A new hat was thrown in the TV ring this week. From out of left field, a new daily NASCAR TV show has appeared at a very strange time and for rather suspicious reasons. The network is SPEED and the show is called NASCAR Race Hub. This expands the weekday NASCAR TV to three original series.
It will be Mike Massaro hosting ESPN's entry on Monday at 5PM ET in a show that does not re-air. NASCAR Now has been a big winner for ESPN2 this season. While normally hosted by Allen Bestwick, Massaro has been solid filling-in as the host.
The big gift for Massaro is that he has an all-star panel. Ricky Craven, Ray Evernham and Randy LaJoie will be making conversation and taking NASCAR. These three are absolutely the best combination on this Monday hour. Chemistry is tough to find on a three man TV panel, but this group is just great to watch.
Next up will be the new kid on the block. NASCAR Race Hub will be co-hosted by Adam Alexander and Krista Voda for the inaugural show at 7:30PM. This duo has been doing very well on The SPEED Report and is a good choice for this assignment.
Richard Petty will guest on this program. Voda will also update the rather interesting truck series test going on at Rockingham starring some unusual racing personalities. The location of the new thirty minute show is the SPEED studios and the network promises a new and unique setting. It should be interesting.
The day is capped with This Week in NASCAR at 8PM. This week the mix of personalities makes it a can't miss episode. Steve Byrnes gets the assignment of hosting this show which has recently undergone some personality and format changes. Byrnes is a veteran who can go with the flow on most anything.
Greg Biffle made the Chase and then struggled from the start. He had conflict with the Logano family on Saturday and then would up getting spun after a strong run on Sunday. Biffle has been working hard on his TV presence. Monday should give him a good opportunity to do a lot of explaining.
Michael Waltrip quietly made his way into the top twenty in the Sprint Cup Series race without as much as a peep from the ABC telecast. He has also been rumored to be courting Danica Patrick for a rent-a-ride and spoke to the media about wanting to run the entire Nationwide Series himself in 2010. This week, Waltrip may have to answer some questions from another panelist on those topics.
Jimmy Spencer returns after an outspoken weekend on NASCAR RaceDay. Spencer has lots of opinions on the teams and drivers in the Chase. It should be interesting to see if he is allowed to express them this Monday or continue to be the muted and user-friendly version of himself that appeared last week. Let's hope SPEED turns him loose to shake-up this TV series.
Monday is setting up to be a good day of TV viewing or recording, depending on your time zone and viewing habits. While NASCAR Now is sometimes rather scripted, the two SPEED shows both have lots of unknown factors and lots of potential.
TDP will have a column up shortly after TWIN to allow you to comment on all three shows. In the meantime, please feel free to offer your opinion about this topic on this post. Just click the comments button below. Thanks for taking the time to stop by.
45 comments:
The ball is really in TWIN's court now. If they are not careful, they are going to be the third-place show in a three-way race. This is kinda like a pit-stop for them: Are they going to make adjustments to get better or are they going to make the mistake of bringing the same old stuff every week. The addition of Spencer has been a pleasant surprise, but they should learn something from Knaus and keep adjusting. The new show has a lot of potential, and NASCAR Now has been really on fire lately. Hey, TWIN, time to step it up.
Should be some good tv tonight!
I'm looking forward to tonite for sure! veri word: undeal~hmmm.
My AT&T Uverse has not updated the schedule with new info. Hope it tapes anyway.
Well the first interesting thing just came from NN and all of the panel seemed to take nascars side on calling that caution that Kasey complained about. They said yeah it could of been some tape or it could of been some metal they dont know... hmm what do you all think? oh and good to see the overnight ratings up from the past 3 weeks so thats a plus but dont know why as espn/abc coverage stunk it up like no other!!!
The Danica seat-building thing was interesting, too.
Wonder if she saw Rick Hendrick's comments after the Fontana race yesterday though and what her reaction is?
