Friday, December 4, 2009

Live Blogging The Banquet Doubleheader On SPEED (7 & 9PM ET)


This should be a fun night. SPEED has a NASCAR banquet doubleheader that is actually the post-season festivities for all three of NASCAR's top series.

First up is the combined Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series banquet beginning at 7PM ET. This show was recorded live during the banquet in Miami several weeks ago and post-produced for airing.

The second show is the feature at 9PM. SPEED got its hands on the Sprint Cup Series banquet just several weeks ago. Frank Caliendo will host the event. Krista Voda and Mike Joy will handle the awards presentations on the stage. Steve Byrnes and Jeff Hammond will host the event on air for SPEED.

Brooks and Dunn will open the show with a special musical number. David Gray and the string quartet Escala will also perform. John Pinette will be the comedian.

This final live blog of 2009 is ready for your comments on the two banquets on SPEED. To add your TV-related opinion, just click on the comments button below. This is a family-friendly website, so please keep that in mind when posting.

Thanks again for taking the time to stop by and help us with your opinion!

165 comments:

  1. Hi everyone! Open for comments on the banquet doubleheader tonight.

    JD

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  2. Will be watching from here, no TV.

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  3. Dan has the remote. We have it on now.

    Krista looks great.

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  4. Hi JD and Dot :)

    Isn't Dot still at work :)

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  5. oh I guess not YAY!

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  6. hi Karen :)

    Should be fun and I hope more relaxed other than how it's been guess we'll find out :)

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  7. @ Karen, here is TDP. Dan keeps changing the channel. %*%# ^%*)

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  8. Who's the guy with the mask on in your picture - oh no it's not a mask, it's Wayne Newton.

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  9. Is the CUP banquet going to be on the radio? Remember that's how we found out BSPN was not live?

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  10. Gymmie, so far, so good.

    Dot, bribe him for that remote.

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  11. Dot, tell Dan I'm gonna fly to LV and straighten him out if he doesn't give you the remote. :-)

    --KarenB

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  12. JD, and I couldn't resist either! Not watching the banquet, I never watch award shows. So boring! We're getting over 2 inches of snow here too. Should be pretty bad on the bridges and overpasses now.

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  13. @ KarenB, I'll fly Gymmie out here so she can go Billy Blanks on him!

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  14. Speaking of....I am on Sirius Sporting News Radio Channel tomorrow with Vicki Johnson wrapping up the NASCAR TV season around 9:25 AM ET.

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  15. I don't get my Sirius radio until next week. JD, are you doing any more radio shows?

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  16. @Karen--good to hear!

    @Dot--LOL! I'll do it :) I saw on Twitter that MRN was to

    @Vicky--we had some snow in DFW but it was melted by lunch :(

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  17. Dot, working on plans for next year. Should have some news before Xmas.

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  18. Gymmie - plus it was snowing in Galveston about 45 minutes ago. They sent us home at 10 this morning and I've been home ever since.

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  19. Ok I'm here about 25 minutes behind just got finished watching the Best of Shows on Speed what was with them not looking at the camera anyway.

    This is so lame but I love it.

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  20. I love Mike Bliss' sense of humour.

    --KarenB

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  21. JD--did I miss an explanation somewhere why was it changed to just the top 5?

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  22. I like the banquet so far. Bliss is funny.

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  23. "Danke Schoen" to JD and the rest of you Planeteers for an interesting season of zingy riposte and cogent commentary. In my office working and don't have cable..so I'll rely on your posts for context...maybe I'll have to tune to Sirius CH. 76 to hear Mr. Newton on Escape LOL......

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  24. I feel badly for the guys (most of the Nationwide series only guys) that managed to finish in the top 10 and don't even get recognized at the banquet. Wonder how their sponsors feel about that?

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  25. I was very disappointed the banquet moved to Las Vegas. The only good thing is that it may bring west coast fans closer to the sport. However, NYC just isn't a Nascar town. They just don't get it. I would also have liked to see more of the week's festivities on SPEED like: Jimmie Johnson roast, Tony Stewart's Stewies, Victory Lap, Drivers around the Vegas Strip and the red carpet. I would probably have even watched on Pay-Per-View if VictoryJunction.org was getting some of the proceeds. I feel left out this year as a fan with this week's activities. I think Nascar also missed out on some major national news promotion by going to Vegas. I was in NYC all week and didn't hear a peep about Nascar...anywhere! SPEED could really capitolize on this last week. I love my Nascar...on and OFF the track!!

