Forum: SCRAFAN.COM Forum (go)
Moderators: ljennings

Well, what did you guys think of the first broadcast?

I'm going to try and be as diplomatic as possible and just say the race itself stunk! Yes I know, track conditions, fuel, etc.

I guess I was just disappointed. I have loved this sport all my life and I was hoping that this was going to showcase it, not show a boring hour of racing. My neighbour who wondered why I would drive down from Prescott to Manzy was over by my invitation. I wanted to show him why I would drive that far, he got bored and left.

I think the announcers did a good job, the camera angles were great and the in car camera of Danny gave the people a good look of what it's like out there with the mud flying, but as far as I'm concerned they could have left this one in the can!

I'm sad to say, I'm not sure if that that broadcast will help or hurt our sport.

Kenny

Half the lies they tell about me aren't true. 

i think we need to be thankful that they even give us that much to watch.

you could have been watching golf or poker

give them credit it will be better the next time

My post was not about me. I understood the conditions. I know the drivers. I know the track. I didn't get bored. I was excited that we finally had a chance to showcase the USAC/CRA guys, my guys. Hell, I was even OK with the fact it was at Perri's instead of my track, Manzy. I thought it would "look good" on TV on the smaller track. I gave them credit, but I stand by what I said.

I'm the type who get's there early, hours early to get my seat up top in the general admission section toward turn one,and I drive a 100 miles to get there, right toprow? If the show is over at 10:30 I feel cheated somehow.

The post was not about me.

Half the lies they tell about me aren't true. 

"If the show is over at 10:30 I feel cheated somehow." Are you kidding me?

Matt

Hell no, even after all these years I enjoy almost every minite at the track except listening to the people bitch as if they were hog tied and brought there againt there will. I also rembemer when the Midgets or the 360,s would run with and a full show would take that long even when it went smooth. Oh yeah, I have no friends and no place else to go. LOL

Wallscraper, will you be my friend?

Kenny

Half the lies they tell about me aren't true. 

sorry bigfish ,i didn't want to pick on you, i have travel 1400 miles one way to see manzy or perris.so even thou they weren't the best boy it sure beats golf or poker. when igot to any races i'm there like you in the top row getting the best seat i can. my first vist to manzy was western world 1976.

i come out every fall for the western and the oval nat. Bob from Black Hawk SD

Not to worry Bob, but thanks.

I guess I just wanted everyone across the county to see what a great bunch of drivers and how competitive it is over this way. I don't blame anyone or anything like that. I was just disappointed that that broadcast didn't represent the type of racing you see on even a average night.

See you at the Western, Oh yeah, the classic on dirt was great and I expect them to change it to a 3 day show next year, we had to many car's for just 2 nights.

Kenny

Half the lies they tell about me aren't true. 

I too was happy just to see that a race made it on tv, but would have to say that overall I was disappointed with the broadcast. Thursday/Saturday Night Thunder was the pinnacle of open wheel racing on tv so that's what I compared it too, rightly or wrongly, and it was nowhere close. The announcers didn't seem to know how many laps were left in a race on a couple occasions, and for each they should have shown the traditional starting lineup, then left us with a top 4, rather than the continuous scroll. When I heard Crash Gladys would be part of the broadcast I almost didn't watch it (if that gives an indication of what my opinion of her is, I've caught her act on drag race telecasts before), but she wasn't too embarassing. Overall I'm sure they will learn over time and make tweaks here and there...

From South Alabama.... I loved it! I agree... kind of a lame race but was still nice to see. All we get down here sprint car wise is all winged. some carbureted 360 stuff and on occasion a 360 injected ASCS regional race. At the asphalt tracks they have USCS come in once a year but all the series's lack on car counts... 18 cars tops. usually about 12 or so.

There's nothing like a non winged 410 injected car. Good stuff! Got the rest of the shows marked on my calandar.

