The network did not televise practice. It did not show qualifying. The production team has not been on the air for two weeks. Now, ESPN gets a big Memorial Day present dumped in its lap with perhaps the best auto race of the weekend.
The struggles of the COT in the Sprint Cup Series have been well documented. On mile and a half tracks like the Lowe's Motor Speedway, passing is at a premium. On Sunday, the F-1 bunch races in Monaco where passing is almost impossible except on pit road. Later, the IRL tries to recapture the glory of the Indy 500 with a mediocre field and a series struggling with sponsorship woes.
The race with the most potential for competition and actual passing on the track is tonight's Nationwide Series race from LMS. Allen Bestwick, Dale Jarrett and Brad Daugherty start the coverage with the pre-race show at 7PM.
Jarrett is on the pre-race because Rusty Wallace is on vacation. Also not on the broadcast are Jamie Little and Vince Welch. Both are away getting ready to work the Indy 500 for ABC on Sunday. NASCAR Now host Mike Massaro will jump back into his firesuit and work with Shannon Spake and Dave Burns on pit road.
It will be up to Dr. Jerry Punch to keep the excitement level high on this primetime Saturday night live TV telecast. This is the third season for Punch in the broadcast booth and he continues to have a tough time defining his role. Luckily, his booth mates Jarrett and Andy Petree have become proficient at filling-in the gaps.
ESPN continues to use the best triple-splits on the pit stops with outstanding graphics. The pictures should be great under the lights and the crowd looks to be strong. All the elements are in place and the biggest unknown factor is the weather.
Rain is in the area and ESPN2 viewers may be seeing a lot of Bestwick, Jarrett and Daugherty if the rain begins to fall. This telecast is scheduled to end at 10:30PM, but the next program is a re-air of the original "3" movie produced by the now defunct ESPN Original Entertainment.
This post will serve to host your comments about the live coverage of the Nationwide Series race from LMS on ESPN2. To add your TV-related comment, just click on the comments button below. This is a family-friendly website, please keep that in mind when posting.
Thank you for taking time out of your Memorial Day weekend to stop by The Daly Planet.
400 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 400 of 400More from the press release (evidently it's some sort of Coca-Cola tie-in):
As an Honorary Race Official for the Coca-Cola 600, Johnson will take part in a number of activities, including interacting with fans, attending the driver’s meeting and greeting all of the drivers during pre-race introductions.
During weekend events, Johnson will get a true NASCAR experience when she climbs into an actual race car for a 160 mph ride-along with fan favorite and Coca-Cola Racing Family member Kyle Petty. She’ll also tour the garage at Lowe’s Motor Speedway where she’ll try her hand at typical pit crew jobs such as jacking a car, working an air wrench and changing tires.
Johnson has been featured on Olympic-themed packaging as one of the Coca-Cola “Six-Pack” of Olympic Athletes. She also serves as a Coca-Cola “Ambassador of Active Living” to help encourage and inspire people to lead active, balanced lives.
ew. Harvick getting lapped. Car is junk.
YES! They broke in!!!
Did everyone else see the godaddy commercial get dumped for live pit coverage?
Now if they could just get rid of the bottom line for the races...
I think Shawn Johnson on one episode of DWTS critiqued Carl's backflip.
Darn, I was hoping for a quick yellow so it would mess with Shrubbie
Even though it's only a pit stop... love hearing anyone talk 'bout David Ragan! (PRN)
Kevin is showing 2 laps down I wish pit road reporter would tell us why?
Why would you go to commercial if you just stated that the leaders should be in, in 3 laps?
kudos to espn for jumping out of commercial to cover pit stops
Vicky, his car is horrible. He lost 1 on the track.
He is only a lap down BTW. He was 2 down because of the pit cycle and he was one of the first cars in. Now that it cycled he is 1 lap down.
kudos to espn for jumping out of commercial to cover pit stops
Harvick is scored only 1 down. The 2nd lap was due to green flag pit stops and once they cycled through he was scored as 1 lap down again.
Thanks David & Robyn, but wish the broadcast team could tell the viewers.
david, I am not in the DWTS demographic. Never seen American Idol either!
Hey, Jason Leffler is second now. He's been moving up for a bit, hope little Lefturn can swamp SDDD.
