It certainly is going to be fun to watch NASCAR on FOX today. Chris Myers has to walk Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Hammond through the Richard Childress and Kyle Busch mess from Saturday before he can move to today's race preview.
As veteran fans know, FOX always has an interesting perspective on this race which is the final event for the network in 2011. It's often more melancholy than upbeat, especially for Waltrip who has actually teared-up in the past on the air.
Waltrip will continue on SPEED's RaceDay covering for Kyle Petty this summer while Hammond will work for RaceHub and SPEED's at track coverage of practice and qualifying. Myers will continue to host Inside NASCAR on Showtime for the rest of the season.
Mike Joy will call the race and other than some Barrett-Jackson auctions he steps aside after this event. Larry McReynolds moves on to TNT as the strategy guy working from the infield.
Steve Byrnes and Krista Voda continue working for SPEED, while Matt Yocum moves to TNT for the summer. Only Dick Berggren ends his TV run after today. Berggren is having a tough season and this break is coming at a good time for him.
FOX has dumped Pizzi, moved the pre-race out to the fans and got into Twitter and social media. On the flip side, they continue to use tight shots and in-car cameras to show random groups of cars instead of stepping-up and showing the actual racing on the track. The finish line struggles have also continued.
Big networks make plans well in advance of how to televise major sports. FOX carried out the plan this season and has changed nothing since Daytona. While ratings have crept up due to the better racing storylines, the network is now going to step aside and watch TNT and ESPN take on the challenge of finishing the season.
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