THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
October 13th, 2011
Volume V, Edition CCXVI
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Frontstretch sends its well wishes, prayers, and support to all our fans affected by the swath of horrible storms over the past few months. To help out recovery efforts, text "GIVE" to 80888 to donate $10 towards disaster relief efforts in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Missouri and Vermont through the Salvation Army.
Editor's Note: Our esteemed Mark Howell's name was misspelled in yesterday's teaser (Powell). We appreciate our Professor Of Speed and he has given us quite the spelling lesson... our apologies for the error!
What To Watch: Thursday
Remember, Charlotte is a Saturday night race so the track opens for business today! Our Amy Henderson and Mike Neff are at the track, following the action so be sure to check out our Facebook and Twitter feeds, plus the main page for all the information you need to know. There's the top 12 driver press conferences, plus the big Dollar General announcement with Joe Gibbs Racing on the docket.
Charlotte Schedule:
2:00 - 3:20 PM Nationwide Series Practice; 3:30 - 5:00 PM Sprint Cup Practice; 6:10 - 7:00 Final NNS Practice; 7:10 PM Sprint Cup Qualifying (televised on ESPN2)
Today's Top News
by Phil Allaway
Looks like the sport's upcoming fuel injection technology is getting a little extra "boost" of practice time. On Wednesday, NASCAR announced that there will be three additional tests of the new technology, designed to help teams get comfortable and experiment with the upcoming transition. On the Monday after the races in Charlotte, Talladega and Martinsville in October, selected teams will stay over to test the new engine formula, which enters Sprint Cup full-time at the beginning of the 2012 season.
Three teams recently tested the fuel injection technology in Phoenix last week: Penske Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, and Toyota Racing Development/Michael Waltrip Racing. Teams were also allowed to test the technology at Kentucky Speedway prior to the Quaker State 400 in July.
Tastykake on the No. 34 at Charlotte
On Wednesday, Front Row Motorsports announced the signing of Philadelphia-based Tastykake to serve as the primary sponsor of David Gilliland's No. 34 this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Tastykake is using this sponsorship to help promote the snack food manufacturer's push into Southeastern markets.
Gilliland, who has worked with patchwork sponsorship most of the season or been funded by owner Bob Jenkins' Taco Bell brand is happy to have another company to work with.
"It's great to have Tastykake on the car for Charlotte," Gilliland said. "I'm excited to see the new colors. It's always good to have new partners for our race team, and with Bob [Jenkins]'s affiliation with his restaurants and other business partners, it's really good for us."
Representatives from Tastykake are also happy to promote their brand in NASCAR.
"Tastykake is available to more people than ever before, and as it says on the No. 34 Ford, 'one taste and you'll get it,'" said Tastykake spokesperson Brian Bradshaw. "It'll be a thrill to see this iconic brand make its turns around the track with Gilliland at the wheel. Everyone at the track should watch for the Tastykake truck that will be giving out free samples outside of the speedway."
Things are finally beginning to look up on the sponsorship front for Front Row Motorsports. The team is beginning to attract outside primary sponsors, which will decrease team owner Bob Jenkins' personal contributions to the team's coffers. Just recently, the team announced a one-race deal with Ingersoll-Rand that will debut Saturday night with the team's No. 55 Ford (Travis Kvapil). Last month, J.J. Yeley debuted sponsorship from Vampt Energy Drink at Atlanta.
Entry List Update:
Note: These entries are accurate as of Wednesday night. However, they are still subject to change.
Sprint Cup Series Bank of America 500: 48 cars entered
Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 21 - Trevor Bayne for Wood Brothers Racing
No. 32 - Mike Bliss for FAS Lane Racing
No. 37 - Josh Wise for MaxQ Motorsports
No. 51 - Landon Cassill for Phoenix Racing
No. 55 - Travis Kvapil for Front Row Motorsports
No. 60 - Mike Skinner for Germain Racing
No. 71 - Hermie Sadler for TRG Motorsports
No. 75 - Derrike Cope for Stratus Racing
No. 87 - Joe Nemechek for NEMCO Motorsports
Driver Changes:
No. 7 - Robby Gordon returns to the seat, replacing Reed Sorenson. Gordon reportedly has sponsorship to go the distance in this car; however, at Kansas the team said that and wound up start-and-parking with Sorenson.
No. 35 - Geoff Bodine returns to the seat, replacing Stephen Leicht. Bodine brings sponsorship with Luke and Associates and would go the distance in this car.
No. 38 - J.J. Yeley returns to the seat, replacing Travis Kvapil. Yeley and Kvapil have been sharing this ride since midsummer.
