College football season is here and the Nationwide Series is the only appearance of NASCAR on ESPN2 today. SPEED handled the practice and qualifying coverage from the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
The ESPN2 football game kicked-off at 3:30PM and the NNS pre-race is scheduled for 6:30PM. This has not gone well in the past for NASCAR on ESPN2. It will be Allen Bestwick, Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty manning the Infield Pit Studio today. Tim Brewer will be in the Tech Garage.
Bestwick is one of the best in the TV business at dealing with adversity and changing circumstances. He may get his wish depending on how the football game pans out toward the end. Many times over the last three seasons, the pre-race show has been completely preempted by football.
Once things finally get underway, it will be Marty Reid, Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree calling the action from the TV booth. Dr. Jerry Punch, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Dave Burns will cover the action from pit road.
This race looks like it will be dominated once again by the cross-over Sprint Cup Series drivers. Look for them to be the focus during the pre-race and the race coverage. ESPN loves stars and the Cup guys are happy to step-up.
Coverage at Atlanta is a challenge. The big track spreads out the field quickly and the accidents are fast and big. In-car cameras anywhere but the backstretch used live are a big risk to missing key action. Aerial shots are wonderful at the facility.
This post will serve to host your comments on the ESPN2 coverage of the Nationwide Series from Atlanta. 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.
156 comments:
Whatever game is on that channel is blocked out for me, so I can't even tune it until it's over.
Yep, looks like we are going to be running a little late today for sure.
Don't we say that every year?
I stopped following KW a long time ago. Not my fav guy.
First Nascar weekend with HDTV...and I have to sit through boring football.
Happy Race Night Planeteers <3
@Pammmmm---Yes Mearn said he was blacked out in FL. :(
Only 3 hours? wasn't it 3 1/2 before, not that it was enough time but at least *if* it ended on time or went a few minutes over 3 hours there was the window to wrap things up so we could get started on time :(.
well, it's un-blacked out now. I'm seeing Michigan & UConn.
Wow 3 hours wasn't nearly long enough for a 3.5 hour college football game? Shocker! NOT!
Is the countdown on elsewhere, or is it just being blown off?
Yea, how about that? And ESPN told me I complain too much. Nice to be king.
Matt, Countdown is NOT being shown on ESPN Classic. Some folks are waiting in a blackout and others are waiting for UCLA vs. Kansas to finish.
Anyway you slice it, this is what ESPN has done to NASCAR for the past four seasons. Awful.
I'm unblacked now-it's the UofM game.
Huh. I'm on espn2 and watching a recap program bannered espnewshd...
I have the Michigan game on ABC and Espn2 is showing Look-in vs CSS.
Anon, hello! We don't use profanity here and we all saw that from Kenny a while back. We are very familiar with Mr. Wallace.
Thanks.
JD
I guess it is j'ville st vs old miss.
To many moving parts.
im still blacked out??? Is the game over or no?
There are a zillion games that started at 3:30PM ET. Those blackouts will run until 7PM or end of game.
Just sit and wait like the rest of us. As usual, disaster for NASCAR.
woohoo here we go! :) Blackout no more
Countdown has started on ESPN2 in NY.
Countdown now on (tampa bay brighthouse)
I don't get it with the blackouts. I thought that sometimes happens when it's a local team playing in order to boost attendance at the game. The games listed on ESPN2 are for teams nowhere near me in Northern Va.
man those sunglasses on Kyle or HUGE ugly take em off bro
are*
Nascar is on here in the Upper Peninsula of Mi.
countdown started here in SE MI at 6:47.
anon 6:47, not an expert, but it may be because you have a nearby team that's playing at the same time, whether it's playing locally or not. We get blacked out of NY & NJ hockey because we are in the 'Buffalo' region. Crazy stuff.
What a mess this is! Some folks are getting Countdown and others still football
Still got football here in Orlando.
Countdown is on here by Detroit but ONLY on ESPN2HD, the SD version has UCLA/Kansas St... probably because the HD game was Michigan/UCONN, which is on ABC in Big Ten territory, so the other game was running on ESPN2 SD only.
Same ol' mess. >:(
This is so weird here. Got a college football game on the SD channel and a blackout on the HD channel.
Blackouts are assigned by zipcode and time. They can be manually removed, but mostly run on a timer.