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  26. That makes sense! Wasn't accounting for that! Thanks JD :)

    @Vicky--That's the sucky thing about working from home no snow days. We'd get them at my last B&M job because some folks had to cross a bridge and it was too dangerous when iced over. So even though the majority of us live in McKinney we all got off since those 5 had safety concerns.

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  27. I really like the fact that these drivers don't use a teleprompter and seem much more relaxed and off the cuff. Feels MUCH more comfortable for all of them.

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  28. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  29. @ Sally, I agree. Can't wait to see how the CUP one is.

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  30. Men, enough of the SPEED Dream Ride girl already.....

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  31. I would by a DVR of the Roast and the Stewies. Someone should package it and make it a fundraiser.

    Does anyone know if there is creative editing or are we seeing the entire driver interview with Krista and Rick? I seem to remember creative editing with last year.

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  32. @ nrf, I would buy the DVD too.

    Too many commls interrupting the flow of the banquet.

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  33. Too many commercials with no paid spots in them!

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  34. Did you guys see the woman with the big tatoo's on her arm?

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  35. @ JD, I thought they were the sleeves. Were they blue?

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  36. i can't watch all these commercials...not sure I will watch the CUP show if it's anything like this one with constant commercials.

    Mama Mia!

    been channel surfing and emailing...ZZ zz zzz

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  37. Thanks Rick Ren for thanking Speed for all of their work! Mike Helton needed more practice with the teleprompter!

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  38. Got her pic up over at Twitter. Good format, just too many commercials for sure this season!

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  39. Bittersweet moment for Rick Ren now that he's left KHI.

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  40. That is for sure. Wish him the best, he really worked so well with SPEED over the years.

    Rick holding up the Tums bottle was great!

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  41. @ Karen, being a champion can be detrimental to your career. Look at other past championship drivers/CCs who are out of a job.

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  42. It's gonna be a long four hours at 9:00.

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  43. Like watching paint dry. I probably won't watch the Cup banquet if this is the way it's going to be.

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  44. terri,

    Hang in there because the Cup banquet is live. This is all edited for TV.

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  45. The banquets didn't used to be this bad with all the ads. Of course, the drivers didn't used to use the teleprompter either.

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  46. Byrnes sounds so formal. And it's pronounced with an "a as in at" for Nevada.

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  47. Think he was a bit nervous in that first live on camera segment.

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  48. Do we really need a bunch of race footage at an awards banquet? Sheesh SPEED, you could be showing us stuff from yesterday!

    --KarenB

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  49. On nascar.com, JPM was the only one who doesn't want a prompter. The rest practiced with theirs.

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  50. And the longer this pre-recorded crap goes on, the less I appreciate it.

    --KarenB

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  51. Noticed every former champion from Red Byron on has their mug on a poster with the NSCS Champion logo. Loved it last year when Cale presented the Cup to Jimmie and NASCAR needs to do more to let former champions who are retired to do the honours.

    But it just doesn't sound right that we go from a region of three NASCAR Champions in 2009 to one of just one.

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  52. Talk about a very different opening! Wow!

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  53. I really don't appreciate this pre-recorded race stuff. Show us stuff from Las Vegas, SPEED! We've seen this crap already.

    Dang, I'm getting more cranky the longer this goes on. Can you tell?

    --KarenB

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  54. We're evidently missing the Female Fiddlers not totally sorry except I think I just saw all this stuff recently

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  55. NMG has all the toys out tonight. Wow, this looks and sounds great widescreen! Wow. What an opening segment. Hope this is an omen for the rest of the night.

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  56. Four hours is a lot of time to kill. We are likely to see a lot of features used for the first time at banquet time.

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  57. I hope they are front loading the commercials, OMG there's another one

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  58. No money for BMI and ASCAP=no Brooks and Dunn on tv?

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  59. I loved the highlight reel actually.

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  60. I bet they are doing what has been done for a while now, time shifting it, so they can eat in the middle. That is what has happened in the past.

