Allen Bestwick will host the pre-race show for the ESPN2 presentation of the Nationwide Series race from Las Vegas. He will be joined by Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty.
This week, Dale Jarrett is at home due to a family illness. So, Wallace will move up to the broadcast booth and call the race as well. Marty Reid will handle the play-by-play and Andy Petree will round out the team.
ESPN has the Danica elephant in the room to deal with today. This is her final race before leaving to the IRL tour for several months. Her qualifying effort was safe and conservative. So far, we have not seen the fire from Danica on the NASCAR side that we saw in her original ARCA race in Daytona.
There is also weather in the area. Rain would delay the race, but if it never gets underway a Monday event would be in order. Bestwick is the best on TV at a rain delay, so ESPN is in good hands.
ESPN continues to develop a new style now that Marty Reid is firmly in control when the racing is underway. Reid calls out the start and parks, tells it like it is and pushes the analysts for opinions. That is exactly what the network needed.
This post will serve to host your comments during the live race coverage. 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!
256 comments:
1 – 200 of 256 Newer› Newest»Rain......
I have a question. Since the teams are struggling with money already, why is it an automatic hold over until Monday if it rains Saturday? That's really expensive for the owners of the team. Why not just hold it Sunday morning when more people can watch it. Seems like a win win to me. Teams spend less. More eyeballs on the race for the advertisers. So that's my question. Why not Sunday moring.
I'm flipping back & forth between BSPN & CNN wave watch.
Different TV contracts JP. The big money is in Cup and the start time and format of the race is paramount.
Oy, this fair or foul stuff is already annoying
Let's see how long they hand live before they bail. Rain is picking up, this is going to be at least a two hour delay.
JohnP, I agree, it would be nice to be able to run the race on Sunday morning. We would up catching a Busch race in Charlotte one year that way because it got rained out on Friday night when we were driving down.
Had a great time, really enjoyed the race and I didn't have to waste another day of vacation or screw up my travel plans.
NASCAR is always talking about saving the teams money, well, it would be nice to think about how rescheduling things to make it more fan-friendly could work out, too.
I know the TV contracts are important and all that, but having people in the stands ought to count for something
The logistics do not work. The race is surrounded by too many scheduled events for drivers and fans.
As usual, it all comes down to logistics.
I understand Sprint is with Fox, Nationwide is with Espn. I guess Nascar is worried about a Nationwide race at 9am Sunday morning would distract from the pre-race junk Sunday morning shows? That's ashame. I was just looking at it for the teams and for the fans. Not contracts that most likely include non-compete clauses for coverage between Fox, Speed and ESPN. Welp, I'm a bottom line guy, Nascar signed those contracts. Thanks for the answer JD.
ALSO - they do not want Cup drivers who compete in both driving 700 miles in one day.
Very costly for the Nationwide teams - especially a west coast postponement.
Brad Daugherty was critical of the fact Danica Patrick is using this race as a learning experience. He said there were go or go home teams which were faster. Please pass on a couple of questions to Mr. Daugherty. Hasn't he noticed that a car with a spot can crash, not post a time at all, and run instead of a go or go homer? Does he have some alternate suggestion, when testing is not allowed, for improving one's skills. Would have have banned Joey Legano from Cup last year, since he was "just learning?" I could go on.
John,
Once you start the race you cannot control red flags, long cautions or even a rain delay in the middle of it.
Nothing that affect the multi-billion dollar Sprint Cup TV contract is ever going to be done.
@John P- more of an actual track problem. Garages, support personnel, equipment. A race weekend is a huge undertaking.
"affects"...I hate my laptop!
Well I see JD's point because there is ALOT that goes into the Cup race. Your talking about starting the Nationwide race at 8 am local time with the Cup race going off at just after noon Vegas time if you were to do a doubleheader. Not impossible but it is pretty impractical.
Oh, ok JD, now I completly understand that explination. Logistics. Having gone to many races at Dover the Spring Cup fans really do start showing up around 8am. We arrive around 10am and would not want a bunch of Nationwide fans there that were not jointly attending the Cup race. That would be extremely hard to keep the Nationwide fans and Sprint fans seperated. Plus that would be way to many people at the facility. The walkways there are already log jammed with people. Get it with that explination. Thanks for taking the time to respond.
