him at once.
alex...thank you for the link to the clip. The Speed programming has been so...so...ugh...that I gave up watching it and have just been waiting for the season to start in earnest before watching any coverage on TV. I'm glad that YouTube is around to show everybody that all too brief glimpse at the truth.
Mark my words...if this continues as is, it will only be so long before somebody like Brian Williams on NBC (who is a racing fan) does a story on the nightly news about NA$CAR's fall after so many years of increasing success. I will then heartily enjoy every minute of Mike Helton's sweaty denials and Brian France's no-comments as they get exposed in front of the entire nation for their many obvious failures that made this situation far worse than it would have been otherwise.
no offense but PATHETIC to cancel TP for a stupid trivia show.
Again, suits show they are CLUELESs and not listening to the voice of some on air hosts.
Wow...SPEED is already disappointing us..wonder what will happen to the other shows..>i heard TWIN was returning ..but with steve and the boys TALKING or more canned video/LOUD music and promos.
Got I miss the old Monday night show with CONVERSATION. :( shame the guys on our tv have no control over show content.
My nascar interest continues to wane...as TPTB continue shooting off toes, one at a time.
i got the video on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PANodfEgiuA
I will really miss Tradin' Paint since it was one of my favorite shows. The last thing SPEED needs is more trivial programming - unless it is how many O'Hare vehicles would it take to tow the current SPEED administration to Chicago.
kohoso.....good point except for one thing. when brian williams tries to get the interviews with france and helton, they'll decline. nascar pr won't let anybody talk to them. even their "own" nascar shows.
I find it hard to believe that this gaff was on a taped broadcast. Say what you want about DW, but he was shooting straight. Helton and that drunk Brian France need to wake up and smell the roses. Ticket prices and scheduling races at night do not cater to real race fans. Racing is a business like everything else. They need to stop worrying about TV times, and let families GO to races during daylight hours and price tickets so that the average man can attend again. I went on ebay last night, and tickets to Daytona look like a fire sale. Wake up fans and force NASCAR to be accountable in tough times.
First of all. Darrells comments were not about the sport as a whole. He was talking about California speciafically because of the debacle we had there last year, the current economic issue, and just the California facility has never been well liked. After reading this story it is quite apparent the comment was taken out of context.
Anon 7:36PM,
Don't quite understand what you are saying.
All we heard was snippets of DW's conversation because SPEED suddenly does not allow any serious conversation about the issues facing the sport in 2009.
We have no clue exactly what he was talking about other than the words mistakenly aired on SPEED.
To suggest that you know better is perhaps a little off-base unless you can provide a reference. We certainly do not have one.
JD
JD or anyone else who has knowledge of the behind the scene happenings with reporters: Is there some unwritten rule that you're not allowed to say anything negative, or report on negative happenings for fear you'll lose your access to anyone in the sport? I just remember various happenings over the years when, for example, there was a problem in the clubhouse, a very serious problem involving drug use among players, and the facts were covered up until after one of the players was arrested. Then today it was reported there have been some not-so-wonderful goings on in the Dallas Cowboys lockerroom this season, but it was covered up until now.
Is this what's happening in Nascar? Are guys such as Waltrip, McReynolds, Hammond and all the rest operating with muzzles? Are they afraid to tell us like it really is? Have they been told to whistle a happy tune? If so, by whom? Is it Speed or is it the powers-that-be in Nascar? Is there some kind of unwritten code that these guys won't violate when it comes to speaking the real truth?
@ Anon 7:36,
Substitute "CA" for any left side of the country track. That one just happens to be the first coming up.
you can see the video on youtube
i uploaded soon as i was watching it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PANodfEgiuA
darbar......yes there pretty much is an unwritten rule but at times written and told rule to watch what you say. it's not maybe so much as don't say x...but say x in a way to spin in positive.
What hold does NASCAR have on editorial content of its braodcast partners? Why was Pit Bull cancelled? The broadcasters of the NFL are allowed to comment either positve or negative...
The broadcasters of the NFL are allowed to comment either positve or negative...
THe NFL isn't owned by one family.
The higher the pedestal...the longer the fall!
Those down in Daytona Beach had better pay attention to the die-hards, not the ONMC members they parade around on a leash and reward for the best 'corporate speak'. The hardcores are the ones in the tents and the rag-tag campers who will not pay $450 for a 40 x 20 piece of grass, plus another 200+ for three race tickets.
They have been ignoring the elephant in the middle of the room for a while now. Since when does Loudon not sell out? Richmond night race? Bristol????
Everyone in the garage knows the problems, but can't speak without risking a 12-4-a...
well guess what Nascar...you need us more than we need you!
I attended 7 races last year, it will be less this year. SMI tracks, here I come!
I doubt these shows cost much to produce so SPEED can probably live with the mediocre ratings. The ratings would go through the roof if "real talk" was allowed but I don't think these shows require that to survive.
see the video on youtube
here is the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PANodfEgiuA
Tried the link to YouTube and all I got was a message.
"This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Twentieth Century Fox."
Am I missing something or have they pulled it already?
they pulled the video this morning sorry but nascar dont want you all to know the truth
So much for NASCAR allowing everything freely distributed over the internet. Only the stuff they want out stays out.
got another video for nascar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s6MNvdwaXE
I must point out that SPEED is the network that is promoting its full coverage of the Rolex 24 - which amounts to only 16 hours.
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