No. 55 - Travis Kvapil returns to the seat, replacing J.J. Yeley. Kvapil has sponsorship from Ingersoll Rand and will go the distance.
No. 71 - Hermie Sadler returns to the seat, replacing Andy Lally. Sadler will go the distance in this car while Lally, entered in a second No. 77 entry, will start-and-park without sponsorship.
Drivers who must qualify on speed:
No. 7 - Robby Gordon for Robby Gordon Motorsports
No. 30 - David Stremme for Inception Motorsports*
No. 35 - Geoff Bodine for Tommy Baldwin Racing
No. 37 - Josh Wise for MaxQ Motorsports*
No. 38 - J.J. Yeley for Front Row Motorsports
No. 46 - Scott Speed for Whitney Motorsports
No. 55 - Travis Kvapil for Front Row Motorsports
No. 60 - Mike Skinner for Germain Racing*
No. 66 - Michael McDowell for HP Racing, LLC*
No. 75 - Derrike Cope for Stratus Racing
No. 77 - Andy Lally for TRG Motorsports*
No. 87 - Joe Nemechek for NEMCO Motorsports*
*- Expected to Start-and-Park
Nationwide Series Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage: 50 cars entered
Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 18 - Kyle Busch for Joe Gibbs Racing
No. 20 - Joey Logano for Joe Gibbs Racing
No. 22 - Brad Keselowski for Penske Racing
No. 32 - Brian Vickers for Turner Motorsports
No. 33 - Paul Menard for Kevin Harvick, Inc.
No. 38 - Kasey Kahne for Turner Motorsports
No. 50 - T.J. Bell for MAKE Motorsports
No. 60 - Carl Edwards for Roush Fenway Racing
Driver Changes:
No. 04 - Tim Andrews is in the seat, replacing Danny O'Quinn, Jr. Andrews will start-and-park this car.
No. 7 - Josh Wise returns to the seat, replacing Danica Patrick.
No. 18 - Kyle Busch returns to the seat, replacing Joey Logano.
No. 20 - Joey Logano returns to the seat, replacing Ryan Truex.
No. 23 - Robert Richardson, Jr. returns to the seat, replacing Angela Cope.
No. 30 - Jason Leffler returns to the seat, replacing James Buescher.
No. 38 - Kasey Kahne returns to the seat, replacing Jason Leffler. Kahne will carry the Great Clips sponsorship.
No. 40 - Charles Lewandoski returns to the seat, replacing Josh Wise.
No. 42 - An unknown driver will be in the seat, replacing Tim Andrews. This car start-and-parks for Curtis Key.
No. 47 - An unknown driver will be in the seat, replacing Charles Lewandoski. This car start-and-parks for Curtis Key.
No. 87 - Kevin Conway returns to the seat, replacing Joe Nemechek. Nemechek moves over to a second team car, the No. 97 as Conway brings sponsorship from Extenze.
In addition, Dennis Setzer is currently listed in both the No. 48 for Jay Robinson Racing and the No. 70 that Jay Robinson Racing is fielding this weekend for ML Motorsports. Expect a change here before the race on Friday night.
Drivers who must qualify on speed:
No. 03 - Scott Riggs for R3 Motorsports*
No. 04 - Tim Andrews for Go Green Racing*
No. 08 - Casey Roderick for Randy Hill Racing
No. 12 - Sam Hornish, Jr. for Penske Racing
No. 16 - Trevor Bayne for Roush Fenway Racing
No. 20 - Joey Logano for Joe Gibbs Racing
No. 41 - Johnny Chapman for Rick Ware Racing*
No. 42- Unknown driver for Key Motorsports*
No. 44 - Jeff Green for TriStar Motorsports (Guaranteed to start via the Past Champions' Provisional)*
No. 46 - Chase Miller for Key Motorsports*
No. 47 - Unknown driver for Key Motorsports*
No. 48 - Dennis Setzer for Jay Robinson Racing*
No. 49 - Mark Green for Jay Robinson Racing*
No. 50 - T.J. Bell for MAKE Motorsports*
No. 71 - Matt Carter for Rick Ware Racing*
No. 74 - Mike Harmon for Mike Harmon Racing*
No. 75 - Carl Long for Rick Ware Racing*
No. 82 - Reed Sorenson for MacDonald Motorsports
No. 97 - Joe Nemechek for NEMCO Motorsports (Has second crack at the Past Champions' Provisional)
No. 99 - Ryan Truex for Pastrana-Waltrip Racing
*- Expected to Start-and-Park
Withdrawn:
No. 1 - Jamie McMurray for Phoenix Racing
No. 13 - Jennifer Jo Cobb for JJC Racing
Camping World Truck Series Smith's 350k: 32 trucks entered
Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 10 - Jennifer Jo Cobb for JJC Racing
Driver Changes:
No. 07 - Butch Miller returns to the seat, replacing John King.
