Friday, November 18, 2011

Live Blogging Truck Series From Homestead (SPEED - 7:30PM)


It's been a mess today in Homestead due to rainy weather. The day had most sessions scrubbed, but the truck race looks to be happening on time as the jet dryers are working hard and the rain has stopped.

Krista Voda starts the best pre-race show on TV with The Set-up. No hype, no fancy set and nothing but information. Ray Dunlap and Hermie Sadler are the reporters who join Voda for this program and then work the race.

Rick Allen, Phil Parsons and Micheal Waltrip are going to call the final race. These three have a unique chemistry. Waltrip can be a solid third guy in the booth, but if he gets too excited and loud he can ruin the entire telecast. We will see which Waltrip shows up tonight.

The trucks series TV teams kicks it old school. The telecasts are cut very wide, let the fans see packs of trucks and continues to be the best live NASCAR TV presentation. It's easy to watch because the SPEED team knows racing.

If the rain stays away, it could be a fun night of racing on SPEED. As always, we appreciate your comment on the SPEED telecast. To add your TV-related opinion, just click on the comments button below.

164 comments:

ChrisK said...

JD,

How much of a race TV production is done by network employees with network owned equipment and how much by outside companies/contractors? I seem to recall hearing a few years ago that the in-car cameras, for example, are set up and operated by an outside company.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Chris,

The TV compound is huge. BSI runs the in-cars and has for years. They are sent not only to the TV networks at the track, but also online to NASCAR.com.

Tonight's race is SPEED production folks. The compound is coordinated by the NASCAR Media Group at the Sprint Cup Series weekends and all the TV partners just work with them for facilities and manpower.

The weekend shows from SPEED like RaceDay, Victory Lane, NASCAR Live are directly produced for SPEED by the NASCAR Media Group.

Does that help?

ChrisK said...

So all of the technical people and camera operators work for NASCAR Media Group?

Daly Planet Editor said...

No Chris. Both SPEED and ESPN have production folks that work for them because the resources they use are not shared.

For example, only ESPN uses the Tech Garage and Infield Pit Studio.

Shared resources are manned by folks paid and coordinated by NMG.

ChrisK said...

Gotcha. Thanks.

Roadgeek Adam said...

Weather has been insane in Homestead. I won't be watching the Cup race this year, have to be in NYC for a dinner. Will watch Dillon/Sauter/Buescher go for it and see Stenhouse get his well-deserved championships.

I will say this. Stenhouse, Dillon and Sauter will kill off the Winless Champion theory.

Palmetto said...

While we're on the subject, what about cameramen? I assume all networks use the same cameras, but do the operators change when coverage changes between networks present that weekend?

Roland said...

Finally some cars, I mean trucks, on the track. Been a long day of sitting around doing nothing! Lets race. Im just glad DW is not involved in this broadcast, because he usually is.

Roland said...

...and as I say that, I see rain.

Buschseries61 said...

Last Truck blog for the season! Thank you JD for keeping these open this season.

glenc1 said...

I remember a few years back, Trucks raced early in the morning....let's hope not.

Oh, Austin's got his Bose on.

Zetona said...

Based on previous years, the best racing at Homestead will be on Sunday, but the best broadcast will be tonight. Hopefully SPEED and ESPN tomorrow don't go overboard covering the not-very-close championship battles at the expense of the racing action.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Hey Busch! Here we are again.

Same with camera folks. Some are shared and some are what they call "dedicated." That just means they are working fulltime for one network.

Palmetto said...

Gracias, senor.

Adam, I booked myself on a plane Sunday afternoon. I could have gone Saturday, but didn't check the schedule. At the time I must have thought the season would end the weekend before.

glenc1 said...

Earlier they were saying that Artie produces the games for NFL Network. Didn't remember that. Just never paid attention, I guess.

Ben in N.C. said...

JD-

Is Rick Allen really that tall? Should be a good one tonight! Go RCR!

Buschseries61 said...

glen - It was back in 2005 when the Trucks ran in the morning and Todd Bodine won. I had to keep the volume so low when I was watching because the rest of my family was sleeping in. I can't believe that was 6 years ago already!

glenc1 said...

Busch, I remember because I was on an airplane. I don't have Sirius at home, but I was happy to plug in my earphones and it was timed so I got to hear the whole thing.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Ben - 6ft6!

Roadgeek Adam said...

2003 NCTS, back when Cup drivers didn't run with the damn show

PammH said...

so they are making Mikey the short one tonite in the booth?? good grief..

ChrisK said...

Parsons is only 5-9. He must be standing on something.

Anonymous said...