Nice low jet action!
An inquiring mind wanted to know so I came to the best board on the internet with the smartest bloggers. Thanks all.
Decent anthem also!
Richmond tried it a while back with two races in one day. It was rough to do. Imagine emptying the stands and then having everyone go back through the gates with a different ticket?
Always cool when the flyover is low. A couple times at bristol it felt like they were going to try to blow our hats off!
Been told actual rain has stopped and track drying is now underway.
Daytona has done it before just a couple years ago running the Nationwide race early in the morning and the Pepsi 400 that night, but that had several hours inbetween as a buffer. With the Cup schedule start time fixed where it is, trying a same day double is just highly unlikely. Fun discussion though.
Isn't Brad D. the owner of Brad K.'s car? Suprised they haven't mentioned that yet.
@anon 4:28--if they *have* to they will. Back in 2K2(?) TNT thought they were being funny by tape delaying the October Charlotte Busch race to Saturday that was being ran on Friday Night. The 18 billion hours of Law & Order couldn't be interrupted ya know well Mother Nature had other ideas and it rained Friday. So they HAD to show it live Saturday AM and then ran the scheduled Cup race a few hours later. Several guys ran both races.
Yes I think it was 2K2 b/c IIRC Mr. Roush didn't want MattMatt to run it due to him going for the Cup Championship so Jeff ran it for him.
No, Kez is in a Penske car. Ambrose drives for Brad, the 47 team is shut down though the 22 may have acquired the points from Brad's car
PRN is going off the air until 5:30p.m. Eastern. So, obviously, the race won't be starting any sooner than that. Anybody know if ESPN2 has any basketball they need to be getting to later this evening?
Come on guys! Let Brad respond to Kyle's comments!
Mike C, yes there are games on just about all the ESPN networks. Big game on the mother ship, SU & Villanova at nine. Illinois St & Norhern Iowa on ESPN2 at 8.
Billy Wilburn is the crew chief for the #11 car?
Would not have guessed that.
Did anyone see the Elvis ESPN used in the bump going to commercial.. can you say Snaggle Tooth Elvis!!
Says something about the state of Nationwide series sponsorship deals if there's a Jr. motorsports car "sponsored" by Rick Hendrick's car dealerships.
What did Kyle say about Brad??
Kyle said that Brad is an aggressive driver who wrecks people. The vet's need to sit him down and talk to him, like Tony did to Kyle.
Kyle thinks Elvis is still alive....hmmm I wonder if Kyle believes in UFO's.
Maybe Mark Martin can drive that #7 car once Danica goes back to Indycars to preserve its position in the automatic qualifying spot in owners points for her.
kyle being sarcastic?
This is crap. When the hell are they going to be honest about the green flag?
So, will Denny and Brad get together today? If I were in Vegas my money would be on Denny putting Brad in the wall...
Meant 2K3...geeze Smoke is gonna get me! He was 2K2 Champ :)
Popular thought is that Mark is has two years until Danica shows up for her Cup ride. Lots of Go Daddy money changing hands in Hendrick land.
Did I mention I hate my laptop?
why wasn't that on your christmas shopping list JD?!
Find it interesting how Mark answered the question about Jr
Dale might be driving his tail off, but he's not his father. Dale will not make the chase this year, yet again. Has the best equipment, best talent in the pits, best owner and yet it boils down to his ability which he has but not that of the top tier driver. Over hyped!!!
Why does NA$CAR always go racing in the desert during rainy season. They should learn after a few years. We seem to have rain problems every February.
After Cali and now Vegas, wonder what changes we will see in the schedule for next season?
It's either early in the year or late at Vegas. No one wants to race in 100 plus degree heat.
Oh brother, Danica is supposed to get in the 5 car? Geez, I guess that part of things had escaped my attention.
LOL at JD. I hate my laptop right now, too. between the doubleposting issue AND now internet explorer decided to "fail" so I had to go to firefox, I don't know what's up with it.
Good thing I backed it up. I may go get dinner since they are going to be delayed a while longer.