No. 27 - Chris Jones is in the seat, replacing David Stremme.
No. 65 - Lance Fenton is in the seat, replacing Brent Raymer.
No. 66 - Max Gresham is in the seat, replacing Ross Chastain. This will be the ARCA and K&N Pro Series East driver's Camping World Truck Series debut.
No. 73 - Brent Raymer is in the seat, replacing Brian Johnson, Jr.
Since there are only 32 trucks entered, no one will fail to qualify. However, these drivers must still qualify on speed:
No. 10 - Jennifer Jo Cobb for JJC Racing
No. 19 - David Mayhew
No. 27 - Chris Jones for RSS Motorsports
No. 38 - Mike Garvey for RSS Motorsports
No. 57 - Norm Benning for Norm Benning Racing
No. 65 - Lance Fenton for Tagsby Racing
No. 73 - Brent Raymer for Tagsby Racing
Withdrawn:
No. 51 - Josh Richards for Kyle Busch Motorsports
Izod IndyCar Series Izod IndyCar World Championships: 34 cars entered
Driver Changes:
No. 34 - Sebastian Saavedra returns to the seat, replacing Dillon Battistini.
No. 98 - Alex Tagliani is in the seat, replacing Dan Wheldon.
Entries:
No. 06 - James Hinchcliffe for Newman/Haas Racing
No. 2 - Oriol Servia for Newman/Haas Racing
No. 3 - Helio Castroneves for Team Penske
No. 4 - JR Hildebrand for Panther Racing
No. 5 - Takuma Sato for KV Racing Technologies
No. 6 - Ryan Briscoe for Team Penske
No. 7 - Danica Patrick for Andretti Autosport
No. 8 - Paul Tracy for Dragon Racing
No. 9 - Scott Dixon for Target Chip Ganassi Racing
No. 10 - Dario Franchitti for Target Chip Ganassi Racing
No. 11 - Davey Hamilton for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
No. 12 - Will Power for Team Penske
No. 14 - Vitor Meira for AJ Foyt Racing
No. 15 - Jay Howard for Rahal-Letterman Racing
No. 17 - Wade Cunningham for AFS Racing/Sam Schmidt Motorsports
No. 18 - James Jakes for Dale Coyne Racing
No. 19 - Alex Lloyd for Dale Coyne Racing
No. 22 - Townsend Bell for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
No. 24 - Ana Beatrix for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
No. 26 - Marco Andretti for Andretti Autosport
No. 27 - Mike Conway for Andretti Autosport
No. 28 - Ryan Hunter-Reay for Andretti Autosport
No. 30 - Pippa Mann for Rahal-Letterman Racing
No. 34 - Sebastian Saavedra for Conquest Racing
No. 38 - Graham Rahal for Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing
No. 44 - Buddy Rice for Panther Racing
No. 57 - Tomas Scheckter for Sarah Fisher Racing
No. 59 - EJ Viso for KV Racing Technologies
No. 67 - Ed Carpenter for Sarah Fisher Racing
No. 77 - Dan Wheldon for Sam Schmidt Motorsports (Guaranteed to start 34th)
No. 78 - Simona de Silvestro for HVM Racing
No. 82 - Tony Kanaan for KV Racing Technologies
No. 83 - Charlie Kimball for Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing
No. 98 - Alex Tagliani for Bryan Herta Autosport
Have news for Phil and The Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com with a promising lead or tip.
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Hey Frontstretch Readers!
We know you love the roar of raw horsepower under the hood that powers 43 of the best drivers in the world every weekend, but did you ever wonder how the sponsor on top of that hood also contributes to keeping the sport moving? What about the contributions of official NASCAR companies? If you think they are simply writing checks, think again. Check out our newest feature - Sunday Money. This weekly Frontstretch exclusive provides you with a behind the scenes look how NASCAR, its affiliates and team sponsors approach the daunting task of keeping fans interested and excited about the sport for 38 weeks of the year.
~~~~~~~~~~~
What's Vexing Vito
by Vito Pugliese
- Hendrick Motorsports is planning on running four special paint schemes amongst its teams this weekend to commemorate 100 years of Chevrolet on their centennial anniversary this year. It is a good time to be a part of the Bowtie Brigade again, having just won last weekend at Kansas, clinched the manufacturer's title, and trail Carl Edwards by one point in the Sprint Cup standings. Ironic since a new book coming out by New York Times reporter Bill Vlasic titled, Once Upon a Car details how, in July of 2008, then-GM CEO Rick Wagoner (not to be confused with the Jeep Wagoneer) approached Ford Chairman Bill Ford and CEO Alan Mulally about merging together. The offer was promptly rejected. Guessing that book won't be appearing on the hoods of any of the HMS rides at Talladega in two weeks, either.