John, are the NASCAR Media Group personnel employees of NMG or are they BSI personnel or local freelancers? For example, because you're a local person, if you wanted to, could you make a few calls and be added to the staff?

While waiting to see the race, I'm watching Presidents Cup golf from near Melbourne Australia, where it's Saturday afternoon. It's raining there too.

Charlie said...

To think I use to be a Nascar nut. I would never miss a lap of action in any of the races, truck, nns, or sprint.
Today I will be watching Kitchen Nightmares first then switching over to truck.
Tomorrow I will be watching America's cup sailing then the end of NNS.
Sunday is first NFL, then sailing and if the race for the sprint is still on I will watch that.

ChrisK said...

Do they really have to tell people to place their right hand over their heart?

Anonymous said...

ChrisK, that is not the custom for many. It didn't used to be part of the code at all until recently.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Anon, email me your info and I will hook you up with the right contact info for NASCAR TV freelance work.

editor.dp@hotmail.com

Sally said...

I always thought that you only put your hand over your heart for the Plegde of Allegience, not the Anthem.

Roland said...

That was a good, solid pre race show.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Krista Voda flat-out gets it done on TV.

Sally said...

I'd say she and Wendy are top of the line.

Anonymous said...

One thing I noticed during the pre race. Speed seemed to be using a new type of camera while showing shots of drivers and trucks on the grid. It looked like it was one of those strap on kind of cameras that are super stable instead of the regular shoulder camera. I dont know the exact name of the type of camera, but I have never seen it used before in Nascar. You see it in NFL all the time.

Buschseries61 said...

I always enjoy this segment SPEED does with the new faces. Wish the other networks did this.

Sally said...

Rats! for a moment I thought Mikey's mike cut out and we would be spared his over the top babble. No such luck.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Still cannot believe RaceDay is punting Hermie Sadler. I still cannot get from SPEED if he is done altogether!

Sally said...

Amazing, isn't it JD? They dump Hermie and resign Rusty and both Waltrips? What's with that?

Buschseries61 said...

It would be awful is Hermie is done with SPEED. I've been a fan of his since his days driving the Virginia Lottery #13. He did a good job stepping into broadcasting, despite the accent.

Roland said...

Well, there went the only Ford in the Ford 200. Its sad that they dont care about this series anymore. You can really tell which manufacturer spends the most money in this series. 13 of the top 15 trucks right now are Chevys.

sbaker17 said...

I don't get Speed, so I'm watching RaceBuddy. Being the last Truck race of the year, can I assume that Mikey is worse than usual with his shtick?

Buschseries61 said...

That aerial shot on the restart was AMAZING.

Buschseries61 said...

It's been a cycle Roland. Dodge pumped huge $ into the series around 2000. Toyota spent a ton in 2004, over half the field was Toyota a few years ago. Now it's shifted back to Chevy thanks to KHI/RCR. It's up in the air next season.

Daly Planet Editor said...

I am SO loving this coverage.

Daly Planet Editor said...

sb, he settled down...but the pre-race was over the top.

Buschseries61 said...

Tonight's S&P's were Harmon, Setzer, & Chapman. Really sad they decided to park it considering the amound of trucks sent home that would have raced.

Roland said...

Mikey is talking too much, but other then that this has been a great broadcast so far. Loving the W I D E shots.

Marge said...

I've not been able to get an answer to this question, maybe you can help. When an accident occurs the safety crew make sure the HANS devise & helmet are taken from the vehicle. Why? Are they checked for damage from the incident?

sbaker17 said...

Daly Planet Editor said...
sb, he settled down...but the pre-race was over the top.

November 18, 2011 8:32 PM


Thanks JD
If the prerace was that bad and I had tried to watch it, it would have soured me on the whole race broadcast and I would have bailed completely

Sally said...

Amazing what a difference it makes when you can see multiple cars in a shot, isn't it? Actually seeing trucks as the gain or lose spots on the tack really helps keep me more involved in the race.

ChrisK said...

This is great! You can actually get a feeling for what is happening.

GinaV24 said...

so far it's been a very good broadcast.

Even Mikey seems to be doing a reasonable job.

Roadgeek Adam said...

Meh, why can't the 18 & 2 just take themselves out now...

Sally said...

This is KHI's last race, so I imagine Kevin is highly motivated.

Sally said...

This is KHI's last race, so I imagine Kevin is highly motivated.

Buschseries61 said...

Just get someone to push them into the paint Adam.

GinaV24 said...

Sally, I would think you are right about Harvick, but I'm kind of with Adam that I'd like it better if the 18 and the 2 weren't in the race.

