Here we go for the last time in 2009 on the Nationwide Series trail. ESPN has twelve on-air announcers coming at you for the live race from Homestead.
Allen Bestwick has done a stellar job of keeping order from the Infield Pit Studio this season. On this final race, he is joined by Ray Evernham, Brad Daugherty and Rusty Wallace. Daugherty seems to be the odd man out and the presence of Evernham certainly is interesting.
Tim Brewer is in the Tech Garage, although it is not very clear what he can say or show that has not been repeated many times this season. No doubt Brewer understands the topics he explains, but the forced nature of many of his explanations just rubs some folks the wrong way. Especially, under the green flag.
Pit road will be covered by the four ESPN reporters who have been on the NASCAR trail all season long. Shannon Spake, Jamie Little, Dave Burns and Vince Welch will once again be reporting before, during and after the event. This group has responded well to the addition of Marty Reid on the Nationwide events and seems to finally be having some fun.
Reid will call the action with what appears to be a very tired Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree. Instead of continuing to use Rusty Wallace and Randy LaJoie in the booth for the Nationwide races, ESPN caved and made Jarrett and Petree do the exactly type of double-duty that Reid came in to help Punch avoid.
This race is clearly a showcase and audition for Reid. Punch has been stumbling this season and after three years things are at an all time low for NASCAR on ESPN. After cutting the IRL TV contract to only a handful of events, Reid is now clearly available for an increased NASCAR role in 2010.
Homestead is one of those tracks that needs wideshots of pack racing. The drivers search high and low for grip and speed. Like Michigan, there is racing all over the track. The Nationwide race has all kinds of unfolding storylines.
ESPN will keep one eye on the leaders and one eye on Brad Keselowski. How this driver is treated by the Sprint Cup cross-over drivers in the race will probably be the big story.
This post wil host your comments on the Nationwide Series race coverage on ESPN2 from Homestead. 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.
Thanks again for a great season of Nationwide Series race chats and thanks to Jeff Gluck from scenedaily.com for the picture.
305 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 305 of 305This broadcast is good with minor mistakes if this was their first race they ever did but this is year 3 and the telecast should be so much better.
I like the way Marty just says the number of the car or the name of the driver, not both along with some other unnecessary trivia.
@Sally, IMO, its a combination of all those things PLUS with the Sprint trophy all but wrapped up too why bother to go? I've been to Homestead and I really enjoyed being at the track, but it's a darned expensive trip if we go for both the N'wide and Cup series.
Since I'm not a fan of the 48 team, I refused to go -- I know I'm being a spoilsport, but I didn't need to fly all the way to Miami to see Johnson get another Sprint trophy.
Double in-car?
Overall A pretty solid effort by ESPN. Not on the level of the Indy race but an improvement
Caution is out (according to the leaderboard).
--KarenB
Caution MAY be out, Darnell again, MAYBE.
I'm not going. It's only a three hour drive and free admission. That should tell ya something!
Local cable break, can't get out of it....
That misstep by the #1 crew might cost Mike Bliss his trip to the banquet on Monday.
Since split screens are forbidden during commls, couldn't they at least break in during cautions? We missed 5 of them today I believe. I'd be willing to buy the sponsor's product even if I didn't need it.
Let's get this wrapped up - HNIC and Texas football await :)
Please ANSWER..been busy but what did DENNY H do that has all in a tizzy..didn't see answer on Twitter or herer but have been multi tasking
thank you
@Dot - Even if the caution comes out during the ExtenZe commercial? :)
@Sophia - He dumped Brad and got away without much of a penalty (1 lap).
I think it's pathetic that they only are having the top 5 drivers from the NW and Trucks at the banquet. the sponsors won't even get their moment of glory. Of course, it's just as ridiculous to have 12 'chasers' and only have 10 at the banquet.
sophia spun BK is that what u mean?
@ MV, lol. I wondered if someone was going to say that.
MV
WOW thanks..inconsistent rules indeed...
Another fake caution. Darnell hit the wall.
Thank god for Allen Bestwick with a little recap.
@ MV yes gave DH slap but gave Kes an extra set of tires.
@Dot - Did you not think of that before you clicked the "publish" button?
I don't get those commercials on TSN2.
@ Sally, I so agree with you. And yet they wonder why sponsors are hard to find.
Holy mackeral! FREE admission? And if I'd gone it would have cost me $100 per ticket.
@ MV, oh yes, I did. Decided to post it anyway.
@Dot - Unfortunately, I get the Slap Chop commercial way too often. During some Nationwide races, the 2-minute commercial came on at almost every break.
