The NASCAR on Fox crew is now several races into their season and hitting full stride. The TV veterans are going to once again be at one of the favorite tracks for good NASCAR racing and even better telecasts.
The Atlanta Motor Speedway promises a better scenario than last season's tire problems and single car domination. The CWTS race on Saturday set the tone with good action and no tire problems.
This week, there is no overlap with RaceDay on SPEED and the Fox pre-race is only thirty minutes long. That should solve a lot of the problems that viewers saw last week, including two Fox TV networks on the air from the same site at the same time live.
Chris Myers starts the day in the Hollywood Hotel with Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Hammond alongside. There will be a feature involving Bobby Labonte and Larry McReynolds makes his annual visit to The Weather Channel.
Once the action starts, Mike Joy will handle the play-by-play with Waltrip and McReynolds alongside in the booth. Down on pit road is the best group of pit reporters in TV. Steve Byrnes, Dick Berggren, Krista Voda and Matt Yocum will once again be front-and-center with the stories of the race.
Fox continues to use a quad-split (4 video boxes) during yellow flag pit stops. The other NASCAR TV networks use three boxes, which enables them to keep a wideshot of pit road on the screen. This lets viewers see the cars pulling in and out as the stops are in-progress. the quad-split covers pit road and fans lose the perspective of who is where and what is going on.
The good news is that Fox has changed the final lap of the racing coverage to give fans a clear view of the lead lap cars crossing the finish line. This includes a new graphic element at the top of the screen that shows the finishing order as the cars cross the line. That was long overdue, but a welcome addition to the telecast.
There is a new dynamic in the Sprint Cup Series with independent teams trying to make a name for themselves. There are also former top teams struggling in the middle of the field and seemingly unable to get the COT technology to work for them.
This demands that the TV coverage go back in the pack much more often and update the stories of the race throughout the field. Fox struggled with this in Las Vegas, but Atlanta should give the TV crew an opportunity to look back and keep the fans of those teams updated.
The green flag is set for 2:16PM and the Fox TV stations are scheduled to continue the coverage until 6PM. The weather is good and the track is fast, the potential for an outstanding NASCAR on Fox is ripe for the picking.
This post will host your comments about the Sprint Cup Series coverage from Atlanta on Fox. To add your opinion, just click on the comments button below. This is a family-friendly website, please keep that in mind as you post.
Thank you for taking the time to stop by TDP.
435 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 400 of 435 Newer› Newest»Fox should just get out a sharpie-mark out Kyle-insert Kurt.
another good explanation by Jeff.
@ Anon 4:19, funny.
Anon. 4:13,
I'm sure you're right. I haven't liked Kyle Busch since he ran into Junior a while back. To me, he's what Jeff Foxworthy said, "All NASCAR fans have one driver they love and one they hate." Foxworthy said "The driver they hate is Jeff Gordon. Why? Because he enunciates."
I have no beef with the 24. For me it's the 18. He's a great [wrestling term] "heel."
By the way [here comes a shot] my admission of bias is the kind of thing the 18 would never do.
WCK
Really need a rundown from the pit reporters.
Now my race is really over.
Mike Joy should have said Billion Dollar peanut business I think.
Daly Planet Editor said...
Really need a rundown from the pit reporters.
ya' mean they're still there?!? i thought maybe fox sent them all home early as a cost-saving move by david hill. 'cause we surely haven't heard from them recently.
Dot, I knew it! LOL
good lord, MWR is not having a good day today, I hope this is just a one time thing and the have a good rest of the season.
@ Anon 4:25, Amen.
Pit reporters have been good all day in my opinion
What if delivery people ran the world? lol
wait, you were expecting a full field run down? what is this a race broadcast or an advertising venue? I'm keeping trackpass up so I can tell who is where on the track since I can't get it from the TV.
@ Gina, who's going to be JRs caution buddy now?
Jeff must have been on a box, Ingrid is taller but I liked the commercial
Gina, remember there is a scoring ticker that runs across the top. It seems we forget about that often.
Special thanks to DIRECTV & Hot Pass for balancing the audio between the network and the race team / driver.
Hammer time, part 2.
actually I thought that comment from Jr was pretty funny. I can understand feeling like that considering your life may depend on the tires being on tight.