Adam, you almost got your wish with one of them!

drdiandra said...

Marge: They check the helmet and HANS for cracks or other damage that might indicate the hit was harder enough to warrant additional screening of the driver. Just a precaution. The driver may think he's fine, but actually be suffering an injury that needs attention ASAP. One more piece of data in treating the drivers.

Buschseries61 said...

LOL, Buescher got my idea.

drdiandra said...

Marge: Ummm... "hard enough" It's an adult beverage evening and the grammar is the first thing to go!

GinaV24 said...

Wow, look at the empty grandstands. This is the best racing of the 3 NASCAR series.

If the trucks can race like this, why can't the cup cars? Wasn't the original plan for the COT to make them race more like the trucks?

NascarNut said...

WOW who knew there were so many racing at the same time! LOL So use to seeing only 2 cars in the Cup series.

ChrisK said...

No points crawl on the screen either.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Homestead call me like a million times for tickets! Have a feeling it's going to be sparse.

Roland said...

This is great Im loving this!

Sally said...

I see that the best thing about having the points leader far enough ahead that something drastic would need to happen to change the points is that we are NOT getting a lap by lap...'if the race ended now' point update. I see that being a big problem Sunday.

GinaV24 said...

Hi, drdiandra, welcome and thanks for the info about the HANS.

Zetona said...

Don't you love how little attention is being paid to Austin Dillon? He's not racing for the lead, he's not in the garage with his season in tatters, he's not in the middle of a wreck waiting to happen, he's just running in a nice, safe top-10 position, so there's no need to give him any special acknowledgement.

Sally said...

Hmmm. I thought that all made sense somehow...until I read it again. And I don't have an adult beverage excuse!

GinaV24 said...

JD, we really enjoyed going to Homestead, but when i priced everything between airfare, rental car, hotel and tickets, well, it just wasn't in the budget this year.

I know I got called by a lot of tracks where we had bought tickets but didn't renew.

Buschseries61 said...

How was the Homestead racing in person Gina?

GinaV24 said...

Sally, I'm giving consideration to having an adult beverage myself. It has been one rough week at work and it's cold here in NJ. I have cider in the fridge and adding a little applejack and warming it up sounds pretty good.

I was very envious when they said it was 75 degrees at Homestead.

Daly Planet Editor said...

DrD! Nice to see ya. Snowing in West Virginia yet?

Zetona said...

Any word on what happened to Miguel Paludo? I don't think it was mentioned on air.

drdiandra said...

DPE: Flurries yesterday, but my petunias are still alive. Hit 70 last weekend.

Ask me next week, though! May be coming to move in with you!

Roland said...

Mikey needs to take it down a couple notches. Hes startin to get on my nerves.

GinaV24 said...

Busch, it was very good. The cars really can race multiple grooves just like you are seeing now with the trucks.

As long as your seats are high enough to see over the silly infield seats, you can see around the whole track.

It's a shame that the TV broadcasts don't do it justice - but all it would take is some wide shots. ESPN and the other TV partners are not doing the tracks any favors by using the hypertight crap.

RWar24 said...

Couldn't agree more with you Roland. Mikey's starting to get the rambles. Less is more.

glenc1 said...

I don't give out my phone number. But I get a lot of mail from Dover because I ordered ONE ticket from them a few years ago (my friend usually buys our block of tickets.) But I get mail from other ISC tracks too. Tickets are very reasonable these days, but the other expenses...yikes.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Hehe! 70 and humid here in North Cuba!

Roland said...

Ohhhh noooooo its the dreaded double commercial!!! And they were doing so good!

NascarNut said...

Harvick is pissed now! Buescher is screwed!

NascarNut said...

Harvick is pissed now! Buescher is screwed!

Anonymous said...

This truck series is nuts.

Charlie said...

If they show a pit stop I wish they would show the whole stop.

ChrisK said...

That whole segment you couldn't tell what was going on with the race because they obsessed with the Buescher/Harvick thing.

NascarNut said...

Why do I have the feeling Austin will get caught up in someone elses mess.

Roadgeek Adam said...

I dislike 75 degrees. I prefer what Jersey has now. In fact it ain't cold enough.

Charlie said...

37° here in the upper peninsula of michigan

GinaV24 said...

North Cuba, JD, you are bad! LOL

That snow we had on Halloween weekend was a real pain in the you know what. I spend 8 hrs in the philly airport waiting to go to NC so I could go to M'ville!

NorCalFan said...

@ DrDiandra,
I'm guessing you're the author of the book "The Physics of Nascar". I purchased the book a couple of years ago as a Christmas present for my mechanical engineer husband who thoroughly enjoyed the read.