JD- Wouldn't watch any of that mind garbage.
Me either JD. I just hear the promos ALL the time. watch idol a tiny bit but not a huge fanatic.
How in the heck did that happen to Biff?
Don't watch those shows either, JD and I think I am in the demographic.
Jerry is fading. Needs to tell us who is where and why. DJ and Andy are telling us the info instead.
Oh well for Lefturn...
Those shows are part of 'pop culture' and I have been anti- 'pop culture' since I was 13. I'll take older shows anyday.
I only watched DWTS when Helio was on. SDDD is about 4 secs in front of Biff.
At lap 101, SDDD was 1.362 seconds ahead of Vickers.
Never mind about my last comment. I was behind.
I am missing Rick Allen right now.
Yep, great racing DJ and no one is excited about it!
There you go hotaru.
Huh, what?
PRN on commercial...
What did happen to Da Biff?
Doug Rice nearly said 'Brendan McDowell'.
Ha!
How can an ex CUP guy be a rookie? Or is it for ROTY points? Talking about Gaughan.
@ hotaru, they showed David racing with I forgot. Then Barrett hit the wall.
JP needs a power nap - he's fading fast!
Brendan has never run in NW prior to this I think the reason.
Marcos Ambrose will be with Michael Waltrip and Steve Byrnes Monday on TWIN.
Biff and Knaus on vaca...
Oh... I don't have the TV on.
Vick, when he starts calling the names and numbers of the cars all the time he is done.
Gaughan is running for ROTY in the NW series. The same way Johnny Sauter is running for ROTY in the truck series. If you meet the ROTY requirements, you can run for ROTY, no matter what your experience level is.
Yeah. Andretti did the same thing a few years ago. Brendan never ran a NW race until this year therefore he is a rookie in the series by default
@ JD, oh, I can't wait. Should be a good show. Now I want the long weekend to be over fast.
And Nascar wonders why the ratings are dropping? Who wants to watch if one guy wins every week? If the 18 wins this one.....I know I'm not going to finish watching this race. Somethings gotta give with Nascar and Kyle winning everything.
It is like they have changed Directors. The first part of the race had a lot of bummer cams and in car view. Now there is wider shots.
anon 10:25- I've felt that way for the past year or so.
I might not make it either.
Thanks guys. I know all that. I just think it's silly that they are considered rookies.
A person can tell when Punch has worn down....he becomes more and more monotone sounding.
A long green flag run like there is now is tough on Punch because there's nothing for him to talk about that he prepared for. You gotta be able to talk about something, anything, race-related....but Punch doesn't have the ability to do that.
Didn't Jeff Gordon get the same type of reaction as KB when he came into NASCAR and won all the time? JD, you should know the answer to this.
Mike, you can hardly wait for the Brickyard 400 and Punch to take over the last 17 races, right?
You have to remember to that Richard Petty won a few.
@ Mike, we've discussed this at length. JP is just not spontaneous.
@ Anon 10:25, I agree with you. SDDD really ruins racing for me. I'm always hoping something happens to him. No, not him, the car.
actually one winner in the past didn't affect things..gordon one year won like 11 races i think... but kyle isn't a likable guy at this point.
wasn't there one year when earnhardts team found a part that gave them an advantage for a year or two before others found it.. this could be what kyle has..but wouldn't they share that with the other team members
would be funny if they end up finding something illegal
Karen, Jeff was a nerd, but a nerd with manners. He learned how to play the game quickly.
First driver to get a NYC agent and first to host a non-racing TV show. He was a media pioneer.
In real life, a nice guy as well.
@ bozo, like magnets on the gas pedal?
With JG it was different. He was only winning in Cup, NOT an under series.
Jeff was more like Steve Wallace when he did the Busch Series.
He wadded-up that Baby Ruth Ford at tracks nationwide.
Wow, talking about an NW team.
A nerd? You've got to be kidding me.
Karen, did you ever see that moustache?
I never thought Gordon was a nerd.
I am not even going to bring up the mullet.....
kudos to espn for jumping out of commercial to cover pit stops
Well... dorky with it, not nerdy
Time for some fake debris. Field way too spread out.
Vickers is slowly gaining on SDDD. The lead is now less than a second.
