Sunday, March 27, 2011

Live Blogging Sprint Cup Series From California (FOX - 2:30PM ET)


Mark Martin just does not cut it as a Go Daddy Girl, so Jillian Michaels came to the Auto Club Speedway and drummed-up a bit of publicity by working out some of the TV and media personalities in the sport.

ESPN's Allen Bestwick and David Newton were alongside FOX's Krista Voda and SPEED's Rutledge Wood. Three of the four made it through unscathed. Pictures of Wood on the floor in the fetal position beside a trash can were making the rounds shortly after the workout session was over.

Now it's Sunday, Michaels is nowhere to be found and the only thing at the speedway is rain. Luckily, it's a fine mist and the weather is supposed to be clearing. The journalists were grumpy because the free pace car rides were cancelled. It's a tough life.

The conflict between FOX and fans continues. Ratings were down last week and into the awful range. Media members pointed to ticket sales, expensive hotels and the price of gas as the problems. Thousands of fans on TDP pointed directly at FOX.

This season, the conflict between director Artie Kempner and the fan base has hit critical mass. Kempner has completely disconnected from NASCAR fans. When FOX is done, Kempner is off to other assignments and does not return until Daytona in February. Unlike the SPEED and ESPN folks, Kempner can simply walk away from the train wreck he has helped to create.

Many people said that last week's FOX coverage from Bristol was perhaps the worst NASCAR race ever produced by that network. From the start, the issue was the pictures. There is no RaceBuddy for the Sprint Cup Series races. There are no free in-car camera feeds. FOX is the only game in town.

We labeled Kempner's insane approach to NASCAR racing on TV as "hyper-tight" coverage. Single car shots, extended in-car cameras and essentially no perspective on the actual race itself are the hallmarks of his NASCAR efforts. The topper is showing only the winner of the race crossing the finish line.

Kempner has decided that the race is over when the leader finishes. Unfortunately, fans of the other top teams and drivers have made the commitment to watch FOX for four hours. Not seeing their driver race to the finish has caused them to simply walk away from the TV coverage.

Saturday, ESPN telecast the Nationwide Series race from ACS. The coverage was solid and featured one key element. The director kept all the cars racing for position in the camera shot being sent to viewers. In-car cameras were, for the most part, used to embellish the coverage and not provide primary video.

The Auto Club Speedway features passing on pit road and restarts. There is very little passing in the race once the field gets strung out. The stories of the race are fuel, tires and pit strategy. FOX has the best pit road reporters on TV and in Bristol they were rendered useless. This week, they must play a key role or the real stories will never be told.

Darrell Waltrip will have plenty of time to talk with long green flag runs and it should be interesting to see how much he interacts with fans live on Twitter. Waltrip has recently become aware that the fans have strong opinions on the live telecasts and seemingly wants to make things better.

Larry McReynolds and Jeff Hammond have become non-factors this season. Waltrip is the leader and FOX has decided to make him the focal point of the coverage. It should be very interesting to see what topics he decides to discuss and how his opinions on Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch are presented.

FOX has all the tools to make this race a treat. A veteran play-by-play announcer in Mike Joy, good analysts and solid pit reporting. Ultimately, with radio offering an alternative to the FOX commentary it may come down to the simple choice of what pictures are being sent to fans.

We will update the rain situation in the comments section and pass along any race delays. As always, we invite your comments on the TV coverage today from ACS. 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.

305 comments:

1 – 200 of 305   Newer›   Newest»
Daly Planet Editor said...

12:44PM and still damp and misting. Keeping an eye on the weather. Hoping to get it in today.

Jonathan said...

weather.com says 10% chance of showers the rest of the way through at California Speedway???? Dosent look wet on raceday

Hope theres no rain!!!!

Charlie said...

Watching Golf right now and there are showing more then just the leader.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Funny you should say that. Golf is the other most challenging sport top produce and is often compared to motorsports.

No clock, no timeouts and no ability to stop play for TV.

Daly Planet Editor said...

oops..."to produce"

earl the pearl said...

Quick if you are lucky you can
tune in to the Indy cars ..aka
Lawn Mowers .. and you can hear ..
MARTY REED ! Now is that good news
or what?

Sally said...

I'm opting out for the beginning of the race today...other things to do that I actually enjoy.

KoHoSo said...

Your on the spot weatherman here reporting from Fontana...the sun is starting to break out at my house about 3 miles northeast of the track but there are still some thick clouds to the west. They are not dropping rain but it could cause mist. I'd be more concerned about weepers postponing the race than the weather as it did come down significantly at my home last night...not sure about at the track as weather here is very weird in how it will pour on one block and just drizzle on another.

Do take all of that with a grain or two of salt as I am watching the IndyCar race instead of NASCAR pre-race babbling and have not heard anything about the condition of the track yet.