Speaking of which, maybe all of the Chevrolet teams should race-wrap their cars in some of the more memorable Chevys of years past. Jimmie Johnson driving a wrapped up 1969 COPO 427 Camaro, Jeff Gordon in a vinyl veneered 1970 LS6 Chevelle SS, Clint Bowyer in a 1981 Citation….probably doesn't feel much different being put out to pasture at MWR in what looks like one of Steve Wallace's cars with a different number on it. He'll be driving in 2012 with the number of the guy he once called, "The Worst Driver in NASCAR" – his owner, Michael Waltrip.
- It was revealed this week in Charlotte that following the fallout from Turner Motorsports releasing driver Reed Sorenson – and ultimately losing sponsor Dollar General – it turns out DG is headed to JGR. That might cause an OMG moment for those used to seeing HD on the hoods of the new TRD engines. WTF am I talking about? Dollar General is replacing Home Depot for 10-12 races in 2012 for Joey Logano, which may further speculation regarding the involvement of the home improvement giant as a primary sponsor at Gibbs, which has become increasingly frustrated with this guy from Lowe's consistently beating their car. Logano was rumored to be on the hot seat earlier this year during the courtship of Carl Edwards that never exactly materialized – or until Ford showed up with burlap bags full of Benjamins with generic dollar bill symbols emblazoned upon them. Might Home Depot be pulling a slow motion Peter Griffin type walk-away before breaking into a dead sprint out the door?
- Speaking of sponsors, the lineup at Richard Childress Racing next year that prompted Clint Bowyer's departure is still a head scratcher. Here you have arguably the second most sought after free agent after Carl Edwards beat a hasty retreat, one who was earlier in the season rumored to be on Red Bull's short list, who comes bearing 5-Hour Energy money. Reportedly, that sponsorship is $13 million, a hefty chunk of change... but Bowyer can't keep his seat at an organization where he has been arguably the most consistent and productive driver since 2008? Never mind he's had to give up his team on three occasions at RCR, still makes the Chase and wins Nationwide titles, and yet the numbers don't add up and you're shown the door? No offense to Jeff Burton, but pulling Wheaties money and sponsorship, which appeared on Bowyer's car this year as well was the right answer? Really? Bowyer is staying positive, however, and apparently has things in their proper perspective. "I owe a lot to Richard," he claimed when pressed on the issue. Bowyer said he was surprised and disappointed when Childress told him no, but he has no hard feelings.
"I was in an auto shop in Kansas when he called me the first time," Bowyer said. "He changed my life, and I'll always be grateful. But, it was time to move on."
Vito Pugliese is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at vito.pugliese@frontstretch.com.
Today's Featured Commentary~~~~~~~~~~
Hey Frontstretch Readers!
We know you love the roar of raw horsepower under the hood that powers 43 of the best drivers in the world every weekend, but did you ever wonder how the sponsor on top of that hood also contributes to keeping the sport moving? What about the contributions of official NASCAR companies? If you think they are simply writing checks, think again. Check out our newest feature - Sunday Money. This weekly Frontstretch exclusive provides you with a behind the scenes look how NASCAR, its affiliates and team sponsors approach the daunting task of keeping fans interested and excited about the sport for 38 weeks of the year.
~~~~~~~~~~~
What's Vexing Vito
by Vito Pugliese
- Hendrick Motorsports is planning on running four special paint schemes amongst its teams this weekend to commemorate 100 years of Chevrolet on their centennial anniversary this year. It is a good time to be a part of the Bowtie Brigade again, having just won last weekend at Kansas, clinched the manufacturer's title, and trail Carl Edwards by one point in the Sprint Cup standings. Ironic since a new book coming out by New York Times reporter Bill Vlasic titled, Once Upon a Car details how, in July of 2008, then-GM CEO Rick Wagoner (not to be confused with the Jeep Wagoneer) approached Ford Chairman Bill Ford and CEO Alan Mulally about merging together. The offer was promptly rejected. Guessing that book won't be appearing on the hoods of any of the HMS rides at Talladega in two weeks, either.
