Saturday, November 12, 2011

Live Blogging Nationwide Series From Phoenix (ESPN2 - 3PM)


The situation could not be worse for ESPN in Phoenix. Sunshine today has made the newly-paved single groove Phoenix International Raceway into an ice rink.

The start of the race and double-file restarts are going to be almost impossible. No drivers were able to run two-wide in any of the practice sessions. Despite being on the track alone, Nationwide qualifying was determined by who stayed on the rubber in the groove and who went high.

Nicole Briscoe opens things up at 3PM with NASCAR Countdown. Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty are alongside Briscoe in the Infield Pit Studio. The track is the big issue but other stories include the championship, Danica Patrick racing today and no Kyle Busch in the field.

Marty Reid is limping his way though this season of disappointment. He was removed from the Sprint Cup Series telecasts and replace by the infield host just days before the ESPN coverage began. He has two Nationwide Series telecasts remaining and his assignment for next season has not yet been revealed. He should have his hands full today.

Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree are the color commentators. They are focused on the Sprint Cup Series, but ESPN refuses to bring in two other announcers for these final races. Petree continues his solid performance, while Jarrett waffles between outspoken and politically correct. It's been an interesting season for these two.

Jamie Little, Dr. Jerry Punch, Vince Welch and Dave Burns are on pit road. Tim Brewer is in the Tech Garage. Expect Brewer to be on the spot for the track conditions and tire issues. The pit reporters may be very busy if this race becomes a crash-fest.

ESPN is going to have a tough time staying "hyper-tight" with the track problems. Anytime two cars are double-wide the cameras need to move in that direction. There is simply no way they will make it through the corner. In qualifying, we saw that sometimes one car could not navigate the turns at speed.

PIR is one of the tracks where a red flag is thrown quickly. The track has speed, but there are many locations were a two or three car incident will immediately block the track. NASCAR race control's radio will be live on NASCAR.com today. Look for the Nationwide Series scanner link. You have to sign-in, but it's totally free.

This post will host your comments on the ESPN2 coverage of the Nationwide Series telecast from PIR today. To add your TV-related opinion, just click on the comments button below. Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

214 comments:

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Daly Planet Editor said...

College football running long for me. I have Michigan State vs. Iowa.

ChrisK said...

Same here in Phoenix.

I hope I'm wrong, but I think this race could be a disaster.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Chris, everyone is laying low online about it. Never a side by side moment in practice. Never.

iworkhere said...

Any idea on which channel ESPN switches to now? 8 Minutes left in the game is a long time.

Charlie said...

It still amazes me that Espn thinks a Football game runs just 3 hours.

MIke (Detroit) said...

So the football lady announcer tells us about the sprint cup race tomorrow, and how close the point chase is, but no "We'll go to the NW race as soon as the football game is over" What planet do these people at ESPN actually orbit?

Daly Planet Editor said...

No switching going on. NASCAR will wait. It always does.

iworkhere said...

What is really weird is that NASCAR does not care if the channels switch and loses viewers and fans.
There needs to be a dedicated NASCAR channel.

ChrisK said...

Green flag at 3:46. They might make it.

Buschseries61 said...

It's a shame college football is going too long...21 minutes and counting. It's also a shame that the track conditions may hurt the racing.

Today's S&P List:
#04 Tim Andrews
#41 Johnny Chapman
#44 Jeff Green
#46 Chase Miller
#47 Scott Speed
#49 Mark Green
#71 Matt Carter

Daly Planet Editor said...

Yup. Lots to talk about at PIR. Too bad.

Anonymous said...

This is bull #$@%.

Anonymous said...

I wish NASCAR will move these races to SPEED!

Daly Planet Editor said...

We have one season a while back that was just brutal. Every Sat. Game ran over 3.5 hours.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Anon, if the NNS races went to SPEED once ESPN started Cup coverage it would be awesome!

Mike (Detroit) said...

Maybe today instead of "start and park" it will be "slip and park"

Anonymous said...

Will RACEBUDDY be active today?

