Saturday, July 12, 2008

In-Progress At Chicagoland: Final Sprint Cup Race On TNT


Here we go, it is the last TNT race for the season and several members of the TV cast will be moving on to other TV projects.

Bill Weber and Wally Dallenbach are going to continue the CORR off-road racing TV package they are working on this season for NBC Sports. Kyle Petty will continue on Tradin' Paint, the media/talk show on SPEED each racing weekend.

Lindsay Czarniak goes back to her full-time job as a local TV station sports reporter in the Washington DC area. Matt Yocum continues to be the Producer of Tony Stewart's radio show on Sirius.

Ralph Shaheen and Marty Snider are both off to do other TV things for several networks in non-NASCAR sports. Snider is going to Beijing for the Olympics on NBC and will also be a pit reporter on the CORR off-road package. Shaheen continues on the AMA Supercross Series coverage.

TNT this season has been better than 2007 and the wonderful pictures have led the way. Working with Fox Producer Barry Landis, former ESPN NASCAR Director Mike Wells has shown the power of covering the race effectively by always showing groups of cars on the track. His persistence in helping TV viewers keep the same perspective as the fans at the track has not gone unnoticed.

This broader scope has allowed Landis and the announcers in the booth to always have a feel for the racing action. Wells is not shy in moving back into the field if that is where the racing is going on. The same could not be said for Fox, which has a philosophy of focusing on the leaders and the high-profile drivers.

The "wide open" TNT coverage at Daytona showed viewers that races could be run with limited full-screen commercials and showed advertisers that fans will stay during a commercial break if the race can still be seen. Hopefully, that message got through.

The star of TNT this season has been Kyle Petty. Everyone else has just become his supporting cast. In much the same way that Dale Jarrett can dominate a telecast on ESPN, Petty is the centerpiece of TNT and the person around whom all conversation revolves. It has truly been his breakout year as a TV analyst.

In this final race, it should be interesting to see if the Sprint Cup cars follow the example of the Nationwide Series and spread-out to race the track. Long green flag runs put the pressure on the pit crews and ultimately the crew chiefs to make the right calls in the pits. It also puts the pit reporters on the spot.

The lights at Chicago are great for TV and hopefully that will allow Wells and his veteran crew to make outstanding pictures as they deliver their final telecast of the season.

This post will serve to host your comments about the Sprint Cup race from Chicagoland on TNT. To add your TV-related comments, just click on the COMMENTS button below and follow the easy instructions. The rules for posting are located on the right side of the main page. Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by.

249 comments:

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Lou said...

yes it would.

Sophia said...

Some of us may not enjoy the end of the race but let us ENJOY this camera work.

SALUTE to Mr. Wells and company bringing us the pictures as they fly through the air, as Tom Snyder used to say.

And those earlier sunset shots on RB were outstanding!

Now the wrong car is spinning.

Just got a call most of the entire city next to us is w/o power from the lightening. Been wild week of lost trees but little property damage...odd weather. But most of a city of 70,ooo..that is something!!

am19psu said...

But Kyle is a Dodge guy and as far as I know, Wally is unaffiliated. I don't follow.

Anonymous said...

anyone else notice RB has been frozen since 23 to go?

Newracefan said...

Some people are better at keeping their person opinions out of the booth than others

Anonymous said...

am19psu said...
But Kyle is a Dodge guy and as far as I know, Wally is unaffiliated. I don't follow.

July 12, 2008 11:03 PM

They aren't the ones constantly complaining like Rusty. So to hopefully shut Rusty, Jack Roush Clint Bowyer & all up they pulled engines

Vicky D said...

My RB froze up also

Newracefan said...

RB OK here

am19psu said...

RB is broke here as well

Sophia said...

I notice RB is getting slower and sputtering..yes!!

Anonymous said...

Great work Mr. Wells & Co. - I have a feeling next race at Indy I will miss your work a lot.

Thanks for all your professionalism. You guys love your job & it really showed.

Lou said...

anon 1107pm

Yes, I even tried to refresh, but it did not help. Just gave me a different picture.

Newracefan said...

Darn I was really hoping we would stay green, this could be a mess

Labbie said...

I had some sputters with RB early on, but it has been flawless for quite a while now for me.

Sophia said...

RATS! I was hoping JJ would be the winner. Gillaland looks like he's fogging for mosquitoes! Oh my!

am19psu said...

