This post is going up early so we can all keep track of the weather and the heavy rain from Tropical Storm Lee that is closing in on the Greater Atlanta area.
NASCAR has already moved the actual start time of the race up to 7:30PM, which is all they can do to help the situation. The track has lights and there are plenty of jet dryers on hand to help with the drying effort if the rain comes.
Nicole Briscoe kicks off the telecast at 6:30PM on ESPN. Two hours of the RaceDay show on SPEED will precede that, so fans will know long before ESPN take to the air how the weather situation is playing out.
Briscoe has Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty alongside. Tough season for this duo, who have been struggling to stay relevant with their comments. A key issue has been Carl Edwards' emergence as a future ESPN analyst.
Wallace can speak from past experience and Daugherty's perspective is either as an owner or a fan. Unfortunately, Edwards speaks as a current driver who either just experienced a mechanical failure or is dropping by before he actually races. Talk about having a TV trump card.
Allen Bestwick is upstairs with Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree to call the race. Having Bestwick in the booth has been a big help with the information and excitement levels of the ESPN Cup telecasts. Jarrett and Petree have also begun to find their voices in terms of racing issues. It's about time.
The cast on pit road is diverse. Jamie Little is aggressive and sometimes over the top, but she chases down the stories she is assigned. Dr. Jerry Punch brings his repuation and experience to his senior role. Dave Burns and Vince Welch continue to fly under the radar, we get information but not much else.
Meanwhile, poor old Tim Brewer is still in the Tech Garage being told by the producer to explain the same old fundamental points over and over again. You have to wonder what Brewer could be if he was turned loose to offer his own point of view on topics he selected.
The challenge for ESPN may well be rain. After the driver interviews are done, it should be time to see some of the features put together for NASCAR Countdown and NASCAR Now over the past few weeks or so. ESPN does not consider having any kind of roundtable discussion, but rather sticks to basics that involve only ESPN media personalities. It's all about the brand.
Racing under the lights in Atlanta is all about speed and tires. The truck and Nationwide Series races featured long green flag runs and drivers working hard to pass. The Cup field should put on a great show.
TV has the challenge of looking around for the best racing, rather than focusing on the leaders when no passing is going on. This has been an issue for a very long time with ESPN and was again in the Nationwide Series coverage. Staying aggressive is the key for the production team.
Update: The live college football game on ESPN looks to be running long, so expect NASCAR to start late. No hurry today as it looks pretty wet in the ATL.
This post will serve to host your comments on the ESPN coverage of the Sprint Cup Series race from Atlanta. To add your TV-related comments, just click on the comments button below. Thanks for taking the time to stop by.
157 comments:
Updates from track say NASCAR will make a decision at the start time about what is going to happen tonight.
Big rain coming in for Monday.
Football on ESPN delayed!!!!!!!!
This is getting good!
Hi hopefully race night Planeteers <3
If we don't get it in this week hearing Monday after Richmond but Richmond might have it's own weather issues :(.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed we dont get Rusty overload with this rain.. I cant take much of him..
Tracy, you better get the Valium out! This is going to be Rusty overload when football is done.
Looks like NASCAR on time if football is still in delay.
Have a feeling we will go back to football when it resumes if NASCAR is still in rain.
No open ESPN networks hanging around tonight.
With TS Lee pushing towards Atlanta, I don't see them running the race tonight. The radar looks wicked nasty.
Darcie, that thing is supposed to get all the way up to New England and sock them again with lots of rain. Going to be a mess.
JD, even up here in Western PA, we're supposed to get 4 to 5 inches of rain from that bugger. We've got a good start going on right now. I really do hope they get the race tonight.
We need rain in TX wish Lee would come west & soak us :(. We have many fires here. Kris Turner's sister was evacuated from her home here in TX because of one of the wild fires :(.
Should the race be postponed, could it be possible that the race could be held in November? Thanks!
Presented without comment
Brad: "tonight the teams are looking to run to 162 and a half laps"
where did they get that version of the song,money,(that's what i want)? i wonder if they are saving barret strong and the beatles varsions for later in the broadcast?
Brad D must have a really short chair.
A few things:
The Coal Derby (Marshall-West Virginia) requires a minimum 30 minute delay because of the NCAA's lightning policy. If the race is still under delay, then we'll likely see the finish of the game, and the race won't be an issue.
If Atlanta is moved to the end, the last race headed to the cutoff will be Joliet, not Richmond.