GinaV24 said...

Adam! Say it ain't so! I think the perfect temp is 85 degrees - I spent just enough time living in Hotlanta for my blood to thin out

Daly Planet Editor said...

Just a Bruton trubute, Gina!

Roadgeek Adam said...

Yay side by side

Zetona said...

WHOA! Where did that come from?!

GinaV24 said...

DrD, I always enjoyed the articles you wrote, too. NorCalFan, I'm going to have to look for that book - my brother would love it -- I'll give it to him after I read it.

GinaV24 said...

I got the joke, JD. I still can't believe the old curmudgeon said that - more than once!

Buschseries61 said...

Ok SPEED, is there any racing on the track besides the leader making laps?

Charlie said...

I like how there is no bottom ticker and just a two ticker on top.

Less is better sometimes - Espn

Sally said...

Hey! Side by is showing something other than the leader running all alone! Cool!

ChrisK said...

Good. We needed a caution. They were starting to go to tight shots.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Yep, cutting the live race in the video box!

Sally said...

I hope things don't get ungly in the restart.

Sally said...

Uh...that should be ugly.

Daly Planet Editor said...

This is going to be a restart to remember.

Roland said...

30° here in western NC. Got a fire in the fireplace. Im kind of like Adam, I like cold instead of heat and humidity.

They have got to get a catchier name for the side by side. Say "Speeds continuous coverage" 5 time fast.

Roadgeek Adam said...

Maybe more than restart to remember before the night's out. Homestead can see more cautions in a hurry if needed.

Roadgeek Adam said...

Fireplace? Wuss....I have my bedroom windows wide open.

Roland said...

Easy now....

Daly Planet Editor said...

Got some fast cats up front.

NorCalFan said...

@GinaV24
FYI - Dr. Diandra has written a couple of Nascar physics books; my husband read the one about the science of speed.

Sorry JD, OT.

GinaV24 said...

LOL @ Adam and Roland.

I prefer Roland's fireplace to windows open in this weather!

Roland, you miss all the tornado damage. It got really close to my brother's place.

Daly Planet Editor said...

No prob, I'm a big fan. Miss her info these days.

Pretty wild Austin Dillon story unfolding right now.

Roland said...

@Gina Closest stuff to us was the tornadoes down in the upstate of SC. The county I live in actually borders SC so it wasnt that far as the crow flies. Really glad I have the mountains to break up some of that stuff when it rolls through!

GinaV24 said...

AAAAGGGHHH, cats on the keyboard

Sally said...

Nice to see Nelson Piquet, Jr. doing well tonight. he really come on this year. Does he have a ride next year?

Charlie said...

I have been listening to Austin radio and they only told him that someone said something about his car just before the restart and they told Austin no problem and that is the last I heard of it.
Not sure where speed is getting this stuff.

Sally said...

Hmmm. Wonder what happens if Harvick gets on the bumper of the 18 truck?

GinaV24 said...

roland, glad to hear it. those pics of the damage were scary

hold on, austin

drdiandra said...

NorCalFan

*blush!* Thanks!

Buschseries61 said...

Hamlin, Rejected!

Roland said...

Speed never mentioned that weather was on the way. Now its "pouring". Sigh, we need Larry Mac. This race is over.

RWar24 said...

Turn out the lights, the party's over.. Congrats to Austin Dillon.

Charlie said...

15 Laps to go.

GinaV24 said...

so will they call it?

Roadgeek Adam said...

Yeah that's it. Austin is in 10th

Daly Planet Editor said...

These guys are going to have some conversations when they step out here.

ChrisK said...

Somebody asked about Paludo. He said on Twitter that he lost an engine.

Anonymous said...

@DrDiandra, @NorCalFan:

ECHO. Even a dope like me understood what you wrote!

ChrisK said...

I think the coverage deteriorated toward the end. Tighter shots. If the race ended now, etc.

Buschseries61 said...

That track was drenched in 5 minutes. Will NASCAR take 2 hours to dry the track?

Sally said...

After the day they've had with rain, I bet they call it.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Chris, little bit of a weird transition there huh?

GinaV24 said...

I have to say that I'm not going to last much past 10, I have stuff to do in the morning

ChrisK said...

Piquet Jr. trucks and some NNS for Turner next year.

Daly Planet Editor said...

I just got word...over.

Roadgeek Adam said...

THIS RACE IS OVER.

Austin Dillon is your 2011 champion.

ChrisK said...

JD,

Sure was. Also Mikey went over the top again.

Sally said...