Other than that, I will just repeat the thought in my recent tweet that I wonder when NASCAR will stop scheduling the races here for either the coldest and rainiest or hottest and smoggiest parts of the year.

racingfool said...

Wow JD, you are laying down the smack on Fox today.
I noticed you never mentioned Barry Landis who Arte has to listen too.
So why target Arte, one of the best in the business instead of the real culprits. Barry knows nothing about racing and he's the dude calling the shots and he's the one in the chair.
ESPN, TNT and everyone else in the compound go off and do football, baseball, basketball and many other projects. So why make a big deal out of the fact that don't live racing 24/7 ?

Andrew said...

Great to see a Confederate flag in the background on Raceday. And people wonder why this sport is continually going downhill?

Sally said...

I did have the TV on while I was vacuuming, and hear Kyle calling out Kenny and the stat men on the 'winning record' of Kyle Busch. I'm glad someone finally talked about how bogus it is to use every race he's run in to come up with the number. GO KYLE!

Daly Planet Editor said...

racingfool,

FOX has been in the sport for ten years now. This is the result.

I have had fan after fan say they were stepping away until TNT came back or just leaving for good.

If something is not going right, you either change it or pretend nothing is wrong. I'll leave you to decide what FOX is doing.

Anonymous said...

The IRL race has been a complete mess.

Daly Planet Editor said...

They wanted to imitate NASCAR, they wound up imitating ARCA!

Sally said...

I've been tuning into the Indy car race, and Marty isn't any more coherent there with 21 cars on the track than he has been in Cup with 43! He's just not a play by play man.

Sally said...

Bye for now. May make it back for then end of the nap, er, race.

Sally said...

Back to Indy cars...even they insist on talking about 'the front nose' of the car. Has anyone seen a 'rear nose' on a race car? Just sayin.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Sally, would you please stop making sense! You're confusing the TV guys!

Anonymous said...

At the risk of over simplifying, my issue with Larry,DW and Mike is that they are stale. Race after race,year after year you get the same cliches,anecdotes and opinions. If I hear "Cautions breed cautions" one more time, I'm going to puke. I'd just love to see some new blood give it a shot. AB, Craven,La Joie, DJ come to mind. We all realize there are numerous reasons/issues for the poor quality of the broadcasts regardless of the Network. Let's hope the weather clears and that we have a good race. I enjoyed yesterday's broadcast.

PammH said...

Looks like what little I'm watching the Indy car race that they just follow one person & use too many in-car cameras also. Only get long shots when they do side by side. Not good.

OSBORNK said...

I think Anon 1:47 is right. Even if the booth monkeys were good, they get stale after a while. Even if you go to the best restaurant in town, it gets old after a while. New voices with new perspectives would be welcome here.

Looks like some of the folks at the track are wearing rain gear.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Anon 1:47PM,

On Friday we had Steve Byrnes, Kyle Petty and Jeff Hammond doing Nationwide qualifying on SPEED. It was fun, entertaining and informative.

Then, on came Mike, Larry and DW. It was like flicking a switch to dull. Nothing showed the contrast more.

My suggestion: Krista in the Hollywood Hotel with DW, Wendy V on pit road, Steve, Kyle and Jeff in the booth. They have to do something and soon.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Kind of weird to see Kyle Petty "over" Kenny Wallace and JR on "RaceDay."

Weird vibe going on for sure.

Mike (Detroit) said...

Hi Planet people, Watching ABC kill the Indy Race, then I'm going to watch ESPN totally butcher the live PBA bowling, Thank God for beer, cold beer.

Daly Planet Editor said...

LOL! Man, they are killing it. They only do five a year, but Marty is a mess and the poor producer is lost! Did you hear the radio traffic? Argh.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Jet dryers are out in Cali. No info yet on revised start time.

Mike said...

KoHoSo what day would that be :)

Mike (Detroit) said...

I just love the Indy cars, they are so cool. They have a helicoptor there but won't use it for TV shots, come on guys it's a road course. The side by side is nice but mostly been used during yellow flag. You guys are going to tear apart the NA$CAR race today. I'll be checking in.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Great point Mike. No perspective.

Anonymous said...

I am anon 1:47. I appreciate the points made by JD and Osbornk. Many of us have been crying out for change to no avail. A few changes have been made, but so many more are needed. Kenny ahd KP on Race Day are just weird. Whether he means to or not, Kenny often comes across as if he's talking down to a bunch of 5th graders.

Daly Planet Editor said...

From Kenny Wallace on Twitter:

Izod Indy car has been talking trash about Nascar lately, its part of there marketing strategy :) ..Won't Work!

KoHoSo said...

Poor Kenny Wallace...never learned the difference between "there" and "their." >:-)

Mike (Detroit) said...

Anon 1:47 Yes that stuff about talking to us like we are children is a big pet peve with me. That pre race crap gets no more of my life. Oh you got me going! Kenny needs to take his ritlin (sp?)

