Saturday, April 10, 2010

Live Blogging Sprint Cup Series from PIR (7PM - FOX)


The Major League Baseball season is upon us. While NASCAR is scheduled to start at 7PM, there are regional MLB games on FOX scheduled from 3 to 6PM. We will have to keep an eye on those games today.

Chris Myers is up first from the Hollywood Hotel. As we have previously mentioned, Myers is struggling to manage Darrell Waltrip this season. Jeff Hammond has been trying to help, but Waltrip continues to be all over the map.

Myers also seems to be embarrassed by the "Slice of Pizzi" segment he is forced to run as FOX promotes the "Cubed" online series. This has been a flop since the beginning and continues to take time away from information on the pre-race stories.

The green flag flies at 7:44PM, so this will be a thirty-minute version of the pre-race show. That should put a premium on the amount of junk that FOX can add to the NASCAR news and interviews. Lately, the junk factor has been high.

FOX has the best NASCAR pit reporters in the business, yet continues to leave them out in the cold. During both the pre-race and the race, Waltrip is the star of the show. Unfortunately, this does not allow the amount of information on stories of the day/race to be relayed to viewers. Today, there are lots of stories to report.

Last we saw Mike Joy, he looked and sounded tired. Who wouldn't be with the continual chattering of Waltrip and Larry McReynolds going on all race long? This season has been the absolute worst in terms of Waltrip and McReynolds talking over top of Joy while he is doing his job.

FOX needs to have a focused and exciting telecast as they gear-up to run out the network's string of Sprint Cup Series races. While Daytona was a disaster, PIR has the potential to be fantastic. From the Denny Hamlin injury to the continued feuding on the track, it should be an interesting night.

The challenge for the Director is to stay ahead of the action. We like to refer to it as "showing headlights and not taillights." Cars racing toward the camera and constantly coming forward make for a very different telecast that one camera following the same cars around the entire track. On Friday night, ESPN learned that the hard way.

This post will serve to host your comments on the NASCAR on FOX coverage of the Sprint Cup Series race from PIR. To add your TV-related comment, just click on the comments button below. This is a family-friendly website, please keep that in mind when posting. Thanks as always for taking the time to stop by!

389 comments:

  1. Today I found the entire 1993 Hooters 500 on YouTube. Maybe somebody should show it to FOX as an example of doing things right?

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  2. Happy Saturday Night Racin' Planeteers :)

    Hope we get some good racing tonight. Interested to see how long Denny lasts. Hopefully he got all the fluid out of his knee. That was GROSS!

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  3. Hey all! I'm very glad this race isn't up against The Masters tomorrow; if the golf tomorrow is anything like today's it could be the best round since the Tiger/Rocco showdown at the 2008 US Open.

    Several media folk on Twitter noted that nobody asked questions about the restart line in the drivers' meeting; that's surprising considering the issues during yesterday's NW race. I wonder if the FOX crew will have time to acknowledge what happened in between the gimmicks and gadgets.

    I'm also hoping that the camera work is better than last night.

    That said, it would be nice if Mike Joy could do what Marty Reid did last night - move us past bad cameras, bad directing, and bad commentators who used to be drivers. Marty made the NW telecast watchable in a way that JP never managed to do when ESPN pulled this junk last year. Hopefully Mike can snap out of his recent funk long enough to do the same!

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  4. Oh, a question - did RaceDay address the Kyle/BK issues from the NW race? I was watching golf. >_>;

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  5. Well here we go! Going to be monitoring JPM and Kyle Busch on the scanners so stay posted for those. Finally get trackpass back up going for the first time several weeks. Hope to enjoy yet another Cup race with my extended blog family.

    Thank goodness for the 30 minute pre-race rather than the 60. I might actually stay tuned in for it

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  6. Johnny TV really has let the gray hairs fly....

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  7. DW's question was poorly phrased, and really put Denny on the defensive... strange.


    Also nascar raceview, is listing start time as 8:45pm?

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  8. Need some help please. Broke and lost my cable and I am running on a wireless card. So, what's the best way I can watch or keep up with the race from my computer? Are there any in cars or feeds at all online? Thanks for helping me.

