It's a foggy morning at Pocono Raceway. The forecast is calling for rain this afternoon and everyone is hoping to get this race in as scheduled.
This is the 2011 debut of Lindsay Czarniak as the host of the six TNT summer race telecasts. She will handle the pre-race with Larry McReynolds and Kyle Petty to get things started. She then remains either on the outside TNT infield rig or moves to an indoor location with McReynolds in tow should the rain begin.
Adam Alexander is in his second season as the play-by-play announcer for this package. He was a surprising choice, but TNT liked his rookie effort and brought him back for this season. Alexander has spent the last four months as the solo anchor of Speed Center on SPEED.
The pairing of Kyle Petty and Wally Dallenbach is interesting in that the opinions and analysis related to the TV viewers are those of two former drivers. The classic approach of having a former crew chief paired in the booth was never embraced by TNT. The network is fine with having McReynolds positioned in the infield and ready to provide comments from that location.
What you get with Petty and Dallenbach is two drivers who never fit the NASCAR mold. Petty moved on after an up and down career that drew to a close after the tragic passing of his son in a race car. Dallenbach never caught on in NASCAR, despite bringing his colorful personality and strong family background in racing.
Phil Parsons is not returning to TNT as a pit reporter. It will be TV veteran Chris Neville replacing him. The other three members of the pit road gang are Matt Yocum, Marty Snider and Ralph Sheheen. It was Sheheen who filled in upstairs after Bill Weber was fired mid-season several years ago.
This TNT package will feature an expanded online RaceBuddy application available through the NASCAR.com website. This season there are two mosaic (four camera) views, four in-car cameras and two battle-cams. It's a great idea and one that has clearly struck a positive nerve with the fans.
The TNT races will not feature side-by-side commercial breaks. The Daytona event will be produced with the "Wide Open" coverage, but expect the normal commercial and promo load in the telecasts that we have come to expect from TNT since 2007.
After the FOX events, TNT is always a nice breath of fresh air. RaceBuddy lets fans see the racing during the commercials, Petty is a strong presence in the booth and Czarniak is a TV pro.
This post will serve to host your comments on the TNT coverage of the Sprint Cup Series race from the Pocono Raceway. 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.
Slightly off topic, but for all you Waltrip haters out there.....
ReplyDeleteMichael was racing in Le Mans, and did a few interviews with Eurosport, including their studio show, and you know what, he was a different guy.
Not hyper, very funny, not one sponsor mention, genuinely was interesting to listen to. Contrast this with the MW you get in Nascar. Hard to believe it's the same bloke.
What do you mean by saying Kyle Petty never fit the NASCAR role?
ReplyDeleteHe was raised in the sport, raced tons of races and has always been a well known and well loved racer. Unlike some of the current racers that do not know how to respect the sport and behave like pros Kyle has always held his head high and represented racing well..
Kyle has done so much for Children and sacrificed his time to do so.
His tiff with Gillette probably turned out that he was right about what was going on at the time and I hope Kyle and Richard can make peace one day and keep the Petty heritage in Racing alive.
DW on Raceday asking Brad about pushing in the clutch to save gas. Poor DW, he had a week to learn that an in car camera had already showed Tony Stewart doing this before. This is not new DW as you believe it is.How many times can he be uninformed or just plain wrong before the self professed experts call him on these things. This guy is shown over and over to do no preparation. Also enough on Busch and Childress.
ReplyDeletePetty has already said he will never be involved with RPM after what happened.
ReplyDeleteHe was always the rebel, don't you remember the images and posters?
His entire selling point was that he was the anti-driver. Not some sponsor spouting pretty boy but a rebel who crafted his image to fit that role
Even today, his appearance and views are completely different from the "positive spin" club we see on TV and hear on the radio.
I had the pleasure of working with Kyle several times on NASCAR-related projects. He is a smart man educated by both success and tragedy.
We are moderating comments today. I would suggest taking a moment to go to Google and get a blue nick.
ReplyDeleteThat will allow your comments to be easily identified and passed along in a timely fashion.
Thanks.
Rain in Pocono, surprised? It's a traditional part of the ceremony for the 24 Hours of Pocono.