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  61. wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too many commercials..and they are tweeting about Tiger jokes on stage with that Caliendo guy..what is this time shift 15 minutes???? Twitter is live..tv is not

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  62. Reporters are tweeting that Frank Caliendo is on stage. I guess we are getting the time-shifted qualifying version of the banquet, like NRF suggested.

    --KarenB

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  63. More race clips. We're missing the live stuff.

    Isn't there a law in TV Land about false advertising?

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  64. Dot

    I'm with you. FALSE advertising..the girl fiddle players have played and the country group..and we are missing TIGER jokes by the comedian.

    This is a lame combo of Beyond the WHeel vidoe and LIVE BANQUET :-(

    KILLING the vibe of a "Live presentation"

    Imagine the Academy Awards if they showed clips of "GONE WITH THE WIND" in between the awards....

    ZZZZzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    on a positive note, Steve & Jeff look nice. This is gonna be a long night for them...what's the noise behind them????

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  65. 1/2 hr into the awards show. It's 9:30 east coast time.

    Nothing has happened.

    Talk/Commercials.

    Wife just told me it went till 1am.

    Not for us.

    Clicking to another channel.

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  66. Dot think of it like Trackside. It's live when they recorded it with no editing just not when we watch it, I wonder if it wasn't for Twitter would we be upset with this format. Don't these people still need to eat which would give us time to catch up?

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  67. I must say it is definitely interesting to hear Jeff Hammond talk about designer dresses. By the way, I think that Nichole Biffle's dress looked like a glorified bath towel, not an "exquisite" gown.

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  68. Will the live blogging start one hour late?

    This reminds me of a BSPN pre race show.

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  69. The NFLish Year In Review-type show should not have been combined with the Banquet. What a bone-headed move on someone's part. What a screw-up! Now we are seeing sights and sounds from the opener for the second time. FTW!!

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  70. What's wrong with SPEED? This is not a broadcast of a live banquet. Did they think we couldn't handle actually watching the festivities? This constant barrage of pre-recorded footage is nonsense.

    What's SPEED's reasoning behind this? I just don't understand this decision.

    --KarenB

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  71. Will the awards ceremony be officially over by the time we folks in tv land get to watch it? This isn't the way it was advertised-the first 40 minutes so far have been race clips and no ceremony yet.

    I think I'm being taken for a 4-hour ride that could have been taken in 1-hour.

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  72. Just an FYI, Jeff mispronounced Badgely Mischka (sp)


    Why I know that don't ask, I'm not much of a fasionista.

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  73. I'm really not all that bent out of shape with this, I couldn't figure out how we would be watching live when there was a meal to be eaten. I'm am hoping however they are front loading the commercials

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  74. Hammond's butchering the designer names, but he's giving it a good try. He got Mizrahi right. Anyways, sorry Haus, but Nicole's gown was beautiful.

    In my memory, ESPN always sort of covered the banquet on time delay too, but now it's Vegas time so it's even later.

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  75. So, basically what we're going to see is lots or pre packaged season highlights (mostly reruns at that), and not much else until the drivers eventually get to read their speeches. Why chouldn't they show highlights of some of the awards presented yesterday? Wouldn't that be a better way to spend this time? Just askin.

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  76. @ NorCalFan, we're on that bus with you. Now we know for next year.

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  77. OK, so it's one hour of Byrnes and Hammond while SPEED tapes the stuff from the stage.

    Then, we see the stage stuff while the folks are eating. Then we join live for the drive awards.

    Lordy!

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  78. JD any word on if we get to see anythign from the luncheon yesterday. I'd like to see Chads speech

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  79. @Sally, they could have condensed all the events of the week into a 40 minute montage and had a lot of happy customers.

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  80. Next year I'm not bothering to watch this live. I'll DVR it and fast-forward through the pre-recorded stuff. Kinda defeats the purpose of "live" though...

    One question though: This is better than ESPN how?

    --KarenB

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  81. Duh. NOW at 58 minute after the hour Steve B says the party is about to start. Why not call this the PRE AWARD SHOW FOR CRYING OUT LOUD.

    ok..I have a headache from my 5th eye exam in a week but this could've easily been advertised as a 10pm show...I coulda rested my eyes for an hour.