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  9. With only 30 minutes of pre-race, they're really going to waste time on this faux-bracket stuff?

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  10. There is no NASCAR video online for the FOX races.

    I am sooooo not into this bracket stuff.

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  11. This is a total waste of time, we aren't bb, we are racing!

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  12. I'm already lost on this bracket thing....but I guess on the bright side, it's better than Pizzi. There's very little about the race during the pre-race show....this is more of a "look at us" pre-race show.

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  13. I've changed channels 'til the
    green flag. This bracket junk is
    just another Fox reality style joke!

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  14. Hi, everyone - well I just tuned in to the pre-race show and 15 minutes in I'm wondering why -- partly because I thought the race would start at 7:30.

    I really wish someone would tell DW that its not all about him. I want to see and hear about the RACE. I feel so sorry for Mike Joy -- such a great broadcaster and he's stuck with this mess in the booth.

    I'm glad the race is on at night as well since the weather on Sunday is supposed to be great and I want to be outside enjoying it.

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  15. So, Fox thinks they are going to get the Bball fans watching if they do this stupid bracket crap? What an absolute waste of air. Like there is ONe winner and ONE loser in a race? Ignorant.

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  16. S&P Picks are tricky tonight:

    Definite S&P:
    #55 Blaney
    #66 McDowell

    Possiblities:
    #87 Nemechek - has a sponsor, but also appeared on his Nationwide car last night. Same situation at Bristol a few weeks ago and he parked.
    #35 Sauter - S&P entry for Tommy Baldwin, but the primary car missed the field and Sauter ran 91 laps in practice.
    #46 Cook - Ran 87 laps in practice and ran half the race at Bristol. Their intentions are still unknown.

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  17. bracket thing = dumb, but ill be filling one out lol

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  18. They had me lost on that bracket thing 30 seconds into it. But I guess it's better than Pizzi!

    Problem with this pre-race show is it has little to do with the race itself....it's more of a "look at us" show.

    They should just do RaceDay on SPEED and then go right into opening ceremonies when Fox comes on.

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  19. If Sauter ran that many laps, I anticipate he will run today. Same for Cook.

    Nemecheck I expect will park until Talladega

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  20. Nine minutes and counting since actual discussion of TODAY's race.

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  21. Hoping my dinner comes just in time to miss Pizzi, unless of course the rest of the drivers refused to do it and it's toast.

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  22. 55 may run though MV to get Mikey locked in... or at least closer to it

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  23. I think the FOX folks have been great this season. The Daly Planet must be getting checks out of Bristol now.

    Very biased reporting on this site. But, it's you're site do as you wish.

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  24. MikeC - me, too. I remember when the prerace show used to be about what was going on from practice, qualifying or updates on drivers, now we have nonsense. I don't usually watch it, but thought I would since I got on line to talk with all y'all.

    does NASCAR really need to ask why less people are watching? They should try watching a few broadcasts on TV - they might get a clue themselves and wouldn't need surveys.

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  25. I doubt it David. The #55 only ran a total of 29 laps in both practice sessions combined. They will probrably run 1 fuel run and park it.

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  26. @NRF - We can only hope. No mention of him yet.

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  27. JeRRY, I calls them as I sees them -- you like it, that's cool, too.

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  28. @JeRRY - May I recommend you check the comments on ESPN's coverage from the last few weeks? Last night was an anomaly but still had some good comments. FOX, on the other hand, has been pretty consistently bad. And this is a rather dramatic reversal from the general consensus from last year.

    To each their own, though. What do you feel FOX is doing well?

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  29. Need more drivers and less DW and Hammond.

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  30. Here's a thought. SPEED and FOX are both owned by News Corp. and overseen by David Hill. Is it possible that he's pushing all the good pre-race into RaceDay in order to clear the way for cartoony junk and sponsor spots in the FOX pre-race?

    It would explain a great many things.

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  31. Football? oh yeah, Fox covers football, too -- but this is supposed to be pre-RACE. Ugh

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  32. amen JD.

    Wow, they asked an NFL question. That had NOTHING to do with FOX having the NFL now does it?