ReplyDeleteOK JD, well said and I totally agree.
ReplyDeleteThe day he started with TNT he brought tons of added value to the broadcast.
His technical knowledge is unsurpassed as announcers go.
Funny part of his first day on the set was when he walked into the compound and discovered the food tent. I was standing next to him making a Peanut and jelly sandwich when he remarked to me.
"WOW, you guys have food up here. There ain't nothing like this in the garage" LOL
I would love to reveal my name but I work in the sport and cannot for obvious reason. I enjoy your articles and Blogs and would like to keep my jobs.
Man Im excited for TNT. Not even breaking out the radio today. I really enjoy Kyle and Wally cause they dont have personal sponsors, hidden agendas, or political correctness. They are real, they tell it like it is, and thats why people identify with them.
ReplyDeleteIf you havent seen "30 minutes youll never get back" on nascar.com from Pocono this week, you should. It was a great show, Rutledge was gone so Wally filled in. Kyle and Wally spent 30 minutes telling it like it is, there were no censors. It was fantastic.
The key for me today is Adam. If he doesn't yell and doesn't get cheesy and keeps his input to a minimum he will do just fine. He has been surprisingly good throughout the practices so far, and so has Chris Neville.
let's see if my blue ID works. Now we've official beat the Childress/Busch thing to death. Let's move on, analysts. Except I know if the 29 & 18 are within a 100 yards of each other they'll probably have a special camera for it.
ReplyDeleteI agree on Kyle--that's the guy I see, the guy who wanted to show he wasn't like the rest. One thing I like is, he can go to the 'way back' as I call it, but then still be right there in the present. DW can just stay there. Although I have to say, he was less obnoxious on the truck race than I expected.
Delenn, Michael was interviewed on our broadcast too--still at no loss for words...talked twice as long as Joey Hand or Patrick Long, lol. But I don't think they minded as he is a bit of a celeb for American audiences; I get that; and he was just excited to be there. I thought he'd run & hid after the Rockenfeller wreck, but he stood up and took the questions.
geez, Mobile 1 is getting their mileage out of the seat swap. Although big Tony squished in that car is kinda funny.
Weather looks iffy. I just checked with family I still have down there in Nazareth. If we're lucky, we'll have clear weather for half the race and then it'll rain hard for twelve hours! Seriously, the length of that race is insane. Watching the race coverage on TV since Friday, you'd think nothing has changed--there's DW, Larry Mac, Hammond and Petty. One thing I don't like is showing the worst wrecks at each track. I think that's cheesy and pandering to raise poor ratings. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm not expecting much improvement with TNT. I don't think Double A and Wally will be "magic men". Hope I'm wrong.
ReplyDeleteI love that commercial with Tony and Leslie.
ReplyDeleteI, for one, am very glad to have TNT for a six-week break. Technically, I thought last year they were superior to the other channels, and I hope they remain so this year.
Who remembers Kyle Petty trying to make it as a country singer? He was always his own man. Sometimes I want to throw a shoe at him, but I feel he's always honest and with no agenda.
I hate Pocono and still don't understand why it has two race dates. I expect to be taking a nap by lap 50.
NASCAR Live, RaceDay and Victory Lane are produced for SPEED by the NASCAR Media Group.
ReplyDeleteOver the past couple of years, SPEED has expanded it's own production of shows, including RaceHub.
It's always been a bit different to have NASCAR employees producing a NASCAR show that sells itself as representing SPEED's views.
Not my cup of tea, but that is how NMG makes it's money.
JD
that was me, glenc1 as "GD". Just seeing if I can change the profile ID, thought I already had.
ReplyDeleteI am thinking about going down for the Swap--it's a ways to go for just a few hours, but I've never seen an F1 car in person. The weather was supposed to be great, but that may be changing, we'll have to see.
what is wrong with Lindsay's headset? There was bad sound for her & Larry out in the pit area since they started. I don't see why SPEED couldn't at least have got them an EZ up & a couple chairs.
still working out some technical issues with their sound on TNT. some buzzing going on & off.
ReplyDeleteDW - last night on twitter NOT knowing Mikey WASN'T driving the car during the accident; this morning with the shifting to save gas; this morning Kenny repeatedly referring to him as 3 time champ - how will we ever be able to tolerate him if (when) he is admitted to the Hall of Fame???