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  82. If there is anyone out there who
    needs an 09 recap please continue
    watching. As bad as I hate to
    admit it I'm going to ESPN2 to
    watch the MAC champsionship game.
    Looks like SPEED has been outsmarted tonight.

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  83. @ Sally @ 9:52 pm

    I couldn't agree more!

    --KarenB

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  84. Well folks, it's just as bad on radio, nothing but review and high/low lights of the season.
    Not what I remember from years past.

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  85. hot girls in red with violins and cellos...what's wrong with that?????

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  86. OK. I like the music, but not the ugly red dresses and uglier shoes. Somehow, trying to look sexy while playing an electronic cello just doesn't...well...

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  87. If I'm not mistaken, these string girls performed at a charity event in Monaco during Formula 1's weekend.

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  88. Knowing that info John I feel better since I can't expect those at the banquet not to eat!

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  89. sorry for the slight delay, all cleared up now.

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  90. @ JD

    You're just emulating SPEED with that "slight delay". :-)

    --KarenB

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  91. Wow! Was that a slam at Chris Myers?

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  92. I knew we would get Madden all over the place....

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  93. Where's the spotlight guy? Did he fall asleep? Frank keeps stepping into the shade.

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  94. This guy better be careful with the Jimmy Spencer jokes. Jimmy Spencer has a habit of giving people a black eye in parking lots.

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  95. Loved the banquet memories! Got a little teary eyed.

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  96. Having some Twitter troubles! Always at just the best of times.

    Concentrating on blogging.

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  97. Well, they really needed Krista or another woman to do the fashion commentary, but I do give Jeff kudos for giving it the old college try. It's not easy saying Malindrino or Mizrahi. I do have to agree that Nicole's dress lookes more like a pink sheet than a dress. Loved Ingrid's gown, wow. Did not care at all for Chandra's gown---it looks like our art museum building or the Opera House in Sydney. Plus, not to be too catty, but someone give that girl a cheese burger. She's emaciated.

    Bad lighting is ruining this for everyone. I know they might want to go for stylistic lighting, but that's not good for TV.

    Oh, and Steve Byrnes, you look great in a tux but that oily bohunk hair has to go.

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  98. sorry, but so far this is pretty boring. A lot less talk and a little more action would be good.

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  99. Just hope that the awful female announce voice is gone this year!

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  100. what was up with the titles being offscreen? Ouch. At least they got Hal and David right.

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  101. Sorry, but I don't think I'm going to makr it much longer.

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  102. This is the longest I have stayed awake for the banquet in the last five years. It is obvious that NASCAR realizes how far they had strayed and are pointing it "back to the basics."
    NOW... if North Wilksboro and Rockingham were back on the schedule they would have me back.

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  103. well now we are up to after dinner entertainment, they just tweeted about David Grey a few minutes ago

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  104. I think Speed blew it by not doing a show on the fan event at the speedway and showing the roast. Perhaps it's because some of the comments were way off color. But they missed an opportunity to show some really good stuff.

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  105. So since this is screwing up all you East Coast viewers, why doesn't NASCAR do the awards ceremony first next year, and start the show a couple hour earlier. They could start the ceremonies at 7:00 Eastern time, do three hours of that, then do dinner for the attendees afterwards. Would still only be 7:00 out here in the west by the time dinner was served (not much later than it was served today).

    --KarenB

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  106. GinaV24,
    The first hour of the show was full of action, crashes, etc. But action in any awards show has to be taped. Because awards shows are, in fact, all talk. This is pretty much like the last 15 years, but more polish. There were no "good old days" for Banquets.
    - TJ Truttle

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  107. OK, another comedian? And this one isn't funny.

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  108. J.D.,

    Why is the fat guy standing in the dark? Even with a spot on him, he's dark. Don't they do tech rehearsals?

    Hey did anyone do a drinking game for Caliendo?

    Shots at: "heckuva," "Favre," "turducken."

    West Coast Kenny
    Alameda, California, who is joining this late, so I'm sorry if someone else said this.

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  109. Lighting for TV is different than lighting for entertainment.

    The NYC guys lit for TV. This is fine for the folks in the audience, but not well lit enough for the TV cameras.