    -rolls eyes-

    What were you saying JeRRY?

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  33. Just saw one of those Cam-Am tricycles this afternoon. Guy riding it was about 80!

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  34. Things are about to chance when the flag flies. This is going to be a good one. Hope we get to see it!

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  35. Andrew - I'd like to think there was some logic to why they are choosing to do the stuff they do, but I'm not sure they know what the heck they're doing.

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  36. NFL on FOX after MLB on FOX after NASCAR on FOX?

    Way to line up those priorities, network. Probably should have thrown in IDOL on FOX before all that.

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  37. Hey ya'll it is called ENTERTAINMENT! Practice, qualifying and the like is dried paint, nearly unwatchable. Nobody does entertaining sports television like Fox. Keep it coming fellas'!

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  38. @Anon 7:30 - No, it's called "sports". Madden and Summerall, the greatest pair ever on Fox Sports, never treated me like an idiot while watching football. And the producers would step in and rein in Madden if he went a bit too far.

    Unfortunately, there's none of that here.

    Also, this trumpet playing is making my inner musician cringe in agony.

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  39. The only entertainment I want is to see a race well presented in a manner that keeps me informed as to what transpires on the track. If I wanted 'entertainment' I would be somewhere else. Just my opinion.

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  40. The Jeff Gordon-- family deal seems very forced to me...

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  41. I agree with Sally.

    Good anthem, local guy doing it, has done the anthem for the Diamondbacks in the World Series as well

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  42. Temps will drop 15 to 20 degrees by race end. Track temp may drop 30 degrees

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  43. Even if watching practice and qualifying live is akin to paint drying, there are stories within that could be summed up in an interesting and intelligent way to NASCAR fans that still bother to watch the pre-race. Instead, our intelligence is insulted with meaningless imaginary brackets and watching people eat sandwiches.

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  44. Jeff is a different kind of guy. Worked with him a lot. He has a very unique style, almost like MW does.

    But, in his single days he always got the girl! No doubt about that one.

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  45. We learned track temp will have to be watched, pit road and restarts needs a heads up. How to do a basketball bracket and how to eat a sub.

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  46. yeah JD, I heard a story about Jeff in a night club one night lol

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  47. I hope she stays for the race! Might like it.

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  48. Don't forget pimping the Digger gear.

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  49. WOW, Mike Joy does NOT sound good. JD, have you heard any rumors about this? He sounds more ill than tired.

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  51. @Anon 7:43 - Good old Fireball!

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  53. my trackpass is all but syched up perfect with tv. maybe a 2 second delay. this should be fun

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  54. Montoya's radio says they thought the 46 was a start and park but shows he has scuffs in stall. So they probably aren't

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  55. I'm biased -- love seeing info about Jeff! Love it, JD, that he always got the girl -- yeah baby.

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  57. Whew! I almost forgot to mute DW's stupidity! That was close.

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  58. OK, that was some good camera work showing the battles on the track

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  59. Insulting or not, there is a better way to keep up to date with sports these days without being bombarded by shills selling us sh-- things we don't need. Internet killed the video star, and FOX is a lumbering dinosaur sinking into the tar pits, too stupid to realise its own demise. Shame it takes professional sports down with it at this point in time.

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  60. Mike Joy sounds pretty pumped up today. He was great on the Barrett Jackson auction last weekend.

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  61. I thought Mike Joy didn't look well in that opening shot either. I really hope he's not sick.

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  62. Not very good in cars so far. The rest of the pictures have been good

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  63. Lots of in car cameras already. really hard to see how a battle is shaping up from that angle...again.

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  64. Gina, I got a lot of email about that. He does not look healthy. Hope he is OK, great guy.

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  65. LOL anyone notice that the fox bar shows Mears in the 90 instead of Riggs?

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  66. Anybody having raceview problems? I'm stuck on the program guide.

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  67. So, we missed on track passing while being shown the 2 leaders gapping the field. and they wonder why we think the races are boring? we never see the action!