ReplyDeleteI'm having audio issues here on my tv from the booth. Sounds like feedback from the mic's. Yeah, I remember when Kyle was trying to decide what he was going to do when he grew up. Kyle and his group were quite the Country and Western group!
ReplyDeleteJay, I was tweeting this AM with Michael Waltrip from Le Mans. I think that experience, both the good and the bad, really affected him.
ReplyDeleteHope he stops by RaceHub this week and talks about it.
I don't watch Speed Center because I can't take Adam Alexander. I agree with people who posted in another recent column that it sounds like he is shouting. I thought that was what Speed wanted to attract and hold the attention of the younger generations. The show also seemed to be driven more by hype and flashiness than past versions.
ReplyDeleteHe hasn't bothered me in the race broadcasts, and I hope it stays that way. For me, Wally and Kyle really make the broadcasts enjoyable. I love their sense of humor and their independence. I may not agree with every view they express, but I respect their willingness to speak their minds. They avoid the shilling and favoritism that is so blatant on Fox.
I also think TNT makes better use of Larry Mac. He has much to offer when properly used. Fox seems to force him into their grand strategy with poor results.
I am looking forward to TNT's run.
A lot of old timers are probably surprised that Pocono is still in business. The Mattioli (sp?) family never had enough events there to finance maintenance and improvements. When it opened in the late 60's there was a road course that used part of the tri-oval and there was a 3/4 mile stock car track right there at the start/finnish line similar to Charlotte with their Legends track. OK, enough trivia. Let's go racing!
ReplyDeleteHearing from friends RaceBuddy is working on their iPads!
ReplyDeleteI did see the interview with him when they were pulling out of the race - agree with you and Delenn earlier, it was really a different Mikey.
ReplyDeleteThis expanded RaceBuddy reminds me of the online application that Turner had for NCAA basketball this year now that they've partnered with CBS.
ReplyDeleteI think that had hardly any glitches at all once they got going.
I havent heard, but have wondered all week....
ReplyDeleteThere wasnt any video of the RC and Kyle Busch altercation ?
How soon after the truck race did it happen ? garage area or motorcoach lot?
hard to believe there wasnt any video of it.
Watching RaceBuddy now and it's great. (Mosaic 2, Battle 2).
ReplyDeleteA military band is playing, the drivers are riding in on golf carts, and the camera guys are finding interesting things to focus on.
There is ambient sound of various things: track announcer, random snippits of conversations, fans hootin and hollerin, etc.
It's just like being there except better.
Good deal, really great!
Thanks TNT.
Ken, no video. Just happened to quickly.
ReplyDelete"5 Hour" - is that the sponsor or the duration of a 500 miler here?
ReplyDeleteHard to believe that Lindsay's "day job" is still local sports in DC.
ReplyDeleteTNT's Pride of NASCAR is so well done. Thank you TNT!
ReplyDeleteNow there's a plus! A tech conversation without Tim Brewer! Seriously, Greg Irwin just did a fantastic job! I'm a gearhead who appreciates that stuff.
ReplyDeleteWhen I ran RaceBuddy during the truck race the video was jerky but not to bad.
ReplyDeleteThe RaceBuddy today on TNT video comes to a complete stop and then starts again and makes it very hard to watch.
I do have a low end computer and RaceBuddy is setup for those that have a more up to date computer.
Charlie, RaceBuddy is set up for broadband access. It is a video feed that is not made for dial-up. It should work fine on a DSL or cable company Internet connection.
ReplyDeleteI have Charter Cable and the download speed is 16Mbs which is more then fast enough for RaceBuddy.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is my computer processor is to slow and can't handle all these moving parts.
We always get far fewer comments during the TNT races because folks are playing with RaceBuddy!
ReplyDeleteI tried racebuddy and instantly fell in love with it. plugged it into my tv and pulled up my twitter feed and WOW! This is how you watch a race. Im really pleased they added TMT audio to racebuddy so I can hear Kyle and Wally. Man this is so cool!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteUm...Larry, you don't look that great in that scientist get-up.