That was the conspiracy theory. Go Daddy paid now to keep the car for her when she was ready. She did a two year IRL deal and on 2012 she was coming to Hendrick.
Think that would move some merchandise?
Great more Danica talk. Ohh and let's ask the rookies what they think of her. Not like these rookies are planning on running a full schedule or anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Two years sounds about right for the Mark Martin to Danica Patrick transition.
I hadn't realized quite what a legitimate company GoDaddy was until I actually had to explore domain registrations myself. They are a huge player in the DNS business.
Mr. Go Daddy is the kind of guy who plans ahead and has things buttoned down in advance.
So is Rick Hendrick...
Organized is an understatement
Mr. Go Daddy made his millions designing and selling accounting software.
Well, I had figured that Jeff Gordon was going to retire by the end of 2010, but he says another 5 years and that means that I'll be watching NASCAR until he decides to stop racing.
Merchandise sales and sponsorships drive it all. I don't by Dale Jr stuff and I won't by GoDaddy gear, no matter who's in the car.
@JD - That makes sense, assuming Mark wants to retire again. 'Course, he's one of the ones who could get a ride by showing up at someone's front door the way he's running right now.
That interview w/DP was unwatchable w/the ummms & you knows-good grief!
This interview is showing why ESPN moving JP back to pit road was one of the best decisions they've made. It's a shame it took so long for them to do it, too. We get a better PxP man in the booth and a veteran on pit road who knows how to talk to drivers and crew chiefs. He doesn't ask stupid questions ("Did you mean to hit him?") and appears to be respected on pit road.
This interview shows her learning curve PERFECTLY! The first half was lost and guesswork, the 2nd half when she started talking about the IndyCar you knew instantly she knew exactly what she was talking about and was instantly comfortable. Great interview JP! Long, but interesting as well
Dr. P really shines in these situations. Thank goodness someone finally put him in the place he belongs!
She said: "Trackside" on ESPN!
hehehehehe
Talking about twenty minutes to green flag.
It would appear Mr. Kyle Busch is last to his car, as usual.
It was very nice of ESPN to do what Fox refused to at Daytona - use up the commercial inventory during the delay.
These rain delayed ESPN broadcasts the last 3 years have been the best because we get a ton of race coverage and very minimal commercial interruption!
I think with her finish in the ARCA race DP thought NW would be easier than it has been so far. The interview with JP was good except the last comment by Doc and I can't remember exactly what it was but he would never have said that to a male driver.
In case anyone is interested in picking up some of PRN call, try wlxn am radio.
Nice mailbag question! Geeez...
Going to be a sprint with more rain coming.
Can't Danica and Townley mix is up? We need a good back of pack rivalry.
Danica and Townley have great equipment.
@JD - LOL
Always nice to see RS calling out the start & parks. Commentary seems to be mostly RS and AP so far; they've definitely established a good rapport this season.
Nice start. So good to have Marty Reid calling the races this season.
Townley is top 15, Danica ain't.
Bires, tough break, seems like it broke though with that smoke coming out of the left front.
Just a shame for him, good kid, no luck.
We tried to get Marty, Rusty and Randy LaJoie as the NNS TV team this season. Those three are a blast.
I liked in the opening how Marty said Rusty and Andy disagreed about the track being green, then Andy talks and Rusty winds up totally agreeing with him. Comical.
I doubt this will be a very popular idea, but I would love to see Tim Brewer in the booth some, especially with Randy or Rusty.
Why not give them all a try, especially in the summer when the big boys are on vaca?
Allen Bestwick will call several of the big NNS races when Marty if off on IRL races.
Dave Burns and Vince Welch will also call stand along NNS races this season for the first time.
There will not be any more of those "no play-by-play announcer" races this year.
Ratcliff telling Kyle rain an hour out.
Interesting JD, I am open to that. Burns would be very intriguing to me
@JD - Great news! It would also be nice to see them have a dedicated NW group come August so Marty, DJ, and AP aren't calling both races.
(Also, in my comment earlier, I meant Marty not Ralph Sheheen. Oops!)
In response to this Nationwide announcer rotation any idea if Dr. Punch the lead pit reporter for the Indy 500?