"wait! we still have a few plugs to go here!" truer words were never spoken by chris meyers on fox tv.
Reut back on track, I'm not sure I knew he left
What's with the gas issue?
but we want to know HOW they got to where they are on the ticker...
I cannot stand races like this. With half the field at least a lap down, it's boring. How can one or two cars be that far ahead in set up than every other car? Something is terribly wrong with this sport.
I know JD, but Gina only asked where they are, not how. and ticker can do that for you.
oh Anonymous @ 4:33 PM its a shame you cant find an interesting race like this interesting.
That crew guy is gonna have alot of PO'ed teams at him after this one...
Sorry, but I find this race totally boring. They can't throw enough phantom cautions to make things interesting. Think I'll go back and watch my Penguins play the Caps
@ David, I was thinking the same thing. Also, I wouldn't want to be at the team meeting @ Stewart/Haas Racing.
I agree...maybe this isnt the dramatic exciting race you WANT but this is RACING and things like this are a part of it.
Long green runs with most the cars ill handling = few cars on the lead lap. All it takes is a gamble and a late race restart to make it like the truck race yesterday even though Harvick was the class of the field.
How did Matt line up behind Tony when he's clearly 2 laps down and Matt is only 1. I wish the broadcasters would have found that out for me (and perhaps others).
anon @4:33: to be fair, if that crew member caution hadn't come out, there would be far fewer lapped cars. problem with the race today is (yet again) the tire that goodyear brought is making the driving scary bad. just holding that piece of crap on the track is hard enough but add this tire, and there's a ton of white-knuckling going on around the track.
white-knuckle racing is what makes this fun. This race is very exciting to me, you never know whats going to happen next! and drivers are really having to show their skill today.
NO repeat NO tire would make these cars handle on this track.
Anyone who saw Raceday saw how abrasive this track is now.
Also, boring? the 24 is slowly creeping up on that 2 car...
Good thing some of ya werent watching years ago when this was commonplace...
man, i really thought bill elliott was gonna miss that.
Here we go. Poor Bill. Lucky for Tony. Takes the bite out of the meeting tomorrow.
J.D.,
Smoke needed that caution.
Do my fellow Junior fans notice he's giving a lot more feedback on how his car is handling?
West Coast Kenny
Alameda, California
exactly david, this stuff was commonplace years ago. and folks back then still thought it was exciting.
ok, fox gang, that was GREAT shot of those 3 cars oming off pit road! nice job!! any chance you have the same sort of shot from the other side?
Look at Tony. They were 2 laps down, race over right?
Wrong! What could have been a huge disappointment turned into Tony driving his tail off and getting a lap back the HARD way...now he is only one down and shows how good that car is...
Business is picking up folks!
Why can't Fox superimpose the four pit boxes over the fullscreen camera image of a race (maybe even this one)instead of that silly fullscreen graphic so that we can maintain some perspective of how these pitstops affect the race?
Just asking.
Paul
@ Red, ditto.
Are they only allowed to use pit road cameras on pit road?
Red, No. that shot is actually a NASCAR managed camera used for scoring mounted on the pit wall. its actually cool to see if you can get on pit road.
FOX or NASCAR does not have any cameras on the other side.
WKC, well, if threatening your rear tire changer with a hammer blow is providing feedback, then, yes, i'd say dale is giving more feedback this week!
to be serious, tho': for me, that's been one of the great strengths of the johnson/knaus partnership: vast amount of feedback and solid communication in both directions. and i feel it's also been one of the jrs weakest moments each week.
maybe mr h on the box today is a factor?
Full Logano? New racing term?
"The full Logano" Ouch. thats when you know your rookie campaign isnt going that well...
anon 4:46: thanks for the insight. it makes sense that it's the scoring shot being "borrowed" by fox. and, truth be told? it's rare that we'd ever see such a great race off the pits.
Be sweet if one of crew asked Jr if they could hit him in the head with a hammer the next time he misses the pit box :)
The human chicane does it again.
Sam Hornish needs to go back to open wheel. This stinks for Bill Elliott.
good one bevo
100 to go would be another great time to reset the field. This is a big hole in this telecast.