Sophia said...

Indycar Camera work not great either & FEW overhead shots above St. Petersburg. These street courses are always tough to show.

I'll be outside during the NASCAR race. Sunny day & NOT worth watching to get annoyed. Heard there's a rain delay.

Did anybody hear the F bomb Danica dropped about the restarts? WOW, somebody not paying attention to that..it was very delayed & NOT live.

Debby said...

And we had to hear the "Rusty" word again today!! Does KW ever stop praising/mentioning him? I thought we could get through the day without hearing a shout out.

Daly Planet Editor said...

ESPN told us on Twitter that she said "freaking" and they checked it before they used it.

Not how it sounded to me!

Sophia said...

JD

Our ears did not hear freaking either :)

Roland said...

Pre race back in the Hollywood Hotel. Just what this race DID NOT need. The outdoor pre race adds energy and excitement. Auto Club Speedway is the inverse of energy and excitement.

Mike (Detroit) said...

Yes the Indy car restarts are WILD. Bad camera work today, I understand it's a road course but use that helicoptor TV shot for the love of all things good and holy.

AncientRacer said...

Somebody help me out here. I need Tim Brewer on ABC to tell me something I guess is real basic about IndyCars since I know really a patheticallly small amount about What are Red and Black tires? I'm guessing reds are scuffs and blacks are stickers? or what?

PammH said...

I just cannot stand the bromance DW has w/Shrub. Enough already!!

Roland said...

AncientRacer

Reds are soft compound
Blacks are hard compound

Anonymous said...

Happy RaceDay Planeteers <3

Daly Planet Editor said...

AR,

The softer the tires, the shorter the time the tread lasts. Back to you, Marty.

How was that?

w17scott said...

Mr Editor -
What a failing of production team not to show the attractive surroundings in St Pete ...I'm deaf in one ear and can't hear out of the other, but Danica sounded like she used a NASCAR term ...oh yea, it's still ESPN isn't it? ...and leave it to Mario to 'tell it like it is' - that's a/c
Walter

Daly Planet Editor said...

Chris Myers is out to lunch and it's his home track.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Now told the race track is ready and things will start on time.

Jonathan said...

alright everyone have fun today! I love Cali so im going to enjoy this like no other!!! Hope you all do as well

=>


GO JR

w17scott said...

Mr Editor -
Re: F1 broadcast ...I suspect David Hobbs has every bit as much racing experience as DW and Rusty, but never once during today's race did he intrude on Bob Varsha's call ...his comments were directed to the racing action, and not peppered with "I" ...enjoyed learning (not being told)about numerous changes in F1's first race of the season
Walter

Sophia said...

Regarding Indy

Yes USUALLY highlight the city much better besides commercial breaks...sigh..still better than the NASCAR broadcasts cam wise.

Indy's been using too many in car cams also for years but street stuff ALWAYS tough..but they should use the helicopter more..GORGEOUS day in St Pete just like here in OH.

There is overhead towards the end on two cars...really spread out....even from Heli REALLY spread out in Indycar.

NOW SKY SHOTS!! :) as I type

KoHoSo said...

w17scott...spot on! What an irony that the best overall race announcing crew on television in the USA today isn't even at the track.

Daly Planet Editor said...

DW is following the theme that NASCAR decided to make a priority this season and that is "winning."

This was the reation to drivers who said in interviews they were running for points to get in the Chase.

Andrew S. said...

From Kenny Wallace on Twitter:

Izod Indy car has been talking trash about Nascar lately, its part of there marketing strategy :) ..Won't Work!

**************************************************
If Kenny is talking about it, I guess that means it is working.

Anonymous said...

Come on guys! Espn is ALWAYS right. If Espn says no foul by Danica, then no foul! Someone could make a lot of money selling a DVD titled "Danica's Tantrums". I rember when she went storming down pit road after one of the Penske drivers. Roger came on the radio and told his driver to drop his visor. But by far the funniest was when Danica went after the other woman driver named Mika. Danica got in her face until Mika let loose with her own foul mouth and threw a big white towel in Danica's face. Danica recoiled in shock,got huffy and Mika threw it back in her face a second time! Just priceless. Anyhow, let's hope the weather holds and we have a good, clean race without the 'weepers' on the track causing problems.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Love that she got lapped toward the end. What a weird career for her.

bevo said...

Count me as one of those skipping this race on FOX. Sad because I used to set aside those hours for a race on the weekend. Looking back the zenith for me as a NASCAR fan was paying for HotPass on DirecTV with people like Rick Allen and Randy Pemberton doing play-by-play. The focus was on the racing and you could get plenty of information about any driver by just changing the channel to one racing near them.

AncientRacer said...

@Roland
Thank you very much! :)

@Sophia
Despite being a big time KyBu fan I agree with you completely on what KP said and I tll wonder why no one has flogged thaat issue more.