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  68. Jimmie Johnson in that 48 car -- does anyone NOT know that by now? sheesh

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  69. Way to only catch the wreck by being on Kasey's in-car camera. *sigh*

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  70. JD, obviously all I know about Mike Joy is what I've seen on TV - although I did bump into him once at a race and he was very nice and said hello to the fans as they were moving through and he has always done such a great job. It worries me.

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  71. Harvick changing NASCAR scoring transponder. That's a new one.

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  72. Checking on RaceView with NASCAR.com for you right now.

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  73. Andrew, yeah, I thought that too. I really like wider shots for a frame of reference.

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  74. I really like that coke commercial with the drivers singing. Greg Biffle is spinning while he sings.

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  75. Yeah thats a nice sandwich--please
    DW & Fox...how much does that in race plug cost?----

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  76. JD - maybe he can get a "better" one from NASCAR. LOL

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  77. Try to include some TV stuff there once and a while David!

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  78. Very different from Marty Reid huh Sally? He always resets, it's fundamental!

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  79. As many laps as they keep the caution out, TV should be able to give us the restart order before they throw the green, no?

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  80. OK, NASCAR.com says the problem is fixed. Please refresh or reload.

    Let me know if it works!

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  81. Kyle Busch team still working on coolbox, unhappy with 82 being too conservative on restart.

    Will FOX update....? Maybe in an hour...

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  82. Sally,

    Marty just does it like the radio guys. He just reads it off on the final lap before the restart. Works like a charm!

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  83. Maybe they think that the scroll takes the place of the field reset, but IMO, it doesn't. Marty has done a good job of that in the Nationwide races.

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  84. Like to see some more wideshots in this segment and less of the in-car cams.

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  85. David, why would they talk about the problems with a competitive car? When they are so many other things to talk about? A sandwich or Digger instead.

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  86. I see FOX fixed the Mears glitch on the 90

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  87. Mike Joy just did a partial reset of the front of the field. Not enough though.

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  88. Dear FOX,

    IN-CAR CAMERAS ARE USELESS ON RESTARTS.

    No love,

    The Planeteers

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  89. Trying to go wider but still a bit behind on camera switches.

    Crew trying to verify Kyle can hear them. all is well on that front

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  90. You can see a glimpse of racing but they do tight shots on a single car and incar cams.

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  91. FOX, Kenseth knocked in RF fender off Jr on that restart, please update.

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  92. I think JPM would be a grin in the all star race. No points, bring back the trophy of the steering wheel? ;-)

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  93. Mike Joy is doing better right now, but he's still not really doing PXP of the whole field.

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  94. Sally - I'm not a fan of his, but it would be exciting to watch.

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  95. Mike Joy sounds like JP from last year, except that he has five times more energy. Colorful commentary but no play-by-play.

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  96. I AM a fan of JPM. Go, Montoya.

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  97. Hey, is this the first green-flag commercial of the evening? Nice.

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  98. Andrew,

    Isn't that amazing? All the energy is gone from Mike just like JP last season.

    It really is weird. Remember when these guys were the best at this by far?

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  99. 88 fading. Wonder if DW will notice that

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  100. David, did the contact with Kenseth do damage to the #88 too?

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  101. That's the problem, I do remember that Fox was so good at showing us and having fun at the race. It's why it is so frustrating that this farce is what I'm seeing and hearing now.

    Resting on your laurels is never a good thing.

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  102. Mike Joy is doing a fine job at play by play and sounds nothing like Jerry Punch. He also lacks the occasional WWE over the top moments Marty Reid has.

    Compaying Mike Joy to Jerry Punch... haha... you must be watching another race.

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  103. I think having to put up with the other monkeys in the booth could be very tiring. Mike has probably had to be with those guys all day. Babysitting is very tiring regardless of the age.

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  104. BV said he blew a tire and if DW would have stopped talking long enough they could have called it.

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  105. OsbornK -- LOL

    Nemechek has parked.

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  106. Haven't seen a view of the stands wondering if they have a good crowd there tonight.

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  107. Sally it didn't look like he hurt jr that bad as he hit him in the left rear.

    Kyle Busch problems on pit road. Not happy since he is having issues passing on track.

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  108. Vicky, 1 and 2 as well as the front straight are full or at least 95% full. Turn 4 is the question mark since it is the one in the sun the most. Attendance can be skewed since hillside has fans on it too.