Buschseries61 said...

When was the last time the entire NASCAR Countdown timeslot was lost? Memphis 2007?

ChrisK said...

Driver intros still going on as of 3:30, so running late anyway.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Told ESPN has started NASCAR telecast on ESPN Classic.

Anyone have that network these days?

Daly Planet Editor said...

No RaceBuddy for NNS, just free scanners at NASCAR.com

Jimm57 said...

I tuned in to a race, still on football? Just another reason to hate football & ESPN

Charlie said...

When they do get this race going on Espn I hope that don't use up all the pre-race with talk about KB.

Buschseries61 said...

I lost ESPN Classic over a year ago for ESPNU

Anonymous said...

classic is still harvar and yale circa long long ago - no nascar

Charlie said...

I went to classic espn and they were talking football.

Anonymous said...

Good size crowd today.

Erik said...

I recall the ESPN "classic" where the prerace was moved to ESPN Classic, and right in the middle of the invocation, ESPN switched to a football game.

Jimm57 said...

Yay. Didnt miss a thing

Anonymous said...

How many times today will ESPN talk about Kyle Busch?

How many times tomorrow will ESPN keep the camera on KB and talk about KB!

THE WORLD MAY NEVER KNOW!

Anonymous said...

CLASSIC IS HARVARD V YALE 1968

Daly Planet Editor said...

Erik, wasn't that Memphis? I got an ugly email from the St. Jude Hospital folks because ESPN never mentioned all the painted cars involved in a St. Jude contest and charity deal.

I just remembered, the preacher finished the invocation and *poof* they were gone!

Daly Planet Editor said...

That Classic tweet was from Andy Hall, the PR guy for NASCAR on ESPN.

I have a feeling it was hitting the fan at the time.

Anonymous said...

So Stenhouse can clinch the title today????

Does this mean Edwards can clinch tomorrow?????

Vicky D said...

Yep, football ran way over. Gee, I didn't realize that someone could train chipmunks to sing the anthem, oh no that was a female group! My mistake!

Roland said...

Best pre race show in a long time. No, im being for real. Loved it. Perfect amount of time for a Nationwide race. Maybe do an interview or 2. Its old school.

Anonymous said...

This could be a real mess this afternoon....and tomorrow. We shall see......

Sally said...

I thin both races are going to be pathetic with the track barely raceable. Single file or crashing will be about it.

Erik said...

Memphis sounds about right. Also, I recall ESPN cutting away from a race just right after the checkered flag when david reutimann won his first nationwide race. So ESPN can really screw things up both coming and going.

Daly Planet Editor said...

I watched all the practice. Never two cars side by side through a corner. Never.

The potential for this to be a mess if they don't get sorted out after the start is huge.

TV just needs to go to any two cars side by side on any lap.

Buschseries61 said...

ESPN is already cleaning the championship off their hands. We have completed 0 laps so far. I'm sure another tv network will give a c*** is ESPN won't.

Buschseries61 said...

*'is ESPN won't' should be 'if ESPN won't'

Roland said...

Well, Martinsville is a 1 groove track and that turned out pretty good. Im being an optimist today. Hopefully theres enough cautions to keep it interesting and not a strung out parade. Maybe the bump and run will come into play.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Hoping for a safe race.

ChrisK said...

"If the race ended now..."

Daly Planet Editor said...

Roland, apples and oranges buddy. They FLY on this track and unlike Martinsville, there is a dog-leg mess thing on the backstretch.

Zetona said...

Hmmm...something tells me Elliott Sadler is going to be the focus of the telecast.

Erik said...

This may turn into a repeat of the first race at Texas.

Anonymous said...

HOLLYWOOD!!!!!!!!!!

I wish he was working in the 48 pits!!!!

Anonymous said...

Danica had to be in it!

Erik said...

Yep, a wreck fest.

Fed UP said...

Alright...this could be fun!

Daly Planet Editor said...

This is going to be a long day.

sbaker17 said...

They Wrecked-Um

Buschseries61 said...

Three cars wreck before they can park.