Maybe I'm going senile but is that the first time commercial for Victory Junction?
Looks like Bliss is fairly safe for 5th place, he's been gaining and is about to pass Allgaier.
That track looks nice from the blimp shot at night.
bevo... first I've seen tonight, but I've seen that before.
@ MV, poor guy. Still think it's funny that that prostitute slapped chopped ol Vince.
I want Weed to win. I would hate to win this race and get no love because he's the champ. Race winner? Race winner, who?
Anybody think ESPN should have covered Bliss' pass on Allgaier for 5th place in points?
I'm surprised, since they talked a lot about it earlier.
@Tripp- thanks! Don't recall seeing it before
bevo there have been commercials for VJG before tonight. :)
This has actually been decent race coverage, considering it's ESPN. They haven't just focused on KB the entire race, have limited their in car cameras, and have been fairly enthused. Maybe the problem is that I'm just not as 'into' the races myself as I was just 2 or 3 years ago. Whaddya think?
If NASCAR and it's partners are so opposed to split-screen commercials why don't they have a problem with ESPN2 running a ticker during commercials?
Caution, and Bliss gets the Lucky Dog. He was 1 spot ahead of Allgaier and 17 points ahead in the standings.
Hey MV, Marty IS paying attention!
WOW! I got abrupt commercial..were talking to Carl E about tires then BLAMMO some commercial..anybody else
@Sophia- I meant that particular one but I'm also fighting a losing battle with my sinuses :)
TSN2 went to a Chevrolet commercial for about 8 seconds and then back to the race. Did that happen just in Canada?
@ bevo, good point.
Just dumped out of commercial
!&#^!&#^!&^$&!^# Some stupid Ohio lottery add played twice then shut off back to race.
Error in Ohio feed..what happened???
me too Sophia
Big charge coming from Carl, hope we see it....
Nope. It also happend right across the border. But im watching from Niagara Falls NY.....right on the border lol
Now another commercial..is this normal??
Did anyone else's coverage just cut out for local commercials during the pit stop?
GAWD this suddenly sucks....lol.
I think ESPN went to commercial and then thought pit stops were about to happen, so they switched back to the coverage. TSN2 just followed ESPN's lead and switched back with them.
Heard Marty talking, then went to comml in mid word.
Completely missed that set of stops for an abrupt commercial and the booth acted like they'd be on the air the whole time. Great job ESPN, be proud of that one!
Oh no, not THAT commercial again. Where's the remote?
@JD- problems with the switches in the truck or something?
we all had weird timed commerical breaks. no bueno.
then another add 90 seconds later.
i hate BSPN..
See that's what happens when I prematurely praise ESPN :)
Marty is excited, Jerry would have been snoozing. Marty 1, Jerry 0.
yea lets screw up the last 8 laps with excess car cams u maroons!!
There's gonna be another caution.
Look, there's actually racing at this race AND it's being covered. Amazing, its a shame we can't see that in the Cup series -- racing AND decent coverage.
Shrubbie's toast.
Kyle and the driver he hates the most Fun Time! :)
Drama Drama everywhere.. god I can't take the pressure of good racing glad tomorrow is sunday!
in car cam @#&*@&#@*&$*@&for over 4 secs
another one
IDIOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Had to get two locals in before 7PM probably. Got behind, but those have to be done ya know?
I see a car sliding loose across finish line and they go to IN CAR CAM.
BSPN YOU STINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
off to return phone call
That stunk! Boooo!!!!
Love him or hate him - he's one heck of a race car driver
OK... so I was wrong on both counts. Glad the season's over. No more predictions until next February.
And they cut away from the field finishing the race on the final lap. GAWD.
No more Weed stinking up the NW series. YAY.
Mike Bliss can get his tux and invite his wife to the banquet now!
That was an impressive job by Kyle holding off Carl
Coverage was okay up til the end. Last 20 laps looked like the ESPN of old...
Think it's pretty obvious that Reid can mesh with DJ and AP.
Hint hint hint
Lots of that just rocked and parts were tough. Nice to have Marty on board this year.
Thanks for coming over to the final Nationwide Series live blog of the season.
We will be back tomorrow for the morning pre-race shows and then the race.
Join us in the AM and stay all day.
Take care!
JD
Why is DENNY getting so much camera time (I made a phone call, sorry)
Jamie Little just likes to stir up more trouble.