Speaking of which, maybe all of the Chevrolet teams should race-wrap their cars in some of the more memorable Chevys of years past. Jimmie Johnson driving a wrapped up 1969 COPO 427 Camaro, Jeff Gordon in a vinyl veneered 1970 LS6 Chevelle SS, Clint Bowyer in a 1981 Citation….probably doesn't feel much different being put out to pasture at MWR in what looks like one of Steve Wallace's cars with a different number on it. He'll be driving in 2012 with the number of the guy he once called, "The Worst Driver in NASCAR" – his owner, Michael Waltrip.
- It was revealed this week in Charlotte that following the fallout from Turner Motorsports releasing driver Reed Sorenson – and ultimately losing sponsor Dollar General – it turns out DG is headed to JGR. That might cause an OMG moment for those used to seeing HD on the hoods of the new TRD engines. WTF am I talking about? Dollar General is replacing Home Depot for 10-12 races in 2012 for Joey Logano, which may further speculation regarding the involvement of the home improvement giant as a primary sponsor at Gibbs, which has become increasingly frustrated with this guy from Lowe's consistently beating their car. Logano was rumored to be on the hot seat earlier this year during the courtship of Carl Edwards that never exactly materialized – or until Ford showed up with burlap bags full of Benjamins with generic dollar bill symbols emblazoned upon them. Might Home Depot be pulling a slow motion Peter Griffin type walk-away before breaking into a dead sprint out the door?
- Speaking of sponsors, the lineup at Richard Childress Racing next year that prompted Clint Bowyer's departure is still a head scratcher. Here you have arguably the second most sought after free agent after Carl Edwards beat a hasty retreat, one who was earlier in the season rumored to be on Red Bull's short list, who comes bearing 5-Hour Energy money. Reportedly, that sponsorship is $13 million, a hefty chunk of change... but Bowyer can't keep his seat at an organization where he has been arguably the most consistent and productive driver since 2008? Never mind he's had to give up his team on three occasions at RCR, still makes the Chase and wins Nationwide titles, and yet the numbers don't add up and you're shown the door? No offense to Jeff Burton, but pulling Wheaties money and sponsorship, which appeared on Bowyer's car this year as well was the right answer? Really? Bowyer is staying positive, however, and apparently has things in their proper perspective. "I owe a lot to Richard," he claimed when pressed on the issue. Bowyer said he was surprised and disappointed when Childress told him no, but he has no hard feelings.
"I was in an auto shop in Kansas when he called me the first time," Bowyer said. "He changed my life, and I'll always be grateful. But, it was time to move on."
Vito Pugliese is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at vito.pugliese@frontstretch.com.
Practice No Longer Makes Perfect
Shakedown Session
by Brody Jones
Ahh, final practice. The much ballyhooed and over-hyped true "shakedown session," of sorts, in NASCAR. But looking at the final practice charts for the 2011 season to date, only three of the fastest cars in final practice have gone on to win the actual race in the first 30 events. No, that is not a misprint, dear readers. Only three races out of 30 (that's ten percent of NASCAR events for those who are good with math) has the fastest car in final practice actually gone on to win the race. With stats like this one, it makes the infamous Allen Iverson quote "We're talking about… practice. Not a game, not a game. We talking about practice" ring more true than ever. That is, at least in the world of NASCAR.
To recap, final practice has had guys such as David Stremme, Brian Vickers, Mark Martin, and Clint Bowyer, none of whom have won a single race in 2011, topping the speed charts. Stremme, in fact, has been mostly start & parking his No. 30 Inception Motorsports Chevrolet for much of the season. Vickers and Martin have largely been non-factors come race time in 2011, and up until recent weeks, Clint Bowyer was also persona non grata for much of the season. Only Kyle Busch at Kentucky, Marcos Ambrose at Watkins Glen, and Jeff Gordon at Atlanta have topped the final practice charts and gone on to win the race.
This stat is not intended to say that practice in NASCAR means about as much as Floyd Mayweather, Jr.'s undefeated record in boxing. Final practice does serve its purpose. Often, those speed charts can be quite deceiving as many of the top-tier teams have their cars geared for race trim while the lower-end operations of NASCAR focus more on experimentation. Playing with setups can often equal short-term speed, but how much does it matter? Usually, those cars are out of the race after 30 to 45 laps. The top teams, for the most part, tend not to overplay their metaphorical "poker hand" during these sessions. There's always just a little bit extra left on the table come race day.
On some race weekends, final practice is also a determining factor in the qualifying order for NASCAR teams, adding a new wrinkle of sorts for the overall procedure. Another purpose, one that has grown more and more in importance as this season has dragged on, is to see how far teams can go on a tank of fuel. With nine of the 30 races on the schedule having come down to fuel mileage, these drivers and crew chiefs have recognized the importance of dialing in those calculations before the race. Nowadays, with those types of races fast becoming the norm, it's more crucial than ever to have a bit more fuel than other drivers have left in their tanks.
