ESPN, Round Two

Here we go kids, year two for NASCAR coverage of the now called Nationwide Series racing on ESPN. Last year was ESPN's first year back covering races for NASCAR in several years. The whole year was a mess with fans complaining on web forums on a daily basis. Some even say the terrible coverage had much to do about falling television ratings and fans leaving the sport in droves.

Rusty Wallace was the fans number one comlpaint. 'Draft Tracker' and other graphics were shown constantly throughout the season. His arrogant style and attitude put viewers over the edge. He consistantly mispronounced drivers names and never made any attempt correct this throughout the season. If his son, Steven Wallace, was in the race he was announcing, his attention seemed to be more on him than covering the race. Constantly referring to Steven made viewers cringe.

ESPN has heard the fans and have decided to put Wallace in a lesser role. Now, Rusty will step aside and become a permanent fixture in the ESPN Infield Studio at races. He will be teamed in that location with Allen Bestwick, who will be replacing Suzy Kolber. Also eliminated from the telecasts will be the "show host" position that was filled on selected key events by Brent Musburger. Kolber and Musburger brought nothing to the telecasts unless it was anger and confusion from viewers since they knew nothing of the sport and its history.



Dale Jarrett, Jerry Punch and Andy Petree will be in the booth for ESPN's NASCAR coverage. It will be Bestwick, Rusty Wallace, and Brad Daugherty in the Infield Studio. Tim Brewer will still hold down the fort in the tech center and the pits will be covered by Shannon Spake, Dave Burns, Jamie Little and Mike Massaro.



That's eleven people to cover a single race! Why so many? Why do the networks think we need so many folks to cover a race? I know why, they think they won't be able to think of enough to say during a three to four hour race. They think they have to keep yapping through the whole race to keep our attention. Wrong!



They got it all wrong! We don't need more people, we need racing! Just show us the racing action on the track! We don't need 'Draft Tracker', just show us the racing action on the track! We don't need the tech center, just show us the racing action on the track! We don't need all the commercials, just show us the racing action on the track!



I feel ESPN is only going to get a couple of races to get it right this year. If the first race or two sucks, that's it, fans won't put up with it. They're on the fence right now and if ESPN get's it wrong, well, you think ratings are bad now. Fans are leaving the sport in droves, ratings were at the lowest point ever last year. This is it NASCAR and ESPN, get it right or it's gone! There's other things to do on a sunny Sunday afternoon.



Round Two, begin............