Good deal, I was in that situation once after I moved up to the Pacific Northwest in 74 and to that point my home tracks had been Ascot and Manzy and I would have been glad to see them too. I remember when I got back to Manzy, I was so excited to see CRA on the big half mile I hit my head on the arches at the entrance on the way in. LOL

Like I said, there were a lot of factors that screwed up that show and most of them were uncontrollable and it will get better

Kenny

Half the lies they tell about me aren't true. 

Having just moved from SoCal to Texas (forced by Uncle Sam, not my choice) I was thrilled to see it on TV. No it wasn't the best race, but race fans know not every week is a barnburner and I'm thankful for any coverage the sport gets....

I also spoke with my dad who lives in Florida (just moved from PA) and had never seen the USAC/CRA, SCRA, or original CRA at all. I always told him about Perris, and sent him a few DVD's I bought. He was impressed with that you have that kind of racing every week out there....

Trust me SoCal - some of you may think it was better "back in the day" - but you've got some of the best sprint car racing in the country going on in your backyard.

I guess it's all a matter of perspective. The same question was asked over on the Indiana Open Wheel site and the responses were all positive. http://indianaopenwheel.com/vmessageboard/showthread.php?t=11111

In Indiana they have to sit through 3-4 poopbox support classes enduring races that end well past midnight at racetracks with bathrooms that would make a sanitary engineer yak all so they can watch sprint cars race. And people come out to watch multiple times every week. So it doesn't surprise me that they would look at the telecast favorably. People, we're spoiled.

The announcers might do well to get someone off-mike to accompany them who knows a lot about the cars, the drivers and the owners, as well as the series, so that they can talk about something beyond mere names and numbers. Or trade away the verbally capable but not-so-knowledgible second voice in favor of a local like Chris or Ronnie who may not be so "Hollywood" but know a lot more about who's doing what to who and why.

Okay, I admit the editing is so tight and the pacing is so fast that there might not be a lot of -time- to add much. But personalizing the drivers and describing their accomplishments the way Scott does when he's announcing is a major component of the formula that's made the NASCAR boys household words.

The white level on the cameras seemed to be set a bit low for the dark-light midline on my little desk TV; was it dark to you guys as well? Otherwise the production was "nationwide" and certainly presented CRA, The PAS, The K's, Ray, etc. in a nice way. Moreover, the PAS came off as one of the best-looking dirt track stadiums one sees on TV.

The collection of presenting advertisers (who underwrite the cost of production and airing before other advertisers make it truly -profitible- for the cable network to air it) should be noted by anyone who may have ideas about tying this with their own or another production company. Lucas Oil, K&N Filters, Torco Racing Fuels. All competition-oriented rather than merely targeting "excitable males."

Who -else- fits the parameters here? Hoosier Tires? Donovan blocks? Simpson suits? Sprint Car & Midget magazine? O'Reilly Auto Parts? Brodix heads? I wouldn't guess there are all that many who could easily write even the low four-figure checks required.

Good point. It was exciting to see our guys on television.

When is the next one airing, anyway?

The telecast may not have been great but it wasn't awful either, actually a little better than I expected. My biggest disappointment was how small the crowd was. Maybe what was seen on TV was a little deceiving but it didn't seem like a good turnout, certainly not impressive for anyone watching on the tube. Maybe someone who was there in person can elaborate further on this.

I watched the replay show today. I think attendance was about normal for a sprint car race that time of year. It can be very cold at the PAS in March-April. After all it is located on the dessert. As most of you know, usually the first 5-10 rows are vacant at a dirt track for obvious reasons. I personally enjoyed the program. It was professionally done and I look forward to the next show - sometime in June.

"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza"  -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS

The whole idea of my post was to get some input on what you all thought and again, I was thinking of the perspective of a first time viewer. I'm definitely looking forward to the next broadcast and will be glad to see it as well.

Kenny

Half the lies they tell about me aren't true. 

Most of the crowd left early that night due to the almost constant drizzle during the Main. They broadcast the races from the PAS on FM radio so I assume most of them were listening in their car. There was about a half-hour rain delay late in the A-main.