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  110. I have actually been watching since the beginning of the broadcast, but all the recap stuff doesn't need to be part of this broadcast. Do a year in review show separate from the banquet instead. I agree, most award shows are boring, but since what I want to do is hear from the drivers, all the rest of this stuff is just overkill.

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  111. J.D.,

    This is what NASCAR gets for booking someone other than the Blue Collar Comedy guys... I can hear crickets...

    WCK

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  112. J.D.,

    Instead of Bed, Bath, & Beyond he should be doing material about Bass Pro Shops. The only drivers who have seen the inside of a Bed, Bath & Beyond" are Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson.

    WCK

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  113. well, the news is on here in NJ so as soon as they give the weather forecast (calling for snow tomorrow) I'll be setting the dvr and going to bed. This is way too long a show for me. I really wanted to see my driver's speech, but I guess I'll just have to watch it via recording.

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  114. Daly Planet Editor said: Lighting for TV is different than lighting for entertainment.

    The NYC guys lit for TV. This is fine for the folks in the audience, but not well lit enough for the TV cameras.


    J.D., I would have flunked my production class with that poor lighting job. WCK

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  115. GinaV24,
    Welcome to the good ol days. Champion goes on at 0'dark-thirty. When everyone has gone to bed. Good times.
    -TJT

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  116. I told myself I wasn't going to comment, well...I lied. It makes me sad how the media trys to paint Richard Petty as an owner at RPM. He is merely a figurehead while the Gillete's run the show.

    Just flipped this on before the last comic....the banquet has really gone downhill in the past decade hasn't it?

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  117. On the positive note: Krista looks amazing!

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  118. I thought that guy was funny. Never heard of him before, but I was laughing.

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  119. While awkward placed here, Frank is funny!

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  120. Haus14: I thought that guy was funny. Never heard of him before, but I was laughing.

    Haus, he was funny, but at an event like this, you have to KILL. The audience is ready to be entertained. You didn't hear him pause once because the laughs were sustained. He got polite laughter, the kind you give when your boss makes a speech and cribs from Letterman. WCK

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  121. Liked Pinette much better than Caliendo. And, see, no prompter for JPM. Wish the lighting was better to see the audience.

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  122. I'm just glad they got rid of that stupid woman announcer from the last couple years. The man is much nicer to listen to. Doesn't sound like a cheap porn video.

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  123. I also wish the lighting was better, there has to be a way to bring up the lights after the meal so those watching via TV can see.

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  124. Yeah I enjoyed Newman and JPM not reading off the teleprompter. That was a plus. Juan is just always a great listen though

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  125. I can see after what many fans are saying why Vegas isn't what we thought after learning the champion won't be on stage until late night television.

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  126. Maybe next year, they will light up the audience. That's why I like to watch this awards show in particular.
    Want to see the wives and crew chiefs, car chiefs, people we don't see during the races.

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  127. Don't need to watch marathon weekends of SPEED's best shows for Dream Ride. Marathon commercials are enough for me, thanks anyway.

    --Karen

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  128. @ Karen, I like looking for people in the audience too.

    They really do need to light the people being talked about.

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  129. Have I mentioned lately how much I like Denny Hamlin?

    BEST speech of the night!!!!

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  130. Good night, J.D., Planeteers!

    I'm off to watch the final episode of "Monk." If I don't see y'all until next season I'll be back for Daytona, although all bets are off after that.

    WCK

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  131. Just realized they aren't announcing the amount of money each driver has won like in years past. Guess with the current state of the economy and millions of people out of work, NASCAR thought that detail could be left out.

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  132. I think Denny had a couple Coke mixers before his speach! I love watching to see people in the crowd but hate I can't see anyone!

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  133. Thanks Ken for reminding me about Monk!

    Will catch the rest on a re-air

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  134. Speed did announce that The Speed Report will go weekly during the off-season. Looking at the weekend Speed schedule they are airing "year-in-review" weekend in an hour package of the BTCC and the DTM each, something similar to what they offer outside their home territories. And Kyle Busch's CWTS team announcement is likely what they're announcing Friday -- Speed airs it live.

    I've grown tired of the DirecTV ads with that pop star . . . maybe one too many symphony events have be questioning r&b. But remember, they're the ones who could be in trouble with NASCAR now since NASCAR admitted talks with Speed and Versus for a split Modified television package.

