[TRDnAZ]

Is it just me or is there just too much pre-race show? I mean the build up to the race is getting out of control for crying out loud. I don’t need to know every little thing all the drivers and teams did at last weeks race (I watched it!).
Please spare me every little detail about all the other mindless crap like tires, setup, what happened in qualifying, how wet the rain is, what to name the “digger” cam etc. I mean come on! If I what more information, I can find all I need to over-dose on, on the internet. Is it just me or have the networks decided to broadcast all live sporting events like there some kind of reality show? I’m telling you I don’t need the talking head announcers trying to build up the drama of the race. The race itself builds the drama! And when the TV listings give you the time the broadcast starts, the race should start not more than 10 minutes after. I mean say the prayer, sing the national anthem show the fighters fly over and say “gentlemen start your engines”! Let’s Go Racing!.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by TRDnAZ

Is it just me or is there just too much pre-race show? I mean the build up to the race is getting out of control for crying out loud. I don’t need to know every little thing all the drivers and teams did at last weeks race (I watched it!).
Please spare me every little detail about all the other mindless crap like tires, setup, what happened in qualifying, how wet the rain is, what to name the “digger” cam etc. I mean come on! If I what more information, I can find all I need to over-dose on, on the internet. Is it just me or have the networks decided to broadcast all live sporting events like there some kind of reality show? I’m telling you I don’t need the talking head announcers trying to build up the drama of the race. The race itself builds the drama! And when the TV listings give you the time the broadcast starts, the race should start not more than 10 minutes after. I mean say the prayer, sing the national anthem show the fighters fly over and say “gentlemen start your engines”! Let’s Go Racing!.

Music to my ears. Someone else who thinks like me!

Hey TRDnAZ, welcome to GTG and the NASCAR Forum. Keep it up!!! I love hearing from someone else who agrees with me! Next thing ya know, they'll be calling the race just like a horse race...

BTW: don't forget to stop by the prediction thread and post yours for this week.

[loco4pablo]

agreed... but just do like I do.... don't watch it! I turn it on right when they are ready to drop the flag. It does kill me when a race runs late and after the checkered flag they have to go because they are out of time!
Well.. if the pre race show wasn't 2 hours long they would have plenty too spare.

[BiscuitMan]

I'm like loco. I find out what time the green flag is scheduled for and turn on the TV then. Then after the burnout or flip, I turn the TV off.

[loco4pablo]

think we are gonna see a lot of flips this year!

[Lefty Noob]

Yeah, I agree, and this is my biggest gripe against NASCAR. Instead of scheduling their pregame show and the race as seperate shows (like the NFL and other sports do), they just list it all as the race. Sure, you can dig and find out when the race is supposed to begin, but you should have to. One look at the TV Guide should tell you.

[loco4pablo]

look on NASCAR.com I think they list the start of the race
if not just figure an hour after the list time in the TV giude they start with the anthem and drivers getting ready. About 20 min. later they drop the flag.
What fox I guess doesn't realize is for the NFL pregame show there are 14 different games to talk about and a few hundred players to chat about in Nascar there is just one race and 43 people so the pre race show should be about 15 minutes tops!

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by TRDnAZ

Is it just me or is there just too much pre-race show? I mean the build up to the race is getting out of control for crying out loud. I don’t need to know every little thing all the drivers and teams did at last weeks race (I watched it!).
[size=3][font=Times New Roman]Please spare me every little detail about all the other mindless crap like tires, setup, what happened in qualifying, how wet the rain is, what to name the “digger” cam etc. I mean come on!

There are at least two of us who feel exactly the same way.

What TV is doing is to cater and absolutely pander to the driver fan and to hell with the race fan. Every week they try and hold a mini-seminar for the novice fan and explain the difference between "Loose" and "Tight," along with a multitude of other term and race car nomenclature which have been gone over and over and over and over and over an... for the past ten years.

For example: Last week I heard an MRN announcer interview Michael McDowell after his qualifying crash. Then the same announcer later analyzed what McDowell actually said. Then a media type was interviewed and he analyzed what the interviewer meant when he analyzed what McDowell said in the original interview!!??

They put on a pre-race show which appeals to the lowest common denominator and the race fans have to suffer for it.