ReplyDelete28-30 laps, so 6.5 - 7 pit stops? Going to be a long day for the crews.
Oh no! The little pop gun malfunctioned. Hope that's not a sign of things to come.
ReplyDeleteNot watching TNT's broadcast coverage, it's all RaceBuddy, all day.
ReplyDeleteEveryone wants to direct.
Anthem was pretty good and we didn't have to mute it. Friday night's truck race the singer who they introduced as "winning" the audition for this assignment was pretty bad. I like AA, WD & KP looking forward to race except Ponoco is such a long race.
ReplyDeleteRace buddy is working on my iPad!
ReplyDeleteAwesome!
Happy Race Day Planeteers <3
ReplyDeleteRace hasn't started yet & already loving Race Buddy <3
Palmetto--BOTH :p. The race averages about 4 1/2 hours so depending on any cautions/red flags it could hit the 5 hour mark :)
WOW! Trying to watch TNT Race live. LOVE the wide views so far & cars coming at you.
ReplyDeleteoops, spoke too soon, gone to in car & bumper cams :-(
I'm going to watch the tv today...for a while anyway to see how TNT handles it. I'm also on the internet resources. We will see who wins the coverage wars.
ReplyDeleteI don't care what they say about this track, it LOOKS GOOD on tv! Nice break after working in the yard.
ReplyDeleteFeel guilty sitting inside on such a nice day but if cam work annoys, will go out..DVRing race.
Enjoying the booth guys :)
I feel like NASCAR LOVE is happening w TNT. Shame they don't get more races.
I LOVE KYLE PETTY on the TV!!
I'm watching RaceBuddy only. I can watch what I want to, don't have to wait for the ticker to scroll through, avoid commercials and still hear the broadcast audio.
ReplyDeleteRace Buddy is great for people like me. My computer is in a different room than my TV. So without Race Buddy, I wear out a path from the TV to here, and miss things to comment. With Race Buddy, I can sit here and do it all without missing anything.
ReplyDeleteWe have also confirmed that RaceBuddy is working via iPhone on the link provided on NASCAR.com.
ReplyDeletePeeps very happy. Live NASCAR on iPhone.
Hi everyone, nasty looking weather - typical Pocono! LOL Happy to have TNT and racebuddy today. TNT is a nice break from the agendas that both Fox and ESPN bring to their broadcasts.
ReplyDeleteI admire Kyle Petty for how he and his family dealt with the tragedy of losing Adam and made something positive come out of it. However, there are times when Kyle comes across as "preachy" to me. I still haven't completely forgetten the comment he made a few years ago at Martinsville about not letting the fans have much input into how NASCAR and the broadcasts should be run - since that would be "like letting the inmates run the asylum". I disagreed with that comment then and I still do now.
Considering the rather poor record that both NASCAR and the 2 major broadcast partners have put forth in the last 5 years, I doubt that the "inmates" could have done any worse.
At any rate, love Racebuddy and it was nice that the sound synched up right away with the TV.
Sophia, Pocono looks MUCH better on TV than it does in person. I've been there and because of the size and flatness of the track and the distance to the grandstands - on a day like this iwth it being "misty", those cars disappear for a LONG time.
ReplyDeleteHello everyone!!! love TNT's coverage-Race buddy is sweet
ReplyDeleteroland, thanks for the reminder about twitter. I was fooling around with the RB views and forgot to add that into the mix.
ReplyDeleteI am busy with other things here for a while, but I really like what I'm seeing on the TV in the background. Looks like they are actually covering a race like a race should be covered.
ReplyDeleteIs there leaderboard option working on iPad for everyone else?
ReplyDeleteOn RaceBuddy I could hear a safety worker blow his whistle signaling that a car was coming.
ReplyDeleteThen I could hear it rumble down pit road. Just like being there!
Crowd looks real good today is it close to a sell out?
ReplyDeleteThere is a God! After screwing around with the #18, Harvick runs low on gas.
ReplyDeleteAnyone having issues with the trackpass audio once again this week it is not working for me?
ReplyDeleteTypical NASCAR! They told the 29 and 18 to stop racing each other like they were, which TNT did a good job pointing out. So much for have at it boys, I guess.