So while one fast lap is nice, allowing you to top the final practice charts it doesn't necessarily mean much anymore in the grand scheme of things. At the end of the day, much like with the current points system, it's consistency, not hell-on-wheels, pedal to the metal driving that equals the necessary speed to win at the top levels of NASCAR. So while practice does serve its purpose in the "new NASCAR," maybe fans and analysts of the sport should take a good look at the facts and not automatically assume that because, let's say for example, J.J. Yeley was the fastest car in practice that he should automatically be penciled in as the race favorite. While the old saying is "practice makes perfect", at least in NASCAR it should be "practice does not make perfect."
Brody Jones is a Contributor to Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at brody.jones@frontstretch.com.
The Critic's Annex: Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000
by Phil Allaway
Hello, race fans. Welcome back to the Critic's Annex, where we take an additional look at motorsports-related programming. This past weekend, while NASCAR's top two series and the ARCA Racing Series were racing in Kansas, the biggest touring car race... in the world was being held literally half a world away.by Phil Allaway
That's right. Saturday night was the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, a round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. Normally, such a race telecast would be cut to heck and back, shown weeks after it is run on SPEED. Not this year. A couple of months ago, SPEED announced the first-ever live telecast of "The Great Race." They even sent Mike Joy and Darrell Waltrip down to New South Wales to give the telecast some star power. But how well did that work? Let's find out.
When SPEED announced the live telecast of Bathurst, I figured that they would send down their Grand-Am commentary team (The Diffmeister, Calvin Fish and Dorsey Schroeder for the booth, with Chris Neville in the pits) for the race. With that group, you'd have a V8 Supercars veteran (Diffey did two separate stints as the play-by-play man for ATCC (Australian Touring Car Championship) and V8 Supercar races for Network Ten), paired with two veteran road racers.
With Joy and Waltrip, you have a very skilled man in the booth (Joy) that has limited experience with the series. He must have spent weeks buried in research materials. Waltrip is, well...Waltrip. We know what he brings to a broadcast. When he isn't speaking in sentences that end with exclamation points, he's making semi-relevant analysis. However, I doubt that Waltrip did as much research prior to the race as Joy did.
The aforementioned Diffmeister (Leigh Diffey) and Calvin Fish did make the trip to Bathurst, but they were on pit road serving as pit reporters. This was a waste of knowledge and talent. However, SPEED seemed to take an educative focus for the broadcast and figured that having the booth learning along with viewers would make for a better telecast.
SPEED's telecast on Saturday night started off with a brief recap of last year's race, including a replay of Fabian Coulthard's infamous roll on the first lap of the event. That was followed up with a brief piece on how winning the 1000 kilometer Great Race makes you a borderline hero in Australia.
Another feature focused on the never-ending Holden vs. Ford rivalry. This is the direct equivalent of Chevrolet vs. Ford here in the United States. SPEED went out and talked to some drivers and fans camping up on the mountain about the rivalry. I'd argue that Holden vs. Ford is more intense, though than was featured. It's rather crazy. However, it should be noted that there is a sizable group of Australian race fans that are tired of just Holden vs. Ford in the V8 Supercars and openly wish for a return to the Group A era (1985-92), when foreign manufacturers were allowed to compete. That could technically be possible starting next year with the "Car of the Future," but any manufacturer that wants in has to bring in their own naturally-aspirated V8 engine, not to mention a full-size, four-door touring car. In other words, it's not bloody likely, unless the rules were to change again to allow multiple types of engines, like turbocharged 4-cylinders.
Then, there was the clip of Waltrip doing a ride along with Team BOC's Jason Bright and basically spending six and a half minutes screaming. Well, that was interesting. Both SPEED and Australia's Seven Network aired a version of this segment during their telecasts. I preferred the Seven Network's version as the audio was synced up correctly, plus, Darrell got to explain a little more of his thoughts to the Seven Network's Mark Larkham (a former racer and team owner in his own right).
SPEED advertised this broadcast as having their own production crew, in addition to their own commentators. Was this actually the case? No. The reality was a lot closer to SPEED's Formula One telecasts, but with a couple of differences. The first major difference was that the booth commentators were actually in Bathurst, but I've already covered that. The second difference was that SPEED had control of more than one camera and could use it all race long. On their F1 broadcasts, SPEED can use one roving camera, but only during pre-race.
SPEED did retain some ability to deviate from the "World Feed" (in this case, the feed from V8 Supercars Australia for the Seven Network). However, it was just not complete deviation. When SPEED would show pit stops, viewers would sometimes see graphics for in-car cameras and sound from that camera during the stops.
