Perhaps the biggest challenge on the TNT schedule is the road course in Sonoma, CA. This race has resulted in some memorable moments for the TV network. This Sunday, the challenge comes around again.
So far, TNT has been nothing short of a breath of fresh air between the rather tired formula of Fox and the formality of ESPN. Marc Fein is reporting that it is rather windy down on the outdoor TNT infield stage for the one hour pre-race show.
Fein will be joined at 3:30PM ET by Kyle Petty and Larry McReynolds for NASCAR on TNT Live. This week, the Pride of NASCAR feature is on Dan Gurney. TNT has also put together a Father's Day feature on David Ragan and his dad. The on-set guest will be the one and only Kyle Busch.
At 4:30PM the TV coverage shifts upstairs to the TNT booth with Bill Weber and Wally Dallenbach for the Countdown to Green show. Weber has been doing a good job of running Dallenbach through the stories of the race at a fast pace. This show also features the new Wally's World, where Dallenbach is superimposed over footage of the track to explain the layout to viewers.
Petty then joins that duo to call the race. Down on pit road will be Marty Snider, Matt Yocum, Ralph Sheheen and Lindsay Czarniak. This group will have their work cut out for them with the reverse side pit stops on this road course. As viewers may remember, the pit stop strategy is also very different from ovals.
TNT should have a very different race on its hands with the new restart rules. Turn 2 should be an action corner and the dynamic of the race as a whole may be changed radically. Look for Director Mike Wells to keep the cameras wide and hunt for the racing on this road course wherever it happens.
RaceBuddy will also play a good role with four additional camera angles available to broadband computer users free of charge. There will also be a designated pit reporter just for the online coverage and all the other RaceBuddy features.
Petty and Fein have also been using Twitter during the race to communicate directly with the fans. Fein spent Saturday asking users for questions for various drivers who are being considered as pre-race guests. Petty offers exclusive pictures, comments and answers questions during the race. TDP is TheDalyPlanet on Twitter.
This post will serve to host your comments about the TNT coverage from Sonoma. To add your TV-related opinion, just click on the comments button below. This is a family-friendly website, please keep that in mind when posting.
We appreciate you stopping by this weekend to share your opinions with us.
303 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 303 of 303@brad, I agree.
I'm not a road fan, but this race is GOOD!
Uh oh.
That was weird.
They even have good stories unfolding.
I'm not a fan of roadracing because with the different pit strategies, I don't know who is really the frontrunner. The leader may or may not have the best chance of winning. I just watch cars turning curves and trusting that the talking heads have a clue (but I doubt it.)
Just got home and turned the race on ,good or bad race?
@ Rich, good. Hardly any comments on TDP.
So much better than the Indycar race with only 4 cars on the lead lap.
There will be many exciting stories. Did Ambrose hurt his car? Will Tony run down Kasey?
What about Juan?
MW on Twitter: boris has some good feets. i bet that dude can dance. dancin w the stars?
I like KP being in the booth too. Love hearing his stories.
just read some post ,guess I will have watch it later I'm recording it
Larry Mac right about cautions. Denny has been a pin ball machine out there.
Enjoyable race and telecast.
I'm a bit late for this, but WHY are there markers saying "Turn 5" or whatever? Reminds me of those unnecessary restart pylons.
un-necessary in car shots.
business is definately pickin up!!!
@Alex --- markers?
That was an awkward sounding lead-in to a commercial break.
Alex, I wondered, too, whether that was superimposed but it's only on Turn 5.
Blogger TexasRaceLady said...
@Alex --- markers?
There's a CG sign at the top of the hill saying "Turn 2" then down towards the backstretch, there's one saying "Turn 5."
Oh, guess I've just not seen them.
Thanks.
Is anyone else getting annoyed by the fact that the only commentary coming out of the booth for long stretches is "Whoa, Whoa, Whoooooooooa - that was close" and "Ooooooooooooh"
Anyone notice that pit buddy on race buddy is very slow on updates?
never anything wrong with letting the pictures tell the story!