ReplyDeleteJust now tuning in; in and out all day as it is perfect weather in SW Ohio. Will watch DVR later. What I have observed, the booth is working. Adam isn't screaming until he has to! LOL! Love me some KP in the booth. Agree JD, he was very non-Nascar and that is why he is what he is. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteBranden, I have trackpass on listening to Gordon's scanner and I hear it fine. Try checking the radio feed and see if you hear anything. Although last week I did have to log off and back in again.
ReplyDeleteFWIW, Racebuddy is also android compatible :) Watching it on my Atrix, Massive Kudos go to TNT, now if only we could get some "coopetition" as DW would say between Racebuddy and FOX/ESPN
ReplyDeleteI like that they have the PXP from the TV on racebuddy. Now I can really follow the race even with the commercials on.
ReplyDeleteI am going to miss this when ESPN takes over.
I get a kick out of the people on RaceBuddy complaining that they hate TNT but love RaceBuddy.
ReplyDeleterobbiejr, I don't think you'd feel that way if their shenanigans took out some innocent bystander. I know I wouldn't. I can't blame them for having a little fun, but you gotta know when to stop. Soon as I saw it, I knew that would be coming (if you ever listen to race officials, drivers get warned for all kinds of stuff.)
ReplyDeleteShow And Tell during green flag racing. Who thinks this is a rational decision?
ReplyDeletewhy do we need Larry Mac in a full screen explaining the fueling deal?
ReplyDeleteSplit screen people split screen.
robbiejr - did you hear Kyle's comment on it? I guess boys have at it applies to everyone BUT the 29 and the 18. LOL
ReplyDeletethrough the field? OMG! hooray
ReplyDeleteSeems to me NASCAR is doing their best to kill the first real rivalry we've seen since Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon. That's too bad.
ReplyDeleteHey Gina-There's a big difference between "have at it boys" and the #29 driving like a jerk! You had to know Nascar would step in.
ReplyDeleteIf I didn't have RaceBuddy, I'd be asleep.
ReplyDeleteI wish someone would tell Adam the difference between a slash and a backslash. But now, with TNT, everyone can pronounce Brad's last name at least. Guess I shouldn't complain.
ReplyDeleteAnon 2:37 -- I don't have a dog in the fight either way since I don't care about either one of them, but considering that NASCAR has been extremely inconsistent with its rulings, no, I didn't HAVE to know that they'd step in. For all I knew they'd let them wreck each other on the track and take others out too - all in the name of excitement.
ReplyDeleteDid TNT ever go back to the garage and talk to Carl Edwards about his car?
ReplyDeleteagh, here we go again with a full size larry! I do realize that pocono is boring, but honestly.
ReplyDeleteNever mind about talking to Carl. Larry Mac just did a great job explaining what was wrong and what they were doing to fix it. Now that's how you use Larry Mac.
ReplyDeleteI see why this race is being sponsored by 5-hour Energy. You need 5 hours of energy to watch it.
ReplyDeletewow look at that black cloud in the distance!
ReplyDeleteWhat comes first? The end of the 5 Hour Energy 500 or the end of the Montreal Grand Prix?
ReplyDeleteMan, this is where Pocono gets looooong. Glad RaceBuddy is working today.
ReplyDeleteSo what do you all think about TNT's TV coverage, not racebuddy.... better than Fox??? I Like some of the camera views TNT has like the Tony Stewart in car cam showing him from the back ia awsome!!! I think the booth is much better I have always loved Wally! Kyle is great as well and AA is getting better I'd say much better than Fox only thing I miss is crank it up
ReplyDeleteSat down to watch it about 20 minutes ago and enjoying Race Buddy, plus what I'm seeing and hearing on the TV. Much improved over last week, and the week before, and the week before that....
ReplyDeleteI am extremely pleased with what I have seen so far. Pocono is a tough race to cover as it can often be very sedentary for long stretches. Still, it's great to see Cup coverage with no agendas, forced story lines, and useless babble being constantly thrown out at the audience. The camera selection has also been much better and AA seems much improved over last year (although I still believe that Ralph would have been a better choice)
ReplyDeleteCool thru the field!
ReplyDeleteI love "Through the Field". Thank you TNT.
