Motorsports FanHouse http://motorsports.fanhouse.com Motorsports FanHouse http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif Motorsports FanHouse http://motorsports.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Griese Suspended for Montoya Remarkhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/10/27/griese-suspended-for-montoya-remark/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/10/27/griese-suspended-for-montoya-remark/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/10/27/griese-suspended-for-montoya-remark/#commentsFiled under: ,

Juan Pablo MontoyaESPN broadcaster Bob Griese has been suspended one week for a remark he made about NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya.

ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz says Griese will not be working a game this week.

Krulewitz says ESPN has spoken to Griese and "he understands the comment was inappropriate."

During ESPN's broadcast of the Minnesota-Ohio State game Saturday, a graphic was shown listing the top five drivers in NASCAR's points race. Fellow analyst Chris Spielman asked where was Montoya, who is Colombian.

Griese replied he was "out having a taco."

He has twice apologized on air for the remark.

Montoya is declining to comment on Griese's suspension. He brushed off the remark Sunday, and said he'd never heard of Griese.

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Griese Suspended for Montoya Remark originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>juan pablo montoyaFanHouse NewswireTue, 27 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST NASCAR Start Times Uniform in 2010http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/10/07/new-2010-race-start-times-expected/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/10/07/new-2010-race-start-times-expected/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/10/07/new-2010-race-start-times-expected/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Beginning with the 2010 Daytona 500, NASCAR fans won't have to deal with much variation in terms of start times for Sprint Cup races.

NASCAR and its three television broadcast partners announced Wednesday that they are moving to a uniform -- and often earlier -- drop of the green flag for races in 2010. It boils down simply to three options: East Coast races will start at 1 PM ET, West Coast races at 3 PM ET and night races at 7:30 PM ET.

Brian France, NASCAR's chairman and CEO, said the decision ultimately came down to going with what the fans wanted.

"Our core fans want to start watching NASCAR earlier in the afternoon," said France, referring to a focus group that NASCAR uses involving over 12,000 fans. "We haven't been as consistent as we can."

NASCAR calls the focus group its "Fan Council," and said that half of those fans were unclear when races would start and two-thirds requested earlier start times on Sundays.

Twenty races will start at 1 PM ET in 2010, six at 3 PM ET and nine at 7:30 PM ET in 2010. One race, the Coca-Cola 600 during Memorial Day weekend, will still start at 5:45 PM ET. Overall, 28 races will start at an earlier time from 2009.

The new start times are really a return to the past for NASCAR, after one TV partner, FOX, tried to increase ratings and visibility by pushing the finishes of races deeper into prime time. For example, the Daytona 500 in 2009 started around 3:40 PM ET -- some three and a half hours later than the 2000 version started. It will return to a 1 PM ET start in 2010.

FOX Sports Chairman David Hill -- his network carries the season's first 13 races with Daytona included -- acknowledged that while trends in television point to higher ratings with later starts, it didn't work well with NASCAR.

"I think we started to tinker with something we shouldn't have," said Hill. "I'll put my hand up and say, 'guilty.' "

Television ratings have been lower for several races in 2009. Does Hill think this switch will flip those around in 2010?

"I expect the ratings to drop next year," said Hill. "I think what you're going to see is an increase ratings for the Chase."

Hill attributed his assumptions to fans getting a better feel for the time schedule as the season moves on.

The listed start time is often a confusion for many fans because the television networks often list the time for start of the pre-race show. In 2010, that won't be true. A 1 PM start time will mean the pre-race invocation will start at that moment, with the green flag dropping 15-20 minutes thereafter.

While it wasn't a factor in the decision, the earlier start times should also have a positive effect on races that feature weather problems.

"It will give us more flexibility if rain should occur," said France. "We did have, especially earlier in the year, quite a bit of challenge with rain. Having more daylight, time to get events in, definitely will be an added benefit. It certainly wasn't the reason that we all did this but it will have an added benefit."

Had this been implemented in 2009, race fans would have seen an entire Daytona 500 (it was shortened due to rain) and they may have seen the Watkins Glen race on a Sunday instead of a Monday after rain swept in. Track drying efforts were thwarted by darkness.

Don't expect the changes to be a temporary grab at elevating ratings for 2010.

"We're not in this for the short term, but we are in this for long term," said FOX's Hill. "We believe firmly by making this move, it's going to give us long term ratings growth, because we're giving the fans what they want."

NASCAR Start Times Uniform in 2010 originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Geoffrey MillerWed, 07 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST Reckless Rules: ESPN to Debut 'Backseat Driving' Race Broadcasthttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/08/12/reckless-rules-espn-to-debut-backseat-driving-race-broadcast/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/08/12/reckless-rules-espn-to-debut-backseat-driving-race-broadcast/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/08/12/reckless-rules-espn-to-debut-backseat-driving-race-broadcast/#commentsFiled under:

Rusty WallaceTypically, back-seat drivers are annoying and intrusive.

But when it's five NASCAR champions -- three crew chiefs and a pair of drivers -- doing the talking, well, that's a little different. At least that's what ESPN is betting on when it debuts an innovative race broadcast for Saturday's Nationwide Series race at Michigan International Speedway.

Instead of using a traditional play-by-play announcer, ESPN will have Ray Evernham, Andy Petree, Rusty Wallace (right) and Dale Jarrett calling the race in high speed stream-of-consciousness. Tim Brewer will weigh in from his usual perch in the "tech garage."

"It's going to be a different process for sure," said Wallace, the 1989 Cup Series champ. "I feel comfortable with it, I'm excited about it and when it's all said and done, it's either going to work or won't work and we'll see what happens."

Give ESPN credit, at least the network is trying something that doesn't resort to giving massive airtime to an animated rodent so it can hawk toys and t-shirts to children.

If this round table style works it will be entertaining and informative. The key will be balancing the "back in the day" stories with insight from the live race. These five analysts are good at both and seem to have a natural chemistry with one another.

And ESPN has said this is a one-time try, not something the network is trying to introduce on a regular basis.

"I guess my biggest concern is that we don't step over the top of each other and we don't keep interrupting each other, stuff like that," Wallace said.

"I think once we get about 10 minutes into the broadcast we'll find our home and understand where we're at.''

Evernham said it's his understanding that ESPN doesn't want a specific direction from the group. The only marching orders are to march to your own drum.

"As far as I know, when we drop the green flag we're all headed towards the first corner together, so you know this group, someone is going to lead," Evernham said.

"They want us, they want our personalities, they want us to be just like we're sitting around a table at somebody's house watching the race on television and talking about it.''

And added Evernham, "We're going to second guess the teams, we're going to second guess one another ... I mean, we're going to have fun with it, and you go out on a limb sometimes when you're second guessing some strategy and find out you get taught something by one of these new crew chiefs.

"So I'm looking forward to it."

And for my money, as long as no one utters the phrase "Boogity, Boogity, Boogity" it'll be worth checking out.

Reckless Rules: ESPN to Debut 'Backseat Driving' Race Broadcast originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>ESPNNationwide SeriesNationwideSeriesrusty wallaceRustyWallaceHolly CainWed, 12 Aug 2009 17:00:00 EST Bill Weber Out, Ralph Sheheen In for TNThttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/07/02/bill-weber-out-ralph-sheheen-in-for-tnt/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/07/02/bill-weber-out-ralph-sheheen-in-for-tnt/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/07/02/bill-weber-out-ralph-sheheen-in-for-tnt/#commentsFiled under: ,

Bill Weber NASCAR TNTAfter what the Charlotte Observer is calling a "loud confrontation" at a Manchester, N.H., hotel prior to last Sunday's Lenox 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, TNT play-by-play announcer Bill Weber won't be returning to the booth in 2009.

