Here are some items of note this week in the NASCAR TV/media world:
Jimmy Spencer's return to SPEED was certainly interesting. On both the RaceDay and Victory Lane programs from Pocono, Spencer returned to his blunt "take no prisoners" style. Most of the email was about Spencer's post-race comments. Here are his words while reviewing the incident on pit road.
"This is interesting. There is Joey Logano's dad. He's telling him...he is antagonizing! That is a (NASCAR) fine in my eyes! Mr. Logano, you did that wrong. You should never have enticed your child to go over there because that could have been a very, very big incident. I blame Mr. Logano for that."
"I know he is young, but damn it dude, you don't never go after a person's wife or family members. You got a lot to learn, bud. Two wrongs don't make a right. You costs yourself a great finish. What you said afterward, not good."
Larry McReynolds appeared on SPEED's Race Hub Monday to discuss the same incident and instead told host Krista Voda that he is one of Tom Logano's best friends. It was nice to see a NASCAR TV personality making this disclaimer before answering a question on national TV about a touchy topic.
The Sprint Cup Series moves on to Michigan next weekend. Spencer will return to SPEED in New Hampshire. It will be FOX's Darrell Waltrip joining Kenny Wallace and John Roberts on the RaceDay panel next Sunday. Waltrip will also appear on the Trackside program Friday night.
Waltrip's new SPEED deal is for him to replace Kyle Petty at a total of four races. Waltrip will handle Michigan, Sonoma, Daytona and Chicagoland. On those weekends, Waltrip will also call Sprint Cup Series practice and qualifying. Jeff Hammond, now bumped out of the booth, will appear on SPEED's Victory Lane on those four dates.
Dale Jarrett gets the weekend off and Rusty Wallace returns to the ESPN2 TV booth as the Nationwide Series goes to Kentucky Speedway. Wallace has Marty Reid and Andy Petree alongside. Allen Bestwick handles the infield studio with Brad Daugherty.
World Cup Soccer programming means no NASCAR Now on ESPN2 this Thursday. Nicole Briscoe hosts shows at 6PM on Tuesday, 5PM on Wednesday and 6PM ET on Friday. She will also host the Sprint Cup Series preview version of the program at a new time of 8:30AM ET on Sunday.
NASCAR confirmed Monday that Sprint Cup Series owner and Camping World Truck Series TV analyst Michael Waltrip will drive the #55 entry for PRISM Motorsports at Michigan. This puts Waltrip in a "start and park" car that MWR helps prepare for Sprint Cup Series owner Phil Parsons.
As you may know, Parsons is Waltrip's fellow TV analyst on the truck races for SPEED. They will call the Saturday race at MIS. Parsons will then be a pit road reporter for TNT on Sunday, in the very race where Waltrip is "starting and parking" his car. Just how many lines of NASCAR media fairness can two men cross in one weekend? This might be a record.
There is no official word out on SPEED fixing the Monday night line-up. There is still a gaping hole at 8PM where This Week in NASCAR lived for over fifteen years. The 9PM Fast Track to Fame show is also apparently over, so there are two key hours to fill. Hopefully, some new and innovative NASCAR-themed TV programs will appear.
Finally, click here for reporter Michael Smith's story on the ill-fated NASCAR Wives program concept that never got off the ground last year. Instead of the reality of racing life, it seems that the TLC network wanted to create fake controversy and conflict. Imagine that. Did we mention earlier that SPEED has two hours open on Monday nights for NASCAR programming?
Happy to have your comments on these topics. Just click on the comments button below to add your opinion. This is a family-friendly website, please keep that in mind when posting. Thanks for taking the time to stop by The Daly Planet.
I thought Jimmy did a good job on V Lane and was dead on about Joey L's comment about DeLana, who it appears will get the last laugh on Joey by selling t-shirts. Facts on what Logano father did aren't clear to me since I have yet to see where anyone has tried to get a statement from father on what he was saying to Joey and the Gibbs crewman.