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  109. 2 vickyD..I read that they were very close to a sellout. Althought, they took out backstretch seats for RV parking, and widened the bleachers seats from 18" to 22". They b=now have seating for about 55K.

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  110. Nemecheck back out to pick up a couple spots

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  111. Were not going to have to put up with all this seed stuff from now on are we ?

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  112. OK, I just don't get this whole bracket thing - aren't they all racing each other on the same track? This makes NO sense to me.

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  113. ya know, when you have to steal a gimmick from another sport to make your broadcast "interesting," there is something fundamentally wrong with what you're attempting.

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  114. This 'bracket' crap is really stupid. I guess at least it gives us some info on drivers they wouldn't usually bother with. Good result for the wrong reason.

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  115. Bracket = Awful.

    Not much more to say.

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  116. Oh good, I'm glad that you guys think its stupid, too. I just hit the mute button again. The problem is that they are actually giving some information about the cars that I'd like to know, just don't want to get it in this dumb fashion

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  117. NASCAR really needs to address those backmarkers staying out till the last second on restarts...

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  118. They're talking about cars all over the field and you're complaining... wow amazing.

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  119. One thing FOX is doing better than ESPN did yesterday are the non-in-car cameras. It looks like a completely different track despite the cameras being in the same positions they were in yesterday.

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  120. *sigh* Guess we'd best get used to hearing all this bracket crap until Darlington.

    Come on director, show us the race!

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  121. This is waaay gonna suck talking about brackets & such...it's a race-SHOW IT!!

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  122. So, quick poll. Bracketology better or worse than Digger cartoons on the screen every 45 seconds?

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  123. @Brendan...it's the inane fashion they are delivering the info that's insulting. the info itself is very welcome...but why can't we get it without this stupid 'bracket' crap? whouldn't that be part of a competant broadcast without the stupidity?

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  124. I got in and have been watching the race for about 15 mminutes and I have 2 comments:

    1.) nobody can say anything without DW interupting them with something he feels is more important

    2.) what the heck is a seed, why does the NASCAR people feel that the sport cant stand on it's own, why do they constantly have to try and make things from other sports fit into NASCAR....makes them look dumb and desperate.

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  125. I'll take bracketology for $500, please over Digger any day.

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  126. Brendan it shouldn't require a gimmick to talk about those drivers though!

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  127. Brackets at least gives us race relevant info. Digger is just a total waste.

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  128. brendan, i appreciate that they're talking about a wider number of drivers.

    however, i resent the inane and artificial way they've chosen to do it. it's insulting to race fans to have our sport reduced to some sort of basketball also ran.

    want to talk about drivers? just effin do it! don't treat my sport and its competitors as not good enough to be discussed on their own merits.

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  129. oh look, now we have to show all the trick cameras. That one at the start finish line just makes me dizzy.

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  130. It's a sponsorship gimmick but they are using it to inform race fans... seems like a win win situation. Or I suppose we could just have another commercial, billboard or something else that is non race related.

    Just take the information and be happy with it and don't worry about brackets if they're too hard for you to figure out.

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  131. Just a quick check in. Watching my Penguins hoping Crosby gets his 50th.

    What's with all this bracket lunacy? Bracketology is for March Madness only. Sheesh, these guys are really stretching.

    Did I hear this race is a sellout? Well, maybe it's because they reconfigured the seats and lost a few thousand to make more comfortable seats.

    Pit crew is good, TV cameras stink. They sure miss a lot of good story lines.

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  132. Why is it that every single time a track gets slick it HAS to be the tar DW?

    they've had it in the cracks for years without issue, maybe it's just the tire/spoiler combo?

    Dare anyone ever say anything bad about the spoiler though

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  133. @Brendan - I appreciate the info but they should do it as ESPN, MRN, and PRN do - a full-field rundown.

    And yes, this bracket is "too hard" to follow because it makes absolutely zero sense and is shoehorned into the broadcast as a gimmick.

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  134. does anyone suspect that FOX and NASCAR have put a few people in this blog to "teach" us how our opinions are wrong and how great the broadcast really is??