The network announced the move Wednesday, and also confirmed that Ralph Sheheen will continue in the replacement role for the final two TNT races this weekend in Daytona Beach and next at Chicagoland.

Sheheen did a bang-up job in his first coverage of a Sprint Cup race on Sunday, but the bigger question surrounds what exactly Weber did to force himself out of the booth for what will ultimately be half of TNT's NASCAR coverage.

The television channel is responsible for six races in between the 15 points-paying races covered by FOX and ESPN each season, and Weber had covered the first three races at Pocono, Michigan and Infineon. He was scheduled to complete the six-race run until TNT abruptly announced on Sunday morning at NHMS that he wouldn't be in the booth.

TNT, naturally, isn't saying anything about the matter beyond the logistical details, and hasn't confirmed or denied the Observer's report of Weber being involved in some sort of confrontation. Prior to his gig with TNT, Weber worked both as a host and play-by-play during NBC's coverage of NASCAR, and also as a pit reporter with ESPN in the 1990s.

One site, All Left Turns, is reporting that ESPN writer Ed Hinton mentioned in a live chat on Sunday during the race that many in the media center had heard the confrontation arose after Weber took issue with his room and was in an "adamant" conversation about the subject with what is presumably hotel staff.

Now, to put that together, you've got a disgruntled hotel guest who is presumably attempting to get a problem fixed, but allows himself to get so out of hand that he's disciplined at his day job. Either Weber's fuse blew into several pieces in front of a hotel clerk, or he said something within earshot of a TNT executive that might have a been looking for a way to drop a certain play-by-play announcer.

It should be noted that TNT says that Weber still remains under contract with them.

In his absence, I'd certainly have to say that Ralph Sheheen, normally a pit road reporter, stepped in and pounded out a smooth, consistent and fresh broadcast at NHMS. Some fans may not enjoy his higher-pitched voice, but Sheheen has plenty of experience in calling the action, as he is currently the play-by-play guy for motocross on SPEED.

Most importantly, though, Sheheen's addition to the broadcast seemed quite natural, and his biggest compliment was that he seemed to allow all of the tools TNT has assembled -- from Larry McReynolds in the pit studio, the pit reporters and boothmates Wally Dallenbach and Kyle Petty -- to really tell their story without getting in the way.

Sheheen's natural ability will be especially handy as the network follows the Sprint Cup Series on Saturday night to Daytona for the 400-mile night race that will likely be TNT's most-watched of the summer stretch. For the third-straight year, the network will roll out its "Wide Open" coverage with limited commercial interruption.

The concept is a new one for NASCAR and has seemed to fair quite well in recent years, and TNT hopes it will overshadow the booth problems with Weber.

But for the rest of us? I'd say we're definitely looking for more details about what exactly happened with Weber -- and one would think that they'll be filled in soon.

Bill Weber Out, Ralph Sheheen In for TNT originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Bill WeberCoke Zero 400DaytonaNew Hampshire Motor SpeedwaySprint CupTNTGeoffrey MillerThu, 02 Jul 2009 00:18:00 EST NASCAR Writer David Poole Dieshttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/04/28/longtime-nascar-writer-david-poole-has-died/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/04/28/longtime-nascar-writer-david-poole-has-died/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/04/28/longtime-nascar-writer-david-poole-has-died/#commentsFiled under:

I received the news that Charlotte Observer NASCAR writer David Poole had passed away of a heart attack Tuesday while I was on-hold waiting for Dale Earnhardt Jr. to call into a teleconference.

It didn't seem possible. I had just sat with David, 50, in the press box in Talladega, Ala. two days ago. I'd shared press boxes and media centers with him since he joined the NASCAR beat in 1997.

With all due respect to Earnhardt as the interview went on, all the talk of drafting, restrictor plates and metal fencing became not nearly as important as the day before, the hour before.


The reality really set in when "David-Poole-Charlotte-Observer" -- as he identified himself in rapid Southern cadence -- wasn't called on to ask a question of Earnhardt. David was always part of this weekly forum, usually first in line.

He was THE beat writer. The drivers and race teams live in or near Charlotte and his race recounts and opinion pieces were what they had delivered to their doorsteps on Monday mornings.

And David was always up to it. He wasn't afraid to ask the tough question. He wasn't afraid to question the tough.

I can't remember the last time Tony Stewart held a news conference without some reference to "Poole." And David had no trouble trading all-in-fun barbs with the sharp-tongued Stewart, who clearly enjoyed the sparring match.

Those that have worked with David will remember him for many reasons. He was our voice when it came to getting the speakers louder, the replays re-played. ... or the press rooms quiet on deadline. Television cameramen and still photographers didn't dare box him out of an interview.

FanHouse blogger Geoffrey Miller said today he considered Poole one of his greatest influences, something which David would undoubtedly try to make light of, even as he so graciously appreciated the praise.

One of the last memories I have of David is of the joy he was getting watching the fans from our press box perch Sunday afternoon. On each of Earnhardt's pit stops, one middle-aged man - an Earnhardt fan - was directing Earnhardt as if he were part of the crew.

He'd motion the car to move forward then stick his palm up to signal for Earnhardt to stop. He never sat down and raised his fist in encouragement every time Earnhardt's No. 88 drove by - even though he would have been nothing more than a red blur to his favorite driver.

David got such a kick out of it. He laughed all afternoon. Until the last lap.

As we heard the impact just below us and watched Carl Edwards' car fly into the air and into the fence, we gasped, and immediately went into hard-news mode. We needed medical details, crash details and David was already holding officials accountable.

He cared deeply for the people he covered and the fans who watched and that always came through in in his writing.

David Poole cared. And the sport and those that knew him are better off because he did.

It's a fine legacy for the family he was so proud of - the one thing in life he cared for most.

NASCAR Writer David Poole Dies originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:13:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Holly CainTue, 28 Apr 2009 18:13:00 EST NASCAR Fans, April Fools Don't Mixhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/04/02/nascar-fans-april-fools-dont-mix/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/04/02/nascar-fans-april-fools-dont-mix/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/04/02/nascar-fans-april-fools-dont-mix/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

NASCAR fans, the point has been taken: April Fool's Day jokes just don't fly.

A day after many fans thought the NASCAR world as a whole was crumbling to the ground, we've learned that NASCAR fans just don't take kindly to false news reports in an attempt to be irreverent and humorous. The violator of the NASCAR people's trust was automobile magazine Car and Driver, and everywhere you looked on April 1, there was a reminder of their egregious error.

And when I say 'everywhere you looked', I mean everywhere -- including places like a major search engine site with a headline reading 'April Fools' hoax has NASCAR fans in a frenzy'. Yeah, it was that bad.

Car and Driver posted what's now an infamous article to their website (to the best of my searching abilities, it no longer exists) claiming that U.S. President Barack Obama was forcing both Dodge and General Motors to exit NASCAR by the end of 2009 as part of their last-minute lifelines for survival announced this week.

According to the faux story, the automakers were going to save $250 million by dropping support of America's top racing league.

Well, that story quickly circulated as many people were utterly and completely oblivious that they were being roped in to one of the best-played hoaxes of the annual day of jokesters. As the day wore on, several NASCAR websites began putting updates on their site proclaiming that C&D's article was indeed a prank and that NASCAR's downfall was not imminent due to a lack of manufacturers.

Over at Jayski, a warning was posted to readers, calling it a "sad tradition" of April Fool's Day gags from the magazine. The Charlotte Observer's David Poole recalled pulling a prank on his college paper at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, saying he "knows better now" that not everyone finds it funny.