If KB is such a great driver, why did he not make the chase?
gee, maybe ESPN got a clue when they sent AB to do the interview
I do appreciate Marty ID'g the start and parkers as the slunk off - and as a Morgan Shepherd fan my new hero is DW for in effect calling out Phil P. on SPEED last night after the race when DW stared at Parsons the whole time DW was complimenting racers and the efforts they make to compete.
Also, thanks to NASCAR.com for making MRN available free for the N-wide race. Even in N.C. N-wide broadcasts are hard to find after football season starts.
If KB is such a great driver, why did he not make the chase?
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What does that have to do with this race?
@ SteveL, because he's only a good driver in the lower series.
Glad this is over. Now to live through tomorrow. Only TDP & Twitter keeps me sane. Thanks guys.
did you catch brad saying denny has problems both on and off the track that he needs to worry about? what is that cryptic reference to?
Had to be JGR team dynamics....
@ SteveL, because he's only a good driver in the lower series.
Glad this is over. Now to live through tomorrow. Only TDP & Twitter keeps me sane. Thanks guys.
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Does 8 wins ring a bell?
The coverage today was good for ESPN standards but there were still issues that have to be worked out. (bumper cam overload, showing every car finish, pit crew helmet cam)
The biggest issue I saw was the pit reporters. Every field rundown was the same formula I mentioned earlier. Every pit stop was: driver name + position + fill in sentence (this is his last race for the team) + 4 tires and Sunoco fuel + 1 handling problem the driver had. They need to tell me more about whats going on.
The three in the booth worked well today. Allen, Rusty, & Ray were great in the infield studio. (left someone out on purpose)
Sean - Because they keep saying he's such a reat driver. Driver here, driver there, should be good everywhere, right?
I did see an interesting article recently that pointed out that the top 5 or 6 drivers in the Chase had run a total of about 4 N-wide races, while the rest of the Chase drivers had run a total of about 60 or 80 N-wide races. Maybe running N-wide races does add to Cup success?
@ Richard in NC, kind of like quasi testing even though the cars are different. The tracks aren't though.
Fewer comments = better racing coverage on TV.
@ JD, true, and Twitter.
@ Steve L. Just because a driver does well in one series has NO bearing on their success in another. Jimmie Johnson has ONE Nationwide win...ONE. And by his own admission sucks at Nationwide racing.
WHAT? NASCAR.com made MRN FREE tonight? U sure? I could not find usual stations online, only country music crap instead.
TRULY missed Barney and the boys. Will miss tomorrow to at family dinner,
DAMMIT I woulda listened to MRN on NASCAR.com if free
Kyle is a great driver. Just because he did not make the Chase it does not lessen that. Gordon has missed it before, as has Stewart, Dale Jr, Kenseth this year...it happens.
And it will to Jimmie.
Bozo, based on old info that statement by Brad doesn't shock me. Depends really if you want to give the Mayfield scapegoat argument any credence...
I did not catch the end of the race as the cable was down. Still working through those issues though the net is fine now. Happy for Kyle and JGR but I can understand the resentment of his accomplishment at the same time. Carl has done it, Harvick has done the same so I leave it at that.
The bit I caught today said it was an okay broadcast but not great. In car cams at poor times left alot to be desired though Ratcliff's response to Andy Petree was HILARIOUS!
Onto tomorrow my friends....Last one of the year!
Sadly I am actually a bit welcoming the offseason and am hopeful some changes will occur in TV land as well as in NASCAR-land. The balance of power needs to shift somehow and the other teams need to get it together and beat the 48 heads up.
BTW, someone mentioned Denny getting the lucky dog, under the explanation given in Daytona for Steve Wallace's deal, he should NOT have been able to receive it though much like the amount of the penalty I believe it is NASCAR's option how to handle that. Like I said, I believe everyone including NASCAR knew what would happen and in a way allowed it to. Really in the end it was a wash I felt since Brad got new tires out of the deal and never hit anything. Not justifying anything, just giving my take on it. Not saying it was the right or wrong thing either.
1 to go folks!
Dot, I apologize - I typed exactly the opposite of what I meant. Using more than 2 fingers at a time is a hazard. What I meant to say is that maybe driving N-wide does not add to Cup success - since the top 5 or 6 drivers in Chase only ran a total of about 4 N-wide races.
Sophia, I did get MRN for N-wide race from NASCAR.com free today, but I don't know whether my using AT&T/BellSouth as my ISP might have had any effect - but it would not give me the Truck race last night free. You might want to try WBRF-FM or WTQR-FM online Sunday.
@ Richard in NC, funny, I still think my response still has some truth to it. Whether a CUP driver dabbles in NW or runs for the Championship, track time is track time. But, thank you for clarifying your comment. :)
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