Jack Arute was leaving ESPN/ABC at the end of 2009.
Can we see the wreck and not what Danica did?
JP goes to Indy for the whole deal. Shannon will be back on the NASCAR beat.
I think someone should run out the Danica's car with some milk and cookies since they are so concerned about her "comfort".
I think someone should run out the Danica's car with some milk and cookies since they are so concerned about her "comfort".
+1000
Now, Now GinaV24 - ha ha
LOL, sorry, Charlie! Of course then they had to talk to KyBu, too. My day is complete.
Enjoying the lack of commercials.
Rusty is slow on the Gaughn damage, that was done in qualifying.
I think there will be rain looking at radar now some showers look to be heading to Las Vegas. We might dodge them like last week id say 50 50 by the look of the moving radar on the weatherchannel sight
Don't the camera people understand that it is a lot easier to see how a car is running if you can see other cars at the same time to compare to.
Charlie, they do what they are told by the director.
That has been an issue for ESPN and Fox. These guys like to zoom in and be all in conrol.
Just stay wide, show the race and enjoy it!
We "know" Mike Bliss is good? by whose standards? He's fighting with DP for 27th so they are using him as a comparator for her since she's new at this.
Let's see they were just talking about the 19 year old in the 1 car who's running a lot better than those 2 drivers
@Charlie...the camera people understand it. I'ts the people in the truck picking the cameras that don't seem to get it. No matter how often we point it out to them.
:-(
Charlie, we're not supposed to actually be able to see the racing, we're just supposed to be good obedient fans and enjoy all the toys that the truck can play with.
Hey Gina V how it going? Mike Bliss is a damn good driver, he can jump in any ride and hang in w the big boys remember last season he was in many cars but still got to go to the banquet w a 5th place finish in the standings. damn good if you ask me.
I"m dealing with the in-laws. How many start and parkers so far? Are they all being called out?
one reason that they have the races in the desert now is because they don't have enough snow removal equipment at pocono
Since their into one car shots why not just show Danica for 5 laps or so. Zoom out to show cars around her and let us see if she can drive.
The new people that are watching her will like it to, I would think.
Hi, Jonathan! Doing OK - still snowing in NJ -- I cannot wait for summer.
You are probably right in your assessment, but Bliss is not a favorite of mine -- he and Gordon had a period in Cup some years ago when it seemed like Bliss wrecked him every week -- so it's a personal bias on my part.
However, right now, he's running 28th and DP is running 27th, so today doesn't look to be a good day for him so far. He ran in the trucks, too, as I recall
Bliss is good. Raymond Key's equipment though without sponsorship not so much.
Kyle roughly 15 laps away from stopping
Charlie, that's a great idea. I like watching how cars set up for passes and you can't get that perspective with one car shots, in car or when they do fast camera switches.
they make me feel like I have ADD sometimes with the camera work.
"danica's not as bad as she looks". Way to damn with faint praise there Rusty.
David - yeah the difference between the haves and have not teams is huge in all the racing these days
"She looks a lot bettter today" they said as she was lapped.
Rusty has SUCH a way with words.
Correct me if I am wrong but Las Vegas does not have lights correct?
she's back on the lead lap
Pit stops mix things up till everyone stops.
LVMS does have lights.
Yeah I feel you Gina Chicago is no better cold cold and snow lol DOH! But spring is right around the corner
If they ever gave us a long shot, we could see the light poles, eh?
I thought I saw light equipment on the inside of the track earlier this afternoon.
I guess the PRN guys are color-blind - not hearing much about what's her name.
wow Riggs leading! ha havent herd his name in a long time
Gina, it really is especially here. They talked about Carl after his stop being in 25th, it really is irrelevant that he is because there is, to me at least, only 15 cars worth a darn in the entire field that can even run within 4 tenths of each other. And maybe 8 cars that can win. Shame Bliss isn't in a better NW situation but man he is making the most of that Cup deal!