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  135. wow, 5 cars under a blanket. That was a good shot for a minute. then back to in car shots. Darn it!

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  136. Phoenix usually doesn't struggle to sell out though. They do well with what they have. Probably have 70k there today

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  137. Wish someone would tell DW it isn't
    Tarrr; it's asphlalt.

    Am I missing something or has the rodent disappeared tonight?

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  138. and now we follow one car down pit road and have the leader in the other box while green flag is out? WTH?

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  139. @Anon 8:38 - Some of the other anons, maybe. Brendan looks legit though.

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  140. McDowell off, Blaney and Sauter both back on track with Nemecheck

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  141. I do agree though, the non-in car shots look much much better than yesterday. The stationary cameras still seem overused on restarts though

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  142. Brendan, you've got to be kidding. Just take it and be happy?

    Why? They could easily give us the same information without all the trumped up nonsense but Fox just can't handle calling a race without gimmicks.

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  143. hey brendan? i'm trying to be respectful here and would appreciate the same from you. it's not that it's "too hard" for me. it's that the concept of sports bracketing has nothing to do with this sport and it has become a distraction from the broadcast of the race.

    do not presume to tell me what i do or do not understand. my disagreement with your opinion does not give you license to essentially demean my understanding of a wide variety of sports.

    back it down. now.

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  144. First FOX mention of the JWT debacle and it's on a commercial throw. Interesting.

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  145. Also Brendan, DirecTV is in part a FOX property, so the win-win argument is null in that it helps foot the bills. That is essentially FOX paying FOX.
    It's a gimmick plain and simple.

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  146. I knosw its been a few years now, but for a multi billion dollar sport, the cars look like they were designed by a two year old. Old, boxes, ugly, no technology or sportiness to them.

    Do they really thing that more people wouldn't watch if the cars look cool, fast, new, and all that??? Hard to believe that the guys making the big bucks are that ignorant

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  147. Good time for a through the field. Kyle Busch has gained 7 spots since restart, I believe biggest mover thus far since. Dinger fading big time.

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  148. Anon-- I agree with your opinion on the ugly car. It just doesn't look like a race car. a brick on wheels, but not a race car.

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  149. David -- it's a good thing you updated us since we aren't hearing any of that on TV.

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  150. Field looks to be pretty spread out right now. And they made this race LONGER. Oh boy.

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  151. Told on Twitter lots of folks are on the PIP tonight. Baseball, Iron Chef, Bullriding, cartoons with the kids, etc...

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  152. The S&P bunch are making this a weird race, McDowell is now back on track and seems like nobody wants to be the lowest finishing S&P team.

    Looks like Papis is a S&P too, they didn't have sponsorship for the full season but didn't want to skip any races either.

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  153. @Gina - And yet, FOX is still finding some racing with the cameras. The trick is getting the booth to discuss it.

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  154. have i mentioned yet this season how much i detest in-car cameras?
    and two car shots?
    and tail pipes?
    and shots through the catch fence that make it impossible to tell which cars i'm watching?
    and comments like "the good thing about a spring rubber? you can put it in and you can take it out."

    just checking . . .

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  155. @Andrew - yes, I have noticed that. It would be good if the cameras and voices woulb sync up. It's too disjointed to really enjoy this way. I'm using trackpass to follow what's going on, too. And this blog, of course.

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  156. MV Papis had said the races they didn't have funding they would start and park.

    Kyle Busch and Brad K fastest cars on track. Busch up to 9th

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  157. I know I'm a little late to the rodeo, but what is all this stupid "bracket" stuff? I'd be embarassed to be having to say that crazy bs.
    The things the sponsors force reasonable, smart people to say.

    And where of where is Mike Joy? Lots of empty air.

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  158. 77 Hornish is going backwards fast

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  159. @Red -- ROTLFMAO!! Go girl, you said it for me.

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  160. JD use those powers of yours and get us a through the field

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  161. Sometimes I think that listening to the booth is like a Seinfield episode -- a show about nothing.

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  162. DW: A lot of these guys are just hangin' on...waiting..."