I don't think the pitroad reporters should talk to boring cc's.
That's Wally's trademark....
Bill
i had to shut rb off about 4 minutes ago for some reason it went crazy. had been working great up until now!!
Good explanation of what happened with that wreck.
OK....that's just goofy.
@ ANON. At least if you have to leave the room and can still hear it you know to come back and see what happened (unlike last nights N'Wide race)
let me add to my last post. it's alright to let the pictures tell the story if you are just going to give us mindless droning about nothing. they do not always have to be talking just to be talking. last night would have been a good time for espn to let the pictures to tell the story!
Right on, Rich T.
The guys in the booth for TNT act like race fans,espn guys act like they are doing a job and can't wait to go home.
hey gang. i couldn't stay away so i'm joining for the last 20 laps. will catch up on the comments after the race!
@ red, needed your TDP fix, didn't ya?
Hey Red.
i know nascar instructed the tv media to use "shoot out style" but that is really getting annoying!
copy that, dot! freakin' site is flatout addictive!
hey, steve!
are we seeing a decent broadcast today? i know these last 4-5 laps have been impressive: great energy, good information.
Great pictures by the Turner crew!
As Dan Dierdorf would pander--Great Job in the Truck guys....
@ Brad---I was thinking that myself.
Good race, great stories and super TV coverage.
New restarts really changed the race totally from what it was in the past.
Fellows is inside the top ten. That 09 car is really incredible--when it runs, its in contention.
Imagine if they had any other sponsors.
Sure puts the NW race last night to shame!
Went to a road course and a short track race broke out.
I've only noticed the corner pylons on replays. So to me it helps the viewer better understand where.
Posts are slow so that usually means one thing of two things... a race broke out and people are watching it or no one is watching. I'll lean towards #1 because this one is pretty interesting.
The announcers are doing great because they aren't in your face inferring all their sponsors or all the other bs that some other networks push. Plus they seem to be enjoying the race instead of watching it. I'll take that over storytime by the fire for race coverage any day.
Is TNT reading this? Bill didn't say "Shootout Style".
one of the great features of the road courses is that it almost forces the producers to pick long views so we actually get to see more of the field.
Now THAT is a piece of debris lol
BILL is being sarcastic with the shootout, obviously the boys discussed this and know how stupid it is....
We always ask for them to show us the debris. And I must say, this is not a phantom caution!
Can this be more nerve wracking? The cautions are killing me. Marcos is 3rd, I'm a nervous Nellie.
seems like a BRISTOL race before the changed the track
Well, as we all know, the hardest part of covering these races on TV is the final couple of laps.
This is going to be a challenge.
robbie gordon must be really ticked now, they stayed out in case of green/white/checker...with all of these cautions they didn't have to worry about it.
Any idea if Brad is on the Monday roundtable this week?
If a fan did run out there for that piece of debris, they'd have burned hands for sure.
@Rich T--agreed on both. The TNT guys reactions get you running back in to see what you're missing *crickets* doesn't do that.
Craven, Mike Wallace and Ray Evernham with AB on NASCAR Now.
Mikey and Chad with Steve B. on TWIN.
Television doesn't do justice to show the elevations of the course. That's where some of the in-cars are good.
I'll be fizzed up if Marcos finishes 3rd.
I am thinking that Victory Lane on SPEED is going to be live at 8:30PM.
I am ENJOYING this road course and TNT!!!
ESPN should be FIRED out of contract for behavior detrimental to STOCK CAR RACING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE TNT :)
JD as you said = no / fewer comments.
Dot - good one!!!!! Go MA.
A like the info above the ticker....the constant showing of the telemetry between Kahne and Stewart.
@ dear Sophia, I am too. Thanks Vicky D.
jr. went from top ten to 30 something..just can't buy a break
I'm shakin & sweatin.
hang in there, dot!
GWC, bad word me.
This should make for a wild restart
wow. what a finish this is going to be.
and weber calls it " a double file restart"! thank you, mr weber, thank you!
They couldn't have been too far away from this being an official race....they weren't too far away on the course from taking the white flag.