Now, if you make a search for Car and Driver, numerous articles pop up talking about how fan after fan e-mailed comments around to various outlets trying to find out if the article was true. Without a doubt, I'd say Car and Driver's stunt topped just about everything else on April 1 in the amount of volume it received -- think the advertising team is happy today or what? -- but in terms of comedic value it fell flat on its face.

This wasn't similar to Expedia's offer of a $99 trip to Mars or a London newspaper declaring it was switching to Twitter because "studies have shown that all news can be told in 140 characters or less", but rather, it had a strange tone that said "Hey, this might be true."

For the record, C&D removed the post later in the day.

Of course, with the way the pair of major American auto companies are failing to make any sort of profit, the near future could very well see a dramatic reduction, if not complete pull out, of NASCAR support given by GM or Dodge. The optimistic race fan hopes that the return on the investment to NASCAR is good enough thanks to the large crowds and overall sponsorship pride race fans have, and that any remaining auto companies will stay in the sport.

I'll grant NASCAR fans a pardon on this one because of how sensitive the subject was -- heck, I even wrote something similar a year ago -- and how close to the truth it could have been. Surely, C&D could have found a less sensitive topic with more humor.

In the same breath, however, I'm worried that NASCAR media sources looking to just brighten up someone's day with a well-placed joke will have to tread so lightly that we don't get a laugh. I mean, come on, don't tell me that reading a faux-quote from Jimmie Johnson saying that he "plans to grow that beard until it's "so thick it doesn't fit in my helmet" (props to Busbee at the Marbles) isn't something that makes you laugh.

I know the world isn't great at the moment and that we all get caught up in the grind, but let's make a promise for next year to be a little less miffed at getting 'taken' by an April Fool's joke and more open to laughing it off. After all, we all seemed to have dodged -- for the time being -- that nasty little Conficker character.

Isn't that something to be more Carl Edwards-y (backflips and smiles) about than Kyle Busch-y (100-yard tantrum dash to the motor home lot following bad race) about?

NASCAR Fans, April Fools Don't Mix originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 01:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>NASCAR FansNASCAR Media WatchNascarFansNascarMediaWatchSprint CuSprintCuGeoffrey MillerThu, 02 Apr 2009 01:44:00 EST Jimmie Johnson Appears On Conan, Discusses Rolex 24 Knife Incidenthttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/01/27/jimmie-johnson-appears-on-conan-discusses-rolex-24-knife-incide/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/01/27/jimmie-johnson-appears-on-conan-discusses-rolex-24-knife-incide/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/01/27/jimmie-johnson-appears-on-conan-discusses-rolex-24-knife-incide/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Jimmie Johnson, NASCAR's first Sprint Cup driver to win three consecutive championships in 30 years, made an appearance on NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien Monday. On the show, Johnson talked about his recently injured middle finger and made some interesting comments a tremendous 2001 crash he was involved in.



Without a doubt, Johnson's visit to the show took on some extra meaning after his finger injury required minor surgery just weeks before the 51st Daytona 500.

In the appearance, Johnson -- he's still rocking that beard from a few weeks ago -- explained exactly what happened to keep him from driving in the finish of last weekend's Rolex 24 at Daytona sports car race. Johnson was grouped with Jimmy Vassar, Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty in the GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing team that finished 7th.

"I'm in between my [driving] stints, I'm going to finish the car for the team which is a big honor. I've had like three hours of sleep during this whole process of the 24 hour race and I get my firesuit on and I'm trying to get to the car [...]," said Johnson. "Like a fool, I grab a kitchen knife out of my motorhome and I'm trying to poke a hole in my firesuit to rush out to the car and knife goes through suit, through finger and I have major damage."

Johnson needed a hole in firesuit for a water cooling system that helps keep his torso cool in the race car. The result was the aforementioned stitches and surgery.

O'Brien felt bad for Johnson but couldn't help but realize the irony in the fact that Johnson, being a race car driver, hurt himself doing some so trivial.

"When you hear a NASCAR guy is coming and that he's injured, you don't expect it to be something the rest of us do while we're slicing a bagel," said O'Brien.

Johnson later talked about a scary ride he took a number of years while in a Nationwide Series race on the road course at Watkins Glen in New York. Johnson was heading into the track's 90-degree right-hand turn when his brake pedal went to the floor. Johnson pounded the foam barrier at nearly full speed. (Watch it here.)

"It's such a weird feeling to go into a corner at a high-rate of speed, push on the brake pedal and nothing's there," said Johnson while describing the incident. "[...] I really thought it was going to take my life. It was a serious wreck."

Thankfully, the massive foam barriers prevented Johnson from suffering any serious injuries and the driver was able to climb from the car, stand on the roof and salute the cheering fans.

What was he thinking upon realizing he had survived the wreck?

"First of all, I was hoping my underwear was still clean," said Johnson.

Jimmie Johnson Appears On Conan, Discusses Rolex 24 Knife Incident originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Daytona500HendrickMotorsportsJimmieJohnsonNASCARVideosSprintCupGeoffrey MillerTue, 27 Jan 2009 18:23:00 EST NASCAR, TV Partner Reject Bruton Smith's Local Race TV Blackout Ideahttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/01/21/nascar-tv-partner-reject-bruton-smiths-local-race-tv-blackout/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/01/21/nascar-tv-partner-reject-bruton-smiths-local-race-tv-blackout/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/01/21/nascar-tv-partner-reject-bruton-smiths-local-race-tv-blackout/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Never will a season go by in the NASCAR world without Speedway Motorsports, Inc., chairman Bruton Smith stirring things up.

Fans got a glimpse of that earlier this week during the annual Sprint Cup Media Tour hosted by one of his tracks, Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.

Smith, answering a question from a reporter on attendance issues, brought up an interesting point for the sport as a whole to consider.

Should NASCAR be putting local blackouts on races that aren't sold out?

It's been the way of the NFL and the Indianapolis 500, among others, for years, after a certain local venue hasn't sold out for an event. The '500', in the case of Indianapolis residents, is always shown later in the evening -- just in time for the race's spectators to get home and catch a glimpse of the start before nodding off for a post-race nap.

And for Smith, he sees it as a way to help out tracks -- especially his seating behemoths in Concord, Atlanta and Fort Worth that are following the status quo with ticket sale troubles in 2009 -- by forcing local race fans to check out the race in person versus sitting in the comfort of their living room and high-definition television.

NASCAR, and ESPN for that matter, responded with a strong, yet eloquent, "no way" on Wednesday, according to ThatsRacin's David Poole.

And, honestly, you can't really blame them.

NASCAR, for one, appears to be at some sort of crossroads with some significant days ahead that will determine the brightness of its future. Such a future with a slew of elements that create positive momentum for a sport always have to revolve around the fan base, and when NASCAR is trying to keep both its tried and true fans happy alongside a few new curveballs to bring on new fans, it can't be alienating anyone.

For the broadcasters, a blackout is hardly ever a good thing because of the viewership they lose in certain markets. When a race isn't on TV for a live broadcast in Indianapolis, there's advertising money that is heading down the drain.

Sure, it sounds good to for Smith as a track owner to create new ways to get fans at the track, but at the moment, it seems like he's going to have find other solutions.