ReplyDeleteI wish they'd bring back shows like NBS 24/7, NASCAR 360, 7 Days.
ReplyDeleteI know the 360 show was demanding for everyone with the cameras being around so much but it was great to see some of the things they do when they're not at the track and just relaxing.
NASCAR Confidential was a good show too!
Shows that are informative are great nothing that insults our intelligence!
I also missed Back in the Day! Take it away Bud!
Not surprised that TLC wanted to create fake drama. A few years ago I watched one of those "behind the scenes" shows where they discussed the truth behind reality shows (I knew going into reality shows that things wouldn't be as they always appeared so I wasn't "shocked" by what they revealed). One of the shows they had missed part of an argument so they had the people recreate it for the cameras. They cast people they think will naturally have conflict and if they don't get it or it's not juicy enough prompt them to make it better.
Like I said on the previous blog post, I saw a lot of people making broad insults at Jimmy Spencer for his comments on Victory Lane, but I didn't hear him say anything that was in any way out of line. Of coures if you were a fan of one of his targets, you didn't like what he said, but he didn't come near crossing any lines. And none of the critics were specific about what they were criticizing.
ReplyDeleteI didn't catch what Larry Mac said after his disclaimer, and JD you didn't mention specifics, so I can't comment. But as for the complaints about incestuous (professional) relationships between TV people, drivers, reporters, etc, the entire NASCAR entity is unique in that everyone literally lives with each other most of the year. It is a traveling circus (I don't mean that as an insult but as a more generic description), and on top of that when it's not traveling they all live near each other anyway. No other major league sport has this characteristic, so it's unfair to apply the usual standards to it.
I will say that in less than 5 minutes on Race Hub with Ralph Sheheen I learned more about this weekend than the entire hour of NASCAR NOW provided. NN was simply
boring, with three people paid to generate words practicing their specialty, and not really telling me much I didn't know or couldn't have found out myself.
As for the Waltrip-Parsons Project, it will be interesting to see if it pans out as predicted here.
quick first impression before heading to to work:
ReplyDelete"you don't never go after a person's wife or family members . . ."
hey spencer? perhaps you recall when you went after kelley earnhardt, "a person's . . . family member"?
yeah, i didn't think so.
trouble with NNow was they only had reporters' perspectives (which is usually interesting) when in this particular case, a driver would have a much better perspective on the things that went on here. Randy LaJoie would have been in the same position as Larry Mac, but I'd be curious what he would have to say about Joey, whom he knows very well.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Gymmie, as I suspect most of us do. But you have to have people who *want* to do that, and that may be the problem.
The issue with reality shows is, quite frankly, most of reality is pretty boring. No one would watch people at home cooking dinner or mowing the lawn all the time. So you have to take them places, create events, artfully manufacturing drama and getting them to make mountains out of molehills.
It wasn't NASCAR related but I still miss '101 Cars you must drive'.
I enjoy Jimmy Spencer when he's not being stuffed in my ears every week. I definitely like his blunt opinions, and in this instance I agree with him 100% about Tom Logano. I love that the Harvicks are having the last laugh about the matter. I appreciated Larry Mac doing his disclaimer before opinion. Kudos to Ralph Sheehan for describing his part in it straight.
ReplyDeleteI do hope SPEED does something like Gymmie mentioned with their prime timeslots. I prefer informative NASCAR shows like Sounds or fun ones like Racing Chef, as for "reality" types we have enough real drama don't need to manufacture any!!
IMO, there comes a point when the parent has to step back and let go. I'm not a big fan of Spencer, but I don't think he was wrong in what he said in this case and DeLana and Harvick will eat Joey for lunch since they are both "meaner" than he is.
ReplyDeleteSo did Larry answer the question after his disclaimer?
Phil Parsons should NOT be covering a race where there is such a clear conflict of interest, but then again, I feel that way about DW, too and Fox and NASCAR look away from that as well.