@ Bevo, top billing.
wow, that was quite a shot of the cars coming off pit road
bevo: now THAT'S funny!
knowing some of the personalities on that pit crew, i'm pretty sure someone will mention that tomorrow -- and possibly present him with a hammer in the shop!
Wow. Mark has to be wondering why he let Rick talk him into the full schedule right about now.... Sad start to this season for that group.
uh oh, you could tell the director had a hard time looking for a shot of that wreck in progress besides the incar cam.
Jr's buddy? Hmmm, I don't know shall we pick one? Hornish maybe? LOL
jd, i'm right there with you, i just do not understand why we don't get a run thru more often. i'm not listening to mrn but, if their pattern holds, listeners are getting a thru-the-field on a regular basis.
Bevo! That is a great comment!
David it's that extra Hendrick car that always seems to have issues and can't keep up with the others on that team.
@ Gina, you're fighting with Bevo for top billing.
Did you think after 4 races...that the #5 would be worried about the top 35?
Vicky, usually thats the case but that usually means they arent competitive. Mark has been VERY competitive in every race this year. So what gives? 2 engines, a blown tire and a poor pit call before the rain at Daytona? Performance hasnt been an issue for this team at all...fortune has.
@ VickyD, I think the same thing. I wonder why that team has always had trouble.
BTW PRN is doing the radio today - I'll be kind and just say it isn't MRN :)
Hey, Hendrick can always trade points between Jeff/Jimmie and Mark.
thats right, PRN does all the broadcasts for races at SMI tracks. Or all the tracks that end with "Motor Speedway".
Here's a radical concept - instead of showing us highlights of the race why not do a rundown?
Biff needs a hammer hit. And the crew for working on the car.
I was thinking the same when they mentioned "the full logano" :p. Not something good you want to be remembered for
BTW for anyone that wants to know how the inside line is established, it is established by a driver declaring a spot in line and the other drivers supposed to be in that line agreeing with it. Usually that would probably equate to how they get off pit road or if someone has a really fast car the field would probably let them by which explains how the 18 and 14 manage to get as high up as they do for restarts. Not an exact explanation but its close
ah come on! dont pile onto Logano right now. even him and everyone involved said that he is in the CUP series a year early. This is just a practice year for this team. If you think about it, this is all Tony's fault. Gibbs needed a driver for the 20 car. But its really not all that bad, Logano will get better over time.
Im not piling on Joey. I am just laughing about it. I know they will get better with laps, at least one would hope thats the case. The question is will Zippy be there next year to work with him or not?
you're right, I do tend to forget about the ticker since I can't read it from the couch! LOL
Dot -- please don't even joke about points trading between the HMS cars. I think that is one of the worst things that NASCAR EVER allowed to happen.
A Logano is much better than a Munson - for all of you fans of the movie "Kingpin" :)
anon @ 5:01said (in part):
"If you think about it, this is all Tony's fault. Gibbs needed a driver for the 20 car."
yeah, but JGR didn't have to fill that seat with logano just yet. there were LOTS of great drivers who would have loved that seat. i don't blame logano for any of it: that falls squarely on JD Gibbs. too much, too soon. poor kid is getting slammed for being brought up too soon and it wasn't his fault.
(altho' i DID laugh when i read that he wrecked his dad's car recently by backing into the mailbox! as my daughter pointed out, somewhat sarcastically: "aw, c'mon, he's only had his driver's license for a year!"
@ Gina, joking? I'm predicting. I do agree with you, though.
What's Mark going to do when he's a Gomer? Won't look good for HMS.
but red, he has been racing for a few years now (i think about 8 years or so), longer then he has had his license.
anon @5:09: and that, my friend, was exactly her sarcastic point! yeah, he's only 18 and yeah, he's only had an on-road license for a year. but he's been driving forever -- and he still totals his dad's car like any other teenager.
as she said: "some phenom he is!"
Mears and McMurray were in this position last year...Jamie actually went to M-ville as a GOGH car.
Give Mark a solid Bristol....they will be ok the ok side. Gotta give the 71 props for their run tho....
Hey, you know what's missing from the broadcast? If the race ended now....especially for the 35 hoverers.
aarrrghhhh, dot! DO NOT even go there!
Red racing is a lot different then backing a car out of a driveway. I'd venture to say they are just about as difficult. lol. and really, can you compare a racecar to a streetcar no a days? not really.