Good info, thanks.
I tuned in for a pre race, not a Sprint Summer Showdown propaganda special. Geez they show highlights of the 4, then go to break, come back and show the same hightlights with different music, and talk about it even more. Aparently theres only 4 cars in the race tonight.
Ditching the pre race. Ill be back at 7:30
Is it raining? I just tuned in. ESPN has said nothing but Brad K has an umbrella.
Agree, Roland. No rain update. This showdown thing is ridiculous.
Busch, same message from RaceDay! Nothing wrong, everything fine, racing shortly.
Must be the approved content.
It's odd. I see panchos, raincoats, & umbrellas in the background. But there are no drops on the lense and no words from anyone on ESPN.
Busch, they are doing driver intro's but never rolled out the cars.
They will call the official "hold" after intro's are over.
I see the drops now!
LOL can Brad stretch out his responses any longer? Nicole & Rusty both tried cutting him off there.
What a mess for ESPN. Football & NASCAR fight the rain on ESPN. NHRA is going over scheduled time & into Baseball Tonight on ESPN2.
My son is in Turn 3 stands. He reports heavy drizzle
NASCAR presumably has a latest start time decided. They probably won't call it until that time minus the time for track drying.
Why in the world would they want Tim Brewer bloviating now? I guess they need something to take up time. They'll have to start repeats with him if they keep it up.
Nat'. Weather Service radar out of Atlanta shows a possible break in the rain in 15-20 minutes. There's a heavier band that looks like it's about 45-60 minutes behind the current one, then a longer break. Anybody know how long it takes to dry this joint? JD, you running a pool on the green flag?
Chris, NASCAR told reporters they would start as late as 10PM. That makes the rain cut-off around 8PM, so probably an hour or so.
Palmetto, no cars out on pit road and no jet dryers on the track. Not a good sign.
JD, not much point in starting until the heavier band passes. It may give a morale boost to the fans in attendance, but it will be wasted effort.
And by 'starting', I meant starting the drying process.
Some writer (jim utter) just put on Twitter that if the race is delayed it would be run on Tuesday???
Why, since Monday is a holiday?
Anybody heard that rumor/detail? That does not make since at all UNLESS the weather means rain 48 hrs thus why try on Monday? I've been out of the loop.
Meanwhile, Darlington is dry and empty.
Meanwhile, Darlington is dry and empty.
Sophia, there is a 100% chance of heavy rain on Monday as Tropical Storm Lee goes through the area.
Why wont ESPN just show last years Atlanta race
Dennis, we are still in the pre-race show. That type of decision will come after 7:30PM when ESPN is into the actual race time.
90% chance of rain today, 100% chance on Monday and 70% chance on Tuesday (per wunderground).
If the race ends up being postponed past this week, it will really screw up the promotions by RIR and Chicago.
Tx JD....I realized as I hit send button the forecast must include lots of rain. If that was tweeted, I missed it but makes perfect sense now.
Feel bad for the fans, though.
Anthem? OK...
Tropical storms contract and rain less at night than during the day, so tonite might be the best window for the next few days.
don't think nascar wants to pay for their hotel a 2nd night so get it all done today, plus when they run it they can just start the cars
Stewart still on Tv--gonna be a while.
Anthem a bit over the top, but OK I guess. Coulda been worse.
So now we wait for 2 hrs till they call it? Rusty's gunna cause me to do something else if I have to.
That was the best anthem I have heard in 20 years.
NASCAR now officially in hold. That means 2 hour minimum to any racing. Just FYI my friends.
Luckily where I live (in Lewiston, Idaho), the weather is absolutely gorgeous!
Hey Trollster, can't you just ask a girl out to a movie or something?
Come on, your mom can drive. Just get a little activity in your life.
Been suggested with your advanced knowledge of the human body that you consider going pre-med in college.
It is my view that this race will NOT be run tonight.No inside info-just gut feeling.
Rachel, NASCAR could probably more the whole circus to Idaho before they'll get clear weather in Georgia.
Now that everybody's in fill mode, I'd like to throw in a comment about the SPEED qualifying coverage. The guys in the booth need to pay more attention to what is happening on the track and less time entertaining each other. Getting rid of Kyle Petty would be a good start.
Weird thing about the anthem:
It's a singing group that lip-sync to a tape. They practiced yesterday acting and being dramatic that way and most of the TV peeps saw them.
