Friday, May 8, 2009

Live Blogging The Nationwide Series From Darlington On ESPN2


ESPN2 covers the Nationwide Series race from Darlington, SC tonight live. There was rain today, so expect a full update when Allen Bestwick goes live at 7PM with the NASCAR Countdown show.

Bestwick will be joined by Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty. Dale Jarrett is on vacation, so Wallace will then join Dr. Jerry Punch and Andy Petree in the announce booth to call the race. Shannon Spake, Jamie Little, Dave Burns and Mike Massaro will cover the action from pit road.

The Nationwide Series once again is a story of the "haves and the have nots." The Sprint Cup Series teams and drivers who cross-over into this series have been dominating for several seasons now, right down to winning the points championship.

This field is a mix of all kinds of teams from the top Cup Series pros to the start-and-park brigade. It should make for an interesting race, especially the first fuel run where everyone is on the track.

ESPN always makes good pictures and sound, so the Darlington stripe should be on display as the cars run inches from the wall lap after lap. Hopefully, Punch and company update the field and keep talking about the action on the track, not the script that ESPN hopes is created. That script often involves two drivers named Carl and Kyle.

This post will serve to host your TV-related comments on the Nationwide Series race from Darlington on ESPN2. Just click the comments button below to add your opinion. This is a family-friendly website, please keep that in mind when posting.

Thank you for taking time out of your Friday to stop by The Daly Planet.

238 comments:

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glenc1 said...

Leave it to Katie to get rid of the confetti....

I don't really blame Kyle for being mad tonight. But maybe it's kharma...

Good thing FOX will be covering the race tomorrow, if Jamie had Roush cars, it mighta been bad, lol.

Sophia said...

@Jack

They still say KB maturing? are you kidding me? He has a hissy fit everytime he loses.

He will never grow up.

Still the camera could've let up.

Kyle's opened his mouth too much to insert both feet.

He needs to look up the word gratitude sometime, too.

Vicky D said...

And I didn't hear anyone say, the very pregnant Katie Kenseth so that's a good thing. The media should realize they won't get a good interview with KB if he doesn't win, so why bother chasing him for it.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jack from PA said...

@ Sophia,

I recall over the last few months seeing a couple headlines (like one today on NASCAR.com) that said something about Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson talking about Kyle Busch's maturation. I don't buy it either, that's why I laugh when I hear someone say that. I think about times like this where he could very easily say "hey, we got 500 miles tomorrow night to win one." Guess not.

Anonymous said...

Kyle's choices are not limited to "be a jerk/be insincere/run away."

Well, maybe they are right now, but once he grows up, he will have other options.

Newracefan said...

I'm OK with Kyle leaving without commenting, I am pretty sure other drivers who had days like he just did do the same thing but they don't get followed by the camera. I know for a fact JJ has left without talking after a bad result. I wonder if anyone would even think to ask if we were not treated with the stalking (both Kyle's and the camera)

glenc1 said...

Pops has the deal right. He could probably whip Kyle Busch into shape, lol. I agree JD...Kyle just doesn't seem to mature, even Kurt did.

Did we ever discuss if producers tell the pit reporters what to do, or is it their own call?

Daly Planet Editor said...

David,

This is the big time and TV time is key to this entire sport.

Explaining the emotion, no matter how good or bad it is made this sport on TV.

Find me another driver who does this and then wants TV to listen while he endorses everything when he wins?

He is not going to get away with that much longer in primetime on ESPN.

JD

Dot said...

@ haus20, I didn't realize that you're a SDDD fan. I never meant to offend you.

@ JD, SDDD has been acting this way for seasons. The media feeds on his attitude. Let's hope TNT has been paying attention. There isn't any hope in the NW series, it will still be all Kyle all the time.

Haus14 said...

As much as I agree that Kyle needs to carry himself better when things don't go his way, I can't say I blame him tonight. He led the first 149 laps of a 152 lap race. He cuts a tire due to debris from a wreck in whicn he wasn't involved and pits so he doesn't wreck himself on the restart. After he pits he sees that if he would have stayed out he very likely would have won. I don't think i would be very inclined to talk to the media nor would i expect anyone else to talk either. He didn't throw anything, he didn't say anything, he didn't even run this time. He simply walked away.