I'm glad that NMG didn't allow the program to go forward if what TLC wanted to create was fake drama. I think I'd have enjoyed the show anyway without it because it would have been interesting to me to see what their lives behind the scenes are like. I'm not a big fan of "reality" shows because I'm just not into the whole people acting crazy thing.
Like Gymmie, I'd really like to see something like NBS 24/7 or Beyond the Wheel. Those shows were great and they were fun.
Apologies I mispelled his name, its Ralph Sheheen.
ReplyDeleteYou are the bearer of bad news to me. The Waltrip brothers are like a bad disease. They infect and damage so many aspects of NA$CAR programing that makes many of us avoid the TV (at least the audio). A little bit of Jimmy Spencer goes a long way for me and I've had my 2010 limit.
ReplyDeleteSpencer was right in his Tom Logano comments. Joey can take care of himself, and if his dad can't stay out of the kid's hair, he needs to be in the stands with a ticket, just like everyone else. Guess I won't be watching Raceday or Trackside for awhile. Any blathering Waltrip is way out of bounds for me and alot of other folks. When will Speed and Fox wake up????
ReplyDeleteIs there no way we can get rid of the Waltrips? MW still driving. DW on every show possible. And now Parsons. And LarryMac. When will this convoluted Foxdom ever change? Maybe when most of have left.
ReplyDeleteI cheered Jimmy's comments on Daddy Logano. That man needs his hard card pulled again, maybe for the rest of the season. If his boy is big enough to drive with the adults, then he needs to be allowed to put on his big boy pants and act like a man without daddy fighting his fights for him. Maybe Delana Harvick could ask Mr Logano if he still changes his son's diapers? That would be a fair retort. And I firmly believe, unless a wife or girlfriend puts herself in a conflict, they are off limits. BTW, have you all seen the t-shirts they're selling for the Harvick Foundation? They say "I Wear The Fire Suit in the Family". Nice come back from a classy lady.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Waltrip love affair, what is going on with Speed? Does old DW own controlling interest in the network? Why are they giving him more and more face time? Sorry, but they are overkilling us on this man, and his over the top ego. If DW didn't like what race fans have been saying about him with regards to his Fox broadcasts, look out now. Why the demotion of Hammond? I really prefer him to DW any day.
JD, you wrote that Larry Mac had a "disclamer" as to his friendship with Logano, but you never said what his subsequent comments were. Did he support Mr Logano or did he agree with Spencer's assessment?
I can't seem get away from the Waltrips - they may be the single biggest reason that NA$CAR ratings are tanking faster than Joooonnnyyyrrr's career.
ReplyDeleteIn the world of reality NASCAR never said it was trying to be fair and let's face it if TNT wants to emply Mr. Parsons, then certainly that is their right whether I like it or not and as for Spencer, even though I get tired of hearing his tirades, he was definitely spot on this time.
ReplyDeleteIn the past, I've posted negative comments about Spencer,but I do enjoy his blunt talk compared to the political correctness we typically get. I appreciated him on Sunday from the standpoint that he overpowered Kenny Wallace who is a total embarrassment. I'm not looking forward to DW being back either. I'm witholding judgement on Tom Logano until I know what he said. If he want Joey to go voice his displeasure with Harvick or to get Kevin'd perspective of what happened,then that's OK. If he told Joey to go slug Harvick,well that's another matter. Harvick wrecked Joey on the last lap at Bristol. He complained that Joey was a "Hard Pass" meaning that he makes his opponents work to get around him--even the Gods like Harvick.Biffle and Kesolowski also wrtecked Joey in the Nationwide series. Logano is going to have to retaliate before it will stop. Joey's smart. He'll probably wait until the Chase,when payback will mean something.
ReplyDeleteWas what Logano said unfair? If Delana Harvick was a racing wife like Lynda Petty or Judy Allison, I would say yes. Sure, they were there but they weren't injecting themselves into their husbands' race teams. Delana wears a firesuit and sits on the pit box like she is a member of the team. She is often credited with running KHI and being one of the brightest business women in the sport.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Logano stepped over the line. But I have yet to hear anyone say he was wrong.