Worse, there were times (like on Lap 10) where you could hear the Seven Network's commentary team underneath Joy and Waltrip. That is inexcusable. What the deuce? C'mon SPEED, you're better than that. For next year, heck at Surfer's Paradise in a week and a half, you have to rectify that.
What would a live Bathurst telecast for the American audience be without a Marcos Ambrose sighting? Of course, since Ambrose was in Kansas for Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400, he couldn't be in Bathurst for the race. However, nothing was stopping Ambrose from calling in to give some input. He chose to do so during the first full course caution of the race. Here, Waltrip talked about how Ambrose convinced him to come to Bathurst and take in the action.
Of course, Ambrose's most memorable Bathurst moment (the wreck with Greg Murphy back in 2005) was brought into play here. Ambrose sort of laughed it off and basically described it as a big disagreement between himself and Murphy. SPEED then brought Murphy into the discussion, just because they could. Murphy talked about how the crash itself is still a really big deal in Australian motorsports history and that he is still asked about it all the time.
In addition to Ambrose calling in, there were a couple of special guest racers that were interviewed in the pits. Max Papis was at the race, as was Marino Franchitti. Franchitti is scheduled to race in Surfer's Paradise during the Armor All 600 weekend (each driver is paired with an international racer for the weekend). Meanwhile, Papis was just taking in all the action. He won't be in Surfer's Paradise because the Camping World Truck Series will be racing at Talladega.
To keep up the education theme, Diffey went into the Triple Eight Engineering (this is the Vodafone-sponsored team) to talk about their rather substantial amount of telemetry that they have available to them. They can see driver inputs, temperature readings, warnings and all kinds of other technical gizmos, including what amounts to simulation software that can show where they would come out of the pits in any situation. In addition, they also have a weather radar link as well. It's just about as detailed as any sports car team would have at their disposal. Kelly Racing's secondary team (the non-Jack Daniel's backed teams (Nos. 11 and 16)) have a much simpler system when it comes to pit stops that is not as technologically advanced, but still works quite well (the No. 11, shared by Murphy and Allen Simonsen, finished third).
Post-race coverage was quite brief. SPEED provided interviews with Garth Tander, driver of the winning car at the finish, along with Craig Lowndes, who ran second. Neither of their co-drivers (Nick Percat and Mark Skaife) got interviewed. There was also a quick check of the unofficial results before SPEED had to leave to get to their live coverage of the Grand Prix of Japan from Suzuka Circuit. From what I understand, that would technically mean that SPEED was already off the air before the podium ceremony, which is where the Seven Network does their winner's interviews. Although it is incredibly rare that there would be a legitimate conflict with another live event at 2:10 in the morning, that is exactly what happened. SPEED's telecast went over it's slot by a little over ten minutes (this year's race was roughly 23 minutes longer than last year's), and put them in conflict. Oh well, maybe there won't be a Suzuka (or Yeongam) conflict next year.
I will say that everyone involved seemed to be greatly enjoying themselves at Bathurst and had a lot of fun with the broadcast. However, the overall production needs some work. All race long, the Seven Network's race car audio would bleed into segments in which SPEED was using the pit road cameras at their disposal. I don't know why this problem is occurring, but it needs to be fixed. In addition, there would be instances in which random graphics about certain cars not even on screen would pop up. I guess the Seven Network was referring to whichever driver popped up there at the time. For future live races, I would like it if SPEED could integrate their own scroll graphics into the telecast and completely eliminate the Seven Network package. However, I just don't think that it's possible since V8 Supercars Australia basically does all their broadcasts themselves, while the Seven Network simply airs them.
It could be argued that this broadcast would be a good start to live telecasts of V8 Supercar races on SPEED. However, with all of the production issues that this telecast had, perhaps it was a little more trouble than it was worth to have their own crew down there. Even though I am not a fan of Matthew White (the Seven Network's play-by-play commentator), perhaps it would have been a better move to simply piggyback off of the Seven Network's telecast. I'll definitely be critiquing the Armor All 600k telecast and discovering what SPEED ends up doing with that.
I hope you enjoyed this look at SPEED's broadcast of the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000. Tune in next week for a look at the Izod IndyCar World Championships from Las Vegas. Until then, enjoy the action from Charlotte, Las Vegas and Yeongam, Korea.
Phil Allaway is a Senior Writer and the Newsletter Manager for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Critic84.
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Frontstretch Line of the Week
From Beyond the Cockpit: A NASCAR Petty on Making the Show and Making... Pickles?