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  135. Before my eyes say goodnight I would like to give a big THANKS to Speed for giving me the chance to see a little of what's happening in Las Vegas.
    I'm sure it's hard to make this a good "show" for tv, banquets are pretty dull in general, but thanks for the effort.
    Also, any NASCAR show on Speed is better than the best show that other network has done.

    Thanks to all here for their thoughts and comments, it really helps to hear other opinions.

    Goodnight to all and HAPPY RACIN' to all.

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  136. Did y'all ever hear such a list of top quality sponsors than Jeff Gordon's?

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  137. In about 15 minutes, Tony Stewart will be climbing the fence at Daytona...
    -TJT

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  138. Does anybody remember Kurt Busch thanking Pat Tryson?

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  139. Going to bed but thanks to Speed for the banquet coverage. Wish we could have seen Chad's speach but maybe next year. Ok with no roast coverage since the drivers wouldn't be so honest.

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  140. Glad I didn't watch live. I can always count the Planeteers to give the straight scoop.

    Based on the comments I will be using the FF a lot tomorrow.

    Disappointed to hear that the room is dark on the TV. That's one of the main reasons I watch to see all the different people all cleaned up and check out the spouses/So's.

    Will be checking in to get JD's take on any positive changes to the broadcasts...hope, hope, hope.

    Daytona can't come to soon :-)

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  141. Thanks to everyone who hung in there for the entire banquet.

    I will be wrapping up the season on Sporting News radio at 9:25AM ET with Vicki Johnson.

    New columns continue all week long, check back and comment.

    Thanks as always!

    JD

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  142. @Karen B
    Yes, Kurt Busch thanked Pat Tryson for all his hard work and friendship the past three years.

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  143. Banquet has been awesome so far; bit long but most awards things are. Can't wait to hear Rick and Jimmie. Loved the recorded bit with the 48 crew guys. Been following this team for many years and those guys all rock so good to see them get their recognition!

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  144. Rick just made me cry. Wow! he's such an awesome leader. Shows all the time why his people want to win for him.

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  145. Huh JD? Banquet still going on my tv.. Rick is speaking now.

    I am NOT going to buy that guy's album!

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  146. Ann, banquet may be going but I am not....too late for me. Will post comments ASAP.

    Thanks again all!

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  147. Give that girl a double cheese.

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  148. I suprised myself tonight... by LISTENING on MRN.

    And for the first time in a few years, I enjoyed it. Denny was the best, I laughed so hard.

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  149. @kbaskins 9:57

    It's better than on ESPN because it's on Speed. Speed RESPECTS Nacar and the fans, not like ESPN. Everything on Speed is better than ANYTHING on ESPN. You must be new arounf here, but I'm sure you'll catch on.

    At least as of now, Fox is also much better than ESPN, at least until everyone gets sick of Digger and "Boogity boogity boogity" somewhere in mid April.

    TNT is better than everybody, but they are in and out in a few weeks, so there really isn't much of a chance for them to wear out their welcome.

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  150. I would like to see more of Champion's Week stuff on tv. Really didn't like the one hour tape delay and the long recap before the banquet and said it was the banquet. Speed messed up on that one, Big time. The banquet was WAY Too long. Too many entertainment segments. By the time they got to TOny's speech, I really had pretty much lost interests, but stayed up to see the whole thing because I'm a 48 fan. I'm sorry but 4 hrs 28 minutes is TOO long. I'm in central time zone and it was already after midnight, the east coast it was past 1am. Also, when looking at the photos, I did not see one photo of the whole Champion team like they normally do with the photos right before the banquet. That's not right. We do not need 5 performers for one show it makes it too long. You only need one music entertainer, and one comedy. I'm sorry, I don't really tune in for that stuff, I really tune in to see them honoring the champion, his team, the crew chief and the team owner and the other top 10 drivers. Not the performances. I hope next year it won't be so freaking long. I always look forward to the awards show, doesn't really matter who wins the championship, but this year I was really, really disappointed. Also think that the Champion Crew Chief should speak on the night of the awards and not the day before. What's even sadder is I think by the time the awards were over, the fans that were there, that we didn't even see, were ready to go home. They weren't all that into it. And that's just sad.

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