Know what? MRN and PRN (radio NASCAR coverage) isn't a whole lot better, just about an hour shorter.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

There are at least two of us who feel exactly the same way.

What TV is doing is to cater and absolutely pander to the driver fan and to hell with the race fan.

Dangit Bob... I value your opinion, but damn when it strikes a cord......... I must leave this alone before I get on myu soapbox

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Quality88

Dangit Bob... I value your opinion, but damn when it strikes a cord......... I must leave this alone before I get on myu soapbox

I'd be interested in hearing what you have to say, Dustin. The "but..." in your post piqued my interest.

If I trod heavily on a toe, please be reminded that my post are very seldom aimed individually but rather at a general group. (Rick Hendrick, Mayfield and the Brothers Waltrip excepted)

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

I'd be interested in hearing what you have to say, Dustin. The "but..." in your post piqued my interest.

If I trod heavily on a toe, please be reminded that my post are very seldom aimed individually but rather at a general group. (Rick Hendrick, Mayfield and the Brothers Waltrip excepted)

Well when you say driver fan, I say fad fan(not tryin to slam any driver fans)..... but those fans that jumped in cause it was the most popular fad to follow at the time. NA$CAR has been losin those fans that caused the sport to explode (most of it coinciding with the death of Dale Earnahardt).... now they are doin whatever they can to get those fans back, and in turn has hurt the sport. They are also tryin to swade the longtime fans, but the long time fans aren't buyin their BS..... I'm stoppin there before I get bad.

[PenelopePitStop]

Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one who has picked up on this! Is this new this year? Seems that it is.

I forget which race it was this year, but I swear it was two hours into it before the race started. Annoying!

Now I've learned to monitor Speed and Fox at the same time. As long as Speed is covering the pre-race, I know that the start of the race on Fox isn't eminent. I don't watch the Speed coverage, just check the program guide to see when it ends, then I turn on Fox.

Also, I agree with a previous post regarding the pre-race focused on the driver fan as opposed to the race fan.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by PenelopePitStop

. I don't watch the Speed coverage, just check the program guide to see when it ends, then I turn on Fox.

Also, I agree with a previous post regarding the pre-race focused on the driver fan as opposed to the race fan.

SPEED pre-race lost me last year when they prominently displayed Tommy Tattoo, or whatever his name was.

This season they picked up another winner. The lid with the flat top and glasses that hosted the "NASCAR Best Commercials" show back in Feb. (Which was wasted air space, I might add) Not wanted to cast any dispersions on the youngman but... I think he's better suited to an episode of "Will and Grace," or possibly backup for The Village People, than he is a NASCAR-themed show.

[PenelopePitStop]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

SPEED pre-race lost me last year when they prominently displayed Tommy Tattoo, or whatever his name was.

This season they picked up another winner. The lid with the flat top and glasses that hosted the "NASCAR Best Commercials" show back in Feb. (Which was wasted air space, I might add) Not wanted to cast any dispersions on the youngman but... I think he's better suited to an episode of "Will and Grace," or possibly backup for The Village People, than he is a NASCAR-themed show.

No argument here!






http://www.smileycentral.com/sig.jsp?pc=ZSzeb113&pp=ZN

[NASCAR Gnome]

Does the NHL, MLB and NBA have pre-game shows? I don't have a clue because my Sharks, A's and Warriors are regional and the guys who preview these games are people y'all probably have never heard of unless they are some ex-coach or player! (And honestly, I don't care to listen to these guys anyway...)

The NFL has not one, not two, not three but FOUR pre-game shows if memory serves... ESPN, NFL Network, CBS/NBC (I can't remember which one...) and Fox! So...

I don't see any problem with NASCAR having only ONE lengthy pre-race show because it tends to heighten anticipation and not only explain the rudimentary issues you guys describe. Let's face it, for the uninitiated, the start, the finish and the wrecks are what most of them look for in these races! Unfortunately, for the "purists", this is unacceptable simply because we deserve more than simple pom-pom waving but the networks have got to balance what sells... right? I have learned to accept this because I watch when I can and I'm in no position to do anything about it... C'est la Vie!

What really irks me though is the complete LACK of any POST-RACE attention! If it were up to me, I would stress the post-race because the drivers and owners can fly their way around so keeping them a little longer after a race should not be as incontinent as keeping someone who has to travel by road! I would love to see more post-race stuff...