If Kyle doesnt win the championship, the wins are irrelevant IMO.
Doesnt bother me a bit. Guys being dominant are a part of the sport and it comes in cycles. It doesnt last forever and it wont for Kyle either.
Yeah, it's really funny to watch old races online and see how odd wad everyone looked... Kyle Petty comes to mind for me... what's with those shirts he wore back in '93.
Brian's gaining... go Bri!
Anon at 10:35 - but the director should have known the pitstops were going to come up anyway. That's what the pit road folks and others behind the scenes should be keeping up with.
He sure was a lady killer. That is why those gay rumors were so funny.
The girls loved him!
And what were some of you saying a half hour ago?
Watch the whole race please...
lol. you guys kill me with the panic buttons
JD- Oddly enough, some people still think he's gay.
Yeah, Brian to the lead!
Vickers blows by Shrub and extends the lead and Brad D. says "Vickers might have something for Kyle" ?
david, everyone is equal here OK?
This race has plenty enough time for SDDD to come back and spoil the night.
@JD--You've never seen Idol! SHOCK! :p. I get into the tryouts and then of course enjoy seeing how some do because I do get a favorite or two. Then I get sucked into the whole mess. But regardless of who has true talent the teeny boppers get the final say :(.
@Dot--it's because he's never run in the series. So he's able to run for ROTY as long as he hasn't made more than the 7 or 8 races that takes you out of contention. Cousin Carl won ROTY in Busch and the Pick 'em Ups. He missed it in Cup as he ran 8 or 9 races when Jeff left Roush. It's the same with Schrader, if he runs in N'wide or Pick 'em Ups at a track (as unbelievable as that sounds) he's never been to in that series he gets the Rookie stripe for that race. He's had to do that a few times and got some fun jabs from the boyz :). I also think he has to go to the Rookie meeting and such.
well good news, now some of you can continue to watch the race! Kyle isn't leading anymore. Maybe ratings can go up now too since it isn't sooooo predictable.
JD, some people were packing it in for the night giving Kyle the trophy. just finding it funny how things change in 20 laps.
Not trying to sound malicious or anything.
This is why we watch the races. Kyle could lead 199 laps but if he doesnt lead lap 200 whats it matter?
Never understood why people would just stop watching a race because someone they dont like is leading.
Really liking the streamlined ESPN production
I'll share a quick Jeff Gordon story. He was racing a sprint at a dirt track in Central Illinois. His first 2 races for the owner he wrecked the car. The owner let him go and said, "son, you're not cut out to be a race car driver....I'd advise you to line up something else to do that doesn't involve driving a vehicle."
Anyone feeling excitement from this telecast right now?
Build up to the final run?
knew that would happen, only 4 on the lead lap and kyle is one of them
a little slow on the replay of the wreck
HAHAHAHAHA I won a race online like this before. Only Truck on my lap!
Nice call Blissy!
Hi Gymmie our historian. Thanks for the lesson. Still seems silly to me. It's like they don't know how to drive. Winning ROTY doesn't really mean anything anymore. Ask Danny O'Quinn and others.
Confusion in the booth. Who's on first?.....
So there is 1 car on the lead lap, and a bunch that are tail end, this should be interesting
Mike, I have some good JG stories. We had lots of fun with him in his early years. Dale Sr. just loved to yank his chain all the time.
JD you'll have to tell us those stories some time
I've come to the conclusion Punch wants to be the PBP guy....but then when it gets an hour into the race, he'd rather not be the PBP guy. I really don't think he enjoys doing PBP....at least that's how he sounds.
It wasn't "We have trouble in one of the corners as the #81 is up against the wall!" Instead we get "the 81 car has made contact with the wall....caution is out for the Xth time tonight"
The voice of racing...Brent Musburger!
Sounds like Brent converted his Rose Bowl promo read last year into his Indy 500 promo read.
Now Brent really wants to make me watch the Indy 500 :p
If the Camping World truck announcers were doing this race, they would be going nuts by now.
Mike Bliss is ruining ESPN's script right now. Bet they show a lot of KB sailing through the corners passing cars til he gets up front!
He replaced "The Grandaddy of them all" (the Rose Bowl) with "The Greatest Spectacle of Racing".