NASCAR, TV Partner Reject Bruton Smith's Local Race TV Blackout Idea originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:56:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>BrutonSmithESPNLowesMotorSpeedwaySpeedwayMotorsportsSprintCupGeoffrey MillerWed, 21 Jan 2009 22:56:00 EST ESPN Shifts IndyCar Staff Towards NASCARhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/01/06/espn-shifts-indycar-staff-towards-nascar/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/01/06/espn-shifts-indycar-staff-towards-nascar/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/01/06/espn-shifts-indycar-staff-towards-nascar/#commentsFiled under: ,

Thanks to a new deal that the IRL IndyCar Series inked with the cable television network Versus in 2008, ESPN ended up with just five of the series' 17 2009 events after being the permanent home of the open wheelers for many years.

And, as a result, the Worldwide Leader ended up with a glut of talent for its broadcasting efforts -- forcing a few benefits into the hand of NASCAR television watchers.

Those benefits, as the broadcaster announced today with a press release, include expanded NASCAR roles for standard IndyCar lap-by-lap point man Marty Reid and longtime IndyCar pit reporter Vince Welch.

Reid, who I think is a much more exciting lap-by-lap guy than ESPN's Sprint Cup guy Jerry Punch (he reminds of the nearly always monotonous Joe Buck on FOX), will be taking on a more pronounced lap-by-lap role in the second half of the Nationwide Series season. In the past, Punch has been responsible for the majority of Nationwide and Sprint Cup broadcasts in the second half of the season.

And, as many of you know, 2009 won't be Reid's first Nationwide Series rodeo as the broadcaster has done a handful of races in the past two years in an effort to give Punch a break here and there.

Welch, who's worked at the Indianapolis CBS affilate and as the sports director for Indianapolis' WIBC-AM, has been with ESPN for IndyCar and college football sideline reporting and will now take on the role as the fourth pit reporter for Sprint Cup broadcasts by joining Mike Massaro, Jamie Little, Shannon Spake and Dave Burns.

Both Reid and Welch will still work the five race IndyCar schedule, with Reid serving as the lead announcer for this May's Indianapolis 500.

ESPN also noted that Massaro will be expanding his role from pit reporter and NASCAR Now contributor to being serving as a rotating host for "Now" with Nicole Manske -- also a veteran of Indy's CBS affiliate -- and longtime NASCAR broadcaster Allen Bestwick.

The rest of the ESPN crew will stay virtually the same in 2009 with Punch, Andy Petree and Dale Jarrett serving as the primary Sprint Cup race broadcasters for ESPN's coverage of the second half of the Sprint Cup season.

ESPN Shifts IndyCar Staff Towards NASCAR originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>ABCDaleJarrettESPNJerryPunchMartyReidMikeMassaroNationwideSeriesSprintCupGeoffrey MillerTue, 06 Jan 2009 13:07:00 EST Settlement Should Bring Positives for NASCARhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/12/19/settlement-should-bring-positives-for-nascar/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/12/19/settlement-should-bring-positives-for-nascar/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/12/19/settlement-should-bring-positives-for-nascar/#commentsFiled under: ,

Hopefully the old motto of "any publicity is good publicity" is ringing true this week for NASCAR fans after nearly every news outlet reported the same thing Thursday: NASCAR has settled a $225 million lawsuit over discrimination.

The case, filed with just as much if not more fanfare back in June, involved a former female official -- Mauricia Grant -- claiming sexual harassment, racial discrimination and other not-so-rosy things that happened during her tenure with NASCAR.

Grant was the first black female to serve as an official within the sport.

News of the settlement came via NASCAR and both sides are refusing to divulge exact figures financially, but a terms of the deal included neither side taking fault for the actions cited in the original lawsuit. And knowing that NASCAR suspended and then fired two officials named in the suit after an internal investigation earlier this summer, I'd imagine the sanctioning body realized it was in a case it couldn't win outright.

I'm sure there were a few faults in Grant's case -- they are almost necessary when you file such a large suit -- that harmed some of claims, but in the long run, this settlement indicates two things to me.

For one, it indicates NASCAR dropped the ball at some level in making sure their work environment truly was free of the alleged practices. Simply, the suit wouldn't have had any standing if NASCAR could have proven they were completely innocent in the matter.

Two, and likely more importantly, it hopefully sets forth a proactive approach to its move toward diversity. The sanctioning body will be forced -- and it's probably outlined in the settlement at some level -- to make sure it has more than just policies in place to prevent such actions and also to make sure it has effective ways to police them.

Sure, Grant probably made a pretty penny thanks to her case and some of the highly inappropriate actions she saw, but NASCAR fans musn't look at that side. Instead, think about how this can make NASCAR a better place in the future.

Settlement Should Bring Positives for NASCAR originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 00:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>SprintCupGeoffrey MillerFri, 19 Dec 2008 00:12:00 EST ABC's NASCAR Dump Still Doesn't Feel Righthttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/11/12/abcs-nascar-dump-still-doesnt-feel-right/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/11/12/abcs-nascar-dump-still-doesnt-feel-right/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/11/12/abcs-nascar-dump-still-doesnt-feel-right/#commentsFiled under: ,

"We love ya, NASCAR, but not that much."

Dr. Jerry Punch made that sound so simple and so easy Sunday afternoon at Phoenix International Raceway when ABC, the network he was doing NASCAR play-by-play for, had some 'other network obligations' to get to.

The NASCAR race -- one that still had an high possibility for drastic changes to the season championship standings -- was to be trumped by ABC Sunday night prime-time programming. Maybe ABC was wanting to urgently get 'World News' on the air? Or maybe Charles Gibson couldn't wait any longer for his post-show dinner?

Nah, ABC thought, Tom Bergeron and a monkey scratching his butt on "America's Funniest Home Videos" were far more important than seeing Jimmie Johnson -- who has now staked a claim with his soon-to-be third-straight NASCAR championship as one of the sport's all-time greats -- potentially win the championship (or lose it in dramatic fashion).

And so, NASCAR racing turned to monkey butt itching on ABC, forcing fans to catch the final segment of the race on ESPN2.

It was a horrible call on ABC's part and down right slap in the face to NASCAR fans.

Honestly, what would ABC had done if Johnson would have won the championship? How would NASCAR feel seeing the championship celebration take place on a cable network? Or what happens if Edwards did something drastic to tighten up the Chase? Would that have been fair to NASCAR fan who has read for months and months that he or she could at least watch the final 11 races of the season on the rabbit-ear TV set?

My answer, unequivocally, is no. And don't give me any "subject to change" baloney. Either ABC is in the NASCAR game completely or out completely.

Sunday's finish wasn't like a blowout in college football. There wasn't a decided winner with 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter and it certainly wasn't a meaningless game.

This was the penultimate race in the NASCAR season and ABC handled it like a meaningless made-for-TV exhibition. Think its time that NASCAR starts to look at the stipulations in a TV contract? I sure think so.

If you need an example of how a major sport and a major network should handle sports coverage, look no further than the NFL. CBS has one of the highest-rated programs ever with "60 Minutes", but nearly every Sunday an NFL game trumps the start of that show -- thanks to NFL mandating it in its contract when a local market game hasn't finished right at the end of the 7pm/EST time slot.

I get the fact that NASCAR is a different animal in the sports world with rain delays and red flags -- 45 minutes of which we got Sunday at PIR -- but there's got to be a better way to handle a sport during the prime of its season. A simple solution I see already is the 45 minutes of prerace blotter NASCAR fans get.

Trim down the prerace, quit making race start times "optimal for viewers" (I don't hear West Coast NFL fans complaining about 1:00pm/EST start times) and start finding a television partner that is willing to sacrifice some other program for the sport.

NASCAR said Tuesday they were "surprised" at ABCs move and have talked with the network about what to do in the future, but if ABC finds that cutting to "AFV" instead of finishing what amounts to be a playoff game in other sport to be the right thing to do, I don't think there's a whole lot of future with such an organization.