It's a huge logistical exercise for college football.
Got Countdown on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD here in SoCal.
count down on Espn2 HD and ucla vs kansas st on Espn2 SD
I dont mean to seem petty or mean, and I really actually kind of like Tim Brewer, but does anyone know the story behind his fingernails? They are all incredibly long and appear to be impecably manicured.
ESPN NASCAR on here in SW Ohio.
Have Reds on da radio for now :)
Man, the fans on Twitter are just screaming and no one from NASCAR on ESPN helping out. Big fail.
Just went to re-cap of another game! Boo!
Perfect timing with the end of the Anthem and the Jet fly over. Well done.
Man, I hope the racing is good after all this mess!
Seriously, what can BSPN do about it when it happens? Nothing-their hands are tied. They've mis-scheduled games, because they didn't learn anything from last yr & they don't care that they are upsetting Nascar fans. Look what they did w/NN this wk. And I bet the "late" showing didn't go off on time ONCE!
Fab anthem tho!
With no ESPN3 network on cable, they are stuck. I had this big argument when they bought the TV contract back in 2006.
wow great crowd on hand
Expected S&P tonight: 43, 91, 92, 27, 90, 52, 26, 36, 89
Maybe: 05
I don't know the story, but I hate long nails on a man. Just gives me the creeps. Let's just say when I was young I had a bad experience when my boyfriend had not trimmed his nails!!
A football game is scheduled to be on at 10pm edt. I wonder if this race runs long with they will switch to the football on Espn2 SD and keep the Nascar on Espn2 HD.
I dont care for pre-races much anymore anyways, turned on ESPN2 at 7 EST and caught opening ceremonies so I'm set =]
18!
hey jd? did you see that dr d has already done a blog on the comment made today during practice in re: the asphalt at atlanta?
05 will race im pretty sure
Really enjoyed the anthem. Funny, I rather enjoyed the short intro and going right to opening ceremonies without all the blather beforehand. Hmmm.
@Pammmmmmm---that's why I was surprised when I saw in JDs column that the window was 3 hours. It's usually 3 1/2 (which isn't enough time) and didn't understand why they *shortened* it knowing full well if all goes right they need at least 3 1/2 hours really at least 4.
@JD--it really is a HUGE fail :(.
No, I will check it out. She is a good lurker for sure. Also, very smart lady.
Going to be three hours to the pre-race all season long again. Ugh.
hers is one of those sites one checks daily in the fervent hopes of a new post.
plus she's a class act in my opinion, a fine & smart lady.
hey red, how about a link on twitter for the dr d blog :)
I hope we dont get what we got 2 weeks ago @ Bristol a great Nationwide Series broadcast then a crappy Sprint Cup broadcast! I Honestly think ESPN needs to stop this A team only stuff
The race will stay live on both ESPN2 networks, but the post-race will be shortened if this runs past 10PM.
I say that with absolutely no proof, just what they did in the past couple of seasons.
Jon, at least this week they did not call the practice and qualifying.
When the same team does that on Friday and Saturday, they are toast by Sunday afternoon.
We learned that the painful way with Jerry Punch!
Rant alert. I am tired of the favoritism (nepotism?) ESPN gives Steven "run-on sentence" Wallace.
He *always* gets an in car cam. His pit crew guy is usually the man-over-the-wall. And he almost always gets two personalized updates during the race, assuming he's still running, which is always a big if.
Being serious, is this part of Rusty's contract?
Full disclosure...I'd probably crawl through 2 miles of glass shards than listen to RW if given the option.
welp JD, to be honest, most of the stuff they show on pre-race has little to do w/the Cup Lite race anyway. If I miss pre-race, they show most of it again on the Sunday NN.
pammmmm: consider it done under red8814
The blackouts are mostly for satellite subscribers only. They are used as part of ESPN's regionalised gridiron coverage. The 3:30 game is regionalised depending on where a viewer lives. The game marked for the ESPN Broadcast Network is the game designated "regional" based on the network affiliate. The game assigned for ESPN2 is the other game. In the case of the blackouts, the regular ESPN2 feed may be airing the game that's the ESPN Broadcast game in your local region. There is an "ESPN Alternate" and "ESPN2 Alternate" on satellite to fix this problem. Cable outlets will have the ESPN2 alternate feed (which is the game that is NOT assigned to the local ESPN Broadcast affiliate).