Wow! HD viewing w/out HD...Krista's teeth are GLOWING!
Little rough to hear the King. Tough shadow with the hat...
Love the wardrobe on "Hub." They seem to have the same problem as TWIN with much louder commercials, tho.
WOW! They did catch the confrontation on TV!
Few comments on the new NASCAR Race Hub show.
First, 30 minutes is not long enough after you take out all the commercials.
Second, I think that it should be Tuesday through Friday during the season as Not to compete with This Week in NASCAR on Monday evenings. Then maybe if it was on two or three times a week during the off season.
NASCAR Race Hub shows some promise. I liked the very relaxed atmosphere. I do think the show needs to try some things the next few weeks and find its place. I also had some volume issues. The show volume was very low and the commercials were blasting.
I am really looking foward to tomorrow's roundtable
Interesting article in the Wall Street Journal today - "For NBC, Comcast, New Heft Vs. ESPN."
Memo to Nero Bodenheimer - They're coming (maybe).
okay, I liked it. very laid back & nice interaction between the gang. Altho I don't care for Hammond, he was much more comfortable there than the hotel.
Very enjoyable.
Just wish Richard had taken off the hat and sunglasses.
The Hub is a winner in my book.
Caught me funny that Ray was the only one on the set not in heels lol.
okay Greg, you can't have both sides of the story. Pick one or the other, please.
Seems Like Someone in the ear-piece of Jimmy Spenser muzzled him on commenting further on Biffles incident with Joey Lagano
Great Show! My kind of "garage";
shirt tails out, pitcher & glasses
at hand, and the King for company.
I did change the channel for the
blasting commercials. They are doing the same now on TWIN.
CLICK
The King is going to be on TWIN too? Now I don't think it is such a good idea putting The Hub on Monday's if the same guests and highlights are going to be repeated on TWIN. Tuesday - Thursday would be ok for me.
Don't buy into Greg's "explanation".
However, I DO buy his remembering Joey clipping him the week before. Definitely payback.
Greg looks sooo uncomfortable speaking anymore since he got his braces. I never saw anything wrong w/his teeth before.
I think it is a sign when MRN, Marty Reid, Allen Bestwick, Dale Jarrett, Andy Petree & Jeff Gordon are used more on Radio Active than Jerry Punch.
Are they Trying to sell us on the fact that SPEED can not afford one more chair to keep Jimmy Spenser on the program?
Is there Bad Blood between the King and Jimmy ?
I don't like removing Jimmy like this. This is BAD pratice and is ruining the show in my Opinion
I don't like that they dump JS for a guest every wk.
We could start a chair fund!
Pammmmmmmmmmmmmm,
He got married! (Oops, did I say that?)
They could have a weekly show with just Richard -- sitting and telling stories.
I'd listen.
I agree they should have kept Jimmy Spencer and added another chair. On Inside Winston Cup when they had the hot seat they didn't dump 1 panelist off for the day. All 5 of them managed to fit.
Wonder whether Laz-y-boy might donate enough chairs for evryone?
LMBO at you JD! Good grief, they were engaged 9 yrs. Don't think she could have talked him into braces before then? btw, like the chair fund idea!
That was a pretty interesting show. Going to do some writing and be back soon.
Maybe the New show NASCAR Race Hub could loan thier COT ( couch of tomorrow ) to TWIN for Jimmy to set on!
PammH
Once again the contrast on the SPEED HD/New cameras or something gave that creepy glowing white teeth/white's of the eyes, even on my smaller 4:3 tv. We went thru this earlier in the season and it's STILL a problem on SR sometimes too.
I ended up cooking dinner halfway in..seemed like they tried to force the humor/relaxed atmosphere with shirt tails out and all.
I was hoping it would be more than NASCAR originally but with the name, I know it's not.
I wish the King would ALLOW us to see his eyes (But I noticed post race yesterday all drivers put ON their sunglasses) If the sun was blinding ok..otherwise, rude..not hatin' just sayin.:-)
This show has potential but needs to have more meat on the bone for me to tun in nightly. I get enough filler on Race Day.