OK, now I'm a puddle.
Road course specialist seem to be playing bumper cars today.
GWC messing up a great race.
Pretty sure there will be no post race tonight in TNT - they are running out of time
This is one of those situations where someone will lose a lot of spots from being spun. The GWC at a road-course is a recipe for that.
Bill H
Yes we go from racing off the broadcast to FILLER junk to truly running overtime.
I asked Kyle on Twitter about leaving early but have been TOO BUSY watching TNT and the race.
Advertising post race on nascar.com. :(
congradulations, dot!!
well earned win #9
YAY Marcos 3rd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks, red.
TNT THANKS for the FINISH tonight and EXCELLENT drop down of winners.
(TAKE NOTES BSPN, your sliding across the tracker in groups who won STINKS!)
This finish drop down was EASY TO SEE and stayed on LONG ENOUGH to read it.
Wow...so glued to the broadcast, I stayed off laptop.
well that was not a boring telecast
Nice job, hope we get some interviews before TNT leaves the air.
p.s. Congrats KASEY!
thanks TNT for a good day today.
Thank you, thank you, thank you TNT.
The finish was fantastic ! ! !
Congrats to Kasey & RPM. Great broadcast by BillW, Wally & KP & pitroad folks.
Really great race and very exciting. Too busy watching to post during the race. Hey, no signing off too early on this race.
I know it's her job, but that Sprint Cup girl drives me crazy. She has to be in every shot of the winner, smiling like a wierdo and nodding her head like she knows what's going on.
Dot there's your man, Marcos!
He is always SO GRATEFUL to be in the race!!!
Just like that gracious Kyle Bush.
MEOW HISS&^#%!^!@
Did they even mention Sadler, Carpentier, Papis? At least they showed teh finishing order. Amazing that Shrub got 22nd after his day.
Hey look, TNT lists Marcos as starting 41st not starting 3rd like Nascar's result sheet will show.
Sadler and Carpentier were mentioned EARLIER...not sure about Papis now that you mention it..I did nod off for about 20 minutes from fatigue (NOT FROM BOREDOM!!) and dont' know what happened then.
Hi Everyone. So happy for Marcos. This was a very good race and TNT did themselves proud. Happy to see the Shrub didn't do well, sorry Shrub fans.
Question: How did Scott Speed get in the race? He failed to qualify, so who's car and points did he take over? I was with my dad today and just came home, so I may have missed what they may have said early on regarding to Speed.
BTW, anon, I agree about the Sprint girl. She really knows how to stick her nose in all the shots.
Kurt is more gracious than his punk brother. JJ there for a quick I'm sorry.
speed got in nemechek's car. the sprint girl gets paid to be in all the victory lane shots. it is the sprint cup series.
Bill Broderick of 76 used to be in all those post-race victory lane shots too.
The Hatman lives....
Loved the coverage by TNT.
Great race and even better coverage.
Why couldn't someone from KuB's team tell him JJ said sorry? JJ has class to tell him in person after the race.
What's the fewest comments on TDP for a CUP race? Normally we'd be at about 600ish.
Super race. First time I'd used Race Buddy and I was impressed. Post-race is still on PRN.
Thanks for stopping by folks, there will be a new column up later for your comments.
JD
I must have been watching a different race entirely. For example I saw the last 10 laps show almost entirely (with Ambrose just a couple of times) the first 2 cars. I saw the first 2 cars follow each other and never did Stewart have a chance to make a legitimate move on the leader, not once. I noticed during that time by the scoring that there was passing going on in the top 10 otherwise.
TNT played follow the leader. Boring. The TNT producer directly at fault for that. He has proved the last 3 races he can not follow stories. And that is exactly what is making the fans tune off of NASCAR.
JD, have some courage and admit as much.
Happy to have your opinion, don't agree with judging the race on your view of the last couple of laps.
I thought the coverage was great. At the end they showed the top 3 because there was potential for a battle and 2nd and 3rd you could see them posturing for a way to get by. Any TnT faults are still better then the previous' coverage.
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