And I did like the Indycar race. I especially like the side x side ads. Why oh why cannot we do that -- I know everyone here has been asking that question since the day after they invented sand...

Unknown said...

Jd

That was GREAT. Perhaps you have a future in the Tch Gargage! :)

Daly Planet Editor said...

Man, I wish they had RaceBuddy for this event. It would make it sooooooo much better once the field stretches out.

Mike (Detroit) said...

ABC doing post race interviews, the guys and girls are huffing and puffing after getting out of those Indy cars, good stuff, bad coverage,

GinaV24 said...

Hi folks, I'm going to watch the start, then rely on the radio for the coverage since I'm not expecting much from Fox today. I simply no longer watch any of the pre-race stuff -- Kyle Petty doesn't offset Kenny Wallace's idiocy.

And as noted on here by others, it is time for a change with the folks in the booth. Love Mike Joy, but a few fresh voices/perspectives for race day would be welcome. IMO DW would be much better used in the Hollywood Hotel rather than the full time face of fox. He means well, but along with the tight shots of the cars, it simply isn't working to make NASCAR must see TV.

Charlie said...

Denny Hamlin did not sound to thrilled doing that interview.

Sophia said...

Indycar showed FINISH line for spread out cars..22 seconds or more apart!!

Now NASCAR..tv going off as we go outside..this thing called sun in sky & like Bevo, no longer plan weekends around NASCAR for 4 hrs of AGGRAVATION from horrible truck in car/bumpercam/Tight shot ebola virus.

Kenny Schrader in the race! Wah. Will dvr

Sorry Fox, you & BSPN just ain't worth to try & watch live or at all due to bad camera selection

Daly Planet Editor said...

Denny doing his best Junior impression when ESPN is covering the races! Not happy.

GinaV24 said...

Anon 3:06 -- all that foot stomping by Danica is one of the reasons I simply can't root for her. Heck, I would LOVE to have a female driver to root for - I'll cheer for someone like Jennifer Jo Cobb or Johanna Long, but it won't ever be Danica.

obviously this isn't the right thing to say, but honestly when she marched down there to scream at the male Penske driver, I was really hoping he'd bat her one. Was very happy when Milka finally didn't get her let get away with that BS.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Almost made it to lap 10!

pcarp said...

I watched the F1 race this morning, wow what a difference! Really nice change of pace to hear a professional broadcast of a race. Get this... not a single "self promotion" by the booth guys all race long!

GinaV24 said...

Man, Bayne has had NO luck since the 500 win. Such as shame for that kid and team.

Sophia said...

Gina

Simone de Silvestro worth rooting for. Fast learning, hard worker, gives excellent feedback & does NOT blast on those around her for mistakes made.

Hell she caught on FIRE last year, almost got her arm pulled out of socket/broken yanking her out of tiny body of Indycar & STILL smiled for the cameras a few minutes later. No Diva attitude at all.

REFRESHING!! She finished 4th today. She's very worthy of building a fan base. Girl next door looks, not into sexing up her image.

Daly Planet Editor said...

When you look at the F-1 guys and the truck coverage it's an amazing difference.

AncientRacer said...

Almost 10? I'm impressed. Was not even long enough for me to put the wash into the dryer is all I know.

@Ginav24: Go to your Yahoo Re: question

Anonymous said...

Did DW actually say that the fans were "looking up here, waiting for those words" just before the green flag? As if anyone wants to hear his stupid Boogetly crap? So much that the fans aren't watching the actual start? Can his ego get ANY bigger?
Cathy

Sophia said...

@Ancient Racer??? I do not remember saying KyB comment? Did you mean somebody else?

:)

back out to the yard..

Debby said...

@Gina - all of the pressure Bayne has been under by him being showcased by everyone. Leave him alone and let him learn. He needs a mentor or maybe the one he has is pushing too hard for the spotlight.

Charlie said...

Why do they show replays zoomed out.

Daly Planet Editor said...

"Drivers never ride around." DW is on a roll.

GinaV24 said...

Thanks, Sophia - that is good to know about Simone -- I'll watch for her when I watch Indy cars.

AncirntRacer said...

@Sophia

KP comment ABOUT KyBu and his win count. :)

slander q. libel said...

"Put your ego aside..."

More ironic words have never been said.

Mike (Detroit) said...

Simone de Silvestro was very impressive today, very fun rooting for her today. Agreed the F-1 coverage (early) this morning was really good.

Roland said...

Wheres the NFL theme music?

AncientRacer said...

@Roland

It is locked out.

Sorry...could not resist

OSBORNK said...

VCU ahead of Kansas 41-27 at halftime.

slander q. libel said...

I didn't catch the Speed b'cast (had a really annoying low-pitched hum), so I watched the BBC show. They are now my second favorite group of booth monkeys.

Charlie said...