Please don't let Danica lead a lap
Kinda disappointed ESPN did not mention that Kyle Busch passed Harvick on pit road and Denny drove by him on the track
I would love to see Bliss in a quality Cup ride! Hes never had a top notch ride
Oh boy, Jonathan, Chicago is sure not much better than here. Right now I'm hating all the weather forecasters AND the darn groundhog (not digger - Pauxsetanawy Phil) (i'm sure that's misspelled).
Wow that was close! Darn, there goes Buescher -- nice save!
I hope Front Row Joe is in for the long-haul today.
PRN says rain coming, but expect to get to at least half way.
Thanks for finally mentioning he made it to pit road..wow
Horrible mistake by Townley! man he destroyed that right front valence!
I that, too, David -- Edwards, Hamlin, Busch, Kez and the other heavily funded "cup lite" teams really make it tough on the guys who are trying to make it just as Nationwide drivers/teams.
Scott Riggs? I didn't even realize he was in the race.
Er left front
Kez, Kyle, the 20, Edwards, Biffle, Vickers, Leffler, Harvick, Gator, maybe Brian Scott and that really runs the short list of cars with week in week out chances to contend. Maybe throw the RWI cars in there since they have JGR/TRD support too.
Pretty bad that the depth is that small. Oh and Menard.
Wow, Danica...that sucks
No more Danicashow
Oh good grief, Danica just took out McDowell. Bad bad day for JR Motorsports.
Props to Brad for calling a spade a spade, too.
oh boy, that didn't work out.
Rookie driver meets slow traffic. Welcome to NASCAR Danica. And you thought Milka Duno was bad!
So Nascar will suspend him or something right? I mean he wrecked Danica
I think that was 50-50. No one's fault.
Wonder if Danica will throw a tantrum
I don't think it was her total fault. Would be nice to see another replay.
Wow, terrible pit stop for Harvick -- that's going to cost him. Maybe KyBu IS really destined to win at Vegas today as he predicted.
If she follows Kyle B's example. at least she came back out of the hauler last week after she cooled down and gave interviews.
yeah I know thats what I said Scott Riggs huh???
sucks for Danica but oh well she did pretty damn good for todsy even though she didnt get many laps in but she was hanging in the 3rd position for a little bit. I'd sum this up as a C+ for today she reminds
I turned the channel and missed what Danica said on the radio. Can anyone give me info?
Did they tell KennyW to park???
UGHH enough with the cicis pizza they play it twice during one commercial break sometimes??? I so wanna go but dont have any round here
KH will be really upset with that pitstop. I'm watching for DeLana's tweet about it. Booth doing a great job!
We'll see you Sat, Jun. 26
2:30 PM ET on ESPN for the New Hampshire 200.
NASCAR.com was showing DP running lap times in the high 30's before the wreck.
Happy's not.
Yep that was a "racin deal" and part of the learning experience. McDowell needed to turn down to make the turn and she forgot that its a stock car, not an Indy car and there just wasn't room for 2 objects to occupy the same space at the same time
Well lookin at the lap times it appears McDowell had just come back on track. She was wondering why his spotter did not relay the info that she was coming. It really looked like a racing deal though where a faster car came up on slower traffic and they wanted the same spot. Kind of like that 58 in Bristol when Kyle Busch hit him...
She dropped a few r rated words though on her channel.
Harvick too. Sounds about ready to fire the crew
PRN said Kenny W was black flagged for dropping fluid on the track.
81 ran a 46 second lap before that wreck...
@queers4gears says that Harvick's radio is currently not work-safe.
Wonder when ESPN will update us on that stinker of a stop?
@David
What's the average lap at this place?
You guys putting that one on her?
let's see, she was in the car overtaking and she blames the guy in the car she ran into AND the spotter.
Harvick radios spotter for Mike Dillon, spotter says Dillon went down thinking rain is coming. So might be looking for a red flag here
Danica, u have no room to talk trash and criticize other drivers. Not when your driving 4 or 5 mph slower than everyone else.
Avg lap today for fast cars 30.50, avg lap for most of the field is a 31 flat. Danica ran a 30.90 that lap, McDowell a 46 second lap. You tell me who was in the way lol
Maybe Kevin and DeLana can make a deal with their buddy Tony Stewart to borrow one of his pit crews.
81 was also 70 laps down...
