Sunday Notes For Readers

1 - There will be a column up following the NEXTEL Cup race comparing the two broadcast teams this weekend. The Busch Series on ESPN2 and the NEXTEL Cup Series on ABC.

Brad Daugherty stepped into the booth for Rusty Wallace on the Busch Series race, and changed the dynamic of the telecast on ESPN2. We will see what changes ABC might have in-store for viewers as the pre-race and race telecast progresses.

2 - Beginning next week, there will be a live post during RaceDay on SPEED. This show has big plans coming up, and I would like your reactions to the broadcast as it is in-progress. Let me just tip you off that the RaceDay show at Homestead...is four hours long. Shhh...don't tell anyone.

3 - Also beginning next week, there will be live comments available to post during the practice and qualifying day. This will continue for the rest of the season. Many readers have emailed comments about these early sessions, and now they will have somewhere to post them each week.

4 - Finally, there will be a live post for in-progress comments about Inside NEXTEL Cup on SPEED. One hour before the show, The Daly Planet will open for comments and they can then be posted during and after the show. This program is under the microscope for a lot of reasons, and waiting until we posted a column is not fair. This will allow comments as the show airs, and immediately after.

5 - The John Force article on the NHRA accident is on hold because I am unable to find a copy of the total broadcast. Unless I can see the parts of the show other than the accident, its not going to be fair to get everyone stirred up. My feelings about the coverage of the incident itself remain the same, but without the earlier parts of the program I will not comment.

I can tell you that this incident, and the resulting comments I received, have 99% convinced me to branch out into the NHRA telecasts for next season. Somewhat ironic that Paul Page used to work for me at one time. Anyone remember This Week In CART? I didn't think so.

6 - UPDATE: Wow! What a great job by Bill Lester on the one hour edition of NASCAR Now. Hopefully, we will also see him on the late night review show. If he is still there for the Monday wrap-up program, it would really be great. Congrats, Bill!

Thanks again for letting me update things. Have a great race today and I look forward to your comments for the rest of the season. When racing is over, The Daly Planet has several special things planned to keep you busy during the break. Look for an announcement of those plans in a couple of weeks. Thanks everybody!

NEXTEL Cup At Kansas: In-Progress Comments

This Sunday at 1PM ABC Sports will carry a one hour version of NASCAR Countdown, their pre-race show. The NEXTEL Cup Series race from Kansas is then scheduled to be on-the-air at 2PM Eastern Daylight Time.

Brent Musburger returns as the "show host," while Suzy Kolber and Brad Daugherty will occupy the Infield Studio. Tim Brewer will man the Tech Center, while upstairs in the broadcast booth will be Dr. Jerry Punch, Rusty Wallace, and Andy Petree. The pit reporters will be Allen Bestwick, Dave Burns, Mike Massaro, and Jamie Little.

This post will serve to host the comments about the ABC coverage. You can comment before, during, or after the on-air telecast. Please reference the TV coverage in your posts, or they will be removed. The rules for posting are on the right side of the main page.

To add your comments, simply click on the COMMENTS button below, there is nothing to join and you do not have to leave your email address. We just appreciate you taking the time to stop-by and leave your opinion of the TV coverage at Kansas.

"Tradin' Paint" On SPEED Suddenly Misfires

SPEED has been working hard on their talk show called Tradin' Paint since the NASCAR season began in February. This is the thirty minute show that features a regular host, a rotating media member, and one regular driver.

The premise of the show is that the media member and the driver talk back and forth in a debate about the issues of the day involving the sport. Michael Waltrip began the year as the driver, but SPEED made a change and inserted Kyle Petty into that slot in the spring of this year. It was a great move.

With Kyle on-board, things really took off in an entirely new direction. His views on many NASCAR issues were completely opposed to the members of the mainstream NASCAR media. Kyle has debated topics with the print, TV, and Internet reporters of NASCAR with lots of fireworks as the result. About three weeks ago, the show was just hitting its stride for the season when something very strange happened.

One week ago, instead of a media member, it was Ray Evernham alongside of Kyle and series host John Roberts. Other than hosting a weekly kids show for TV, Evernham has absolutely nothing to do with the media. This show, which had been working its way up to one of the top NASCAR shows on SPEED, suddenly turned tail and ran from the NASCAR media.

Evernham and Petty talked with Roberts about all kinds of issues. They talked as owners, they talked as drivers, they even tried to talk as fans. The one thing they could not make themselves into, as hard as they tried, was journalists.

This week, it was certainly time for the network to rebound from this problem, and bring in a hardcore reporter at this critical time of the year to deal with the big news issues. SPEED selected veteran reporter...Richard Childress. Believe it or not, good old RC was in the media chair and just grinning and talking about stuff. RC has been mistaken for many things in his days in the sport, but a reporter? Never.

Suddenly, it did not matter what Kyle Petty said. Suddenly, it did not what topic John Roberts tossed out for discussion. Tradin' Paint had become RaceDay. It had become Trackside. It had become NASCAR Live. With the one element that made this show unique missing, it was just another collection of NASCAR talking heads.

Petty had been escalating in his clashes with the media guests, and it was sometimes tough for him to keep his temper in check. That is exactly what made the show interesting at last. Petty talking with Jenna Fryer of the AP, Nate Ryan from USA Today, or Bob Pockrass of Scene Daily resulted in actual debating of real NASCAR issues on SPEED. Petty and Pockrass were outstanding.

Now, SPEED has suddenly "killed off" the position on the panel that might dare object to something that Petty might say. They have eliminated the panelist who might "step away" from towing the NASCAR line and have some new ideas or opinions.

Changing the reporter position to an owner position on this series was one of the worst television decisions of this NASCAR season. Even if the network decides to change it back, the damage is already done. With less than ten races in the NEXTEL Cup season and in the middle of The Chase, SPEED has shot itself right in the foot on national TV. The burning question is why?

There were no fireworks on these last two shows. There was no debate. There was only Kyle being very loud and spreading his wings because there was no one there to disagree. While Kyle is a veteran of the sport, he is on this show because of his perspective, not his wisdom.

He may have an opinion, but that does not make it an absolute truth. Anything he says is up for debate, and suddenly he does not like that very much. Apparently, its much more comfortable now to turn and see another team owner in the next chair.

Tradin' Paint is gone from my DVR list. Among the many hours of drivers and owners talking to John Roberts on the SPEED Stage, Tradin' Paint used to be special. Now, it blends right in with the RaceDay hi-jinks of Jimmy Spencer and Kenny Wallace, the Trackside fun with Larry Mac and Jeff Hammond, and the Bob Dillner driver interviews on Victory Lane.

One can only wonder what the NASCAR media thinks of SPEED fleeing any type of journalistic integrity or an actual difference of opinion on NASCAR issues being shown on TV.

Whether this change is a result of a NASCAR phone call or just Kyle Petty throwing his new found TV weight around, it speaks volumes about the real value of freedom of speech and open discussion of real NASCAR issues on SPEED. What a shame for the fans.

The Daly Planet welcomes comments from readers. Simply click on the COMMENTS button below, or email editor@thedalyplanet.tv if you wish not to be published.