Update: Sometimes, things happen on TV that just make you shake your head. John Roberts had one of those momenents at AMS today during NASCAR Live.
Mike Joy and John Roberts will be hosting SPEED's coverage of Saturday activities from the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Joy will handle on the track action and Roberts will host the SPEED Stage programs.
The complete schedule for the day is located on the right side of the TDP page. Joy will team with Jeff Hammond and Larry McReynolds while Roberts will have Hermie Sadler alongside. Reporters today will include Wendy Venturini, Matt Yocum and Bob Dillner.
Atlanta is proving to be very abrasive to tires in practice and the story of the day may be again about Goodyear. At this time of the season, the focus also changes to The Chase and the hype about who is in and who is out. Expect this to be the theme for ESPN this weekend.
It will be nice to see Mike Joy back on TV and not forced into the FOX scenario of letting Darrell Waltrip dominate the telecasts. Joy is the top NASCAR TV pro and he certainly can make daytime practice and qualifying coverage interesting to fans on this challenging day. Lots of other sports and TV options are out there, SPEED really has to deliver to keep viewers.
This post will serve to host your comments on the day shift coverage by SPEED from Atlanta. To add your TV-related opinion, just click on the comments button below. We will be live blogging the Nationwide Series race tonight on a new post. Thanks for taking the time to stop by.
54 comments:
Going to be a long day for Mike Joy, but the weather looks good and the track is fast.
Here we go.
JD
Ater missing my alma mater's game Thursday (my best friend sang the anthem and alma mater -- she could lap the field of bad rock stars by tonnes), I can assure you today is racing because Humpy U won Thursday.
I think I need a translator!
JD, the weather is GREAT!!!
Headed to the track.
Should be a wonderful day.
Happy raceday to all.
Glen, we expect some pictures! Have a blast.
JD, I think I can interpret. Bobby missed the football game where his friend sang the anthem and the alma mater song (and lapped the field of bad rock stars we've had singing lately by 'tons'.) It was the South Carolina football game--SC was where Humpy Wheeler went to school. And they won. So in honor of Humpy, it's a good day to race. Hopefully I have that right, lol.
Stick with the Biff -- you nailed it on most of what I was saying!
I wanted to go live to Southern Miss-South Carolina. My friend in question is from the area (Laurel/Meridian) of Southern Miss but like me is a South Carolina graduate. And a friend of hers (Ann B.) did the National Anthem at the Rebel in 2003 (when my friend and I referenced that when attending Sondheim's A Little Night Music in 2006 where Ann B. was performing, I responded, "Have you ever?" when my friend was talking about Ann's appearance at Darlington).
No need to watch much college football today.
She is my long-time voice teacher -- we sang together in Haydn's Die Jahreszeiten last year (she as soprano, a local pharmacist as tenor, and her now-finace as bass; I was a tenor in the chorus).
Anticipating some great racing!
see, i'm ok with them discussing the chase possibilities, etc., right now during practice. now, if they can just keep it to a minimum during the race, i'd be grateful.
and i am very much enjoying mike joy in the booth right now.
are they really "knocking the asphalt off" where we see the black spots or is that from the car bottoming out there and leaving a mark on the track? anyone?
red, you getting that pothole feeling?
Thanks for the translation guys!
dunno, jd. i've not heard that explanation before, that the asphalt is actually "knocking off" so, yes, my thoughts have turned to potholes.
i thought it was just the marks from where the cars bottomed out but i didn't think/know there was actual damage being done to the track, as hammond asserts. that's why i'm wondering if any planeteers have a better handle on this one.
'cause that would certainly screw up what is traditionally a great race and track.
The AMS pavement is 13 years old. This is the 27th race on the asphalt. Might next spring be time for a new coat of asphalt?
Wondering about that too. Pavement doesn't last forever *anywhere*. Guess we'll know better after the race tonight. Of course, last time we had a pothole my guy won.
I'm in the media center here at Atlanta with all the happy media folk. The place is packed for it being a nationwide race day.
I'm having computer problems. When I type, it puts whatever letter or number in it wants and I have to go back and fix it. And, I can't even get the letter between the h & k to type at all. Like _ump, Hopping up and down.) Fun day!
I'll check back from time to time and see how you all are doing!
You need an EVO Steve!
Just for the record - Current layouts only (repaving old layouts do not count):
Daytona - 1979 (currently being repaved)
Fontana - Never (track opened in 1997)
Las Vegas - Never (current layout opened in 2006)
Atlanta - Never (current layout opened in 1997)
Bristol - 2007
Martinsville - 2004
Texas - 2006
Phoenix - 1993/2003 (track reconfigured in 2003 but most of pavement done in 1993 except for modifications.)
Talladega - 2006
Richmond - 2003
Darlington - 2008
Charlotte - 2006
Dover - 1995
Pocono - 1996
Michigan - 1995
New Hampshire - 2002 (layout change)
Indianapolis - 2005
Kansas - Never (opened 2001)
Joliet - Never (opened 2001)
Homestead - Never (configured 2003).
bobby & glenc1: but have you ever heard that the dark patches are, in fact, spots where the asphalt is being knocked off by the cars? one of those spots is nestled right up against that seam in the asphalt so if, in fact, the track is being "dug up" by the cars, it seems we would be seeing the possibility of deterioration.
it was an unexpected and unusual observation by hammond, one i'd not heard before this season or at this track.