Was Kyle right about that? It seems with as much smoke and Gilliland going that far around the track, it is going to be a 5 lap caution minimum.

Kyle said...

Im trying to think has any of TNT races ended normal? Rain short for one and at least 4 Green White Checks I can remember.

alex said...

They'll probably wait a few laps and have a G-W-C.

Sophia said...

Interesting view of flagman and camera guy chatting on RB

man, how spoiled we get in 6 weeks.

;-)

Vicky D said...

Yes, great camera work on the RB it's the only track action with the guys in the middle and back that we can follow because TNT certainly isn't showing them.

Newracefan said...

Soph I seem to remember you were anyone but JJ last season my how things have change has moved over to anyone but Kyle LOL

Sophia said...

been a season of GWC..hvaent they had a lot ine Truck series too?

I like Despains idea of keep going for the green flag until somebody wins.

Sophia said...

wah~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sophia said...

I give up.
Thanks for showing the end of the race.

alex said...

Hmm... The Busches have won the last 4 races.

Anonymous said...

Great job at finish ! Thanks for the great job TNT
Kyle is stuck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

am19psu said...

Wow, the whole of the race was terrible, but those last 2 laps were amazing

Daly Planet Editor said...

Don't forget live coverage on NASCAR.com and ESPNEWS of the post-race festivities.

There is no Victory Lane on SPEED until Sunday night.

Pretty nice job this summer by the TNT guys, there will be a column up in just a couple of minutes.

Thanks to everyone for stoping by tonight!

JD

Newracefan said...

This is getting repeatous. I won't repeat what JJ just said on the radio but Chad helped cool him off. Kyle stuck in the mud kind of fitting don't you think

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your work JD!!!

alex said...

Wow, he threw up some sod on that one!

am19psu said...

newracefan,

Can you give a family friendly version of it?

Kyle said...

Well saved me having to TIVO VL tomorrow! lol.

Daly Planet Editor said...

There is now a post up about TNT where you can share your views of tonight's race and the TNT six race season.

JD

Karen said...

Daly Planet Editor said...

There is now a post up about TNT where you can share your views of tonight's race and the TNT six race season.


Good grief, what took you so long?

Anonymous said...

hehe I love when Kyle gets out of the car and plays to the crowd.

Sophia said...

ah, come on! What did JJ say? You can delete it right after we read it...just click on the little garbage can thingie under your post.

Inquiring minds want to know..chad will not say it on TWIN

:)

Newracefan said...

am19 just one word and it rhymes with duck but it was they way he said it, I don't think I've ever heard him that angry at his own performance. About the car, another driver, or crash yes his driving no.

Anonymous said...

Jimmie had a defenite chance to wreck kyle goign into turn three on the last lap. He should have taken the chance lol

Vicky D said...

What a difference a year makes from Yeley and Busch in the same car.

Sophia said...

Thanks Barry Landis!!!

We will miss you guys.

OUTSTANDING SIX races and camera work we will be talking about for months.

I don't miss NO SHOW FOX and ESPN is getting to be the same..by that I mean NOT showing the end except for the first call or two.

Thanks for a mostly clutter free screen and all the work of those we see and those we don't see.

And another word on the fantastic shots of sunsets and the entire race.

Newracefan said...

Again no top 35

Sophia said...

I don't know about anybody else but between Kyle, Wally and Bill, I felt I was watching with a fun party in the booth. What a difference a year makes!!

SALUTE to TNT!!!

Anonymous said...

Wow. The six TNT races flew by. I would love it if they were able to have some more races, even 8 would be good. JD can you give us an update at waht Wally and Bill do in the off-season? I see them sometimes on NBC Sports still.

Anonymous said...

SophiaZ123,
You forgot to thanks the director Mike for all the good camera selection. Barry is the producer.

Anonymous said...

"can you give us an update at waht Wally and Bill do in the off-season?"

They do all the CORR off-road races on NBC. google "corr" for more info and a broadcast schedule.

Sophia said...

Oh I have mentined Mike Wells many times in the last few blogs!!

GREAT WORK by him for sure!!

:-)

Just wanted to share the praise..and everybody on TNT deserved it..but like I said..the directing of the camera work will be missed the rest of the entire season.

IF ONLY TNT could do the Brickyard!!!!

Daly Planet Editor said...

There is a new post up for your comments on TNT this season.

JD

Lou said...

Post race show on NASCAR.com is working fine.

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