The weather has cleared after overnight rain and things look good for the Sprint Cup Series as they race in Michigan. ESPN has the race coverage after a one hour pre-race show.
Allen Bestwick hosts from the Infield Pit Studio with Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty alongside. Marty Reid calls the race with Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree from the TV booth. Tim Brewer is in the Tech Garage. Dr. Jerry Punch, Vince Welch, Dave Burns and Mike Massaro are the pit road reporters. Jamie Little has the weekend off.
MIS is often a fuel mileage race with long green flag runs. The challenge for the TV team is to stay on top of the developing race strategies and update the teams that are struggling. The pit reporters are key at this race.
Saturday, ESPN came into the Nationwide Series race at MIS fresh off a fantastic performance at Watkins Glen. The MIS Nationwide coverage quickly dissolved into tight shots of one or two cars mixed with in-car cameras. The director jumped from car to car and quickly disoriented the TV viewers.
This was the ESPN of old, working stories scripted in the pre-race show like Danica Patrick and the Edwards vs. Keselowski rivalry. The actual reality of what was happening on the track in the field was lost. Only the ticker updated the real stories of the race and offered any perspective on the race itself.
As hard as Reid and Bestwick tried to update viewers, the choice of the pictures by the producer and director pushed the Nationwide race right back into the same old mode. Random images of the leader were mixed with sudden cuts to two cars on the track running next to each other with no explanation. In a word, it was awful.
This is the fourth season of NASCAR on ESPN. Like many of the Sprint Cup Series teams, there have been glimpses of what could be mixed with the reality of the end result. If ESPN tries to offer NASCAR fans this type of disjointed coverage during the longer Sprint Cup Series race, it is going to fail miserably.
With the NFL regular season only weeks away, it is going to be more important than ever before for ESPN to open up the coverage and show fans at home the best racing on the track regardless of position. The trend of following the leader and then jumping back to other cars on the track has been a failure since 2007.
There is an all-star cast of announcers ready for this race and the camera people and other technicians are second to none. Ultimately, the success of this race comes down to the choices made in the production truck by the producer and director. After producing races again this season since February, ESPN should know how to get it right.
This post will serve to host your TV-related comments on the ESPN coverage of the Sprint Cup Series from MIS. To add your opinion, 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.
251 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 251 of 251WHY haven't espu or mrn said that Sammy had to pit for a right front flat ???
Geez, this is beyond ridiculous ... They're only cover a couple of cars ...
Commercial with 20 laps to go just killed the flow of this race. What a farce!
vickyD, probably not. There should always be at least a pit reporter follow up.
JD, I agree they did hang with the coverage well there until things spread out.
@brad - think the 88 will get noticed?
and the wheels have officially come off of the 24's drive to the front. yuck
Might not be the last break if we get a yellow. BTW, FOX and TNT both had commercial breaks within 20 laps and we yelled then too.
the 88 is in the 19th spot right now
JD, I totally agree with your sense of directorial timing. Stay with the story you have. Go to something else when that story is done.
The trick of course is figuring out the timing. That's why I like a variety of shots.
The tripods of today must be vastly superior to years ago. Now they can give you a steady tight shot of the side window of a car going 200mph that's 1/2 a mile away. Think how amazing that is.
Wow. Jr. isn't the lowest running Hendrick car...yet.
88 already fell back a few spots. he has had an absolutely horrible day. a top 20 will be somewhat amazing. but he will be #2 for HMS.
Apparently, there's less than a dozen cars still in the race ...
MRN is sucking as bad as espu
c'mon harvick!
It amazes me that Harvick has lead the point for what, 12 weeks, and barely gets noticed. everyone is still picking everyone BUT them for the championship.
Points as they run now: a TWENTY point swing on one pass. That's exciting!
Sammy got a speeding penalty too??
Thanks for telling us espu and mrnot ...
And they skip roght over Junior. Nice.
cp43--sorry, I do not agree. I've been watching races a long time. I remember when in car cams were a novelty. Like most novelties, they eventually become overused & tired. Only time I find them interesting is someone's view of a wreck or near wreck. I'd much rather see the view I would get as a fan, not as a driver.
Sally --LOL, that's so true.
CP43 -- now it makes sense to talk about it.
Let's hope the 24's engine holds together for another 8 laps
@Jojaye
there's your answer. skipped from 48 right over the 88 to the 24.
Is that the first time they have mentioned Sadler all day?
Oops! tire violation from Sammy's pit crew ... not a speeding penalty
Sally, they've mentioned the 19 a number of times, but mostly at the beginning.
Wow talk about ignoring the obvious today. At least they haven't said where'd he come from..
Gordon is apparently having to use one hand on something inside the car so it doesn't shut off and drive with the other.
I still like the split screen of the race almost like having race buddy's battlecam
Glen,
I agree that I don't like either Wide or CU if it is missing the relevant action. The in-car just helps my fantasy of being a race car driver. Which is why I like a variety of angles.
I also love these great split-screens of 2 diff races.
I had such hope for Tony today guess its not to be..
Big change from yesterday. That is a great start. At least I know what happened in the race and how folks got into their finishing positions.
don't change the camera at the end of the race! geez
Congrats to Harvick & the 29 team & fans
YAY Kevin! I wonder if they will start to take him seriously now?
Congrats, Kevin!!
Good coverage and they mess us the finish. JUST HOLD THE CAMERA ON THE FINISH LINE!
LOL Told Kevin not to do a burnout, going to do a small one. Engine shop wants the engine and NASCAR might take the engine. RC said he can do one but Harvick declined.
Geez, they finally mention Sammy ... but only as Harvick takes the checkered flag ?!?!?
This was a horrifically called race on BOTH of espu and mrn's job ...
Honestly ... the race starts with 43 cars ... Follow them ALL ...
And Baby Braindead Brian France continues to wonder WHY ratings and attendance are both DOWN ... STILL ...
The stupid "consistent start times" are NOT helping anything ...
NOW is the time to update the oint standings.
Nice win for Harvick! Glad it wasn't the 48 or the 11.
JMO, I know others may feel differently
Much better than yesterday. same production personel and race track but completely different coverage.
Sally, have they told us if Kevin is still leading the points yet?
JD, Thanks for a good job on a busy day today!!
Get Better Jack!
Got another extended post-race show. If you are heading out, please leave us a comment on the "Your Turn" post that is now up.
Pretty good race coverage today!
@Vicky...;-)
OK Now tells us the points standings! Now they are important to us
JD, thanks for giving us a reason to stick with the races! Being here is like watching at home with a bunch of friends.
tia i like the start times as a west coaster. I love this WAY more then the garbage we had for years before it.
ESPN did alright today. Good for it being Michigan I thought
This is pretty much exactly what NASCAR and ESPN needed.
thanks, JD. It makes the races more fun being here with friends instead of just alone grumbling at my tv
Marty Reid said Sammy was "several laps down" ??? Sammy was ONE lap down ... But, the booth never said WHY ...
Thanks for this place on the net JD -
This is what keeps me awake during the races. Thanks
Man, this post-race makes such a difference.
OK guys, moving your comments to the new post. Thanks again.
Just head back to the main page and give us your post-race wrap-up.
JD
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