Daly Planet Editor said...

So, how is this going to be better on the next restart?

jerry said...

Reed, come on dude. was starting to think the four letter didn't have it.

Anonymous said...

This may rival the Indy tire debacle.

Erik said...

Any S&P car that gets wrecked before they can park got what they deserved.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Told Aric Almirola said track is literally a sheet of ice. Add a hard tire and this is going to be fun.

PammH said...

the radio just said one lap until we go back to racing...that was racing?

Buschseries61 said...

The dogleg is so weird now that there's more baking.

Daly Planet Editor said...

I don't get the entire track between turn 2 and the start finish line.

jimm57 said...

is nascar.com down? canr connect to their server, but i can get everywhere else?

ChrisK said...

Vickernism

Buschseries61 said...

Reed hit that wall with a lot of force. Wonder how the tire went down.

Zetona said...

Before the end of the race, see someone make a daring move onto the apron to shortcut the dogleg, either grabbing the lead in audacious fashion or causing another huge wreck.

Roland said...

Well, not bad so far. Not good, but not bad either. Theres 2 grooves for sure. Cars arent wrecking every 2 laps, in fact both cautions have had nothing to do with the track. First was a racing incident, second was a tire problem. Kudos to the drivers for attempting to put on a show. I really dont like the dog leg though. Its really weird now and it took some of the short trackness out of the place.

Zetona said...

I bet we'll see someone make a daring move*

Sally said...

People are able to pass because the slower cars are REALLY slowing down so they don't wreck/get wrecked.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Got to give the NNS guys credit. Seem to have figured this pedal-fest out.

James said...

It is not necessary to watch much of this show to understand why MARTY is without a ride.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Steven Wallace freight train...coming through!

Roland said...

I just realized, the Tennessee game comes on after this race. I dont even have to change the channel. Awesome.

That outside pass by Stenhouse a few laps ago was incredible. Didnt think that was going to be possible today.

Charlie said...

Off topic -
Well the America's cup World Series sailing is not showing a live feed on the internet for this weekend.
They made us think it was.
They say it is live because they are tweeting the race live.
People all over the world are upset about this from reading the comments on facebook.

Daly Planet Editor said...

ESPN still cannot get the feel and overall flow of the racing to the viewer.

Even in this pedal-fest, still tight shots and trying to make it into something it is not.

Soooo frustrating.

Roland said...

I wonder if they waved off the green because ESPN was still in a college football promo? Kinda sketchy.

Sally said...

I find this telecast less than compelling so far. I can't keep track of various cars on the track with the spastic coverage, so I'm not intersted.

Anonymous said...

One car would not line up where race control designated.

Zetona said...

How vague can Marty get? "Remember then year when...boy, it was a chance, and he got it."

Anonymous said...

Marty Reid is a perfect allegory for ESPN's NASCAR coverage!

jimm5 said...

talking about Joeys tires, and missing Brad shooting way low on the apron? Hello?

Charlie said...

With all this passing going on there is no reason for a single car tight shot.

Daly Planet Editor said...

ESPN did the right thing getting Marty off Cup this season.

Anonymous said...

Qualifying is the only justification for such tight shots of a single car.

Anonymous said...

One would think that if AT&T is to advertise in a Sprint partner's broadcast they wouldn't recycle dated commercials.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Isn't it mind blowing? The network that originally put the vast majority of the races on TV and defined NASCAR telecasts now failing to fundamentally understand...racing.

Anonymous said...

It's a New Age up in Bristol. The dawning of The Age of Aquarius.

ChrisK said...

Does anybody else think that tour guide on the Nationwide Series commercial reminds them of Barney Fife? Is anybody here old enough to remember Barney Fife?

Sally said...

Yes and yes, Chris.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Never understood why you needed to promo the NNS series in a NNS telecast...never.

Sally said...

Such insight! "Sadler can not afford to continue to fall back". We have gone from the merely obvious to the incredibly obvious!

Anonymous said...

You go to broadcast with the insight you have:-)

Charlie said...