Thanks! One happy kid and Granpa there!

sbaker17 said...

For DrDiandra:
Is the following true?
According to James Watt, The measurement of horsepower is how hard one hits the wall and the measurement of torque is how for the wall gets pushed after the impact.

glenc1 said...

I think my favorite moment of the season was Pop-pop punching Kyle Busch. LOL.

GinaV24 said...

congrats to austin & grandpa childress!

Roland said...

Well I do want to thank Nascar for not making us wait around forever before calling it. If your gonna call it, do it quick, so kudos. But Im still kinda mad at Speed. 5 minutes ago we were racing. I didnt know rain was coming. Speed never said nothing. This is crazy.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Here is the revised Sat. TV Sched:

Saturday: Cup practices 9:30-11a ET and 11:30-12:30p ET. NNS qualifying at 1p ET and Sprint Cup qualifying at 2:30p ET. All on @SPEED.

GinaV24 said...

Glen, I have to agree with you. Hold my watch!!

Sally said...

Me too! The only problem was that he should have hit him harder. Didn't manage to knock sense into him at all!

drdiandra said...

sbaker: I like the following better:

Horsepower lets you go fast
Torque makes you feel good

Torque is what makes you accelerate - it's that great feeling you get when you floor it to pass another car on the expressway and the car just moves.

Horsepower lets you go fast, but in most NASCAR-type racing (i.e. not drag racing), it's a little more subtle. Being able to get up off the corners fast is more important than straight-line speed.

Your Watt quote is great - the (de-)acceleration is related to the wall movement and the force is related to the change in velocity. In reality, they are linked!

Great question! I may steal it for my class next semester.

GinaV24 said...

Dr D, great explanation, now I know why I feel good when I jump on the gas!

JD, thanks for the update on the schedule.

Buschseries61 said...

Interesting race. Great fight by Johnny Sauter and James Buescher for the championship tonight. Nobody made it easy for Austin, but he recovered from his horrible restart to hold on to the championship.

SPEED did a great job, except for a few moments. The wide shots were amazing, and I hope ESPN uses them tomorrow. Things went off track after the double commercial and the shots became tighter.

Thank you to SPEED Channel for another great season of trucks!

GinaV24 said...

Nice spending Friday night with you folks.

Good job by Speed.

Roadgeek Adam said...

I'm staying on Blog for the trophy presentation. Tomorrow's should be even more heartfelt, considering IT WON'T BE A CUP DRIVER! :D

Johnny Sauter made Austin work for it though. A well-deserved championship for Austin, whole new champ next year though. :)

Daly Planet Editor said...

Pretty good TV tonight! Must feel better because of the mess we have been getting from the Mothership.

sbaker17 said...

Dr. D:
Beer has torque.
My wife does not :)

glenc1 said...

Sally, seriously...I think that's part of why NASCAR came down so hard on Kyle. I mean, if RC punching him didn't do any good, they had to be pretty strong with punishment, eh?

Kinda silly making Austin drive his car to VL and pretend to get out like he just finished. But I wouldn't take away his happiness or Johnny's celebration either, rain is always weird.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Glen, you think SPEED and NASCAR might have gotten that a little better. I guest the rain threw them a wrench.

Sally said...

I always feel sorry for the race winner at the last race if he isn't the champ...kinda gets lost in the shuffle.

glenc1 said...

I'm gonna chalk that up to rain. They do have to take the photos & please the sponsors & all like it was normal.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Kind of a weird ending! But, of all the TV stuff, Keith and Roger produce and direct a daggone good telecast.

Thanks to all of you for hanging in with us on the truck races this year. Got rough at times!

Feb. seems like a looong time ago!

Sally said...

JD. we all hope you aren't going to disappear until February!

Daly Planet Editor said...

Wow! Look who is up late! The blazer boys.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Sally, there is sooo much media and online info about to bust loose I will be updating daily.

I got over 500 emails just today and the Turner guys called me twice!

Tony Stewart's in-car will be on RaceBuddy and on Facebook live Sunday!

Going to be an interesting off-season.

drdiandra said...

sbaker17

Ouch!!

Torque comment, BTW, courtesy of Andy Randoph, Engine Technical Director of ECR. I'm looking for him in Victory Circle now!

Sally said...

Glad to hear it, JD. Lately, this site is more interesting than the racing. At least here, someone actually listens! You are a life saver to many fans.

Daly Planet Editor said...

DrD, thanks for stopping by tonight! Stay dry.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Thanks Sally!

Got the new TV sched for tomorrow up on the front page.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Thanks everyone, see you tomorrow!

JD