I just heard Mike Joy call the #48 car the "Kolbalt Chevrolet". Since Kobalt is a minor sponsor on that car, I am wondering if the media crew gets a list of what to call the cars, sponsor-wise. I've never heard the 48 called the "Kobalt Chevrolet" until last week when Jimmie did (obviously, it was Lowe's Chevrolet before). Curious since Kobalt isn't on the hood.
I know they're trying to find things to show us, but all the in car camera's are getting a little much.
If tv would get through a field reset like radio does it wouldn't be to bad. I don't mind rundown's during caution, green flag takes to much time when the pit reporter do it.
There hasn't been anymore flickering of the tv here in Atl.
Overall the broadcast has been fine. They have missed a few stories, like the pit crew member and his tire, and some follow up on tire wear from the pits would be nice.
Dot, I'm sure Mark won't be very happy especially considering how well he ran in cars on a PT basis. That is the 25 car, right, with the #5 on it? If it is that car has always had "trouble" as a sponsor, ever since Tim Richmond.
Joy is trying to tell the team stories, but only the pit reporters know the scoop.
This is really boring.
Anon @ 5:13 PM
Kobalt IS the MAIN sponsor for this 48 car today. Lowes is NOT the main sponsor today. this is normal for the 48 car.
Matty didn't knock on wood before that report
Gina 88 is the 25 the 5 has always been the 5
The 98 & 82 are the only 2 cars out of the top 35 that are fully funded...
The big ? - will 43 cars make it out to Phoenix (The 8 & 28 could be folded after Bristol)
anon @5:13: oh, i agree with all that.
but when all is said and done? the whole incident just appeals to my sense of the absurd in a big way. the kid can't cut a break this year. best he can do is log laps, get the feel of it all and look to next year. sure hope zippy's willing to be there with him: it's be the best thing for him.
DOT!!!! I BLAME YOU!!!! there's the top 35 report!
DOT you had to go there
Is there a way to tell that Kobalt is the main sponsor on a given week? The car looks the same as when it is called "lowe's"
Also, notice the 48 car is NOT carrying the normal Lowes colors today? its a completely different color. that should have given you a clue.
@ Gina, I do believe the Tim R curse exists.
@ Red, just trying to liven things up ;)
oh look, we get a who's in the top 35 stat, but still no full field run down. And back to commercials.
that 5 car is NOT the old 25 car. That is the same car Kyle Busch drove, same crew chief and relatively the same crew on that car. JR has the "old 25 car" but the pretty much moved everyone that was there out and brought in new people to accommodate Jr.
Yeah, I guess the car has a different color, I just thought if Kobalt was main sponsor, they'd still get the hood. My bad, thanks for clearing it up.
Yeah, I guess the car has a different color, I just thought if Kobalt was main sponsor, they'd still get the hood. My bad, thanks for clearing it up.
look again. Normally the 48 car is mostly blue. Today its mostly silver.
yeah, managing all these sponsors can be tough.
I believe Lowe's owns Kobalt...which explains why Lowe's is on the hood....
Lowe's owns Kobalt? Geez, you learn something new every day. Thanks!
Lead Change...Kurt out front and pulling away
I can cut them some slack for not doing rundowns on short tracks but on a big track with not much going on at the front is another matter.
And by rundown we mean going through the field with a brief synopsis of car's day - not what the driver did during the week or other nonsense.
yes. a synopsis. how elegant.
The TV crews use the offical entry list that is distributed by NASCAR as a reference as to what sponsor to call a car.
@anon 5:01--no one is piling on Joey...
Dang! Marky mar is hanging on to the top 35 by the skin of his teeth :(
ok, as a dale earnhardt fan, i'll say it: apparently robby gordon is his new debris buddy as it appeared the 88 was close to going a lap down just then. thanks robby!
JJ spanked. Alot of the golden ones in trouble today.
Dot said...
Hey, you know what's missing from the broadcast? If the race ended now....especially for the 35 hoverers.
that's not even a little funny(LOL)
Yeah, Lowe's owns Kobalt...they are all under the same parent company LF, LLC
Had to check that online before i mislead anyone any further lol
I have heard Larry Mac refer to the #14 as the Old Spice Chevy....I am guessing that Office Depot is not spending ad $$$$$$$.
fuel milage race....