ReplyDeleteTNT has certainly resolved its single biggest issue from last year. The new 4th pit reporter is much better than the old 4th pit reporter.
ReplyDeleteJD, to answer your question...YES, TNT is better.
ReplyDeleteJonathan, from my perspective, better than Fox's coverage by a mile!
ReplyDeletebooth is giving good info, through the field and they don't have an agenda - they are calling the race.
what a concept!
Lots of clouds in that long shot as they went to commercial.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness TNT finally got here. Loving broadcast today.
ReplyDeleteHow does this fit intro Carl's ESPN contract? This is interesting, but rather bizarre.
ReplyDeleteNice to see Carl Edwards in the TNT booth. Nice split screen with him and the race.
ReplyDeleteOff-topic, but if you were DVRing the F1 race on FOX, re-start your DVR because after a 2 hour rain delay they are going again, still on FOX.
jd, we see larry mac doing tnt. I would assume dw would do it if he could.. so is it fox won't let him because he is there "guy" or is it tnt doesn't want him?
ReplyDeleteI've already had enough of Edwards as a commentator, and it's not even his job. FOX loves him as a reporter, ESPN loves him in the infeild. Now TNT has him.
ReplyDeleteGina you are right this is how a Nascar race should be! This is and I know its been said before but this is a breath of fresh air! TNT makes every race feel like it should feel!!! Every race is treated with respect and then some!
ReplyDeleteThank you TNT
Welp, look who else likes Cuz Carl in the booth?? I gotta admit, he's very good.
ReplyDeleteIs TNT not showing debris on the track? Maybe I'm stepping away from the TV at the wrong time, but I haven't seen any debris yet.
ReplyDeletewhen caution comes out, jr says, "i thought it was about that time"...
ReplyDeleteI'll agree with others. TNT's coverage is much better than FOX. The biggest thing for me is no DW trying to get himself into the HOF at the expense of the broadcast.
ReplyDeleteShow & Tell Time with Cousin Carl :p
ReplyDeleteThe Mattioli's have a good sense of humor: WHAT TURN 4?
ReplyDeleteIt's great to see actual racing among multiple cars -- even cars that aren't in the top 10. TNT is setting a pretty high standard here today.
ReplyDeleteI like Carl in the booth. I am enjoying TNT's coverage however they get the worst races of the year to broadcast too!
ReplyDeleteHow long is a fuel run again? I hate to bring this up, but what about green-white-checkers?
ReplyDeleteRoadgeek Adam - I thought what was written on the wall was funny too!
ReplyDeleteThese pit stops are going to make for some interesting stories at the end of the race for sure.
ReplyDeleteonly thing I dont like about race buddy is it seems to be behind both the hd and digital feed on Direct tv! Last year you had an option to choose hd feed or digital and it would sync up to each feed not this year though... but its ok
ReplyDelete28 - 32 laps:
ReplyDelete28 - 30 with shifting
30 - 32 without
Anyone who goes from 25 to go and on can make it on a green white checkered
Noticing different and better camera positions today, including the low camera that appears to be on the wall at the entrance to pit road.
ReplyDeletePerhaps a reminder is in order: this is a Pocono race we are watching.
ReplyDeleteAt the rate this race is going, TNT should have a lot of time for post-race. Unless they decide to go off the air early.
ReplyDelete10 Laps to go.
ReplyDeleteVery different vibe from FOX.
ReplyDeleteGina must be happy cause I am off the wall at the moment. Gordon gets his 84th win. :)
ReplyDeleteTV Police post is up! Don't leave until you give us a TV race wrap-up!
ReplyDeleteNice job by TNT. All around, an enjoyable afternoon.
ReplyDeleteWOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO CONGRATS TO JEFF GORDON HAPPY TO SEE HIM WIN HIS 2ND RACE OF THE SEASON!!!!
ReplyDeleteJR W A SOLID FINISH AT ONE OF HIS WORST RACE TRACK IS A BEAUTIFUL THING TO SEE AS WELL
TNT THANK YOU
Roadgeek, yes, I was holding my breath for the last 5 laps! Happiness is Jeff Gordon in VL (at least for me)
ReplyDelete