I would say it was less her fault then the other car.
PRN just interviewed DP & she indicated McDowell didn't hold his line, but she didn't trash him either - very calm.
Sounds to me like HE was the one that should have been getting out of the way for cars still racing, not the other way around.
maybe DP's spotter should have told her that mcdowell was slower?
Or his spotter should have told him to hold his line for faster traffic? see, 6 of one, half dozen of the other. No fault accident.
Why do they insist on tormenting us with BradD ??
The video exonerates Danica in that mess ...
JD i dont put it on her. whats your thoughts
@David - McDowell had just come back on track the lap before, so the reason he ran a 46-second lap is because he started that lap on pit road.
So if they get to halfway will they call it?
It's not a no fault accident-It's a both fault accident.
The next learning experience would be to repair that 7 car and try and maintain minimum speed. Not likely because of the rain.
It is not the most glorious part of Nascar, but you need to learn how to points race and finish 35th instead of 39th.
evidently Kevin Harvick doesn't know much about racing or NASCAR, since he apparently has more respect for Ms. Patrick than all the hater know-it-alls
MV, your right about that but it is no excuse for him being off pace. He should not have been going for that lower groove that quickly. Just my feeling on it. She should have used better judgment, but McDowell made a huge blooper right there.
As usual, no easy answers.
well as usual, the leaders are all cup drivers.
McDowell was slow and clearly moved down on her. Danica did have some room below her but I think the closing distance was just a little too great. Maybe with more experience, she could have avoided that.
McDowell shouldn't have been that low as far as I'm concerned though.
GinaV24 said...
maybe DP's spotter should have told her that mcdowell was slower?
-----------
Or maybe McDowell's spotter should've told him a much quicker car was coming up on him and he needed to stay up high and let her pass.
Typical Gina though, rip on Danica. If this had happened to Chrissy Wallace you'd probably defend her.
BTW- How do you like the TV coverage so far, Gina?
Agreed, Damon. I think both drivers needed all the help they could get and unfortunately, it didn't turn out well for either of them.
Jeff Gluck just tweeted that McDowell took 100% of the blame for that wreck and said he though Danica was going to go high.
Guess he thought that Danica would basically do a crossover behind him?
After all, does it matter who's fault it is when you wind up with a wrecked race car and can't finish the race?
if the idea is to learn and become more competitive against the people she will be racing against on a regular basis, the more laps the better I would think
Bob Pockrass reporting that McDowell said Danica had a right to be mad at him.
Hmm...
Woah
Damon, you are just so sweet to ask.
I like Marty Reid a lot. Can live without cRusty and Brad D. Still more in car than i like, but overall, ESPN doing better than Fox.
Classy move by McDowell if that is the case. Seemed bizarre for him to come down that far with a car closing
Nice step up by McDowell....
I'm still confused why that Lola ad got banned from the Super Bowl. It's much less offensive than the ones that aired!
oh boy, cars on old tires and cup drivers behind them on new
13 minutes to basketball...surprised that they haven't said anything about either racing or BB moving to Classic yet.
LOL Andrew, don't jinx them....they might.
basketball??? Why would ESPN move to basketball? Ratings have been way down for the NBA and there lossing loads of money... So not sure why they would switch to that crap lol. i know its college but still comeon.
Accu_weather showing what looks like a big storm heading into Vegas from the west.
They are showing us the battles for position-I am impressed!!!
Rusty is having a hard time saying anything. He gets cut off.
Nemechek and Riggs still running at end of lead lap.
The rule is that the in-progress event generally stays. If this was in rain delay, it would be gone.
There are published conditions for all the live event contingencies during the weekend.
They include programming, commercial and operational guidelines.
Whoops! Marty jinxed him!
Aint stopping repair bills on that one.
Bummer for Brian Scott there.
Good miss by Braun though
I reread what I wrote and what I met was Rusty sometimes starts talking and they ignore him. Rusty likes to chit, chat.
Other than the dark clouds, that's a very pretty view from that camera shot.
Let's see if KH crew will give him a decent pit stop this time
Glad another sport gets to feel the pre-empting bump instead of NASCAR for a change
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