Osbornk some people maybe recording the basketball game to watch later.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Roland, it seems the NFL music bed has bit the dust. Nice idea maybe.

Roland said...

Fox missing green flag pit stops for the leaders

OSBORNK said...

Charlie, you might be right. If I was going to record something to watch later, it would be the race. That way, I could skip through and watch the 10 or 15 minutes of excitement. I automatically DVR every race in case something comes up and I can't remember the last time I watched one.

Vicky D said...

Missed the pre-race show as we were watching Indy race. Simona did really well at the end, TK kinda blocked her. Saw the attendance f/yesterdays race was ONLY 36,000 wonder how many "fans" are out at the track for cup. Good pit reports today so far.

Daly Planet Editor said...

With the potential for pit stops to be crucial, I cannot believe they went to break.

Jim said...

How in the WORLD did FOX miss the start of green-flag pit stops? It's not like they couldn't hear from the radio chatter when the leaders would be coming.

Becky [@hightechredneck] said...

JD ... do you have any idea if FOX monitors the team radios before deciding to go to commercial? I heard them talking about green flag pit stops on Truex's radio a little bit before they went to commercial.

GinaV24 said...

AR -- got your msgs via yahoo - thanks much, love the youtube choices!

OSBORNK said...

How is the attendance? They have done a very effetive job of hiding the stands.

Roland said...

JD I hate that the NFL music is gone. Its a much better way to open a broadcast than a 2 year old country song.

PammH said...

did they mention Jr's tire changer injury on TV??

DewCrew88 said...

Jrs rear tire changer hurt himself bad enough that they are looking for another changer - no mention

commercials all over

They really are trying to one up themselves

Anonymous said...

Hey guys, I love NASCAR but I turned the channel real quick and the basketball game is getting good! KU on a 12-0 run, VCU's lead is down to 4!!

Charlie said...

What else can you say - tight shots, in car cams and no flow or rhythm to this race.

GinaV24 said...

heard on Gordon's radio that the car is really laying over on the right tire -- sounds like a lot of people are too loose, but i sure wish my guy had a good car.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Charlie, it is amazing.

GinaV24 said...

Debby -- I agree about Trevor -- seems like winning too soon in the big time just causes issues down the road for the young guys.

OSBORNK said...

With the tight shots, in car cams, etc, this could be any track anywhere on any day. If they didn't tell us where it was, it would be a guessing game.

Roland said...

Boring Race, Boring Telecast.

slander q. libel said...

Durrl, that's not they question that everyone asks you, and you know it. That's the question that your little brain translates it into.

(I know - I ended my sentence with a preposition. The right way sounded too awkward...)

Vicky D said...

I think monitoring the teams to hear when they plan on green flag pitting is a fundamental broadcast production headsup. How could they have missed that?

Anonymous said...

If you guys think this broadcast sucks, flip over to CBS. KU is within 2!! 46-44, big finish coming up!!

Jimbacca said...

Are they trying to get all their commercial breaks out of the way? This is a ridiculous amount of commercials close together.

Fox does race breaks from commercials still.

Studio chat. Few lines from the booth. In car shots to in car shots. Shot of one car. Commercial.

Anonymous said...

This race really could use a caution about now.

GinaV24 said...

I am listening to Gordon's scanner on trackpass and using pit command to follow the race since watching the race on TV is not worth the electricity or the aggravation. That plus twitter and everyone here, I've got it covered.

Anonymous said...

Attendance must be awful if they are hiding the stands in their camera coverage. It's a long race, but I'm surprised that all the Toyota's are out front. The Ford's usually run good at this track. Looks like Biffle is back in the pack again with Kesolowski. That Busch kid could be really tough this year.

Anonymous said...

Say what you will about the Fox coverage, but the thing they showed in the pre-race of Hammond getting a tan was really funny.

Anonymous said...

I like that Mike Joy apologized for insulting NJ last week. They must've gotten a lot of heat.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Hammond has been having a great year on TV. His appearances on RaceDay with Steve Byrnes have been great. He always pokes fun at himself.

alex said...

Just a thought, someone please enlighten me. Why do they show the leaderboard without the time intervals, if they do in fact have the technology to do so? I'm not talking about when they show car make or starting position below the names, but show names and car numbers only. Unless there's a technical problem, it seems like they're shorting the viewer of information just because they can.

No sarcasm there.

alex said...

To clarify - I realize they're in pit stops but this practice does happen during green flag runs.

Anonymous said...

Why have a closeup on a crew member during green flag racing?

Daly Planet Editor said...

Good questions, this is rapidly becoming a very weird telecast.

Anonymous said...

This is just boring. Wish there were something else on cable.

In the meantime, chitchatting on forums and playing a zombie version of Oregon Trail.

I wanna sit around and stare at one car, I'll bundle up and go look at mine in the driveway.

These zombies are somethin' fierce, let me tell ya!

GinaV24 said...