Wasn't Homestead totally re-done twice?
jd, yeppers. was reconfigured twice: once in '97 and then again in '03.
John, I do not count that in these statistics. This specific layout has never been repaved since it was built in 2003.
I was there doing an AMA road race for Prime Network in the old configuration. Like a little mini-Le Man. Two story pit garages and all.
Got ya Bobby. Thanks.
If the track is repaved they will have to start in the winter and run thousands of laps in driving schools before the first laps next September.
Didn't Hammond say it was DW who texted him that (about the dark spots?) Or at least pointed them out? I was sort of half listening. I've seen them point out spots that had wear from where they bottomed out, but no, I have not heard that explanation of the 'dark patches'. Usually Hammond knows what he's talking about though. DW not always.
DW is on Twitter and it is hard to listen to him drone on. All about him all the time. Very strange.
Hello everyone! After pratice one looks like Kasey is here to win hope he does like last year
Glen yes correct it was DW who texted him about those spots
Maybe DW needs a hobby. Away from racing.
I think he wants back on TV. Badly.
I know you all somewhat dislike DW but I have to say I love his passion for racing I know he speaks his mind way to much and that hurts him at times but still you gotta love anyone who lives for racing and he sure does
Jon, sometimes the most important thing is to know when to listen. I think DW has lost that ability.
you know, that time years ago when Smoke called DW out on TV, I was really angry. I thought a 3 time champion deserved more respect than that. But I've also heard that other people say DW doesn't know nearly as much as he acts like he does, and I can understand the frustrations more of the drivers hearing all his 'speculations'. At times, he's excellent at calling things out. But it seem like those times get fewer & fewer.
this feels pretty comfortable...Wendy & Bob doing their thing, finding out what's going on the garage, etc. Too much on who's in & who's out, but I don't think we can get away from that right now.
OK, by popular demand I added the picture of the fan sign during "NASCAR Live.
Sorry JR, but that's pretty funny.
JD I see you asked for pics from the track, well if anyone wants to see ill share my photos from last Friday at Chicagoland! Im in the white shirt
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1303419338#!/album.php?aid=2048800&id=1303419338
you have to be signed in to facebook to see those though
the 'unforseeable future' Larry?
Happy Saturday, everyone!
Just catching up on the comments and remembered one of my favorite DW moments.
Some time back, I think it was at Dega, Jr. mentioned side drafting in an interview. DW said, “Side drafting! What is that?”. He seemed really confused. By the next weekend, DW was all over side drafting and was the expert!
When DW is on TV, I either laugh or hit the mute button. He’s kinda sad in a way, he seems to need so much ego food that if he isn’t on TV, he’s contacting those who are so they will mention him.
hey lisa! problem w/dw is this: while he's often clueless, he occasionally gets it right. so when he throws out a statement like today about the dark spots on the track, i find i can't just toss it off as "oh well. that's just DW spouting off." i actually start to wonder if he MIGHT be right -- or if this is one of the times when he's just spouting off.
as far as i know, no one has followed up on it or mentioned it so i'm about at the point where it's just DW being DW, ya know?
ok, off to pre-match show for our philly union. catch everyone thru out the afternoon and then tonight during n'wide race.
The only dark spots I see are the ones on Hammond from the sprayed on tan job he gets every week so he looks so cool. LOL
Happy Saturday Planeteers <3
Larry Mac said a few minutes ago that Jeff Green has a champion's provisional to use here. As far as I know, when a Nationwide past champion uses a provisional, he becomes ineligible for it for 8 races. Green used it in Montreal, so he can't use one until Texas.
Good point MV.
Hendrick announcement was just that Quaker State extended its partnership and will be the primary sponsor on Mark's car for a few races next year.
not sure that this went thru the first time; if so, i apologize for double post but . . .
youngest daughter posted this on twitter in re: soccer broadcast:
"The production value of this Union game is just painful. Bad camera work, and, worst of all, an inattentive director. I can do better."
covering the entire field is very easy on a soccer broadcast but we're getting the equivalent of in-car and bumper cams.
where has all production talent gone?/long time passing. . .
I hope JPM at least got some free diapers out of this deal...something about him having to say 'Huggies Chevrolet'....
My cocker spaniel Lovie now has the farts thanks to the power of suggestion of that sign!!!
(just joking around cause it's so slow, but seriously she is tooting while she sleeps)
JPM can stock up on Huggies...now, if he can hook up with the Boudreaux (sp?) Butt Paste people, he will be all set. Should have lots of takers in the garage with all the new babies!
Oh boy......you can tell it's a slow NASCAR TV day!
Shame on Nascar The ads running
that promote New Hamphire as a
:: Bangin and bumpin ...
PRODUCE BRAWLS !! EEEEK ARRG WHEn
is the
last time we saw a Brawl ?? To tell
u the truth - the promo stinks up
the show.
Maybe Nascar will get wrestlers to
do real brawls in the infield or
maybe every few laps or so and
charge pay per view.
Hmmm....Hermie Sadler vs Hammond?
Maybe if we get a few more signs like that, they'll spin the stage back around like it so the talent faces the crowd. Who stands in the hot sun just watch the back of the guys' head? Only people who are interested in getting on TV. I've never understood this obsession, or why the networks cater to these bozos.
New post is up for the 6:30PM coverage on ESPN2 of the Nationwide Series from Atlanta.
Thanks!
JD
Yes he likes to talk about Pooping
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