Were under green and there is racing on the track but let us talk about edwards and the front tire then go to commercial.

Roland said...

Well that was Brewer's weekly shock compression segment. Back to you Marty!

Buschseries61 said...

It's been 40 minutes since I last commented, I've probably looked at the tv about twice in all that time. Zzzzzz....

Daly Planet Editor said...

The single car coverage has killed it dead.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Marty is clueless on this.

Buschseries61 said...

Cope looked like he wasn't moving for a few seconds. Anyone else notice? Looked like another hard hit today.

Sally said...

Mzn, if gthis is a preview of tomorrow's race coverage, ESPN is going to kill any interest anyone might have had in the end of the season.

Charlie said...

Commercial - up to speed - commercial.

Up to speed is just another reason to show tight shots. They would not need a segment like up to speed if they would just call the race.

ChrisK said...

What's with all the fires today?

Jimm57 said...

Burgers on the grill. Who wants cheese??

Daly Planet Editor said...

Busch, MRN guys in the trailer told me they heard that one. Said it was huge and DC was stunned.

ESPN on single shot of Elliott Sadler and doing the normal BS of talking about their own narrative and not following the race.

Anonymous said...

whaqts going on today - fires and then morgan shepherd and derrick cope still running? they should have s&p'd many laps ago.

Sally said...

Someone must have given Morgan money for tires this week! Good on 'em.

Vicky D said...

ChrisK I remember all those old shows. Even at work we were aging ourselves trying to remember them all and who starred in them. This race is a dud.

oldnewenglander said...

Should have run the inner-liner.

Vicky D said...

C'mon this is a physician doing the interview, he's glad that Mike Bliss is ok, how about Dericke Cope, Doc???????

Anonymous said...

ESPN is 8-10 seconds behind race control on NASCAR.com.

ChrisK said...

Would any other owner put up with Steve Wallace?

sbaker17 said...

Looks like the 5 hour energy drink only lasted about 2 hours today....

Vicky D said...

What a proud father, Rusty is!

Anonymous said...

Imagine that! Stephen Wallace in a wreck! Give "5 Hour" credit for bailing on him for 2012!

Jimm57 said...

That reminds me, where's Rusty?

Burgers done. Comen git 'em!

OK, ready for the real racing stupidity to begin.

Vicky D said...

Jimm57, loved to have one of those burgers with toasted bun and melted cheese. Where's my hubby to take me to dinner??????

Anonymous said...

Marty Reid is just hopeless.

Daly Planet Editor said...

That really put the topper on Steve Wallace this season. Put one in the wall and then take yourself out!

Frank said...

Cue Rusty in the Infield Studio to explain how Steve historically has always been caught up in other's wrecks.

Charlie said...

You know it is easier to call a race if they only show one car in a camera shot.
Why not put Marty and Jamie little in the booth tomorrow, do tight shots and you will see what I mean.

Anonymous said...

Now, go to the Infield Studio for rebuttal.

Sally said...

Nice run for Hornish today.

Buschseries61 said...

Has anyone updated Cope's condition?

Anonymous said...

Showing one car in the camera shot has never been, and is not now, calling a race. It is something else.

Daly Planet Editor said...

No, waiting to hear from DK.

Anonymous said...

Listening to race control on the online scanner is far more informative than all the comments Marty Reid has made today.

Charlie said...

Would be neat if they showed a Morgan Shepherd pit stop - but that would be off script.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Oops...DC.

Buschseries61 said...

Mr. Turner fired the wrong man.

Anonymous said...

HARVICK IS GOING TO EXPLODE, AND I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT KEVIN!!!!!

Jimm57 said...

So are all the KHI/RCR guys greedy idots or just Elliot and Harvick? Nice job Elliot! Gee, wonder why he doesnt have a cup ride!

Buschseries61 said...

What a shame for Morgan Shepherd. Hope he can come back for another season in 2012.

ChrisK said...

"Boys have at it."

sbaker17 said...

The camera work is, um, illogical at best. (being polite)

Charlie said...

