At Bristol, Jimmie Johnson won his third out of five 2010 Cup races, for a total of 50 career wins.
That’s very good for him but very bad for NASCAR. We predict that if it appears that JJ is on his way to another NASCAR Cup Championship, ticket sales and TV ratings could go lower than they are now. Fans are looking for surprises, not the same-old, same-old.
Tony Stewart had to settle for leftovers, as did Kurt Busch and Greg Biffle. JR was able to go from 13th to eighth in the point standings as a result of his seventh-place finish. Kurt Busch wants to beat the 48 car any time he can. But, JJ seems to be on his way to a possible fifth title. Bristol was somewhat void of its usual excessive slamming and banging – BORING! We saw lots of empty seats due to many factors, including the economy.
We caught Randy Bernard, the new CEO of the IRL, on Wind Tunnel last weekend. Wind Tunnel host Robin Miller told Bernard that he has a lot of problems on his plate, one of which is that there’s only two American drivers in that entire series. Randy’s answer was that he’ll move drivers into the IRL ranks from the Karts. Well, we feel that’s got to be a long term goal. What he should be doing in the short run is to help IRL teams to get sponsors to back USAC Midget, NASCAR Modified, ISMA Super Modified and World of Outlaw Sprint name drivers that have major followings. When those drivers move into the IRL, their fans will follow them. Don’t expect that to happen because Indy Car racing is still a “ride buying” series. Until that changes, very few Americans will get any opportunities.
Nice going for Justin Allgaier coming in for the win in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and Brad Keselowski who took a second, which gave team owner Roger Penske a one-two finish in that series at Bristol.
It was announced by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences that ESPN’s coverage of motor sports has earned five Sports Emmy Award nominations, among an industry-leading 54 nominations earned by ESPN, Inc. For the ninth time in 10 years, ESPN earned the most nominations of any submitting company. The winners will be announced Monday, April 26.
The five nominations in motor sports included both NASCAR and the Indianapolis 500:
Outstanding Live Sports Special: The Indy 500
Outstanding Technical Team Remote: NASCAR on ESPN
Outstanding Technical Team Studio
ESPN Pit Studio and ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage
Outstanding Production Design/Art Direction: The Indy 500
Outstanding Editing: NASCAR Sprint Cup Season in Review (produced by NASCAR Media Group for ESPN2)
In addition, ESPN’s marketing department received a nomination for Outstanding Sports Promotional Announcement: NASCAR on ESPN – Feel Your Heart Race
ESPN has won 19 Sports Emmy Awards for motor sports in its history, 17 during the 1990s and one in each of the last two years since the network’s return to NASCAR. Overall, ABC has won 160 Sports Emmys since the awards were first given in 1980, while ESPN has won 128 in 21 years of eligibility.
This insight tells it all from the Valvoline Track Talk Newsletter. Yes, He Really Said That-
Fernando Alonso, on the effect of Formula One’s no-refueling rule this season. “After the first corner, more or less, the positions will be settled.”
Here’s what’s on for motorsports this week on ESPN and ABC: In what will certainly provide memorable images for TV viewers as well as those in attendance, the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series will make history with the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway adjacent to Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend. Due to the unique configuration and design of the facility, the event will see the NHRA’s professional classes running four across in qualifying and eliminations action, a first in the NHRA.
ESPN2 will have same-day, high-definition telecasts of qualifying and eliminations, with qualifying highlights airing Saturday, March 27, at 7 p.m. ET. Finals air Sunday, March 28, at 5 p.m. Paul Page anchors ESPN2’s coverage with analysis by 22-time NHRA winner Mike Dunn. Reporting from the pits will be Gary Gerould and Dave Rieff. Rieff and Dunn host NHRA RaceDay on Sunday at 10 a.m. to set the stage for that day’s eliminations action.
The IZOD IndyCar Series will appear on ABC for the first time this season in a live telecast of the race from the St. Petersburg, Fla., street circuit on Sunday, March 28, at 3:30 p.m. ET. Marty Reid will call the action on the telecast with analysis from former Indy Car star Scott Goodyear. Reporting from the pits will be Rick DeBruhl, Jamie Little and Vince Welch,
The event is the first of five races in the 2010 IZOD Indy Car Series season that will be produced by ESPN and air on ABC. The schedule also includes the Indianapolis 500 on May 30, marking the 46th consecutive year that the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” will air on ABC, as well as events at Kansas Speedway, Watkins Glen International and Toronto.
NASCAR on ESPN analysts Ricky Craven and Randy LaJoie and NASCAR Now reporter Angelique Chengelis will be panelists on NASCAR Now’s weekly roundtable discussion program on Monday, March 29, at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Allen Bestwick will host the edition of ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program.
Nicole Briscoe hosts half-hour episodes of NASCAR Now airing Tuesday through Thursday of this week at 5 p.m. Briscoe also hosts the one-hour weekend edition that airs Sunday, March 28, at 9 a.m. with a preview of that day’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Martinsville Speedway. Chengelis and Shannon Spake will report from the speedway. .
NASCAR Now is hosted by Mike Massaro, Bestwick and Briscoe and originates from ESPN’s high definition studios in Bristol, Conn. Contributors include reporters Marty Smith, Shannon Spake and Angelique Chengelis, analysts Ray Evernham, Tim Brewer, Brad Daugherty, Ricky Craven and Randy LaJoie, and ESPN.com reporters Ed Hinton, Terry Blount and David Newton. The NASCAR on ESPN team event coverage team of Rusty Wallace, Dale Jarrett, Marty Reid, Dr. Jerry Punch, Andy Petree, Dave Burns, Jamie Little, and Vince Welch also make frequent contributions to NASCAR Now.
Here’s what else is happening on TV this weekend: Daylight Savings Time and spring has arrived and the TV screen will be busy this week right through the weekend with practice, qualifying and races for several sanctions. It includes the F1 of Australia, Cup and Camping World Trucks at Martinsville, NHRA at Charlotte and AMA Super and Sports Bikes at Fontana. The AMA SuperX also stops Jacksonville, World Superbikes at Portugal, and the IRL at St. Pete. Speed, ESPN2, ESPN, CBS, FOX, TSN and ABC all have offerings. Check RaceFanTV.com on the internet for all of the details. (END)
NOTE: INFORMATION FOR THIS COLUMN CAME FROM VARIOUS REFERENCED SOURCES, PRESS RELEASES, NOTES AND OTHER SOURCES.