ABC's NASCAR Dump Still Doesn't Feel Right originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Geoffrey MillerWed, 12 Nov 2008 00:10:00 EST FanHouse Talks to Dale Earnhardt Jr. About Amp, the Chase and Ride-Alongshttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/11/05/fanhouse-talks-to-dale-earnhardt-jr-about-amp-the-chase-and-ri/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/11/05/fanhouse-talks-to-dale-earnhardt-jr-about-amp-the-chase-and-ri/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/11/05/fanhouse-talks-to-dale-earnhardt-jr-about-amp-the-chase-and-ri/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Recently, Wrangler Jeans was kind enough to invite FanHouse down to Charlotte to interview Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and -- I kid you not -- ride a couple laps in the 88 car. (Watch the full video of Will Brinson's ride with Dale Jr.) What follows is the conversation between Junior and myself about Hendrick Motorsports, Jimmie Johnson's dominance and how Amp is secretly a better post race drink than Budweiser.

Will Brinson: Thanks for having us down here to hang out, ride around in cars, and get our NASCAR feet wet.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Yeah, man, good to have you.

WB: I want to talk about the Sprint Cup for just a second. Jimmie [Johnson] is locked up, right? He's got his third straight title? What are your thoughts on that?

DE: Yeah, I think Jimmie's on record to set a new record, even to write history. I said to him the other day, "Man you're writing history". And I'm happy for him, he's a great guy ... I say to him all the time: "If people only knew who you are ...". But I think people do know Jimmie is and know he's a good guy. But man, he really deserves it; he works the hardest of any driver I know to stay in shape, to understand what's going on out there and to be ready do his job every Sunday. They're hard to beat man, and they earned it.

WB: Well, considering just how good Jimmie's been over the past three years, do you think there are any changes that need to be made in terms of how the Chase is setup?

DE: I don't think that the Chase needs any changes. I think you gotta give Jimmie credit for being that good under these circumstances this year. Sure, people are going to say he made a mockery of the Chase and this and that and the other, but he was just that good.

Give the guy credit; I don't think any changes really need to be made. NASCAR made a playoff system, it's very exciting and we had a guy run away with it -- we had a dominant team. But you have that in all sports, even with great playoff structures, you still get the dominant teams every once in a while. And we really are witnessing one of the greatest performances of this decade, if not the sport itself. So, I just think a lot of credit goes to Jimmie and the Chase is really in good shape the way it's setup right now.



WB: All right, cool, well, switching back to Hendrick -- you guys had an overall team that did really well in the regular season -- you think the change gives you a shot at a Championship in the future?

DE: Yeah, my switch gives me a great opportunity, not only in working with Rick as an owner, but he also takes really good care of his employees. He does such a great job as an owner, and makes you really proud to be a part of the team. He makes you feel like family and you really enjoy working for a guy like that and it makes you want to go out and work really hard. Aside from that, performance-wise and professionally, it gives me an opportunity to be in the Chase this year. If I have a couple other things that go differently, we're out there battling for a top-five finish in the points. We still have that opportunity, but we had a pretty good season up until the Chase started and we're proud of what we were able to do. We started this year saying "Alright, I'm a good race driver ... I got a good team ... I'm going into a program that's proven ... What's gonna happen?" We really didn't know. So we saw we can make it happen, we saw we can race well, so we're looking forward to next year.

WB: Right on ... I actually thought the toughest part of that transition, you know, not that Amp isn't a great product, but you had to go from Budweiser to Amp, which makes the post-race celebration a little tougher.

DE: A little different. But it's a mixer, man, you can make it whatever you want. It actually goes pretty well with vodka. [Laughter fills the room.] So the post-race stuff is still pretty fun. But it was different. I had a great relationship with Budweiser and I'd been with them for so long -- and it's different -- you know, it's weird to be used to doing things one way and totally change up. But it's been a great experience for me.



WB: Sure, well that's the nice thing about Wrangler -- you've been with them five years now, and they're your longest running sponsor. You want to give us a little background on how, you know, working with the Pettys and Victory Junction you guys put this event on today.

DE: Yeah, what we're doing today is basically the result of an auction we did online where the proceeds went to Victory Junction Gang, which is a camp for terminally ill kids that Kyle Petty runs. They're building a new camp in Kansas, and they've got one here in North Carolina -- and both camps are doing really well. Wrangler puts on the auction and they're auctioning off a ride in a racecar with me -- I'm gonna take a guy around the track for a few laps. He paid over $15,000 to do this, so we'll scare the heck out of him if we can ... give him a good little experience about what it's like to be inside the car. And we'll have a lot of fun with that, and he'll hopefully enjoy it.

We've done this auction several years in a row, it's worked very well so far, and we put a couple other items up there and it raises somewhere around $20,000 each year. And the people that are really solely responsible for this auction are Wrangler Jeans. And like you said, they've been with me for five years, they've been with my family working with my dad in the past ... literally they've been with me for almost 25, 30 years. It's been a great experience, they're great people, and I have a lot of fun doing these type of things.

I do a lot of these appearances all year long and one of the best ones is being able to take someone around a racetrack and see what you're doing. So I'm gonna take about 15 people for rides today and you're one of them (Ed. Note: *gulp*)... and also I have the opportunity to take a couple friends around the track and sneak them in for a couple laps.

WB: Nice, yeah, so Whiskey River, what's up with that ... downtown Charlotte?

DE: Yeah, I got into the bar business, and I've been looking to get into the bar business for about 10 years. But you've got to meet the right people and doing this with the right person -- you can certainly get in some shady deals. And I was able to get up with the right group and we partenered up with a good vision of what we wanted to create ... we created like a sports-rock, well, a country-rock bar. And there's no sign of racing, and you wouldn't ever know -- there's nothing sports affiliated in the thing, unless you count the mechanical bull -- we have a lot of fun with that thing, you know, the girls love it.



The bar's been open for about eight months, and we had Gary Allen open it up for us and he came back again and played it for a charity auction, and Dierks Bentley (above) used it for a CD release party, so that was a heck of a compliment, I was really excited about that. It's a lot of fun, I go about once or twice a month, get in there and see what's going on, see if we need to change anything up.

WB: Alright, well, I'm getting in the car with you in a few minutes, so I'm curious to find out what's the worst experience you've ever had in a ridealong before ...

DE: I haven't really had any bad ones before ... I guess the worst part is when you get someone who's really kind of freaking out and getting too nervous ... you don't want to scare anyone, obviously, don't want to really give anyone a bad experience (Nervous laughter ensues) ... my crew chief's wife, Amy, she's a little tiny thing and she was petrified and so that was tough and so I don't know if I was helping her out ... (More nervous laughter from both sides) ... I don't know if she'd every do it again. But I've never had anyone lose any bowels or lose any fluids out any, uh, end of their bodies.

(Entire room fills with laughter)

WB: Alright, Dale, well, thanks again for taking the time to talk to us and, uh, I'll try not to lose my bowels out there.

DE: Aw, man, don't worry, you'll be fine.

FanHouse Talks to Dale Earnhardt Jr. About Amp, the Chase and Ride-Alongs originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>dale earnhardtdale earnhardt jr.DaleEarnhardtDaleEarnhardtJr.dierks bentleyDierksBentleygary allenGaryAllenJimmie JohnsonJimmieJohnsonjr.Will BrinsonWed, 05 Nov 2008 12:40:00 EST Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Takes Will Brinson, Blogger, and FanHouse for a Ride in His Stock Carhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/11/05/dale-earnhardt-jr-takes-will-brinson-blogger-and-fanhouse-fo/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/11/05/dale-earnhardt-jr-takes-will-brinson-blogger-and-fanhouse-fo/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/11/05/dale-earnhardt-jr-takes-will-brinson-blogger-and-fanhouse-fo/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

When the guy at the Richard Petty School of Racing said that "this will change your life" while referring to hopping in a stock car and making a bunch of left turns, I snickered. I'm sorry, I did. How on Earth can you possibly justify moving at a rapid speed in an automobile as something that would alter the course of your existence? Exactly. You can't.