No way to do real harmony in a venue that big. Why most anthems in football are also recorded.
One reporter told me that a member of the group told him it was the exact same tape they used to sing it at the track last year.
Entertainment folks are just weird.
Chris, I asked them what the heck was going on.
Apparently, someone is putting pressure on them to be more casual and hip.
Did you notice the new reporter/babe on Trackside and Jeff Hammond in his t-shirt?
tried searching the web, haven't found an answer, have they ever raced on a tuesday?
do they use the same cars here that they do in atlanta? could they get everything to richmond in time?
Bozo,
NASCAR has talked to the teams and TV about it. Going to be mid-week if possible, there is no way they want an event to be missed. Would throw tons of things off.
Indycar on Versus had a mediocre broadcast earlier. The booth is fantastic, but the camera shots were pretty brutal. Tight, follow the leader type shots. They messed up the finish as well.
Also noticed a lot of former NASCAR sponsors too. It's interesting sponsors are flocking over there despite the horrid tv ratings & officiating.
We here in Houston would love that rain we had our best chance today and nary a drop. Lots of wind and lucky enough the temp hasn't gone over 90 today. Will wait out the rain delay . . . .
JD,
I think they went a little overboard this time.
I did notice the t-shirt and the babe. I've always wondered why the announcers wear suits and ties, but maybe they're going a little too far. I guess they're after the younger demographic.
Just found a race they ran on tuesday, aug 2007
Kurt Busch won for the second time in three races, prevailing in a rare Tuesday NASCAR event after two days of rain postponements at Michigan International Speedway.
Football resuming around 8PM. NASCAR pushing cars out onto the grid around 8:15PM. Jet dryers saying track is drying quickly.
I sense a pending conflict.
The only problem with a Tuesday race is there is a 70% chance of rain. The chance of rain drops to 20% on Wednesday.
Good idea, Palmetto.
They will just strip the race down to the bare bones crews.
Impound the cars and close most of the facilities. TV will keep the booth but the Tech Garage, Infield Pit Studio and most of that crew will leave.
Will be like a Monday race, start it and grind to halfway.
Hearing no racing before 9PM tonight at the earliest. Could be a late night.
short drying time is another good thing anbout short tracks.
You go to the movie with a girl.
Better yet why don't you take a psychiatry course.
Ugh, weird patterns these hurricane/tropical storms seem to be taking. This one took a right turn!
Darcie, we don't need any more rain here in NJ either. I have a broken tree hanging in a very precarious position from Hurrican Irene.
right now, I'm watching I'm watching them talk about football since lighting is in the area so I'm guessing the race is delayed also.
LOL ESPN is still left with nothing.
Wow the troll actually spelled his words right. Impressive
Wow, the college football game again suspended. How totally weird.
Trollster, I loved that course when I went to....college in the 70's!
Why, I got socks older than....ya know.
JD and your socks are probably better looking than our "favorite" troll.
watching the bourne ultimatum
Poor ESPN, can't find anything to air.
JD, the socks probably smell better.
actually ESPN's bare bones effort after the last postponement was really good.
it's a case of simpler is better. It's a shame they can't figure it out when the races run on the scheduled day.
I feel bad for anyone who has tickets though and may have to travel back and miss the race.
Gina, the weather forecasts have been calling for this since Thursday. I feel for those who are there, but I've had tickets and stayed home or at the hotel on weaker forecasts. Normally the fans would at least have a holiday as a 'cushion', cut sometimes you just have to cut your losses. I'm three hours from the track and I'm not even considering burning a vacation day on Tuesday to buy a 'cheap seats' ticket.
Yes JD I remember them being on Memorex last year :(
Got to give Nichole credit. She hung in there.
If the weather was good earlier, why don't they move the race up? Generally, the fans have been there since the morning tailgating so presumably they could get them inside sooner. Isn't that better in this situation when the alternative may be racing a few days later (vs tomorrow)? Realize tv is an issue, but I'd rather see it tape delayed the same night when scheduled instead of mid-week when I have to work. Suspect fans in attendance would prefer it to be earlier over missing it mid week as well!
Anon, there is no such thing as moving a race up.
TV, radio and the track all have contracts with NASCAR for a specific time.
ESPN paid probably over 25 million just for the rights to show the race. No way it could somehow move up on the program schedule.
The best NASCAR can do contractually is to move it to the very minute that the TV race coverage is supposed to start and they did. Green was set for 7:30PM.