That was Elliot's fault. Going down on the apron and thinking you will go faster doesn't work. From watching that move before the car always went slower after getting back on the track.

Sally said...

Elliot made the pass clean.

Anonymous said...

Nice move Jason! Nascar is going to have to do something about passing six car lanes below the yellow line. Its easy to dive down there, but you have to come back on the track. Lets see if Nascar does anything.

Anonymous said...

John do you think NASCAR will put an out of bounds rule in effect tomorrow?

Buschseries61 said...

All these replays are soooo tight. This whole wreck happened in one corner guys!

RWar24 said...

I like Sadler, but dude, stay on the track and hit your marks into turn 3. Undercutting the dogleg doesn't gain you anything.

Sally said...

Guys have been passing on the apron all day.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Zoomed in on the accident, missed the other cars and then went to Sadler's in-car camera.

How awful is awful?

Anonymous said...

Lets see what Delana's reaction is on Twitter. She's always good for a few laughs.

Jimm57 said...

and Elliot is mad a Lefler? Really! Maybe he felt that everybody should've slowed down like he did! For get that run that they all had, just follow him! HA!

Like Bugs said, "What a Maroon!"

Zetona said...

Why does Marty feel the need to tell us about Sadler's camera being knocked out in that crash? I've seen that sort of thing for years. I don't need it explained to me.

Charlie said...

Gee they have to move the college football to another channel.
How many people have Espn news.

Buschseries61 said...

Elliott wasn't buying into Dr. Punch's question.

Anonymous said...

Dr Punch!!!

Anonymous said...

if you watch the replay..it looks like lefler sped up, but he didn't, him and the 88 were going the same speed and were together... sadler slowed down

Anonymous said...

The people who think that was Elliott's fault are idiots. You people are absolutely clueless. It was 100% Leffler's fault.

Buschseries61 said...

Leffler now shooting down Jamie's controversy hopes.

diane said...

Good for Leffler for not allowing Jamie to incorrectly rephrase what he said.

Roland said...

Jamie shouldnt be allowed to do those interviews. Doc Punch would have done a much better job.

Vicky D said...

Jaime is so melodramatic!

Anonymous said...

maybe the bigger teams instead of burning their engines up when they win, should save them for the less well off teams

Buschseries61 said...

AH! I only caught the end of Morgan's interview! What's his situation?

Anonymous said...

I never thought I'd say this, but I agree with what Rusty just said. If you watch the last of those replays while Rusty was talking, Leffler and Aric were side by side at the same speed. They both slowed up just before Leffler hit Sadler. Sadler was going faster from running straight below the dog leg and had to really slow up before the next corner.

Charlie said...

15 laps to go.

Charlie said...

If I had to bet I would say Nascar won't let the Cup guys use that apron move. But who knows about this series.

Sally said...

So, if Leffler knew that a car coming off the apron loses momentum and slows down, why didn't he?

Daly Planet Editor said...

When Jamie gets screechy the wheels come off for her.

Daly Planet Editor said...

He has a back-up car, but no race ready engine for Homestead.

Roland said...

Well its football time in Tennessee, and as much as I would like to see my game right now, Id much rather have a full post race.

Charlie said...

This is sad.
Tight shots and no race view.

Buschseries61 said...

Thanks JD.

Sally said...

I'm sure whe's a nice lady, but whe really shouldn't be allowed to do interviews, especially after a crash. She comes off sounding like a complete idiot.

Anonymous said...

It's all YOUR DRIVER'S fault. It is never MY DRIVER'S fault. Your guy is always to blame.

Sally said...

It would be nice to see Sam get the win today...another first time winner...over the Cup drivers!

Buschseries61 said...

HORNISH

Charlie said...

That was a weird transition.

Buschseries61 said...

First time winner, second to last race of the season, but the Nationwide series gets the shaft once again.

PammH said...

and no post-race...

ChrisK said...

ESPN News has football on. WTF?

Roland said...

Im on espn news. No post race.

sbaker17 said...

And BSPN punts the post race.