Or can you? Check the vid below to see what happens when Dale Earnhardt, Jr., allows a blogger (yours truly) in his 88 car for a few turns around Lowe's Motor Speedway. (Oh, and make sure to read the interview with Dale too, where he talks about Amp, the Chase, Jimmie Johnson and his new bar in Charlotte.)



Okay, so "life changing" is kind of a stretch ... but, as you can tell from my Brah-ed out reaction to the whole thing -- "IN-TENSE", etc. -- it was a pretty ridiculous experience.

Should you ever have the opportunity, I would highly recommend it.

(Also, read Will Brinson's interview with Dale Earnhardt Jr. where they talk about whether the Cup needs to be fixed, the legend of Jimmie Johnson, and what Amp mixes best with for big post-race celebrations.)

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Takes Will Brinson, Blogger, and FanHouse for a Ride in His Stock Car originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>dale earnhardt jr.daleearnhardtjrDaleEarnhardtJr.Will BrinsonWed, 05 Nov 2008 12:38:00 EST Red or Blue, NASCAR Legend Junior Johnson Emboldens True American Democracyhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/11/04/red-or-blue-nascar-legend-junior-johnson-emboldens-true-america/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/11/04/red-or-blue-nascar-legend-junior-johnson-emboldens-true-america/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/11/04/red-or-blue-nascar-legend-junior-johnson-emboldens-true-america/#commentsFiled under: ,

The politics facing each and every American citizen on Tuesday get most people fired up and involved in a discussion that's hotter than any involving a Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan and a Kyle Busch fan after the race at Richmond in May.

And for that reason, and my overwhelming desire to not receive large amounts of hate mail, here at the 'House we're strictly apolitical when it comes to choosing a candidate. Sure, I've got folks I like, and you've got yours, but this is a NASCAR site and it's not the appropriate space for discussion on the latest issue hitting the news.

But today, in honor of one of the most important days any American can ever take part in, I hope to give you encouragement to get out and vote and to make sure your voice is heard when it comes to issues that affect you and your loved ones.

And we'll do it by telling the story of one of NASCAR's good ol' boys from the yesterdays of racing who has taken a decidedly political stand to set a great example for America's future.

That man? Junior Johnson, who won 50 races in NASCAR's top level and is a championship-winning car owner, seems to fit the mold of a Deep South republican. The former NASCAR driver hunts, fishes, used to run moonshine, and has voted republican for years.

In 2008, though, he's voting for Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee.

Johnson's words have been splashed across many newspapers and he's even got a blog post up on the Huffington Post about the candidate from Illinois whom he believes should be the country's next president. In that message, Johnson talks about his background, his reasoning for supporting Obama and connects all together with a nice anecdote involving drafting.

Corny? Maybe. Does it make sense? Yep.

It's a well-written piece, and I think anybody -- on either side of the aisle -- should take a look at it to truly understand what it means to be a responsible voter in the United States.

No, I'm not trying to sway you by saying you should support Obama just because Junior Johnson thinks so. Likewise, I'm not trying to push the McCain agenda.

Simply, take what Johnson has laid out, and run with it.

Learn from Johnson's decision in choosing a candidate many would never, ever think he would support and adapt that to your own methods.

Choose who you think will do the best job -- that could be McCain, Obama, Ron Paul, Ralph Nader or anyone else -- and vote for them. Vote for people or legislation that will make your life better, regardless of who is behind it.

Voting doesn't have to be like cheering for your favorite driver whether he's running first or 41st. Instead, it should be like being the ultimate fair-weather fan, cheering for the representatives you think will do the best job for our country at the current time. After all, part of being American is choosing who you want to lead.

Is that McCain, Obama or anyone else? I can't make that decision for you, but you can follow the lead of Johnson and select the candidates you want today based solely on who you think will do a better job - rather than making a blind red or blue vote.

NASCAR fans get out there today and vote. Select your favorite political driver for right now and support them.

Democracy is counting on you.

Note: This public service message was brought to you by Geoffrey Miller, your civic-minded humble servant. There's no intent whatsoever to sway your vote, but rather, just an intent to sway you to vote.

Red or Blue, NASCAR Legend Junior Johnson Emboldens True American Democracy originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>JuniorJohnsonSprintcupGeoffrey MillerTue, 04 Nov 2008 08:58:00 EST Rusty Wallace Denies NASCAR Return, Says Comeback Rumors 'Untrue'http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/10/01/rusty-wallace-considering-nascar-return/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/10/01/rusty-wallace-considering-nascar-return/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/10/01/rusty-wallace-considering-nascar-return/#commentsFiled under: , ,

UPDATE: Rusty Wallace released a statement Wednesday morning denying that he plans to make a return to NASCAR in 2009.
"I love Kenny to death; he's been trying to get me back in a car ever since I retired after 2005. While any rumors like this are certainly flattering, they're untrue. I have a long-term commitment to ABC and ESPN and I really love what I'm doing right now," said Wallace in a statement.
To me, this whole deal seems pretty bizarre, especially given that Rusty's brother put out the rumor. I have a feeling there might be more to this story than what meets the eye, but for now, it appears to be dead in the water.

Original: 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Rusty Wallace is "considering" a return to NASCAR's top series in 2009, his brother Kenny Wallace said Tuesday night in an article posted on SPEEDTV.com.
"Six different crew members came up to me and said they'd heard a rumor Rusty was coming back to drive for [Dale Earnhardt Inc]," said Wallace in the article.

"These rumors get started in the Mooresville [N.C.] area because the [NASCAR team] shops are so close to each other and nothing can be kept secret for long. All I can say is that where there's smoke, there's fire. And he is definitely considering stepping back into a race car."
Rusty, who retired in 2005 after 25 seasons in NASCAR with 55 career wins, currently works as an analyst for ESPN and owns two Nationwide Series cars, one of which is driven by his son Steven.

I'm having a tough time not believing what Kenny said in the article for the sheer fact that he is Rusty's brother, and that that would seemingly prevent Wallace for spreading untrue rumors.

Also, the connection to Dale Earnhardt Inc. seems to make pretty good sense after it was just announced earlier on Tuesday that Paul Menard would be leaving the team to head to Yates Racing with the sponsorship from his dad's home improvement warehouse chain -- opening up a seat at the DEI table.

On the TV side of things, Rusty signed a six-year deal when he started out with ESPN that isn't close to expiration, which means that his contract would likely have to be broken if he were to run a full schedule in 2009.

Later in the article, Kenny explains -- from his point of view -- what kind of emotions he's seen his brother have in the past two years since leaving the drivers seat and how he was watched veteran Mark Martin go in to retirement and come back out to run a partial schedule and then a full schedule in 2009 with Hendrick Motorsports.

Kenny also made some very valid points about how Rusty would have to learn very quickly about the car of tomorrow platform that has been introduced since Rusty's '05 retirement and talked about how that his brother would likely get frustrated with the handling characteristics at the beginning.

Regardless, putting Rusty Wallace in a race car -- remember he qualified for the 2005 Chase -- is going to bring good dividends for any team, especially one like DEI that is looking to replace a departing NASCAR veteran.