I like the 4 boxes for the pit stops with the lower right showing pit road. And then the open shot as they all leave.
@ Red, I sent my message without reading yours first. You're back on top.
@ Glenn, here's my secret, I have esp.
Not really, they send me the script.
Why do they lag showing the wreck in progress?
Someone's really slow on the trigger
Did someone shave the feathers off Ragan? He's had some bad luck this year.
Mikey got slimed
Coming soon to a Lowe's near you: the NASCAR lawnmower! Complete with Splitter as well as YOUR favorite driver's paint scheme!
31 the lawn mower.
David said...
Coming soon to a Lowe's near you: the NASCAR lawnmower! Complete with Splitter as well as YOUR favorite driver's paint scheme!
and a digger decal for the hood, right david?
Nope, a digger plush to ride shotgun with you!
@ David & Red, you're killing me.
@David and Dot-
Bet it pollutes a bit more than a Briggs & Stratton :)
david: i bow to your marketing genius!
(and if david hill takes you up on THAT idea, i'm coming after you with a dale ernhardt jr hammer and a big old piece of sheet metal!)
Thanks, newracefan, with all of the number and car changes it gets confusing to me.
Act now and we'll throw in the Digger Cam Kit! Caution, beware not to run said kit over when buried in your lawn! Lowe's is not responsible for injury on mower or to small woodland creatures that resemble cartoon marketing tools!
hey! there's that "other" pit road race angle i'd been hoping for earlier! sweet! thanks, fox gang.
Let TDP Comedy Tour begin.
I'm assuming all the lead lap cars will pit here.
Run digger over and forget PETA, DW will come after your butt!!
bevo said...
I can cut them some slack for not doing rundowns on short tracks but on a big track with not much going on at the front is another matter.
And by rundown we mean going through the field with a brief synopsis of car's day - not what the driver did during the week or other nonsense.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you
This is exactly what drives me nuts, I just ain't been smart enough to put it into words
Interesting pit strategy, but i anticipate a couple more cautions before this one ends...
I haven't been watching every minute. Why all the kitty litter on pit road?
Red - that shot of the 3 of them coming off pit road was a very good one. Why do they wait over an hour to show it? This would be a good time for field summary.
@ David, that's what 1-6 are hoping for, too.
Jeff brought some company there :)
Dot Biffle radiator, They tend to leak after they get crashed into a wall
Screw digger. That is all
Now I thought you couldnt get the free pass if you were involved in a caution...correct me if im wrong but turning the 12 into the 16 as well as mowing the lawn should indicate he was involved....
unless that definition changed recently...
Thanks nrf. Shouldn't it be swept up?
Ya know one of the appeals FOX used to have was that they gave the feeling of a bunch of friends sitting on the couch calling a race.
This year it appears as if they have taken that mantra too far. There appears to be some biasness that has crept in and often times they just appear to be missing action in order to hear their own voices.
It's almost like they've gone past the happy buzzed stage to flat out drunk.
Am I the only one who views it in this way?
OK, now it's time for nerves with a fuel mileage race.
@Glenn-
Thanks - just one of my pet peeves last year with ESPN. They would start doing one but they would talk about everything except how the car was doing in the race.
Guess the 31 maintained speed, mowing the lawn was a bonus
Mark Martin can be JRs caution buddy now.
And was with the booth stating that Shrub wasn't out of it even though there was a 100 laps to go and he was three laps behind? That makes logical sense at all.
@phathead, no I'd agree with you. I think they've been over the line for a while with the bias toward certain drivers, teams, etc., but the broadcasts have gotten worse or perhaps I just expect that they should be professional when they call the race, not cheerleaders. Plus, the level of gimmicks and junk has elevated so that Fox seems more interested in showing off the toys than the race. That's not why most of us tune in, but they can't seem to catch a clue.
The Full Logano in action. Poor kid.
It would be hard to make up 3 laps on a track as big as Atl. Maybe on a short track, but not so easily done here.
And I see Logano has found the edge once more.
I don't mind when they get excited for certain drivers when they run well when they normally don't. I don't mind if they are amazed with a spectacular move by a driver. I do have an issue when they openly cheer for another driver.