    Yeah, us too. This coverage is so awful, I was watching a Hilary Duff cliche of a movie instead of the race with PIP. Who IS Hilary Duff? Better than Fox tonight, and believe me, that's not saying much.

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  164. MV - I'm amazed by the lack of parking as well. Like you said, everyone is trying to avoid the tear-down.

    I would be shocked if Papis is a S&P tonight. He ran 114 laps in practice!

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  165. Buschseries, he isn't trying to run all the laps though. They only had money for 20 races, the rest are S&P.

    Joy doing a fantastic job calling everyone who is on pit road

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  166. well at least pit stops will let us hear what is going on with each car.

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  167. This is a good one:

    RyanMcGeeESPN: My wife's weekly #NASCAR observation: "Dale Jr's Unabomber beard can't help aerodynamically."

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  168. If there was 10 laps to go they would have thrown the caution flag sooner.

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  169. HUGE break for Riggs and Truex. Truex back on lead lap

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  170. Interesting that DW can read a driver's mind by looking iat his eyes on a TV set.

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  171. tracy d: if someone gets larry mac to say kez's name correctly, maybe they can then work on rusty wallace.

    gina: this is me, taing a bow. my tolerance level for some . . . nonsense is diminished tonight. i'm blaming it on someone's knee pain. might be mine, might be hamlin's, i dunno.

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  172. @Buschseries61 - Papis only announced a 19-race schedule and said he would start-and-park in the others so he wouldn't miss any races if qualifying is canceled. He missed Bristol which wasn't on his schedule, he parked after about 50 laps at Martinsville (for "brake problems") and his next scheduled race is Texas. He did pull off the track early and came back out when the other S&P teams did.

    Looks like the #35 will be torn-down after the race, unless he rejoins the race too later.

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  173. Denny shouldn't try to be a hero. Someone else needs to make that call to put Mears in his car.

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  174. remember when Tony Stewart put DW and Mike Joy in there places about saying crap just like that. hmmm is that the difference now, no drivers can speak out about how bad the annoucers are?????

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  175. I was really pumped for a good telecast tonight, but it has been the pits since the pre-race.

    This is really a shame for the sport. It really is.

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  176. MV, too hard to guess. That rule only applies if they retire from the race lol. they might just come on and off as it goes. Teams are probably trying to wrangle up used tires from other teams

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  177. Sally - yes that's because DW gets inside their heads. All knowing all seeing DW.

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  178. Oh and about the whole bracket thing - you're not clueless, JD. Fox is.

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  179. Karen, it shouldn't just be DH's decision - cc and others should decide too.

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  180. NASCAR had a pre-season driver meeting in the R&D Center. The drivers were shown how negatively they affect the TV ratings for the sport when they "speak out."

    This has been a season of silence.

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  181. @Karen - I want to agree, but then I keep thinking about Earnhardt in 1996 two weeks after that wreck at Talladega, when he worked his way to a mind-bending sixth place finish at the Glen.

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  182. To be fair to Denny JGR has been hit or miss all year with setups. I really don't feel this performance is a result of the knee. After he lets the clutch out that leg is just resting. Though having to be a right foot braker might be what is causing some of this struggles. Too late to put Casey in I feel. At least for this caution

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  183. if i understood the bracket right, it covers certain races and i guess you pick which driver will beat the one it is matched up with.. i didn't catch which races other than talledega is one of them..if you have a perfect bracket you have a chance to win a million dollars.. i'm guessing to win the million you'll have to pick like the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner of some race or something

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  184. Well I turned off the tv 15 minutes into the race due to IN CAR CAM MANIA...missed a wreck due to that &^%#!

    I am listning to MRN on diff station tonight and they are having issues again. I am in diff location with slow internet access (pony express version)

    MRN went to say what was going on with JR and I lost sound AGAIN for like 15 seconds...what's going on with Jr anybody know?

    Oh and today on the MASTERS, CBS doing PIP when golfer hits a shot to "see their faces". Technology is ruining all sports. but 56 minutes of each hour of MASTERS was COMMECIAL FREE! Woo hoo. Go Fred Couples & Tom Watson :)

    Ok MRN gone again..where is tony s? thankss

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