This is an interesting story that will obviously gain legs as the week goes on, but for now, are you excited for Rusty's potential return? Or would you rather him just stay on the TV side of things?

Rusty Wallace Denies NASCAR Return, Says Comeback Rumors 'Untrue' originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 01 Oct 2008 01:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>DaleEarnhardtInc.KennyWallaceNASCARRumorsNASCARSillySeasonPaulMenardPenskeRacingRustyWallaceSprintCupYatesRacingGeoffrey MillerWed, 01 Oct 2008 01:34:00 EST Takin' A Look Back: Kansas 2007http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/09/25/takin-a-look-back-kansas-2007/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/09/25/takin-a-look-back-kansas-2007/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/09/25/takin-a-look-back-kansas-2007/#commentsFiled under: ,

It's amazing the stories, controversies and otherwise good discussion fodder that us lucky NASCAR fans get over the course of the Sprint Cup series' 36-race season.

And at the same time, all of that information from all four, or maybe five, corners of the web and television we soak in each week leaves us forgetting about the stories that seemed so important when they happened. Lucky for you, FanHouse is happy to bring "Takin' a Look Back" to a web browser near you.

First up? Kansas Speedway's 2007 fun and follies:

NASCAR was Wrong Sunday at Kansas - Last year's race had an interesting finish as winner Greg Biffle appeared to run out of gas before the checkered flag under caution and fell significantly enough off the pace car's speed that Clint Bowyer passed him.

A year later, I'm still on Bowyer's side -- he should have been the race winner.

Chasers Glad to Not Be in Kansas Anymore - After the 2007 edition, Kansas seemed to join the likes of Martinsville or Talladega as wild cards in the Chase after 8 of the 12 Chase drivers suffered extensive problems throughout the course of the rain-delayed and finally rain-shortened event.

Stewart to ESPN: Get the #%($ Away From Me - It wasn't all happiness and joy for the two-time Sprint Cup champion Stewart and his relationship with ESPN coming in to the weekend's race at Kansas Speedway in 2007. And during practice, it boiled over when Stewart yelled one of the seven dirty words at an ESPN camera crew who he grew tired of.

Luckily, Stewart didn't fined.

From the Stats Column - A quick glance at how the race turned out a year ago:

  • Winner: Greg Biffle
  • Most Laps Led: Kurt Busch (76)
  • Notable Lap Leaders: Busch (76), Matt Kenseth (49), Biffle (37), Kevin Harvick (18), Tony Stewart (13)
  • Top-5: Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Jimmie Johnson, Casey Mears, Jeff Gordon
  • Cautions: 12
  • Laps Completed: 210/267 (shortened due to darkness)
  • Pole Winner: Jimmie Johnson

Takin' A Look Back: Kansas 2007 originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>CampingWorld400ChasefortheSprintCupClintBowyerGregBiffleJimmieJohnsonKansasSpeedwaySprintCupTakinALookBackGeoffrey MillerThu, 25 Sep 2008 12:45:00 EST Hornaday's Steroid Use Not Really An Issuehttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/09/12/hornadays-steroids-issue-more-of-a-non-issue/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/09/12/hornadays-steroids-issue-more-of-a-non-issue/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/09/12/hornadays-steroids-issue-more-of-a-non-issue/#commentsFiled under: , ,

ESPN put out a story Thursday afternoon about Craftsman Truck Series driver Ron Hornaday Jr. admission to steroid use a few years ago and it effectively made the rounds across the entire network -- from SportsCenter, the bottom line ticker, and the web site.

In the article, though, it specifically acknowledges a few of things including:

  • 1) Hornaday used the steroids to attempt to get healthy after doctor's couldn't diagnose the illness that caused him to lose 38 pounds in less than a year;
  • 2) Hornaday used the steroids -- testosterone, specifically -- with a prescription (though the clinic is under federal investigation;
  • 3) After using them for a while, Hornaday didn't notice a difference and stopped taking them and was later diagnosed with a hyperactive thyroid.

As of now, though, Hornaday claims to have been off the supplement for quite a while and it's tough not believe the guy because of how open he was to the questions from the ESPN reporter, including showing NASCAR medical forms, prescription records, and the actual substance he used that he has left over.

And frankly, I just don't see it as a big deal.

NASCAR -- who added steroids to their banned substance list recently -- plans to talk to Hornaday about the issue this weekend at New Hampshire just for some background information on the matter, but I doubt they are going to do anything except make sure Hornaday still isn't using them and request that he's a little more open on the matter.

I do, though, agree with NASCAR's stance on making steroids a banned substance -- but not just to fall in to line with the rest of the sports world.

To the best of my uneducated medical knowledge (In other words, take my steroids assumption with a grain of salt, and maybe even some lime. Mmm, lime.), steroids wouldn't seem to have a great advantage for your run of the mill NASCAR driver other than increased stamina over the length of a race.

On pit road, though, you could bet that the jackmen and tire changers could gain a clear advantage because their manuevers are quick, physical bursts similar to a football or baseball player.

Should steroids be allowed in NASCAR? No. Should Ron Hornaday face criticism (or, have ESPN broadcast his name for a whole day with steroids across their networks) for using them to not only treat a medical condition but also when they were legal in the sport?

Definitely not.

Hornaday's Steroid Use Not Really An Issue originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>CraftsmanTruckSeriesKevinHarvickRonHornadayJrGeoffrey MillerFri, 12 Sep 2008 11:37:00 EST Stewart Slams Busch in Rolling Stone Profilehttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/09/06/stewart-slams-busch-in-stone-profile/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/09/06/stewart-slams-busch-in-stone-profile/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/09/06/stewart-slams-busch-in-stone-profile/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Stop by NASCAR FanHouse on Sunday at 1pm/ET for some good ol' fashioned live bloggin' of Sunday's Chevy Rock & Roll 400. It'll be Chase-tastic!

I've had a few days now to muse over the recent profile piece done in Rolling Stone on the always lovable Tony Stewart.

If you haven't had a chance to read it yourself, I'd highly recommend it. And if you have read it, I'm sure you'll agree with me on a couple of fronts:

1) If you love Stewart because of his rank attitude and keen ability to not adapt to what people say he should be, then this piece exemplifies why so many people are so passionate in cheering for Tony and ...

2) If you're not the biggest Stewart fan but enjoy reading about how drivers really live outside of the limelight, it's again right up your alley.

The article is loaded with juicy tidbits about Stewart's life and the language he uses when he's not around the media -- or at least attempts to refrain from using. It mainly follows Stewart over the course of a few races earlier in 2008 and includes written imagery about Stewart riding back on his airplane, what the inside of his Hummer looks like, and just how "lavish" his Columbus, Ind. home is.

The best part by far, however, is when Stewart bashes Kurt Busch during the qualifying session this past May at Texas Motor Speedway [and as a slight warning, the language isn't exactly Disney movie appropriate]:
Stewart looks at the screen, and another car's time pops up.

"There's the d**head," he says to no one in particular.

On screen, Kurt Busch just ran his qualifying lap in his No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge. At the start of the season, Busch (the older brother of Kyle) got into a skirmish with Stewart during practice before the Daytona 500. Afterward, Busch and Stewart were called to the NASCAR official's hauler to iron things out, and while both decline to discuss what happened, rumor has it Stewart decked Busch with a punch to the face.

"You know those kids in high school that talk all the time and won't shut up?" Stewart says. "And every once in a while someone gives them a good wailing? That's Kurt."
Ziiiiiing!

It's good to know that despite what drivers claim in their weekly interviews, there is still plenty of sizzle and rivalry among drivers -- even if the general public doesn't much know about it.

