Hall Of Fame TV Coverage Comments

Both SPEED and ESPN2 had coverage from the Hall of Fame. The inductees announcement caught many off-guard.

The NASCAR fan comments below started as a live blog but continued as more folks watched the recordings of the preview show on SPEED, the live announcement, NASCAR Now on ESPN2 and then Race Hub on SPEED.

I enjoyed the debate in the preview show, including Kyle Petty repeatedly making the point that this was not an induction for Cup Series drivers, but one that should include folks who had a broad history in the sport. It certainly did turn out that way.

Nominee Darrell Waltrip appeared on the preview show, as well as the program after the announcement and then Race Hub. Waltrip made a lot of comments that seemed to rub some folks wrong. I just took them as someone passionate about getting another honor in the sport.

Dr. Jerry Punch was on NASCAR Now and revealed a lot of detail about how and why the selections were made. Punch was outstanding, but ESPN really did not give him the time he deserved to address those issues. Perhaps, next season the network might not host the show from the Connecticut studios.

Great to see Randy Pemberton on TV again after major back surgery. Pemberton had some tough interviews to handle before and after the selections were announced. He has a very long history in the sport and was the right person to put in this position.

There were four hours of live TV involved in the Hall of Fame selections. We would like your comments on what you watched, how you liked it and what you think should be improved for the future.

To leave your opinion, 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.

SPEED Names Patti Wheeler EVP Of Programming And Production

The changes at SPEED since FOX executive David Hill took over direct responsibility for the network have been ongoing. Today, Hill took his biggest step in naming veteran TV executive Patti Wheeler as Executive Vice President of Programming and Production. In essence, that hands day-to-day responsibility for the network to Wheeler.

Here is some information from the official SPEED media release:

“Beginning Nov. 1, Patti will take the lead in two crucial areas at SPEED,” said SPEED President Hunter Nickell. “Program development is key to any network’s continuing evolution, and with our substantial commitment to a live network presence at all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events headlining a massive motor sports production schedule, bringing in someone with Patti’s credentials and experience strengthens the entire SPEED team.”

Wheeler, who has produced every major racing series for every broadcast and cable network that has ever done motor sports, started her career at age 22 as a producer/director of live NASCAR races. She later served as Director of Motorsports and Executive Producer for TNN. Prior to founding her own company, Wheeler Television, Inc., Wheeler was President of World Sports Enterprises, the leading motorsports television production company in the U.S.

A graduate of Belmont Abbey College, Wheeler lives in Charlotte with her husband, Leo Hindery, Jr., and their two teenagers. She has been named one of NASCAR’s Top 25 Most Powerful People by the Charlotte Observer and was included on the Charlotte Business Journal list of Top Forty Under Forty.

We often see management changes when a new executive is put in charge of a major property. Hill was frustrated over the years that SPEED was managed by executives at FOX's Cable Networks group. Now, Hill is fully in charge of the entire SPEED franchise and that should bring even more changes down the road.

Keep in mind that the original reason SPEED moved from Stamford, CT to Charlotte, NC was to become a fulltime NASCAR TV network. Those plans never worked and lots of things have changed since then. It should be interesting to see how this new addition to SPEED effects what NASCAR fans see at home.

I can take your comments and questions in the comments section below. Just click on the comments button, there is no sign-up or auth code. Just talking NASCAR TV.

Talking NASCAR TV On The Rowdy Podcast

Thanks to the boys at Rowdy for including me in their Tuesday podcast. Click here to open the Rowdy.com homepage. Click on the "Play Today's Podcast" link on the right side of the page to open the podcast. It will load quickly and then play.

Let me know what you thought of the topics we discussed. Lots of good questions and issues in NASCAR TV land at this time of the season.

To add your opinion, 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.