Brian Vickers Out For Dover

Expect "NASCAR Now" and "Race Hub" to feature the breaking story of Brian Vickers missing the Dover race with an undisclosed illness. Click here to a link for the ESPN.com story on this topic.

Tape-Delayed Dover Truck Race An Issue Again

It's a conversation we have had before, but now some things have changed. The Camping World Truck Series race from Dover happens at 5PM on Friday. SPEED tape delays the race and airs it at 8PM ET that night.

The issues are pretty easy to understand, but that does not stop the debate over delaying the race for TV. Dover has no lights, so running the race live at 8PM is not possible. NASCAR and SPEED want the greatest possible exposure for the race, so they hold it until primetime on Friday.

So, what has changed? The answer is pretty simple. Social media is a tidal wave of information that comes at NASCAR fans who choose to participate. Twitter will have live updates, Facebook will have pictures and updates. Internet websites and blogs will have wrap-up information posted before the race airs on SPEED.

What most emails and tweets from fans are asking is why SPEED will not air the race live at 5PM and then simply re-air it at 8PM. The answer from SPEED is simple. Television is their business. You can only see CWTS races on SPEED. In order to get the widest possible audience, they are going to air it at 8PM.

Both sides of the issue make sense and have valid points. This is a good opportunity to let us know your views. Are you a hardcore fan who wants the TV broadcast to be live like the radio and online coverage? Maybe you can understand that SPEED is a business and wants the biggest number of eyeballs on the first airing of this event.

How about giving us your opinion on this topic? To add your comment, just click on the comments button below. This is a family-friendly website, please keep that in mind when posting. Thanks for taking the time to stop by The Daly Planet.

Wednesday NASCAR TV Updates

Here are the Wednesday TV/media updates posted as they come in:

SPEED has adjusted the Monday line-up again for next week. Here is the program schedule for May 17:

7:00PM - NASCAR Race Hub: No host announced, but the show will be one hour in length.
8:00PM - NASCAR Hall of Fame Biography Series: Dale Earnhardt Sr. is profiled.
9:00PM - Fast Track to Fame: Amateur talent show hosted by Michael Waltrip.
10:00PM - The Racing Chef: Chef Nicky whips up recipes with NASCAR guests.
10:30PM - Sounds of NASCAR: Great show profiling one personality or team on a race weekend.

What this means is Spencer's show What's the Deal is gone and also the Monday version of NASCAR in a Hurry seems to be a casualty of the changes at SPEED. More info when it comes out.

Meanwhile, we have reached out to NASCAR.com about their choice of a single raw camera feed and the microphone on the stage as the Hall of Fame opening ceremony webcast on Tuesday morning. NASCAR.com and SPEED are partners. SPEED was on site and produced a full three hour outstanding TV program. No response yet from Turner, the company that owns and operates the NASCAR.com website.

Reminder that tonight's NASCAR Now on ESPN2 at 5PM has Dr. Jerry Punch's sit down with Larry Pearson, who is pictured above. Discussion centers on Pearson's accident in Bristol in the charity race and the challenges he has faced since that time. Punch is the perfect person to deal with this subject. Mike Massaro is hosting.

Update: ESPN also reminds me Kyle Petty will be a NASCAR Now Wednesday guest on the anniversary of his son's tragic death. Kyle's charity motorcycle ride ended on Sunday as well.

Tonight's Race Hub on SPEED has Travis Kvapil and Denny Hamlin as guests. Rick Allen hosts at 7:30PM ET. Show re-airs 8:30PM Pacific Time.

We have also confirmed that Race Hub will be expanding to one hour in length for next week, but SPEED has not yet informed us if this will be permanent. Expanding at least the Monday show to one hour would be a great idea. It has been apparent since February that thirty minutes is not enough time for all the information, interviews and guests that SPEED can get from their new studio that is right in NASCAR's backyard.

More items will be added to this post as the day rolls on!

To leave your comment on these topic, just click the comment button below. Thanks for taking the time to stop by The Daly Planet.