Aside for that dig on Kurt Busch, Stewart offers some excellent stories about how he broke into racing (got tired of working in a machine shop), his run-in with Kenny Irwin Jr. at Martinsville many years ago (did you know Dale Earnhardt was involved?), and of course, his love for the opposite sex.

Most notably, Stewart is also an apparent fan of the ultra-ritzy Schlitz beer. Now that is something fans can relate to.

Go ahead and read it. It's the best 15 minutes you'll spend today.

Stewart Slams Busch in Rolling Stone Profile originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 06 Sep 2008 21:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>ChevyRockRoll400JoeGibbsRacingRichmondInternationalRacewayStewartHaasRacingTonyStewartGeoffrey MillerSat, 06 Sep 2008 21:01:00 EST Looking From the Other Side: Fanhouse Goes Inside ESPN's NASCAR "Mission Control"http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/07/22/fanhouse-goes-to-espns-nascar-mission-control/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/07/22/fanhouse-goes-to-espns-nascar-mission-control/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/07/22/fanhouse-goes-to-espns-nascar-mission-control/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Starting with Sunday's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, ESPN returns as the television source for Sprint Cup action for the remainder of the 2008 season schedule -- including the Chase for the Championship.

Last weekend while at Chicagoland Speedway, ESPN invited yours truly to take a look at just what goes inside an at-track television production for the sports broadcaster and to say the least, it briefly reminded me of mission control for a NASA space shuttle launch.

Now before you accuse me of drinking the company Kool-Aid when it comes to ESPN, let me remind you that its my job to look at things with an open mind. Sure, I've criticized ESPN's NASCAR coverage in the past, and I'll likely do it again. With that, however, I will now be able to take into account how the entire operation works and better understand how a mistake is made here or a gaffe happens there.

The tour that we (I was accompanied by Valli from The Fast and the Fabulous blog) occurred during the Friday afternoon broadcast of Nationwide Series qualifying. The first stop was inside of the ESPN tech center where Tim Brewer originates his segments on the technical side of the sport.

Brewer's home for the weekend is really a single trailer with expandable sides that allow for all of the tools you see on the broadcast to be stored in a ready-to-use position -- including a race car (ESPN brings both a Sprint Cup and a Nationwide car to each race), pit box, and a plethora of tools and spare parts.

Because we were inside the "studio" during the broadcast, Brewer was cordial but had to listen in to the broadcast in case the guys in the booth needed an explanation. In other words, none of what Brewer does -- and yes, he is stationed at the speedway for every race -- is pre-planned and he's only used when the broadcast needs a thorough look at a technical element.

The next stop we made was in a trailer two or three doors down from Brewer's set. Both spots were located inside a TV compound that is designed to support an army of 200+ ESPN workers at each event, and they have the trailers, tents, and space to prove it.

That next stop? Inside the control room for the whole operation where senior producer Neil Goldberg calls the shots. The production truck is a custom-built piece made for ESPN by company out of Pennsylvania, and more specifically, tailor-made for the network's NASCAR broadcasts.

The wall is decked out with at least nineteen 32" flat screens that show the crew inside the truck everything that can possibly go on the air including the live feed, available graphics, replays that are ready to roll, 60-75 camera views depending on the size of the track, and of course the live feed of every other ESPN channel in one corner. In all, the number of different things you can see on the screens easily stretches into the hundreds.

And that's where Goldberg comes in.

He's the guy solely responsible for bringing everyone in the crew together from the guys in the booth, to the pit reporters, to the replay truck, to the audio truck, to the stats people, to the network people back in Bristol, Conn., and of course, the action on the track. Each of these areas -- and a few more I'm missing -- pitch what they have to Goldberg to try to get it on screen, whether its a driver interview or an interesting stat.

Imagine trying to talk on the phone with 30 people at once, watch TV, and land an airplane and you're getting near the level of components that go into an ESPN NASCAR production.

And all of this, mind you, occurs while Dr. Jerry Punch, Andy Peetree, and Dale Jarrett are all up in the booth, trying to keep track of what is happening on the track.

The technology in the broadcast is simply fascinating. As the ESPN representative who led the tour told us, the television package for a NASCAR race is bigger than the one putting on the Super Bowl each year, and it moves from track to track each week.

The logistics part of the equation is all the more fascinating, too, as roughly 12 hours after the checkered flag falls, the entire unit is packed up and ready to head to the next event directly, where it will run cables, position cameras, and put together what is seemingly the world's largest home entertainment center (with full HD, of course) in less than two days.

The ESPN package is truly incredible, and I'm sure both FOX and TNT have similar setups that allow them to show NASCAR racing at a high level. And because of the amazing amount of bells, whistles, and buttons to push, it takes the staff some time to learn not only how to use it effectively, but to also get a grip on issues that can crop up while covering NASCAR for a content-heavy network like ESPN and ABC.

To me, it seems like that learning curve was 2007, and now, ESPN has tightened the reigns on the NASCAR coverage and cleaned up some areas that needed improvement. With that, they should be ready to hit the ground running with Sprint Cup coverage this Sunday at the Brickyard.

And if you do catch them make a mistake (as I'm sure I will), take a moment to look past the screen of the TV and think about how many variables it takes to make a NASCAR race successful on TV and doubly realize that the people working in the truck and in the booth are there for one reason.

To bring us, the fans, a quality NASCAR production to the comfort of our own home.

Looking From the Other Side: Fanhouse Goes Inside ESPN's NASCAR "Mission Control" originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Allstate400ESPNIndianapolisMotorSpeedwayNationwideSeriesSprintCupGeoffrey MillerTue, 22 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EST Nobody Knows Why: "Scrubs" Actor McGinley to Serve as Allstate 400 Grand Marshalhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/07/17/nobody-knows-why-scrubs-actor-mcginley-to-serve-as-allstate-4/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/07/17/nobody-knows-why-scrubs-actor-mcginley-to-serve-as-allstate-4/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/07/17/nobody-knows-why-scrubs-actor-mcginley-to-serve-as-allstate-4/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Really? Has the pool of possible grand marshals been completely tapped? See below:
Actor John C. McGinley, best known for his role as the sarcastic Dr. Perry Cox on the long-running network comedy "Scrubs," was announced July 16 as the grand marshal for the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on Sunday, July 27 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

This year will mark the historic 15th running of the race, one of the highest-profile events in all of motorsports, and will kick off a block of 17 consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series telecasts on ESPN and ABC.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a big "Scrubs" fan. It's a great show. But is it really such a great show that the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard can legitimately say that one of it's supporting actors is a big enough deal to wave the green flag?

Is 'Dr. Perry Cox' really a guy who's going to bring in that on-the-fence ticket buyer? Does this race -- one of NASCAR's crown jewels thanks to its location at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway -- really need an actor who barely makes the B-list?


I suppose, though, IMS didn't have much choice. More than likely, McGinley's selection came from ESPN broadcasting the race. ESPN is owned by Disney who also owns ABC, and that connection likely leads to McGinley because "Scrubs" is now being broadcast on ABC in 2008.

A similar thing happened during the Indianapolis 500 as Julianne Hough sang the national anthem and Kristi Yamiguchi waved the green flag, both of whom were on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars".

Gotta love the cross-marketing, eh?

Nobody Knows Why: "Scrubs" Actor McGinley to Serve as Allstate 400 Grand Marshal originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>ABCAllstate 400Allstate400BrickyardESPNIndianapolis Motor SpeedwayIndianapolisMotorSpeedwayJohn C. McGinleyJohnC.McginleySprint CupSprintCupGeoffrey MillerThu, 17 Jul 2008 15:10:00 EST