ESPN is often blacked out for basketball (ACC) and baseball (when the ESPN game is blacked out per restrictions of the home market). That's when the alternate feed is in play.
she's also on twitter as drdiandra
definitely a finestkind individual!
They treat Rusty's drivers with kid gloves and always have.
Thanks a lot Bobby! OK people, there will be a quiz on that later.
to be honest, I think not only do the broadcasters get tired over that much time, but we get tired of hearing them. I'm about 'Larry Mac'd' out for the whole weekend.
Except LaJoie...
Bet Mike Joy is a little tired right about now. Talk about a long day.
I am watching with the sound down so I don't have to risk hearing Bestwick, but so far it looks like pretty decent coverage.
That is great ESPN has Kyle Busch as the in race reporter. For as much as he has done for the series it's a nice opportunity for him to have some good contact with the fans. Thanks, ESPN!
LOL JD
Bobby, what I've never understood is, sometimes I get blacked out, yet there is nothing on the alternate stations. Not that I care, but it just makes me wonder.
My pick to click tonight Jamie McMurray go JAMIE!!!
glen, it's a mess. Some cable systems don't have the capability to downlink an alternate feed.
Typical NNS race, top drivers all Cup guys and the others going laps down or just parking. Ugh!
JD I hear you do you honestly think something will happen next year to fix this?? I wanna know why some of the Camping World Truck Series guys dont drive Nationwide full time i'd love to see Skinner or Bodine try it out! I say once you hit CUP you only get to run say 4 nationwide 2 truck races let other guys get the spotlight
thanks for that link, red. I was looking for stuff today & came upon someone's airport guideline for asphalt. Who knew it was such a complicated thing? (and of course, for runways it would be extremely important.) They had photos and diagrams of what conditions to watch for & when you should redo the whole thing. But still, you can't see what's underneath.
Not until 2014. NASCAR sold the rights to these races to ESPN. Contract says show the race, pre-race means nothing.
ESPN is silent when stuff like this goes on. They run and hide like little kids.
That is why Twitter and Facebook are silent. No help for fans, no explanations and no apologies.
This is year four, another four to go.
@JD--oh great! Whose bright idea was that? Even though we know full well that 99% of the games go OVER the 3 1/2 hour mark, let's SHORTEN the TV window between the game and the next *live* even! That's a GREAT idea! UGH! And with NA$CAR being the red headed step child we lose out since the other channels are usually packed with other live events we have no where to go. The only time we do is if something like Boxing from 1990 is on Classic and they can "give it up" for 30 minutes or so.
@Clmbusboy1--LOL! Many would be joining you in that!
OK I admit to snoozing during pre race - if thre was any - since we had football on e2 here woke up to a solid anthem. Yes I'm a bit behind here. Very slow older computer ( 6 years) that knows its being replaced Wens. so it wouldn't start up, so while doing multiple re starts I've been watching, not too bad tonight so far. Send cRusty with Matt Leinart & all could be good...
KyBu is winning again. Gonna be a long nite
To everyone upset with ESPN, I had NASCAR at about 335pm since the Michigan game was on ESPN2 here and got over nearly on time.
you know watching this race you would think theres not many people there but theres a great crowd, why does it always seem ESPN only shows the empty grandstands show some of the crowd!! Even my parents who only watch the races say they dont show the crowd often!
I'm flipping over to watch 'The Outlaw Josey Wales' when I get tired of hearing about no one but the Cup drivers in this race. Nice break.
And Steven cRustys kid gets lucky dog, and extra coverage
IndyCar race on VERSUS at 8PM for the DVR.
It seems like there are a lot more commercials during this race than last night. Danica must be returning soon - more of her commercials are being shown
thx, jd, I'll put it on radio.
Saw the Bruton headline--does he really think he'll get the season ender by insulting people? geez.
Big mistake by Bruton. Working hard down this way for the Hispanic audience at Homestead.
This race is getting to be the same pattern. Wideshots after the break and slowly zoom in until we only see two cars at a time.
Why would anyone watch coverage like this?
Good coverage, especially the camera choices.
I'm wonderng if ESPN programs NW races for real fans and uses splashy gimmicks in Sprint races for general sports fans.