Sophia said...

Here ESPN NEWS game just starting?

WTF?

ChrisK said...

Okay, now ESPNN has gone to post-race.

Ann_Ominous said...

ESPN News still has the game!! Game is going on both channels!!

Finally switch!

Sophia said...

game starting earlier NOW post race on ESPN News. What a major screwup.

So much disrespect to NW & NASCAR.

Wow.

Thank you Mothership. (Sarcasm)

Roland said...

Great for Sam. Thats good to see.

Charlie said...

And how many races to go and the go off the air like that.

I don't get Espnews. It is in a sports package that I don't subscribe to.

Roland said...

Sam got his first Indycar win here in 2001. Sam made his first Nascar start in this race in 2006. Sam made his first Cup start here in 2007. Now his first Nationwide win. Funny how it all lines up

Daly Planet Editor said...

SPEED will be on the air with SpeedCenter at 6:30PM.

Anonymous said...

NBC did this at the end of the contract, sent post race to CNBC so that Football Night in America could air, not unpresident

Daly Planet Editor said...

ESPN has three years left and the negotiations have not started.

This is stick and ball over NASCAR.

jimm57 said...

We dont have ESPN News. Would be nice to hear the championship leaders wrap up their day. Oh well. Yet another fail from ESPN all for a common denominator game. great

Anonymous said...

unfortuantely that is the thinking at ESPN, stick and ball more important then NASCAR. Look at what they did to Nascar Now. Look how SC treats NASCAR. Sage Steele treats it great and is a fan otherwise NASCAR highlights come on and you can hear the fear in the anchor's voice

Ann_Ominous said...

ONE INTERVIEW ???? !!!!!

Don't feel bad if you don't have ESPN News. They played the football game for 5 minutes, interviewed Sam and quickly left so that they could put up more college scores!

Wasn't worth the bother to switch channels....

Zetona said...

Is the K&N Series race going to be after SPEED Center? It was scheduled for 6:30, but I gather the cautions and red flags in the NNS race probably pushed the start time back.

DaveM4210 said...

ESPN is absolutely the WORST network on cable TV! Cut away to football seconds agter the winner crossed the line, saying they were going to ESPN News. Took several minutes to come up. Did not show the winner doing his burn outs. I hope someone, don't care who, is able to out bid them for the next contract. I love some of the people on ESPN, but I absolutely hate that network!

jerry said...

As much as the post race sucked that's completely inaccurate Ann.

Anonymous said...

no prerace and no victorylane espn sucks

Anonymous said...

It is certainly clear by now the level of contempt and disdain for NASCAR that exists within the culture of ESPN. Unfortunately for us, no one in Daytona Beach seems to be aware of how we are all viewed by the World Wide Leader. Nor does NASCAR have the leverage to influence television in the manner needed.

Anonymous said...

I don't think any sport could tell a network how to broadcast a game/race. The only thing they care about is how much money they are getting from the networks. Therefore in the next contract I would not expect anything in there that says you must broadcast the race this way. Expect the same camera shots in the future and the same race coverage. Nothing will change as ratings are up.

Anonymous said...

Well, today's broadcast was little more than useless fluff from the Appendix Sports Network. If this is the standard for televising stock car racing, I'll not be watching much television next year. All that is left of credibility in the world of broadcasting resides in what little live sports events that haven't been wrecked by the broadcasters in the name of ratings.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Well, that was interesting. See you all tomorrow. K&N comments here if you want, I'll leave the door open.

Charlie said...

I am watching the K&N race.
How about that a wreck and we go to see it live.

Anonymous said...

If the mother ship didnt have nascar I would never watch it

Charlie said...

I like this director. If the cars are single file he has the camera pan back until he sees two wide and stays there. He doesn't car who's car it is.
It is racing.

Ann_Ominous said...

Jerry, you saw a driver get interviewed other than Sam? Did I blink and miss it?

Booth heads yakkin' and saying predictible fluffy stuff is just time filler. Interviews with race participants is what a post race show should have - and I only saw one.

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