Spencer doesn't add anything to any show he is on. Sure he's blunt, but there isn't any substance to what he says. On a network full of buffoons, he's the biggest and loudest.
Ditto what Osbornk said about the Waltrips. Spencer I can only bear so long before having to tune to something else. However, I agree in reference to the DeLana Harvick situation. As far as Joey's father, he does not belong on tv or in the pits, imo. Just too biased and too pushy. Must have been one of those t-ball or little league Dads, too. Racing is not the same so broadcasting cannot be the same as it was years ago but there is definitely too much bias in the announcers these days.
ReplyDeleteNooooooooooo. Why can't DW just go away. He has as much to do with Nascars declining ratings as Brian France himself. Why do they keep putting this self absorbed schill on the air?
ReplyDeleteThe following is becoming very commonplace..."Dale Jarrett gets the weekend off". Dude has a good deal if he wanted practically every other weekend off. Kind of hard to call him one of the regular analysts since he's very irregular.
ReplyDeleteI refuse to watch Race Day with DW on it. Can't he just retire? What value does he bring to anything he's on? He would be perfect working with QVC.
ReplyDeleteSpencer felt like a breath of fresh air. No political correctness; agree or disagree, he's telling us as he sees it. I was happy to see him back!
ReplyDeleteROFLOL on Nascar Wives not creating enough controversy. These are busy women with REAL lives, LOL, who don't have time for fake drama.
Jimmy Spencer would NEVER go after a family member! Such a hypocrite talking there. Rubbed me the wrong way badly.
ReplyDeleteSPEED has dropped several great reality shows that were directly racing related, NBS 24/7 and 7 Days being 2 great examples.
360 was great for FX and would be welcomed back.
Maybe one that follows Truck Series drivers/crew guys since they get little notoriety.
For once I was extremely disappointed with the Monday N-Now and Race Hub blew them away. I did find it appropriate that Dustin Long made it clear that none of the commentators had been at Pocono, and was shocked that EESPN chose to have such a remote group regardless of their reputations and abilities. The handling of the Logano-Harvick run-in on N-Now is among the worst I have seen, but I have not really seen anyone in the media make a real effort to flesh out what occurred on pit road, in particular what Tom L. was saying to Joey. Facts often screw up a good story.
ReplyDeleteIt was quite clear to me that all 3 commentators did a much better job with their end-of-show prepared comments than with the unscripted discussion.
All that BS last year about "this will be the last race in X many years that a Waltrip will be in the field."
ReplyDeleteWell, that lasted long. Michael Waltrip's retirement lasted even less time than Rich Flair's. It's like he never left. Except for Michael start-and-park might actually be a step up from start-and-spin-out into the wall.
I have now found where David Newton quotes Tom L as saying Monday that he "pushed one of the Gibbs guys away to let Joey go handle his own problems," which is what it looked like to me.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed NN except I didn't like Jenna's comments starting out with "I think". Their scripts at the end didn't match their comments on the show. Race Hub was also good but I sure wish the stations would stop with the Logano/Harvick episode. I am past that and want to hear about new things. Since I didn't watch either RD or VL didn't see JS.
ReplyDeleteRichard, to some extent I agree, but I suspect that they did not attend due to the choices of their employers--and they may have had this schedule set before they knew that. And they certainly had no idea of what was going to happen with Logano. It would be nice if you could set your panel based on what happened at the race, but...
ReplyDeleteI agree that the Monday Nascar Now was really lame
ReplyDeleteWas glad to have Spencer back. He was right on about Tom Logano. Disappointed in Kenny Wallace. Couldn't give an opinion because Tom Logano is a neighbor. This was a big big deal since were still talking about it everyone should have had an opinion; neighbor,friend or not.
ReplyDelete