71 laps in and nothing going on. I don't even like basketball and I'm thinking of tuning to the game.

slander q. libel said...

@alex:

They do, at times. Sometimes it's intervals behind the leaders, sometimes it's simply position, and onces in a great while they show lap times.

PammH said...

Coming back from comm'l is as long as the damn comm'l. Oh great, caution, back to commercials.

GinaV24 said...

Anon - no one insults NJ without getting heat for it!! LOL

I like Hammond -- I like his tech explanations on race hub a lot.

slander q. libel said...

Zombie Oregon Trail? Nice. Add bacon and sharks with freakin' lasers on their heads and that would be awesome...

Roland said...

What a joke. Debris my ***.

AncientRacer said...

(mounts spoapbox, elbows Slander out of way)

Ya'll know I just do not get this mania with hiding the empty seats. As I noted at Bristol there were tons of Day tripper in the campgrounds and day parking tailgaing with satellites and sacnners. They just did not want to pay the huge amnt ($93 for cheapest I think) price to get in, but they wanted to be at the race.

The fault is the promoters and NA$Car IMO. They just do not get the fact that a race is as much a social occasion as an athletic competition.

(steps down)

Anonymous said...

@ GinaV24 - I think it was your comment about cement shoes that made him apologize. I don't think he knew what he was messing with...

slander q. libel said...

Dude, careful with the ribs. I bruise easily...

Anonymous said...

Frankly, I don't mind these mysterious "debris" cautions when the race gets stringed out like this.

Roland said...

They have a decent crowd today at Auto Club. Much better than years previous

AncientRacer said...

@Ginav24

I'll amplify later so check tomorrow or Tues :)

In the meantime Thanx!

GinaV24 said...

Anon 4:17 -- I'll take credit for it! Hey never mess with big haired Jersey girls! LOL

Ancient -- applause for your speech! NASCAR still continues to miss the point -- this is supposed to be FUN!!

Anonymous said...

Now we'll probably have a rash of yellows from here on out.

Anonymous said...

Heheh...here ya go, Slander: --www.hatsproductions.com/organtrail.html-- edit as necessary.

For the record, I really liked NJ, and back in the day, I wanted to move there. Granted, this was closer to Roselle Park than other places.

On topic...just love seeing baseball ads while racing type stuff is going on. I feel so...valued...as a member of their key demographic.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Here we go, five minutes of real racing!

majorshouse said...

I agree that the broadcast team in the booth needs to be changed, it is so stale that it is ridiculous. DW needs to be put out to pasture forever, tired of his mouth and ego. Let Mike Joy do what he is good at and that is ply by play, much better yesterday with AB doing it.

GinaV24 said...

Ancient - I will check -- thanks

Anonymous said...

@GinaV - My hair may not be as big as yours but I am a Jersey Girl too! How about we go gopher-clubbing?
Same Anon as before.....

Daly Planet Editor said...

Still feel bad for Joy, you have to wonder what he could do if FOX turned him loose and told DW to shut it.

saltsburgtrojanfan] said...

Hey Sophia

I Like your comments on Simone. and are you calling Danica a diva and crybaby?

Hmmm interesting

Sophia said...

just came in from tearing out ornamental grasses/trimming.

Is Kenny Schrader still in the race? As I went out in the yard at start of race, he was on pit road :(

GinaV24 said...

Anon -- you crack me up -- actually I don't have big hair but I have definitely got lots of attitude! I will definitely join in the gopher hunting -- esp now since they gave digger a girlfriend again -- I sure don't want them propogating!!

Anonymous said...

Stupid zombies keep attacking me, and if I were tied down to a chair, I'd hope to be sitting on nails for the distraction.

I don't think I bought enough beer for this Sunday.

This...just...isn't...watching...a...race. Seen more exciting stuff on a freeway in rush hour.

Addition - I really liked ESPN's improvements for the NW race. Think they got the message.

Fox is like watching Charlie Sheen edit a movie filmed by crackheads trying to get everything recorded so they can sell the cameras later for drugs.

Daly Planet Editor said...

BTW, Danica got bumped back one in the finishing order because they judged her contact that broke her wing for the 2nd time avoidable.

Sophia said...

OSBORNK said...

With the tight shots, in car cams, etc, this could be any track anywhere on any day. If they didn't tell us where it was, it would be a guessing game


I've said that for years....with camera work could be bristol, could be dega, could be Prague :)

NOT FUNNY...sigh

OSBORNK said...

If you want excitement, tune in to the last 1:40 of the game.

GinaV24 said...

well, I just can't win with this race -- either I switch back over and they are in commercial OR I tune back in and they are talking about Johnson. My idea of really bad timing.

GinaV24 said...

ooooh wait, I got a little bit of joy there - showing the 24 car for just a fe minutes

slander q. libel said...

Charlie Sheen... crackheads... you know, that would explain a lot.