"I'm all for anything that saves us money, but she likes to shop and see how much money she can save. I don't have the patience for it." - Jeremy Petty, on his wife's shopping habits. Based on what Jeremy's saying here, there is a certain pricing game on The Price Is Right that she would be the grandmaster at playing.
"I'm all for anything that saves us money, but she likes to shop and see how much money she can save. I don't have the patience for it." - Jeremy Petty, on his wife's shopping habits. Based on what Jeremy's saying here, there is a certain pricing game on The Price Is Right that she would be the grandmaster at playing.
Have a nominee for Line of the Week? Email Phil Allaway at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com and you may see yourself in this space next week!
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
MPM2Nite: The Slippery Slope Slickens
by Matt McLaughlin
Going Green: Four Races In, The Muscle-Flexing Begins
by Garrett Horton
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
MPM2Nite: The Slippery Slope Slickens
by Matt McLaughlin
Going Green: Four Races In, The Muscle-Flexing Begins
by Garrett Horton
by Brett Poirier
Who's Hot / Who's Not In NASCAR: Kansas-Charlotte Edition
by Summer Dreyer
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Get THE ANNUAL, 2011 Racing Preview for your mobile device.
Go to Frontstretch.com and click on "The Annual" link on the right side to order and download this special issue that includes: Track Information, Driver profiles and In-Depth Features.
~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: The inaugural IRL race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway saw a pole speed of over 227 mph in the last race for the series with turbocharged engines. However, it also saw some big wrecks, specifically one involving Johnny O'Connell. What happened to O'Connell?
Who's Hot / Who's Not In NASCAR: Kansas-Charlotte Edition
by Summer Dreyer
~~~~~~
Get THE ANNUAL, 2011 Racing Preview for your mobile device.
Go to Frontstretch.com and click on "The Annual" link on the right side to order and download this special issue that includes: Track Information, Driver profiles and In-Depth Features.
~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: The inaugural IRL race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway saw a pole speed of over 227 mph in the last race for the series with turbocharged engines. However, it also saw some big wrecks, specifically one involving Johnny O'Connell. What happened to O'Connell?
Check back Friday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Wednesday's Answer:
Q: This weekend is the Izod IndyCar World Championships in Las Vegas, the regular season finale in 2011. But did you know... this is the third venue in Las Vegas that has hosted IndyCar racing in the Las Vegas area. The one-off street race for Champ Car in Downtown Las Vegas back in 2007 is another example. What was the third venue?
A: The third venue was Caesar's Palace, or more specifically, their parking lot. In 1983, CART took over the race weekend that had been held by Formula One the previous two years. Instead of the 2.1-mile temporary course shaped like a hand that Formula One used, a 1.125-mile "modified oval" setup was used for 1983 and 1984. Here's a clip of the beginning of NBC's telecast from 1984. Paul Page and Johnny Rutherford are in the booth, with Gary Gerould and Bruce Jenner (yes, that Bruce Jenner) in the pits.
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: Take the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to trivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
~~~~~~~
Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News & Frontstretch Folio: Charlotte by Summer Dreyer
-- Keepin' It Short by Mike Neff
-- In Case You Missed It by Brett Poirier
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Four Burning Questions: Charlotte/Las Vegas by Mike Lovecchio
We'll have a preview of the Sprint Cup and Nationwide races this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, in addition to the Camping World Truck Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Holding A Pretty Wheel by Amy Henderson
-- In Case You Missed It by Brett Poirier
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Four Burning Questions: Charlotte/Las Vegas by Mike Lovecchio
We'll have a preview of the Sprint Cup and Nationwide races this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, in addition to the Camping World Truck Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Holding A Pretty Wheel by Amy Henderson
Amy's back with another interesting commentary, based on her at-track experiences today from Charlotte.
Voices From The Heartland by Jeff Meyer
For the rest of the season, Jeff's weekly column will run on Fridays. He's sure to satisfy with his off-beat style and sarcastic sense of humor! This week, Jeff tackles the recent Brian France press conference from out in Kansas.
Voices From The Heartland by Jeff Meyer
For the rest of the season, Jeff's weekly column will run on Fridays. He's sure to satisfy with his off-beat style and sarcastic sense of humor! This week, Jeff tackles the recent Brian France press conference from out in Kansas.
Nuts For Nationwide by Bryan Davis Keith
Bryan returns with an intriguing commentary ahead of the series making their second trip to Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Driver Diary: Regan Smith as told to Tony Lumbis
The driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row Chevrolet returns for another interesting look at the past month on and off the track.
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©2011 Frontstretch.com
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©2011 Frontstretch.com
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