Haus14 said...

Dot - not offended at all don't worry about it. I understand that everyone has their likes and dislikes.

Jack from PA said...

The reason I'm dissing Kyle is because of all the success he has. He should realize that no matter what happens in this race that he is still a successful race car driver who can win almost at will. Plus, there's no reason he shouldn't have gone to his motorhome then come out 10 minutes later a little more calm.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Different media. He walked on live TV in primetime. Should be interesting to see how NASCAR Now handles that tomorrow with Ricky Craven on the set.

Anonymous said...

I don't think i would be very inclined to talk to the media nor would i expect anyone else to talk either.

For what he's being paid, he ought to get inclined.

Just the like grown-up drivers do when they have a bad day.

Sophia said...

I like Smoke and we've all seen Tony throw a hissy on occassion or stay clear until he cooled down (or a once or twice Zippy had to be interviewed)

But with Kyle, I thought the first camera tonight was ok..the second one later STILL on him...that was too much.

But totally agree, this boy needs to get with the program. Be grateful for the job/opportunity you have (AND THERE ARE MANY things for him to be grateful for)

And even tho tonight's loss was hard, he is almost like this each time he loses.

yes he's a great driver but until people can learn to have EMPATHY for this young man, he's not going to win new friends or influence people (aside from winning)

darbar said...

While I'm not a Logano fan, he has more maturity in his little finger than Shrubbie has in his entire body--and he's a number of years younger. There comes a point in time when the maturity excuse goes away. Shrub is not a youngster anymore, and while his passion for the sport can be admired, the nasty attitude needs to be admonished.

Sophia said...

JD

Totally forgot about being a night race and prime time!duh

Jack

we made similar posts, only different words.

:)

Sophia said...

darbar

Why do I hear Rick Hendricks voice suddenly..what was it he said? How old are you Kyle? 23? but he acts 18 or something.

Meow ouch!

The Loose Wheel said...

Maybe I just dont get the idea of we need to hear everything at every moment for every driver in every situation. Some guys just carry themselves better with their emotions after something like that, some dont.

Kyle has all but said on numerous occasions that its win or nothing, so why is an interview needed in this case? Especially judging from the Carl interview, ESPN would have just thrown bait out there to stir Kyle up and get a sound byte to play on NN all week.

Kyle walking away without saying a single word said just as much to me as if he would have stayed and done an interview. It troubles me that the sport has really turned into a tv show in many cases and the real racing and real emotion that it carries gets swept under the rug due to dollars and television political correctness.

I just dont see the obligation Kyle had to sit there and do an interview. He will get asked about it tomorrow between Raceday and the FOX pre-race for anyone that REALLY wants to hear what he'll have to say.

Just dont get why someone'd press to hear what he would say when he would get strung up for saying what he was thinking had he gave an interview.

Call it immaturity if you want but the fact he doesnt put his foot in his mouth the way he had in the past shows he has made tremendous strides for Kyle Busch. Maybe that isnt good enough for the masses at large but it really doesnt bother me nor should it bother anyone else. Look at it this way, one less interview with him is possibly one more with a Nationwide only driver! lol. (trying to look at the glass half full!)

Daly Planet Editor said...

Love to be a fly on the wall in the ESPN post-race meeting in the TV compound.

Richard in N.C. said...

I presume that Kyle is more likely to get stalked when he has a disappointing result as long as it is safe to assume he will act like a jerk on camera. If he made some brief comment, he might get a pass sometimes. I would have to say he's gotten more mature on track though.

To 9:58 I could find nothing on FOX Sports on MSN about the N-wide race except for a post of an AP article. Maybe I'm missing something, but this week and last week it has appeared to me that FOX Sports has quit following the N-wide races live on internet.

Dot said...

Didn't SDDD read the manual to become a race car driver. I think there's a chapter about your life not being yours anymore.

It's part of being a famous winning stock car driver. This is a lot like other celebrities. You can't be famous on your own terms.

If he doesn't like the media attention, he needs to quit winning and become an Odd Wad.

