TV Eyes Turning To Las Vegas For New Look Banquet

Now that NASCAR has made it official, plans are being formulated for the first post-season banquet week in Las Vegas, NV. NASCAR Chairman Brian France recently issued a statement on the move.

"I can't say enough about the warm reception from Las Vegas," said France. "Las Vegas really made it a priority to get the awards ceremony moved there. We were able to come to an agreement on reasonable room blocks, banquet facilities, and approvals to hold fan activities on the famous Las Vegas Strip."

France's comments suggest that the new look post-season activities may have little resemblance to the dated and scripted banquet televised each season on the ESPN networks. France himself seemed to show little interest in this function on TV and made cameo appearances that were painfully awkward.

Now, NASCAR has a blank canvas and seven months to get it painted. While that may seem like a lot of time, it is painfully short where both event planning and TV production are concerned. This is especially the case because of two small words in France's statement. They are "fan activities."

The biggest shift in the post-season party could be the inclusion of NASCAR fans. This season a trip to Las Vegas is more affordable than ever before and the potential exists to create an entirely new vibe for the drivers, teams and sponsors once the season is over.

TV viewers have seen the kind of blanket coverage SPEED has offered for the All-Star Race and other special events. ESPN has originated many NASCAR specials on-location at places like the Richard Petty museum, DEI headquarters and Daytona International Speedway. The potential exists to change the post-season TV coverage that has been a disaster since the new TV contract began in 2007.

Dreamers may look to large events like the X Games or the ESPY Awards. Realists may strive to preserve the tuxedos and the ballroom setting. In actuality, the opportunity to create a TV-friendly post-Homestead destination loaded with a combination of fan activities and team relaxation is very possible.

As we approach the halfway point in the season, it should be interesting to see what details start to emerge about the ideas being discussed for this first-time project.

Since TDP has luckily been able to get a great collection of NASCAR fans as readers, what are your suggestions for some post-season fun in Las Vegas? Tell us what you would like to see on TV for the awards ceremony and also what activities would get you interested in traveling to Las Vegas on December 4th?

To add your opinion on this topic, just click the comments button below. This is a family-friendly website, please keep that in mind when posting.

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Open Comments On The Passing Of David Poole

Here are some Twitter messages from various journalists and NASCAR personalities as the news of Poole's passing was made public:

that's racin': David Poole, Charlotte Observer racing columnist and expert, has passed at the age of 50. (This is the NASCAR website of the Charlotte Observer)

Jenna Fryer: David Poole will be terribly missed. His absence in the NASCAR media center will be tremendous. (Fryer is the AP and Yahoo! Sports NASCAR reporter)

Becca Gladden: David Poole, NASCAR Writer for Charlotte Observer for the last 13 years, passed away today. Thoughts go out to David's family. (Freelance writer)

Marty Smith: Very, very sad day. (ESPN NASCAR Lead Reporter)

Brian France: "The NASCAR community is stunned and saddened by the loss of David Poole." (NASCAR Chairman and CEO)

Click here for a direct link to that's racin' and a some great tributes to David.

Click here for a must read by Monte Dutton from the Gaston Gazzette.

We always had fun with David, who welcomed me to the NASCAR Internet world three years ago. His emails and comments were very helpful in designing the content and format of TDP. Our hearts go out to the entire Poole family.

Please feel free to leave your comments below. Just click the comments button.

Observation vs Experience On Monday's NASCAR TV

This was certainly an interesting Monday where NASCAR TV was concerned. Every Monday after a race, two of NASCAR's key TV partners each offer their own one hour review show.

ESPN was first with the roundtable version of NASCAR Now on ESPN2. Since this was the day after the Talladega race, the network brought out the big guns. Dale Jarrett, Andy Petree and Ray Evernham were on the panel with Allen Bestwick hosting. As Bestwick is known to say, this is a championship panel.

The topic of the day was the final lap accident in the Sprint Cup Series race. The panel was politically correct in the early answers about safety and concern for the injured fans. Then, things changed a bit.

Jarrett, Petree and Evernham work well together because they all have a broad range of experiences in the sport. All have been drivers, two have been crew chiefs and all have been owners. On this day, however, they were offering their opinions as observers.

Both Petree and Jarrett had flown to ESPN's studios in Connecticut after the Saturday Nationwide Series race. They joined Nicole Manske in a preview of the Talladega Cup race in the morning and then watched the race on TV.

"That was the most exciting race I have ever watched on television," said Petree. "I just love restrictor plate racing."

Jarrett said both Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards did exactly what they were supposed to do. Evernham quickly spoke up. "When you have both drivers that did exactly what they were supposed to do and you have a wreck that big, I think something needs to be done about the (yellow line) rule," said Evernham.

As one might expect, ESPN has a love of what is called B-roll. This is the footage shown while someone is speaking on-camera. Well, the main topic of the program was the Edwards crash. It was played approximately 35 times in the 48 minute show.

The upshot of the discussion was that the panel agreed that NASCAR would most probably change the size of the restrictor plate before the next Talladega race. Evernham was particularly outspoken with his comments and has been exactly the kind of expert ESPN hoped he would be now that his active NASCAR career is over.

Later that evening, the observations of the NASCAR Now crew gave way to the first-hand experience of the This Week In NASCAR gang. Just like ESPN did, SPEED called out the entire crew. Greg Biffle, Chad Knaus and Michael Waltrip were all on the panel and had all been involved in the Talladega race. It was the task of Steve Byrnes to control this group as the host.

Right from the start, all three panelists wanted to talk about the big accident and offer opinions on how and why things happened. As usual, it was a lot of Michael Waltrip and then some more Michael Waltrip. He has lots of ideas.

Chad Knaus was trying to be thoughtful and offered Talladega suggestions that ranged from no refueling under caution to adding a chicane on the backstretch. Waltrip countered with railroad ties as rear bumpers and no front bumpers. Greg Biffle tried to talk, but was constantly interrupted by Waltrip.

Byrnes and Waltrip are good friends and sometimes their conversations tend to dominate the show. This Monday was certainly a good example. Knaus and Biffle were non-factors, although they both contributed good preview information about Richmond and were allowed to answer email. Other than that, it was all Waltrip all the time.

Recently, Kenny Schrader has started to pop-up on SPEED in analyst roles on both the ARCA/REMAX telecasts and several episodes of Wind Tunnel. If there was ever a show that could have used Schrader, this was it. No matter how hard he tries and how much he smiles, Byrnes cannot put the clamps on Waltrip and that is a problem.

As usual, the features inside the program were outstanding and the panel always offers good information. What could have been changed was the dominance of Waltrip on an expanded panel where both Biffle and Knaus deserved more of an opportunity to speak.

TWIN is a formula show, however, and the one constant on the program for well over a decade has been Waltrip. Hosts and panelists have come and gone. Love him or hate him, Waltrip is the show and this week he certainly filled that role to the max.

TDP welcomes comments from readers. Just click on the comments button below to add your TV-related opinion. This is a family-friendly website, please keep that in mind when posting.

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