AncientRacer said...

JD said:

"BTW, Danica got bumped back one in the finishing order because they judged her contact that broke her wing for the 2nd time avoidable"

1. That is what you get when you have "Race Stewards"

2. I did not see that contact Did U?

4. If fact, will we ever see the infraction?

Anonymous said...

There are many ironies with Danica. St. Pete is a street course. Danica doesn't run well on street courses and road courses. She's best(?) on ovals in open wheel cars. I think Mike Joy has lost a step(s). I don't find him as enjoyable---too much mindless trivia.

Mike (Detroit) said...

Yeah let's all go buy the 4-G face melter to watch this crap on..."Did you see the pass in turn two?....no they didn't show it". UGH!!!

AncientRacer said...

Oh...I guess nobody is really noticing, but at halfway who is leading?

To quote lyrics to "Yellow Submarine":

"...All t'gether now!"

GinaV24 said...

geez, are we just now at half way? 2 hrs of my life, gone.

alex said...

I flipped over the basketball for a minute. What caused the caution?

alex said...

Nvm, they said Gilliand shredded one.

OSBORNK said...

24 seconds til Cinderella goes to the ball.

GinaV24 said...

well at least there really IS debris.

Anon/J said...

Slander, I suspect that Charlie and his glassblowing, pipemaking gang of nutjob friends would actually do this racing a better service.

This is actually a lot more like a really bad reality show by 14 years on Youtube than a race. I've seen more ads, and more everything-that-is-not-cars than anything else.

Doing good on the zombie game tho.

Daly Planet Editor said...

AR, they replayed it. She ran over the rear wheel of a backmarker.

GinaV24 said...

Ancient - at least you have a reason to be happy!

w17scott said...

Mr Editor -
Pardon my going off subject, but did ya ever think the boys from Shafer Street would ever make the Final Four ...go RPI (oops, showing my age there) ...go VCU
Walter

Anon/J said...

Ancient, legit question - if Kyle's doing okay, how come Logano and Hamlin seem to be running into issues?

I can't make sense of it.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Walter,

I was the sports editor for the Commonwealth Times in college!

Pretty happy boy right now.

Sally said...

Just got back home from the horse farm and caught up on the race from here. Glad I haven't missed anything...not that I thought I would. Now I can finish my housework with the sound off the TV and check here to see what's really happening!

OSBORNK said...

There were 4 teams from Virginia in the NCAA tournament and VCU was the least likely to go to the final four. My daughter in Tidewater will be thrilled.

AncientRacer said...

@JD

Thanks I guess I missed it.

My point still stands about "Race Stewards". Sounds like something around when the Queen's Corgies get loose in the garden ;)

Sally said...

Thank goodness for the 'Mythbusters' marathon on Discovery Channel. Gives me something else that's really interesting to watch while I 'watch' the race here.

Vicky D said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
AncientRacer said...

@Anon/J

Because he is Kyle.

"'Nuff Sed!"
(As the great Stan Lee would pen)

GinaV24 said...

geez, the 24 car's back in the middle of the pack again. 3 positions forward, 4 back! daggone it.

PammH said...

Why are they showing practice footage during a race?? Geez...this is unwatchable really. If I didn't have the radio on, I wouldn't have a clue what was happening. And 3 camera changes in less than 10 secs makes me want to hurl my lunch!

Vicky D said...

OK, I meant to write previously, if your fav driver is KyBusch or TS then you would be much happier with this broadcast than me!

alex said...

I'm on the computer and looked up a few minutes ago as the leaderboard ticker was at the final positions, and the names and car numbers were colored gray. I wonder if it was a technical issue, but if FOX is showing cars out of the race in grayscale, then that's fine by me. Easier to tell who's still on the track without paying attention to the intervals.

AncientRacer said...

Is FSU still in the tourney?

Only possible school left I went to or my extraordinarly dim but expensive kids have/are going to :)

Daly Planet Editor said...

Pammm, isn't it interesting? It is almost impossible to know what is going on from the FOX telecast.

They seem to do Daytona and then just slowly crumble until their part of the season is over.

Meanwhile, a lot of the same personalities are with us all year on SPEED and do a fine job.

Weird....

Roland said...

How ironic they come back from break to a gopher sleeping in a rocking chair. Wow.

AncientRacer said...

JD

I think all races should be on Speed, but I know you have said that should not be a NASCAR only net and I agree.

My question/curious point is Speed is a Rupert thing too? So why does FOX suck and Speed does not in terms of our home experience.

You're the expert. I only produce scripted or news. Never sports. Never

Anon/J said...

Ancient, c'mon. I understand and respect your enthusiasm, but it was a serious question from a 2 series watchin' n00b.

JGR is a pretty extensive team, and the mechanical failures don't add up. Kyle zooms along, two screwed up motors.

Educate me, man.

Vicky D said...