My favorite example is the 1993 Daytona 500. Ned Jarrett was literally willing his son along at the end, becoming his biggest cheerleader. And he should have, he was watching his son win the most prestigious race of his career.
And what did Ned do the very next day? Apologize for being so biased during the coverage. The man was cheering his SON to a Daytona 500 victory.
Yet it's ok for DW to cheer on Shrub in the middle of a race when he has very little stake in him as a driver? It confounds me to be honest.
DW has to be :)...wrong Busch
J.D.,
Gotta tell you, even with a bad race....
Hot Pass Jr. channel on the TV, strong cup of black coffee on the table, cat in my lap, Daly Planet on my screen...
Does it get any better?
WCK
Phathead, I agree with you. It bugs me, too and takes away from the credibility of the broadcast. Yeah, I remember that Daytona 500 and sure Ned was biased, but as you said, he apologized the next day and he didn't do it every race!
Does anyone know what happened to the caution periods being sponsored this year? Or have I just not noticed them?
@Phathead-
Kyle reminds DW of himself when he was young. Not an excuse, just an explanation. If you would have told any of us back then that he would become as popular and loved by so many people as he has you would have been locked up in the loony bin.
Phathead, they announce them on the radio.
no clue. I asked but no one is talking, maybe safety-kleen did not have the cash.
bevo - That's fine, but that was merely an example I was using, although I'm pretty sure DW has a Kyle Busch poster on the ceiling above his bed.
Good question Phathead. I was wondering the same thing. I think they're not shown because there is never any debris.
Vickers driving his BUTT off!!! This could be great if it stays green!!!!
that's right they were supposed to be sponsored by servicemaster -- maybe it was only for specific races? I haven't noticed them talking about it, but then they babble on about so much irrelevant stuff that I don't always hear them.
J.D.,
Just saw some stuttering on the Fox feed.
West Coast Kenny
Alameda, California
Don't know 'bout ya'll but that Taco Bell commercial gets the prize for the stupid commercial of the day.
imo
vickers will catch him
Glenn - Do not speak ill of Taco Bell. When I die and go to heaven, I will live in Taco Bell lol
Also, they are only at the ISC tracks (Servicemaster, that is)
daytona and california are both ISC tracks but i never saw the sponsored cautions there
Shocked that Newman would not get out of the way.......must make him feel good that he is running hard to keep in the top 35 - while the #2 is running out front.
Pamm - I did not see them at Daytona or Cali
Bevo, IMO, DW just likes to hear his own voice and he says that Kyle reminds him of himself because he wants to still be thought of as a driver, rather than just an announcer.
Perhaps ServiceMaster didn't come through with all of the money?? Wouldn't be the first time.
No matter how crappy the coverage is, no one calls a race better than Mike Joy today.
i did remember seeing a safety truck at california with servicemaster on it
From the official press release -
"ServiceMaster Clean will have official and exclusive sponsorship of the Yellow Flag -- now to be known as ServiceMaster Clean Caution periods -- at all 19 ISC and SMI race tracks around the country. "
Maybe they did not pony up for TV ads.
TDP - That may be, but it seems senseless to sponsor something of that nature and not ensure you get TV time
Newman is known for being a pain inthe butt to pass, no matter if he is laps down or not.
brian just can catch him
GWC...tires or no tires?!
JD-
Also this -
"All cleaning and drying vehicles and equipment will feature the ServiceMaster Clean logo and colors, and the clean-up teams will wear bright yellow ServiceMaster Clean jumpsuits."
Time for Overdrive... I'm sorry, I love that term
oh this is gonna get interesting
Think Robby Gordon has the on-demand tire shredder onboard today?
uhh, gina? newman's not in the 12 anymore -- altho i agree that he's always a pain to pass . . .
the 12 is stremme now
This caution may save this race cause it is not the most exciting. Mike is doing the best he can with the product he is given
wow, this is going to be good.
That right there is why you need the whole pit road camera
Everyone pitted? I'm having flashbacks to Cole Trickle's first win
Vickers hung a lug...killed them
@ JD, too funny.
Now the fun begins.
Who sponsors "Overdrive"?
im shocked no one tried to stay out or something
im shocked no one tried to stay out or something
oops sorry double post
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