The second race of the six-event summer TV package from TNT originates from the Michigan International Speedway.
Lindsay Czarniak will host the Countdown to Green pre-race show. Kyle Petty and Larry McReynolds will be alongside. There is a lot to talk about this week.
Adam Alexander will call the race with Petty and Wally Dallenbach Jr. in the TV booth. Phil Parsons, Ralph Sheheen, Matt Yocum and Marty Snider are the pit reporters.
TNT's debut was a baptism by fire with rain stopping the race on the pace laps in Pocono. Czarniak filled time with McReynolds from an indoor studio using interviews and pre-recorded features. The weather in Michigan could also include some rain.
Alexander's debut featured a lot of accurate information, but little excitement. His even-tempered personality that served him quite well as a pit reporter did not translate into calling the racing action in the classic style. Perhaps he was playing it safe and we might see some additional play-by-play from him today.
Michigan is a wide and often boring track. Several races have been run without any caution periods. This is not the type of track where NASCAR may be inclined to look for a "debris" caution to better the show. This is also not a payback track due to the high speeds and danger.
The challenge for TNT is to get on top of the fuel strategies early on and keep that as the story. Races here have featured the leaders running out of fuel on the final lap many times. With the current green/white/checkered rules in place, fuel may be more of an issue than ever before.
Pictures from MIS are great, but the director has a challenge in following the leader, the ongoing stories and the best racing action. Sometimes, when things settle down, in-car cameras used live have a place at this track.
TNT will again offer RaceBuddy, the live online video companion you can access through the NASCAR.com website for free. TNT also has the million dollar challenge for this race. Simply pick the top ten finishing drivers in order and win a million dollars. NASCAR.com is again the place to sign-up for that contest.
This post will serve to host your comments on the TNT coverage of the Sprint Cup Series from MIS. To add your TV-related comments, just click on the comments button below. This is a family-friendly website, please keep that in mind when posting. Thanks for taking the time to stop by The Daly Planet.
237 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 237 of 237Jonathan, I think that was a Fox thing and not a TNT thing.
You can go to FOXsports.com and their live leaderboard is fine.
@chadderbox: the leaderboard is a major flaw w/RB, in my opinion. but since it offers so much else, i simply use another leaderboard for times, position.
Where did the weird static camera in the pit shots come from? TNT tied down a camera on the pit box? Cool!!
Nascar's live leaderboard is acting up too. A good thing I just noticed is that TNT has kept the laps run in the race even after halfway instead of showing laps left. I like that.
Caution's out on lap 183 for debris.
Yes, Fox wants to rest on its laurels and just keep giving us the crap that they want instead of what we as race fans have been asking for.
Its funny that the Fox guys and some of the Speed reporters (guilt by association) have been critical of the fans comments.
I think they doth protest too much.
NASCAR is really the only one who can do something about this problem, but they've already made their deal with the twin devils of Fox and ESPN by taking the money, so whatever the product is that they put out, the fans are screwed unless they choose to make changes.
Gosh I hate the Burger King commercials. It must have been the same ad agency that screwed up the Wendy's commercials. I hit the switch button as soon as I see that awful thing.
Raining here in NJ, sounds like the storms are moving away from me, though! Yay!
Chadderbox my RB leaderboard froze up at lap 122 also I thought it was just me.
VickyD, I thought I was crazy - glad that its the leaderboard and not me.
It was showing caution and TNT is still in commercial.
Did they show the debris.
Did the 18 get inot the wall?
I think the 18 got into the wall a couple of times this race.
The director/producer should insist ion showing the debris, if he/she wants to maintain any
credibility.
OK, the director needs to show more of the race than the front 2 cars
Closing the Gap is excellently used, but 3 cars have hit the wall in the last 3 laps according to radio, but TNT missed them all.
that's a little better - pulled back some on that shot for the track. I know no one is close, but unless Kahne closes on his bumper no need to just watch those 2 cars
someone poked the director
And another good thing about TNT's broadcast, we haven't seen JJ riding around and around and around and around the track.
NASCAR had better not try and manipulate this race with their GW wreckers philosophy!
And, they showed all the last lap!!!
Makiki
Honolulu
Good race, even with all the long green flag laps but that was because TNT did a really good job of broadcasting this race.
I haven't sat through an ENTIRE race since last year.
Outstanding coverage of the finish. Best of the year!
Got about thirty minutes to fill here, should be interesting.
Great dropdown, good call and camera selection at the end. Love it!
Maikiki -- yes, they did and showed the cars crossing for the finish. Hooray!
Hamlin's the man.
Thanks for the leaderboard tips. I agree, the leaderboard part of RB is not user friendly right now.
Hamlin was strong today! Jr had a good finish!
TNT took a very ordinary and unexciting race and kept us watching. That is quite an accomplishment.
do you think the sprint girl could have gotten any closer during the winners interview.
I hope they stick with it, JD. There are lots of stories they can cover if they will.
Charlie instead of "hey, Jeremy" that looked like "hey, Denny" to me! funny
Jr sounds more relaxed than usual. Of course a good run will do that.
Man, Phil interviewing Stewart. LOL
They are going to leave before the end of the hour?
Did they interview Gordon?
Well, I'm changing the channel now, whatever that crap is that is so important isn't important to me!
Ok WHY they leaving the air early?? 20 minutes to go..WTH
They need to fill their timeslot, that would be my only gripe
OK folks! Jump back to the main page and leave us your race wrap-up post. Lots to talk about!
Thanks for hanging with us today.
JD
Post a Comment