Live Blogging Sprint Cup Series From Daytona (6:30PM - TNT)

Here we go with TNT's biggest race of the year. Daytona under the lights starts with a one-hour pre-race Countdown to Green show.

Lindsay Czarniak will host with Kyle Petty and Larry McReynolds alongside on the TNT "infield rig." The big feature is one on the late Dale Earnhardt Sr. Folks who have seen it say that it really does a lot to put his contributions to the sport in a very human perspective. The live interview on the set is Tony Stewart. Wally's World will be back with a track description.

Upstairs to call the race will be Adam Alexander, Wally Dallenbach Jr. and Petty. On pit road are Ralph Sheheen, Marty Snider, Matty Yocum and Phil Parsons.

This is the Wide Open coverage that TNT has been tweaking for years. It features commercials in a video box while the racing continues on the screen. In return, there are some added sponsor logos and animation elements. It works, but some folks really hate it because of the differences.

TNT will once again offer RaceBuddy. Jim Noble is the RaceBuddy pit road reporter and he has been doing a great job with interviews and updates. This online free application features multiple cameras and a social media stream for chat.

3D TV is on the way and TNT will originate two streams of 3D content for this race. DirecTV, NASCAR.com and several major cable TV providers will offer this content free of charge. The only drawback is that viewers must have a 3D capable computer monitor or TV. Of course, you have to wear the glasses!

This post will offer you an opportunity to offer comments on the TNT coverage. To add your comments, just click on the comments button below. This is a family-friendly website, please keep that in mind when posting. Thanks for stopping by.

Huge "RaceDay" For SPEED From Daytona

There are only a handful of high-profile races during the summer months. Daytona on this holiday weekend is at the top of that heap. SPEED's RaceDay is the big program for that network and it begins at 4:30PM ET.

Darrell Waltrip returns for another weekend as he is replacing Kyle Petty during this stretch of races on TNT. Waltrip is joined by Kenny Wallace and host John Roberts. Wendy Venturini and Hermie Sadler are the reporters.

TNT has continued to present a very crisp and clean Countdown to Green pre-race show since that network took over the Sprint Cup Series coverage. RaceDay has really had to look in the mirror and step-up their game. In some ways, the program has succeeded. In other areas, there are still problems.

The table has been set for this Saturday with plenty of stories to report and topics to discuss. From bigger restrictor plates to the resurgence of Jimmie Johnson, RaceDay has a target-rich environment.

Anytime Darrell Waltrip is on TV, he wants to be the center of attention. We saw that on the ill-fated FOX coverage this season. On RaceDay, John Roberts works very hard to keep Waltrip on topic and his comments brief. This is a very different environment from the Hollywood Hotel and Chris Myers. RaceDay belongs to Roberts, not Waltrip. Watch for these two to quietly battle over control.

While Kyle Petty allows Wallace to have his moment in the spotlight, Waltrip does not. Wallace continues to be a child where Waltrip is concerned and the previous RaceDay programs resulted in nothing more for Wallace than repeatedly agreeing with Waltrip's points of view. This dynamic has not worked from the start.

There is a lot of added pressure at Daytona today. RaceDay is a huge franchise for SPEED. There will be a lot of folks watching and talking about what is said and reported over the two hours of the program.

This post is your opportunity to offer comments on NASCAR RaceDay before, during and after this program from Daytona. To add your TV-related comments, just click on the comments button below. This is a family-friendl website, please keep that in mind when posting. Thanks for taking the time to stop by The Daly Planet.

TNT's Big Day Arrives

This season TNT may have redefined the TV term "bells and whistles." At Daytona this Sunday the network will have the now famous Wide Open coverage, a revamped RaceBuddy online application and a two different streams of 3D programming available.

All of this will come to NASCAR fans at 6:30PM, after SPEED finishes the two hour NASCAR RaceDay show from the SPEED Stage at Daytona. Lindsay Czarniak will then take over as TNT's "infield rig" is once again the pre-race location.

Wide Open coverage allows TNT to run commercials in a second video box on the screen in return for adding some graphic elements to the race telecast that bring more exposure for the sponsors. Basically, fans get to see a lot more of the race instead of full-screen commercial breaks.

Kyle Petty and Larry McReynolds will join Czarniak on the pre-race show. TNT's pre-produced feature will be on the late Dale Earnhardt Sr. and has many special guests talking about his influence on the sport. Tony Stewart will be the live guest on the infield set this week.

Adam Alexander is wrapping up his first season with TNT. With only the Chicagoland event remaining for the network after Daytona, Alexander's first season seems to have flown by. He has worked hard to step into the play-by-play role and has been coming into his own in the last few races.

Wally Dallenbach Jr. being in the TV booth always sparks some discussion. The fact is that Dallenbach knows racing and although his NASCAR career was not stellar, he works well with Petty and TNT loves him. He is here to stay.

Petty has quickly become the star of the show and that is the kind of role that he enjoys. Outspoken on TNT, Petty will be returning to SPEED's RaceDay and Victory Lane programs once the summer six pack of races is done.

Some people just appear as if they are made for TV and Czarniak fits that mold perfectly. During the TNT package she has handled interviews in the garage area during practice sessions, hosted the pre-race show and handled multi-hour rain delays. Currently a Washington, DC local TV sports reporter, there is little doubt that Czarniak will be heading for a bigger challenge soon.

Along with NASCAR, TNT will also be offering two streams of live 3D coverage. DirecTV, NASCAR.com and many major cable providers will be carrying this programming at no additional charge. Viewers will need either a computer monitor or TV that can view 3D and of course, those funny glasses.

RaceBuddy is going to be up and running with its own pit reporter, multiple cameras and social media streams. This online application is going to be missed when ESPN takes over the coverage at the Brickyard. Jim Noble has done a great job as the lone pit reporter with pre-race and in-race interviews.

TNT has only one more race remaining from Chicagoland, but today is the focus of the entire NASCAR TV package for which TNT paid a very high price. TDP will be live blogging NASCAR RaceDay on SPEED and then the Cup race. Please join us.

In the meantime, please feel free to leave us your opinion on the TNT summer coverage. To add your comment, 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.