It would explain why we are so disappointed on Sundays.
Makiki
Honolulu
I wonder if Felix will give him a call...love to hear that one (of course, he can be just as offensive...)
Tim's hair isn't quite so weird this week.
Man Harvick is gone. I wish there were more competition.
I notice Marty did not point out the start and park cars like usual.
I never realized just how much coverage Steven Wallace gets.
can't be more competition w/the way the cars are. all there is a pit stategy..makes for fall asleep races for sure. at least it's not Kyrle in front rite now.
Daly Planet Editor said...
Big mistake by Bruton. Working hard down this way for the Hispanic audience at Homestead.
This race is getting to be the same pattern. Wideshots after the break and slowly zoom in until we only see two cars at a time.
Why would anyone watch coverage like this?
September 4, 2010 8:11 PM
Not everyone will. I'm switching to the IZOD Indy Car race at Kentucky. I don't get Versus but will watch it on the net. Supposed to be a nonwing sprint car race later on the net also.
Good night ESePticN
JD, Marty just mentioned the cars in the pits didn't say anything about S&P. By the way, the cup guys are doing great in this NW race tonight!
Does Havick and KB have the same number of tires yet to use or does Havick have an extra set?
I noticed that Stephen Wallace's sponsor is the sponsor for Nascar Now tomorrow morning. I think that has a lot to do with his coverage tonight.
5 cars on the lead lap, not very competitive. Gonna watch other race or football.Be flipping back and forth.
frankly, I think to say the 66 gets that much coverage is exaggeration. I mean, some of you guys complain about 'cup lite'...yet the 66 is NW only and they're giving him & his sponsors some time. They do it for others at times (though tonight does not seem very good.) Here's Justin getting some time. It's not that I don't agree that the announcers are 'careful' with the 66 comments. But I don't think it's some overwhelming intention to mention him to death. In car cams are sponsor driven, no?
Anyone else lose the pix? Went blue?
I hope none of the drivers have a face to face with a friend who is EMS guy in turn one! Boy that sunset is beautiful.
Yeah So Cal lost the feed too
Espn2 went blue and straight to commercial
This is the third glitch tonight. Each one a little worse.
ANY mention of a Wallace is a turnoff for me. The only one who earned any attention and his light went off years ago.
Ah, Marty Reid finally says what happened to the pix. Thought it was my Fios.
So does Harvick and KB now have the same amount of sticker tires left?
Josh Wise doing a great job against all the cup guys.
This has been a great race so far, and great coverage from ESPN to boot. The booth is enthusiastic and the pictures are wonderful as well.
I just wish they would extend the race - maybe with some mystery debris cautions - so we can run over our timeslot and mess up the college football game like they already messed us up.
for me, this n'wide race has hit the tipping point: so many cup drivers, racing away with it and getting the coverage. authentic n'wide teams, in contrast, struggle and therefore fail to get broadcast time.
nascar needs to address this and i'm gonna sit n'wide races out until they do.
at it's most basic: it's just wrong and should be addressed.
I really like how this race is playing out; I just wish a Nationwide Series regular were in contention.
Anyone going to the Richmond race next weekend?
I realize KB is leading, but such a lovefest of him. Like last year with JJ in the cup races. Need some info on the NW guys.
So they are saying that KB has two sets left and Harvick only has one set?
Not sure about that.
Did I miss something? Allen Bestwick taking the lead...something happen in the booth?
Maybe they'll shut up about Steve Wallace now. Talk about overload!
I like strategy races, myself, though sometimes it gives me a headache figuring it out.
I guess you can all be happy now, the 66 is going to the garage. One less NW guy to bother with.
If NASCAR creates a rule limiting Cup driver participation in the Nationwide Series, they better do the same thing with the Truck Series. With more and more Truck races being run in conjunction with Cup events, the problem will only get worse there, too.
How can green flag stops close up
the field? What are Brad and Rusty
thinking?
@tracyd: heading to richmond via bus from philly area early saturday morning. we'll hit the track, watch the race then sleep on the bus back to philly, arriving home sunday morning.
have never been to richmond so i'm stoked!
ah, red, you're gonna love it. Richmond is the best. It just got to be too far away for us. Not a bad seat in the house.
Rusty lost it last weekend and never got it back. He is just blathering.