But it was the first night out so will see how the next show goes if I remember.
I notice there are NO REPEATS!! HEAVEN forbid SPEED cancel PINK repeats or their other junk shows for real people shows.
Sophia-they have toned it down on TWIN. This was the first show-think they will here too. I really liked the vibe. This is a BIIIG wk in Nascar w/the HOF vote. I'm taking Wed off work to watch it all! So I think coverage will expand eventually. My fav part-NO mention of the chase!!
All three shows did good tonight. Even though I missed AB, Mike did a good job with his "A" team. Bringing up Danica and Randy telling us he made a seat for her was insightful. The Hub shows a lot of promise. Will definately turn in again. The dialogue between the guys on NN seemed more relaxed. Spencer seemed to have a better rapport with Biffle than with Knaus.
And finally with Biffle and his braces. He's marketing for his sponsor. http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Clarity/braces/
There are reasons for braces that have nothing to do with the alignment of your teeth - my daughter wore them to correct her jaw alignment because she was getting awful headaches from her jaw. Four years of braces corrected the problem.
Biffle has a lot of guts to wear them at his age. Good for him.
Pammh
Yea TWIN lighting much better.
I had a small health documentary (sleep disorder doc got me the gig, got paid a tiny amount) made at my apartment years ago and a producer was in the hallway outside my room checking all the lights/colors constantly ..and the cinematographer working the lights.
Ya THINK for an hour show every week, SPEED techs would be on the ball..but maybe I am just too picky about lighting and stuff.
I remember once a local news station, used my documentary as a promo on local news as they went to commercial(I was not expecting it) They showed a girl trying to sleep in bed and I thought "those sheets look... familiar...hey THAT's ME!!" I
But if a small independent outfit can make the lighting look fabulous...SPEED has had how long to get the new equipment correct?
Oh and I agree donate that COT couch to TWIN so Jimmy doesn't get bounced for guests. Bummer when he leaves and spoils the vibe mid show.
Maybe we can pass around the hat and get donations for a new chair to keep JS on the show when the special guests show up. I worked late so haven't seen the show yet. Enjoying NN.
White teeth and White's of the eyes bothering on The Hub
The reason Richard leaves his sunglasses on is his eyes are extremely sensitive to light. He rarely, rarely ever takes them off. He also has hearing aides in both ears after years of engine noise has taken most of his hearing away. He's not just trying to be cool.
Anon
I was watching on the 20 inch tv and noticed the white glowing issue.
It's really meaky freaky on the 31 inch tv in my room. Can't imagine on some 5 foot tv.Ugh. I cant believe nobody watches their shows on SPEED to catch the issue. If more women were on the shows, they would be paying attention!!! We detest bad lighting and lighting IS EVERYTHING! :)
Sam
Did not know that about Richard's eye sensitivity. Heard it about Jeff Burton. Thanks for the enlightenment.
I watched NN & TWIN. I enjoyed both shows. NN is always good with the 3 R's. I don't care who hosts.
I ditto those who brought up JS getting booted off the show. He balked. I thought of the time he was booted from victory lane (not the show).
Seriously, he needs to be part of the guest spot. Maybe Tony can loan him the chair he took from the media center last week.
I'll watch Hub later. Sounds worth watching. Thanks Planeteers.
http://tinyurl.com/yf2lero
JD
Hope you will allow the link. It's about how to apply makeup for HD cameras :-)
Doesn't mention the glowing white teeth/eyes. It does address the heavy makeup many are noticing.
Maybe SPEED will read and talk to makeup person & camera peeps.
Watched the Hub. Unacceptable audio issues. The grey set does not help with the bad lighting and color of the show. They look like they work at a morgue with bad makeup on. Ray with the drink thing even though it was coke is a bad idea since he's had past issues with that. Jury still out.
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