We have three hours of NASCAR TV today before TNT's pre-race show. First up is NASCAR Now on ESPN2. Nicole Briscoe is hosting from the ESPN studios in Bristol, CT. In Sonoma at Infineon Raceway are reporters Marty Smith and Mike Massaro.
ESPN left Nationwide Series viewers in a lurch on Saturday after the race from Road America. Lots of issues were not sorted out and few drivers were interviewed before the network left for a playback of a rallycross show. It was a bad decision.
NASCAR Now needs to get right on top of those stories and clear-up the Nationwide Series issues. A late caution caused chaos as several cars passed the leader. It was never explained why there were no penalties, but Reed Sorenson was then called the winner of the race after the checkered flag. A single TV replay made all the difference.
Over on SPEED, there is two hours of NASCAR Raceday from Sonoma. Kyle Petty is working for TNT and Kenny Wallace raced in Wisconsin on Saturday. That means Darrell Waltrip and Hermie Sadler get a turn on the expert panel. John Roberts is hosting and Wendy Venturini is reporting. Also on today's show will be Rutledge Wood and Bob Dillner.
RaceDay changes with the personalities involved. Kyle Petty and Kenny Wallace bring one dynamic to the program, while Waltrip and Sadler bring another. Over the years this show has also featured Jimmy Spencer and Michael Waltrip in the featured analyst role.
Make no mistake about it, Venturini is the rock of this show. Her ability to flow through the garage area and handle virtually any type of interview and issue has made all the difference in the credibility of the program. The panelists may offer opinions, but she goes and gets the stories.
Two hours is a long time to fill and the NASCAR Media Group pulls out all the stops in producing the show. Interviews, features and news are mixed with the opinions of the two panelists in a format run by Roberts.
This post will serve to host your comments on the two NASCAR pre-race shows of Sunday morning. To add your opinion, just click on the comments button below. Thanks for taking the time to stop by The Daly Planet.