Gotta say Nascar needs a safety crew like Indycar has. Just had a wreck and a safety truck was practically driving alongside the car as it rolled to a stop.
glenc1: i've been working to stay calm about going: we planned this a year ago. but now, a week away? i'm starting to get excited. i love my home track of dover but there's nothing like experiencing a new track.
fortunately, taking the bus means we can drink safely, grill at the bus, leave our belongings safely while we're in the track and -- best of all -- sleep all the way home.
just now starting to research the track and what i want to be certain to experience.
glenc1- I like Stephen Wallace so I'm not sure why you think everyone here would be happy. I happen to enjoy watching all the NW regulars. There are some S&P drivers that I would like to see in a full-time ride.
Is Brad paid by the overused cliche? Does he have a checklist he works off of...needing to use each one at least once in order to be invited back the following week?
"toting the mail" check
He is in his fourth season of those same cliches. No clue what he contributes.
Lisa, that was a joke directed at those complaining he was getting too much tv time (probably not a very funny one!) Honestly, I'm not particularly a fan of his, but I just don't see that he's getting all this attention compared to say, Allgaier or one of the other NW only guys (although tonight there are just so many Cup guys its been hard.) My driver is in this one so I can't say much.
Red, make sure you do the 'midway'...the area where they have all the freebies and the big Chevy barn (assuming they still do that.) Crowded as heck but a fun experience.
bummer, I like Reed.
Havick should have a new set because he put on 18 lap tires a bit ago. KB should be putting on his last set to.
Alan just needs to unplug Rusty and
Brad when the green flag drops.
You are right JD, they do nothing
but babble. Think anyone at
ESPN really understands?
Petree is a bit off his game tonight.
Sorry, dau called. Red, Richmond for us too! I'll send you my cell number, if you want to meet up with me and my hubby. We get there early in the a.m., so we can park near the "real" bathrooms. We sit in the alcohol-free section by Turn 4.
Lot of sparks because of the low tire pressure and the bumps in the track.
Go Jamie!!!
what a cry baby seriously????? Kyle is a jerk
:(..... <----- Kyle Busch
For some reason, DJ and Andy are just off tonight.
I still think ESPN should just use two different booth talent for the NNS series once ESPN starts covering Cup.
Kyle is going to be really whiny if he doesn't win tonight. He wasn't happy last night either. I think he feels he should win every race, which is fine, but he's really a poor loser.
Nice for Jamie Mac!
Good coverage of the finish. Take notes, FOX.
Nice for Jamie Mac and Pops! No offense to Kyle fans here, but I'm glad not to see him win again.
I'm really happy not just for Jamie but the 88 team...they've been good to him.
Ouch. Did he mean Kelly Bires was a 'mistake'?
Briefly saw that race tracker tonight, and those last laps would have been the perfect time to use it to see if KB was gaining or loosing. Their seconds tracker came and went, would have liked to see more.
Glen, I think it was pretty clear Pops meant Bires was the mistake...
Plenty of time for post race.
After they let him go, Dale Jr went on some long winded explanation that I never really got about why Bires didn't work out...something about his attitude. I really think sometimes Jr gives us 'too much information.' But I'm glad Pops can celebrate.
Kyle's giving a good interview (for him as not the winner.) Explained the 'cute' comment. I knew Doc could handle whatever he had to say though.
If it had to be a Cup driver, I'm o.k. with Jamie winning. :)
I've always liked Pops. He speaks his mind.
As always, thanks to JD.
Wishing everyone a safe holiday weekend. :)
I would rather have drivers being interviewed then hearing the infield guys.
I think KyBu likes Ray Dunlap and respects Jerry Punch. The rest of them he seems to just not care one bit.
Dr.Punch seems to get the most out of most of the drivers. He has their respect and trust.
Moving him back to pit road has really paid dividends.
big time. I can understand why a guy who's such a smart a$$ would have a hard time respecting Jamie Little, even if I think she's been a little better this year. Dr Jerry is back where he belongs. Just wondering...is he going to be doing any college football? I like him there too.
Thanks everyone! See you tomorrow night for Cup racing!
JD
Sorry to his fans, but Marty Reid looks like a funeral home director and sounds like a used car salesman, who happens to have a side gig as a NASCAR announcer.
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