Mike, I honestly don't think he does. All we suggested was that ESPN switch Jerry and AB for one Nationwide race and see how the vibe was.
When AB did the stand-alone Nationwide Series races he was fun and much looser than his NBC days.
Now, it looks like ESPN is locked in again with Punch in the PXP role for the Cup coverage. Such a shame.
Remember when Bliss about won the Sprint Showdown a few years ago? Surprised they didn't show that highlight...granted it was a Cup race.
Vicky Kyle is up front he just happens to be in third.
Bliss didnt win did he? He got turned by Vickers at the line didnt he? Finished 2nd i thought
This whole senario always is a little nuts... interesting, but nuts.
this is not a james finch type car. thank you to the voice of reason - Dale Jarett
Thats it, talk about baseball with just 40 laps to go.
No, Bliss didn't win the Showdown....but I figured they'd show the highlight to show how close he came...plus it involved a highlight of a wreck.
NRF - isn't Kyle a lap down though?
Tail end lead lap
Nope, tail end of the lead lap along with 10 others, quick caution will fix everything
Jerry is just off balance. What he said was all wrong. Now he gets pumped for the promo but nothing about the race.
The excitement level would be sky high right now with another announcer.
@ VickyD, SDDD is 3rd. JP just explained it.
This is one of the scary tail of the lead lap cars in front of the leaders re-starts.
Bliss has won here before.
The name of the race...
...The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie 300!
(just thought that was funny)
I will be so surprised if this thing goes green for the last 50 laps.
Jerry had a little re-surgence...."look at this mess here" that was good.
DIG BRENDAN!!!! DIGGGG!!!
Who would've thought Bliss and Gaughan would be the stars of the show right now? Of course JP has to be mention SDDD.
bad spotter not to tell bliss he was coming up..
speaking of spongebob...haven't seen the creepy king commercials lately. Although, they now have some star trek promo going and those are creepy in a different kind of way.
Like I said... nuts.
how ironic if Brendan would win on the weekend that rusty isn't at the track.
I think once Bliss realized he was in 2nd that he better get up on the wheel. Walking away from Brendan now
Please be a deluge. Please, please please.
Awesome battle for the lead!
All that good racing and not one bit of excitement.
I really can understand how the casual fans can just tune-out.
Now wouldn't this be an interesting ending to this race if the rain continues.
How long are they going to wait to explain to people that the tail end cars will come around and be right behind the leader on the lead lap?
hmmmmmmmmm..........rain with a handful to go
If the track gets fully wet that the race will get called.
I thought there was no more rain on the forecast... goes to show you I wasn't paying attention earlier.
I dislike Mike Bliss, but still better than SDDD if he does win.
Shannon and emotion question, I really dislike those
tough call now.. race tomorrow, it's late already.. who makes the call nascar or tv?
I don't like the paint scheme on the Klondike 5. Can't see the # from a distance.
somebody framed that shot on purpose!
They won't race tomorrow....they're already pass that point.
On Weather.com it looks like this is just one rain cloud and clear after that.
What do the parking lots look like @ Charlotte? Are they paved or dirt/gravel?
bozo, it is always NASCAR. TV has nothing to say either to start or end.
Karen its not as bad as the Fastenal scheme
@Dot--agreed. It seems that your record doesn't mean much any more. Either have to luck in to a spot or have that "look" that the sponsors want at that particular time.
Dot, some are gravel, some are paved. Most are gravel though. Or grass. I parked in em before lol
Dot, we went to Charlotte several years ago for a Busch race, and we parked on grass but it was dry that day.
The track isn't shiny wet....so they should be in good shape to get re-started.
Uh-oh. Looks like Bliss messed up the script. The wrong car might come back from an engine change to win the race.
Thanks guys. I would hate to have to walk in the puddles and mud. I hope they call the race.
when i said race tomorrow meant the 600 and the fact that all the cup teams in this race..
JD - wasn't there a race this year they called real quick when it rained and there was some conversation that one of the reasons was to have a conclusion for the tv fans
When I went in 2004... the souvenir haulers were in a very rocky area... hard to push a wheelchair or stroller.
Again, we wait.
bozo- The Daytona 500!
If they restart, the cameras will be isolated on one car. The same car that AB spent 70% of the highlights talking about.
which shot were you talking about jd? the one with Jason Ratcliff?