Kyle, go talk to those guys. They'd give a body part to have a 10th of the coverage you get.

Daly Planet Editor said...

David,

Let me help you with this. It is immaturity. No higher form of motorsports in the US. Kyle is one of the highest profile drivers in the country right now.

He was not wrecked. His engine did not blow up. He ran over debris and could have told us he did not think it was fair to run the field through all that crap shown on TV.

When you walk away, it's not about us debating what we know. It's about the fact that we have missed everything Kyle is feeling and can tell us about his race tonight.

43 drivers start, one wins. Talking after not winning is how drivers learn TV.

IMHO, bad mistake tonight at a critical time for his team, that series and the sport.

JD

bozo said...

if i were kyle, would have said, look you don't have to ask me the question...yes i'm ticked that i didn't win the race, but given the success i had last weekend i guess it was my time... we'll get them tomorrow

darbar said...

David, most other drivers have the mic shoved in their faces after a disappointing incident, and they manage to answer their questions with grace, patience and dignity. Yeah, yeah, we know Shrub is disappointed and feels it's his right to win every single race he enters, but it's a well known fact that part and parcel of their job is facing the media, in good times and bad. But Shrub always behaves like a petulant 4 year old whenever things don't go his way, ie winning every single race. Stuff happens, and the mature driver would realize that ship happens in every race. Deal with it, Kyle !!!!

Jack from PA said...

I agree with you, JD,

He needs to realize that he's a high profile driver in NASCAR and to knock it off. It's prime time TV, NASCAR needs ratings, and that doesn't help. I would be more understanding if Kenseth wrecked him or something.

We also need to realize that this is ESPN. ANY footage of Kyle after the race is something that will stir controversy, so why not show him walking?

Daly Planet Editor said...

Hey guys, did they show the full hour of Trackside live today in the rain fill programming?

I was a bit busy with real life.

JD

darbar said...

JD, I have Trackside on my Tivo for auto taping. It isn't on my list for those shows already taped, and is scheduled to tape at 10pm Central Time. I just scrolled today's schedule on DTV and it's wasn't scheduled until 10pm.

Daly Planet Editor said...

dar,

They showed it live during the afternoon rain delay as it was being taped. I just wondered if they showed the full hour live.

Wait till you see the soaked fans standing behind the announcers.

That SPEED Stage is a mess!

JD

Anonymous said...

I missed the race, was watching the 'Canes beat the Bruins. But I can read the comments and understand what happened.

I always think about the other winning driver who was often a real jerk to the TV guys when he lost or was knocked out....that would be #3. One of the reasons a lot of people did not like him when he was alive. It does not make it right, but it sure showed he had a intensity and a burning desire to win.

Just a thought.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Thanks to everyone for stopping by. Join us Saturday night for the Cup race on Fox.

Have a great weekend!

JD

Haus14 said...

The guys talked about it during qualifying, but based on how they talked about it, I kind of inferred that it was not shown in its entirety.

Darbar, it wouldn't have recorded because it wouldn't have listed as trackside. It would have simply been listed as Nascar Racing because it was actually rain fill for the practice sessions.

Karen said...

JD, they did show all of it, I believe. I got bored with Bowyer but had the TV on.

Anonymous said...

The firesuits for pit reporters were first used by ESPN at the spring Darlington race in 1989. The suits were Dr. Punch's idea that he came up with after a huge fire broke out in Richard Petty's pit while Punch was doing a pitstop report in the 1989 spring Atlanta race and was almost burned. One of Petty's crew members was seriously burned in the incident and Punch decided he was never going on pit road again without one.

SonicAD said...

I believe Trackside ran in full, it came on at 3:30 and went off at 4:30, they didn't jump away during that hour as far as I could tell. I didn't even bother recording the 11PM showing.

Anonymous said...

LOL! @Karen! Yes that's partly why I posted in the other thread that I wished they had Mr. Pearson on the whole hour.

Sophia said...

gymmie

i also wish they would've had Pearson on the whole hour. I got bored quick with Clint (no offense) I LOVE seeing the legends. hard act to follow.

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