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NASCAR Race Day Reports
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
By Heather Pohlabel
One of the most wonderful things about NASCAR racing coverage is that coverage begins on Friday when the trucks are run, continues through Saturday when the Busch series run, and then goes all day Sunday, the day of the race. This is just a typical week. Of course, there are variations when the Nextel Cup race in on a Saturday night, there is no race that week at all, or it is the off season. But usually without fail, you can get your fill of NASCAR throughout the weekend.
SPEED channel starts covering the pre race activity hours before line up and usually covers full qualifying events as well. Any true NASCAR fan has this channel tuned in early on Sunday mornings or afternoons to get a feel for how the cars are running, to hear the latest rumors, and to see all the pre race interviews.
Interviews are a very important part of publicity for racers and their teams, but how much is too much?
I like to hear what the racers have to say before and after races and about important events in their organizations or lives. One of the best racers to listen to is Mikey Wallace, who also often is doing the interviewing. He's entertaining and can go on and on about any topic. They even have a Mikey clock that is used mockingly to show how long he has been talking during an interview. On a rain delayed race, they will head straight to Mikey to pass the time.
Racers have microphones in their face seemingly all the time, even in their cars. Conversations between drivers and their spotters, crews, crew chiefs, and owners are no longer kept secret or private. A driver must watch his language and be careful of what he says for fear of NASCAR handing down a punishment or in case he gives away a team secret.
While I like to hear from the drivers after the race, it has just been utterly disturbing to me to see how quickly and forcefully the station broadcasters get these interviews from these guys. Using last week's Martinsville as an example, as soon as interviewers could get down to talk to Kenny Schrader after he had been wrecked and very obviously shaken and upset, they were in there trying to shove a microphone in his face. Somehow he was able to avoid talking to them until he cooled off, but not every racer is so lucky.
Time and time again, Dale Earnhardt Junior's failures are dangled in front of his face by a reporter as he is asked to justify his racing or face his mistake or "tell us how you feel" about what happened. He can not even get his gear off before there is a microphone in his face with a reporter asking an obviously stinging question, "so how does it feel to be slipping in points". "How did that wreck affect your chances?" "What do you think about so and s..." It's never-ending.
Jimmie Johnson couldn't celebrate his emotional win last week before a reporter was in his face reminding him of the tragedy two years ago. Brian Vickers was reminded immediately how HE won his first Nextel Cup race, "so how mad is your teammate that you spun him out on the last lap for the win? How bad do you feel?"
Some drivers have started to get back at some reporters by light heartedly pouring their beverages on them, telling a joke, or being wise or short with their answers. It's not really the reporters' faults, and that is one job that I wouldn't want to have. They have to be some of the most hated people on the track. So why is it happening?
The networks use NASCAR as a platform for drama. They know it is an intense sport with a lot of personal feelings involved, after all, every driver's life is at stake the moment he starts the car and heads off of pit road onto the track. With emotions this high and risks this big and money this grand, someone has to keep the drama rolling.
Back off reporters, and let the guys celebrate. There's plenty of air time on SPEED or ESPN to keep the drama rolling.
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