And the trolls rear their heads!

slander q. libel said...

I just realized that Fox has considerably more respect for their non-North American viewers than they do for us. They continue their live track feed all the way through that retarded cartoon rat's shenanigans.

Vicky D said...

Roland, I thought they were showing my husband in his recliner!

slander q. libel said...

@Vicky_D:

I think Durrl just found this board and was merely introducing himself to us...

Sally said...

It's really amazing having the sound from the TV while I'm not watching. I have NO clue what is going on in the race at all. Getting no useful information from the booth at all. That is really sad.

Anon/J said...

Slander & JD - I have figured out Digger. It's a TRIBBLE! Explains why it won't die and always shows up!

Sally said...

Nope. Tribbles were cute and hated Klingons. I think the booth and producers now qualify as Klingons.

Anonymous said...

In-car shots, single car shot, Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart then back to commercial.

AncientRacer said...

@Anon/J

Part of it, and not an insignificant part of it, is attitude. KyBu will drive it to death. Right tp the gates of perdidtion and beyond.

Look at Hoemsead last year. He could not win, so he did a sacrifice block and ended his season in flames. He gets behind the wheel and just does not care. Drive it 'till it dies.

And KyBu just passed the great Gelenn "Fireball" Roberts. My first fav. I was there at Charlotte in '64 with my Daddy and I'll never forget it.

Daly Planet Editor said...

What about this is bringing in new fans? Keeping old fans? Encouraging sponsors?

I don't get it.

slander q. libel said...

Nope. Neither Klingons nor tribbles. Wrong universe.

Try Jar-Jar Binks...

"Meesa sell t-shirts?"

OSBORNK said...

How can anyone have a clue as to what is going on without the ticker? The pictures and the bobble heads don't tell us anything.

Anon/J said...

Ancient - talent and guts, I agree there. Thank God I'm new to this sport, but I'll say this - he's the next Earnhardt. Guy drives like a shark.

No dispute there.

What I'm wondering is - and frankly, you know way more than I do - why is it Logano and Hamlin go 'splodey, and Kyle doesn't?

You know full well he doesn't overdrive the car or motor that much.

I'm curious about the team dynamics and engine building and the like.

Far as his wins - he wants to. Luckily for him, he's learning to maybe not wreck people as much. :)

Sally said...

JD, obviously, neither Nascar, BZF, nor the TV networks have clue #1 as to why people were dedicated to this sprot for so many years. Not a clue.

GinaV24 said...

Vince, you need to stop watching that weird Denny Hamlin commercial -- your fantasies are way out there -- LOL, either that or you are bored out of your mind with this broadcast.

Anon/J said...

Slander, do you really see anyone on here buying a Digger t-shirt?

Maybe a charity drive to catapult his creator into the Atlantic Ocean, sure. But I just don't see the enthusiasm. Everyone hates Digger.

Anonymous said...

The production crew screwed up---they inadvertently showed a bit of the grandstands. Just got a glimpse, but more people then I thought. Edwards has been disappointing so far. Supposedly Logano and Hamlin had the same proble. Not clear what it was. If it wasn't electrical and the vital readings were good, then I agree, it was something in the top end. The hooker was that they saw the problem on one of the spark plugs. Usually, that would be due to a piece of a valve closing up the gap or a holed piston having been melted.But there wasn't smoke coming out of it. We'll never know. They are really secretive on the cause of engine failures. On Lap 2, Denny ran Kyle low. Last year, I believe it was the All-Star Race, Denny fenced Kyle. I love team mates like that.

AncientRacer said...

@Anon/J

True. I'd have to get into the shop to know that. Though I hold a hard card I do not know what goes on "in there" at JGR. JD nor Coach has let me in to snoop.

Kyle has blown up his share of times though. He hates it. Makes a scene then -- or used to. But now he is married and they say that has changed him. By the gods of racing I pray not too much.

@JD

This aint doing a thing to get new fans. They want to see stuff. We, at least, can see what probably is going on in our minds. As I have said innumerable times: You in Producer's cahir; me at Pre-vis is the only certain answer (as of today)

slander q. libel said...

This year, I may have the chance to go to the 2nd Phoenix race. Sort of a combo race weekend/family reunion (haven't seen my family since '84, so I'm really looking forward to it...)

Even though I hate the show with a passion, I might show up for the Trackside filming. Before I do, though, I'll buy a Rat plushie. That way I can, at the appropriate moment, hold it up to the cameras, hanging in effigy at the end of a stick.

Charlie said...

leader only ahead by one. The field is tightening up. Pretty exciting.
Oh, I am watching golf.

Chadderbox said...

When did the network decide they didn't need to call the races anymore?
Week after week the booth neglects to call the race. Lock them in a room with Barney Hall and the boys so these Fox clowns will learn how to call a race! There is no coherent presentation of the entire racing action that is occurring on the track. Pitiful.

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