Here are some TV and media notes for Friday. The Sprint Cup and Camping World Truck Series head to Martinsville this weekend. That can mean only one thing, hot dogs.
It's still two dollars for the pink dogs Martinsville Speedway has been serving up for years. Crews keep running totals on a board above the concession stand. Hot dog pride is on the line.
First off, Friday is a big day for our friends at ESPN. After several failed attempts at figuring out what ESPN2 was supposed to be, the "cloning" of ESPN finally did the trick. Now, the network that launched in October of 1993 will celebrate April Fools Day in style.
When the clock slips past midnight, ESPN2 will officially pass the 100 million home mark for distribution in the US. That is a big number. NASCAR's other cable partners include TNT with 102 and SPEED with 82 million.
The success for ESPN was to craft ESPN2 as just another cable outlet for live event programming. Both the Nationwide Series and the daily NASCAR Now program certainly will benefit from those new numbers. While the morning shows on ESPN2 have found some traction, it is the fact that ESPN can now use either of two networks to reach over 100 million homes that is the big deal.
Over at SPEED, new EVP Patti Wheeler is happy to boast about a new live event. The network is going to carry Denny Hamlin's Short Track Challenge on April 28 from Richmond International Raceway.
"SPEED jumped at the chance to broadcast the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown live because not only does some of the best racing of the year usually come out of Richmond, this event will showcase NASCAR stars out of their comfort zone a bit,” said Wheeler in a media release. “The Showdown promises to be fun for all involved, will benefit a great cause and should get everyone pumped up for Friday’s Nationwide Series race.”
Hamlin's charity event benefiting his foundation used to be held at Southside Speedway, a Richmond area favorite. Unfortunately, owner and promoter Sue Clements recently suffered a stroke. The racing season has been postponed until she recovers. The good news for Southside Speedway is that it was NASCAR sanctioned in December and the staff continue to be hopeful of holding some NASCAR regional events later this season.
On Friday the NASCAR on FOX team of Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds will call the Sprint Cup Series on-track sessions for SPEED. Meanwhile Rick Allen, Phil Parsons and Michael Waltrip will handle the Camping World Truck Series action.
At 7PM Hamlin and crew chief Mike Ford will appear on SPEED's Trackside. Steve Byrnes hosts with Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Hammond as the expert panel.
We welcome your comments on these topics as well as the Friday coverage from Martinsville on SPEED. To add your opinion, just click on the comments button below. This is a family-friendly website, please keep that in mind when posting. Thank you for taking the time to stop by The Daly Planet.
14 comments:
Over/Under on hot dog mentions for the tv weekend - 58.
I was a little disappointed with Hub last night as they kept on mentioning the cup drivers who are going to be racing hardly any notice to the full-time truck guys & gals. Bevo, we'll probably see many folks eating those dogs on camera that is one of the scripts this weekend for sure!
Hearing Danica Patrick going to drive the Brickyard in a Stewart Haas Car. Deal with Micheal Andretti. Big platform for her to announce that she is going Cup full time in 2012.
I'll take the over!
Last year, NASCAR Now did a feature story on the Martinsville hotdogs. It was like learning how a magic trick is done: it sucked all the magic out of it.
Truth is, there is nothing particularly unique about the Martinsville dogs in terms of how they are prepared or what they are made of. It was easily the most disappointing thing I had ever seen.
Martinsville...hot...dog...picture...
Mmmmmmmmm...must...not...drool...[slobberslobberslobber]...
Now there is a tight camera shot I could look at all day!
:-D
bevo said...
Over/Under on hot dog mentions for the tv weekend - 58.
How about a "Wiener Watch"?
Someone can count the number of mentions
Just watched the last Sprint Cup practice. Dennis Setzer is going home after he smacked the wall in their only car. Dick Bergren interviewed him. Classy to give such an underfunded operation some air time. Looks like more problems with a new tire. Burton said no one is happy with the tire. The usual front runners are way down in practice times. Supposed to rain tonight cleaning the track. Only activity tomorrow is Truck and Cup qualifying which won't rubber up the track. Could be messy on Sunday. Running the Sprint Cup schedule next year would be the dumbest thing she could do. Sooner or later,she'd have to qualify on time.I don't care how many millions they'd pay her,she'd look foolish. There are a bunch of tracks she hasn't run in Nationwide cars. She'd get eaten alive at Bristol,Martinsville and Darlington.
I overlooked in my earlier post that there is race activity tomorrow in addition to Qualifying. The Trucks race Saturday, but they may not lay down enough rubber for Sunday. Let's hope that they do.
OK, so did anyone else besides me notice that the episode of "The 10" on "biggest throwdowns" had totally inaccurate information on the Stewart/Gordon fracas? They showed the 24 turning the 20 on the track at Bristol, then the 20 turning the 24 on pit road during that same race in Bristol - and then showed video of the two of them in Watkins Glen jawing at each other a couple of years earlier like THAT was the aftermath of that Bristol incident.
The telltale sign...The 24 car being turned had the flame paint scheme which debuted in 2001, and in the aftermath, Jeff was wearing the old rainbow colors, last seen in 2000.
Either SPEED and NMG totally screwed that up, or they did it on purpose hoping we didn't notice. Do you think because the Watkins Glen race was on ESPN they didn't have the on-track footage to use, so they just threw in that Bristol footage?
Love the way you hear Moody when they do replays of old races on Speed!
I'll take the over on the hotdogs, too. Bevo must just want to give away his money...
On a related note, I spent the week in NYC where in some oh-so-trendy/with-it circles the greatest concern seemed to be the great concern about the effects of food coloring; how it is a massive threat to children and all that. And me? I just kept thinkin' 'bout them Martinsville hotdogs and how they ain't born that shade of red. But I did not mention it. Folks up there just wouldn't have gotten it. Jus' Sayin'
I have hope for good races and good coverage this weekend. God knows just now I need it. :)
@ Anon 11:33 AM - please tell me that this is an April Fool's joke!
Please?
Cathy
I hate to bring this up... but who wants to put their hard earned money down on a friendly wager?
Full field run down coming to the checkers Sunday on Fox coverage or 1 car only/hypertight coverage crossing the stripe and 42 neglected participants?
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