Hope that answered your question.
Back from a very very long trip to Queens. I see we have a Bristol 95-esque day probably.
And I see it has used my handle again.
Adam, Queens dry out yet?
Coca-Cola must have somebody following the TV reports around to make sure their drivers have one to drink on camera. Notice that all of the bottles are almost full.
Back to football.
Pretty well, went to do photography, had more problems with non-stop traffic than water.
Oops. Meant to say reporters, not reports.
Chris, the pit reporters all have a sponsor entourage following them. The teams and even the drivers also have PR folks who arrange those things before the interview.
Even the sunglasses at night are still big money. That is why they are on the hat.
JD, What happens to advertisements if the race goes tomorrow?
Dumb question I know! But it seemed the commercials were different for the Watkins Glen delayed broadcast?
hey jd, ive always wondered why do tracks not have about 20 to 30 jet dryers instead of 6 to 12
Don't know, I'd prefer having the race tonight as I start classes at 8 AM Tuesday morning and can not stay awake past 11 because of that tomorrow night.
who is typing the program alert? it is the sprint cup race in rain delay
1.5 hrs???? Bestwick just said 1.5 hrs more? They've been drying for 1.5 already and it looks dryer than that. This race is OVA. Damn!
Im actually glad the football game is on, cause were 9 minutes away from Family Guy
Sitting here watching a rerun of the original Airport movie from 1970. Are there any actors today like these from back in the day??
Shurley you jest!
Palmetto, i've done that too if I'm going to drive to a race. If I have to fly then it's another story. Since the weather is hard to predict accurately 3 weeks out and unless I want to pay a fortune to the airlines, I have to plan in advance for it.
Obviously weather is an unpredictable factor, but I also feel that NASCAR needs to seriously take a look at a map and the trends in the weather and re do the schedule so that they don't travel back and forth across the country for no reason - like they do after Daytona (if they are serious about being green) and use the trends of the weather to do their best to get to the dryest weather they can.
Obviously there will be anomalies, but really they can do better than they do.
Holding the Pennsylvania 500....i mean 400....in September wouldn't hurt, would kill the rain.
Wish I knew if it was gonna happen so I could try and set the dvr and get some sleep, or be able to get to bed without worrying about missing it cause it is not happening.
So, the game will continue on ESPN and if NASCAR starts, the coverage will go on ESPN. Football will move to ESPNU.
Bobby,
The commercial rotation is reviewed by the sales dept and the promo guys.
Lots of "dated" things that only made sense for Sunday would be removed.
Up to the sales guys to provide the correct inventory.
@ Anon 8:45 - You can't buy a jet dryer for a quarter out of the vending machine. Lots of $$$$$ to purchase. Doesn't make sense when the track has 1 date either.
Anon 8:45PM,
The tracks do not own the jet dryers. They travel the country with the NASCAR series.
Checking the Lap by Lap:
"8:56 p.m. ET -- The cars are still in their closed garage stalls, but the line at the fuel station is growing as teams are filling up for the race. Stay tuned!"
I would hope this means something, but I doubt it.
Don't call me Shirley, Jimm57!
Just told by a spotter that it is not raining but there is one rain cell about to hit the track. He is bummed.
DGodFather Dave Moody twitted this link
http://www.sirius-speedway.com/2011/09/why-nascar-cant-start-race-early.html
Anon 8:45, I'm guessing some of those driers were brought in from the SMI tracks in Charlotte and Bristol. The track officials and owners knew the lousy weather was more likely than not.
Yeah, I missed the timing on that second cell. I figured it would be there around 8:30.
I wish the football game was more competitive. I'm just sticking around so I'll know if / when to re-open the entry window on my fantasy league.
Seriously?
Bob, links don't post in blogspot.
So, word is that we may start as late as 10:30PM Eastern Time.
That is a pretty big wow.
Bob, links don't post in blogspot.
So, word is that we may start as late as 10:30PM Eastern Time.
That is a pretty big wow.
I'll take a 10:30 start. Let's hope the cells near Talladega don't come fast enough.
AMS web site says cars will be rolled out at 9:45. Personally, I wouldn't take the tarps off them.
J.D.,
A reporter at the track, (@salyavenger) says NASCAR is telling them 10:30 P.M.
West Coast Kenny
Alameda, California
So, NASCAR rolling out the cars at 9:45PM for a 10PM approx start weather permitting.
This should be fun.