The TV coverage is an element just like the radio, the International TV and the track operations.
Sending them back out!
haus, the one with the future Ms. Busch. Check your recorder.
David, what's the Fastenal car #? Must be pretty bad since I don't even know who it is.
@ Mike, I bet you're right.
Late night!
And tomorrow (soon to be today) is full of racing too. I wanted to get up for Monaco.
#5. Jr ran it a few races ago.
i did that is why i asked. it looked as if they tried to include a little something extra in that shot
Bliss has to hold off Kyle Busch, according to AB....I guess Gaughan isn't in 2nd place.
Dang it. Doesn't SDDD owe Bliss one?
JD, Do you know whether NASCAR will take into account how much time the track will need to clean up, etc. before the 600 in deciding when, oe whether, to call the race?
What did I tell y'all? SDDD still could ruin this race.
@ Mike, Gaughan is invisible. Not in the script, ya know? SDDD will sail right past him.
Harder rain.
Karen:
http://jayski.com/schemes/2009/nationwide/images/texas1/5-fastenal-tx1.jpg
Where'd Rusty come from?
This race is done, as far as I'm concerned....I'll be surprised if they get it going again.
I would really like to see Bliss win this race. He's due.
Rusty apparently vacationing at the track
richard, those are called track logistics and they are always one element in the process.
Doggone...it's Rusty
car covers coming on, not a good sign, it's 11:30 they can't wait long, people in the stands, full race tomorrow, same track workers?
Are the officials tomorrow the same as tonight in the pits and stuff?
My guess is seven minutes to cancellation.
Just call it already. Script be damned.
Aren't there NW officials and Cup officials as in different people
Thats what I figured JD. they would give it to the bottom of the hour to get it going again with solid drying efforts
That's what I'm thinking, JD....Call it at 11:29....interview Bliss and call it a night.
Bliss is taking everything off....I think it's soon to being called.
The PRN wet-tshirt contest... oh brother...
they didn't cover his car..going to victory lane?
11:25 so they can interview and 11:30 sign off
Am I having a flashback? Did that shot of Bliss look all wavy to you guys too?
YAY!!!!!! SDDD is 3rd. Has to do an interview.
See how Brett McMillen with PRN had to wait? TV is always first live and radio is second.
JP is tired - this race needs to be called.
The TV and Radio (Spake for ESPN & McMillan for PRN) people are in position....i'm assuming they've been given the cue the official call is coming any second now.
Clean off the camera
Man, 3 laps sooner.
How bout that? An Odd Wad NW driver won in his own series.
Yeah, but again, I don't particularly care for Bliss.. except on this night.
Don't sound so excited, JP, on mentioning Bliss is the winner after his interview.
Well that was exciting. What was the restart order and how did they all get there like that?
The script has been deviated from! Yes!
Bliss wins, but all that matters is where Shrub and Edwards finished. LOL
off by 11:30 on the dot
Mike- to ESPN, sadly that's the case.
Hey guys, don't forget we are live blogging the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 tomorrow.
Please join us and thanks for stopping by tonight.
JD
Whats the green flag for Indy tomorrow?
wow, lets hurry off the air so we can get to "3"
Top 10? Any interviews?
I'll be here. Hopefully we don't get rain for the 600.
David Ragan ended up 7th. Oh well, we'll take it.
Long night, see you tomorrow! :)
This race already over ran by an hour and ahalf tho, so ill cut them slack for getting off the air as fast as they did. Solid job tonight though i felt.
JD, What, no F1 blog?
Many thanks.
JD, are you offering frequent watching miles rewards?
It's going to be busy at TDP. See you Planeteers tomorrow. Thanks JD. XOXO
@David - Just go to the homepage of Daly Planet and look to your right and you will see schedules of what is on and a what time it starts.
Richard, the F-1 telecast is just a voice-over of a pre-produced feed by the guys in Charlotte.
The Indy 500 is a special telecast so we blog it. Got to talk about Brent every time he leaves the ranch!
Daly Planet Editor said...Got to talk about Brent every time he leaves the ranch!
Oh no! Not the Musberger! Man I thought we were rid of him in the auto sports side of ABC.
Finally, a use for Guantanamo!
Post a Comment