And the football game is back under delay again.
Radar is going to make it a close call. I hope they have a plan, because we may be racing at 2 AM if the weather don't hold.
JD
Thanks for the info on commercials!
Nice to here info from an insider!
And for Darcie:
Coffee? What is it? ;)
Are they playing BZFs' favorite song????...."Money, thats what I want"
Argh! Raining again.
Rain!!!!!!! Arghhh!!!!! #$^&*#(@%)^
The Eurythmics' second US hit? "Here Comes the Rain Again".
Don't think they'll be racing tonight.
They won't be racing tomorrow. Could we just pull a New Hampshire 01 and postpone it till November? We have to eventually get ready for Richmond.
Radar show the current cell to be a very small one. If they don't completely lose the track, there's a big enough window to get to at least halfway.
I'm feeling a Tuesday morning race... They never really had a chance to get this thing in tonight. Where's DW's ridiculous "vortex theory" now?
Palmetto - Yeah, but major rain right behind.
Anon - The vortex theory DW stated works only if there are cars on the track.
The race is over. At this point NASCAR truly is being rude and not being honest by not calling it. It's pouring rain and 1.5 hrs more is beyond last starting time.
Waiting for the official word. Being told that Tuesday 11AM or noon is the target. ESPN2 probably the place. We will see.
I hat to say it! Its not going to happen tonight. We have seen this before. TV has to fill the time slot, thats all we are waiting on tonight.
twitter says no race tonight..tv still drinking the kool aid??
Damn, I can't even see the race as I have classes at 11 AM and 12:30 PM... If this was tomorrow I'd be fine since I get home at 10 am
Scratch my stupidity for saying tomorrow. That doesn't matter.
Anon 8:20, the latest Atlanta forecast from NWS shows 70% Tuesday morning, 50% afternoon, 30% evening.
Yet another demonstration of why NASCAR needs to distribute the open weekends more sensibly, including one between the 'regular season' and the Chase.
Oops, I meant Anon @9:20
Funny that the Chase can be totally screwed by one simple rain postponement!
Look at Jamie go!
And did Brian Vickers just say he left a football game in the 7th inning? Or did I hear that wrong?
Back from Family Guy. Why are they still wasting everyones time. We are not racing tonight.
Love the honest Brian Vickers talk about the Red Bull situation.
Ahh crap 2 minutes after I tune in its Sportscenter. See yall at 10 then
Check out the map: http://www.weather.com/weather/map/interactive/35583:20
Shows heavy rain still coming, probably over the speedway until 2am. No way the cars will get on the track tonight.
Dry, low 90's and not a cloud in sight here in northern California. It's only 6:30 here plenty of time to run a 600 mile race.
While we're waiting, how about my boy Andy Hillenburg bringing NASCAR back to 'The Rock'? Looks like a lock on a Truck race, and there are still two N'wide races from Nashville up for grabs.
Palmetto, I am totally going to that next year. Miss that old school feel. Hope he gets two truck races and one NNS race.
@ John - There wouldn't be a fan in sight either. Sorry, I had to make the mandatory weak Fontana joke. But a race in Irwindale would be fun.
Tuesday at 11. see you then
OK folks, 11AM ET on Tuesday. Saying ESPN right now, I will firm that up tomorrow.
Thanks for hanging in there, have a great night!
JD, give me a holler if you do. I've caught most of the ARCA and USAR events since the track re-opened. The surface is still in good shape: rougher than a cob!
You got it!
Sportscenter needs to train their people in NASCAR.
TUESDAY MORNING!!!!!
so I finally get a Mon off w/a rain delayed race & it's gonna be on Tues ????????? Hope you can can hear me scream from MI!! Burns my butt...:(
Busch, Vickers was messing with her. He didn't want to answer her questions about red bull or his potential ride for last year so he was making a joke about going to a football game "once".
Tuesday, rain.
Will be clear in NORTHERN California. Always a big croud at Sears Point (old school name).
Good night all see you Tuesday.
thanks for all the updates, JD. Guess it will be DVR for me since I'll be back at work on Tuesday when they run the race.
Have a good labor day everyone!
Many jobs if you call in after a holiday you don't get paid for the holiday, so a lot of folks won't be able to call in to attend (or they might just "eat" that days pay).
Just hope more than 5 people are able to be at the track Tuesday provided the rain stays away for them to race.
See ya'll on Tuesday but is Helton a drama king or what?
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