PRA Seaking Tracks for 2007/ IRL Broadcast Review/ Erin Crocker News/ The Real Slapshot
PRA Seeking Tracks for 2007
While the Premier Racing Association/Big Car Racing Series schedule is set for 2006, the series is already looking ahead to 2007. The organizers of the series are currently looking for tracks to fill out a possible 15 to 20 event schedule. The Big Car Series utilizes the older Silver Crown style pavement cars. The series this season will be contested on Tuesdays & Wednesdays that won’t interfere with USAC events. The season kicks off at Indianapolis Raceway Park in May. The Big Car Series also has opportunities for series sponsors and race sponsors. You can contact the PRA at info@PRARacing.com or visit their website at www.PRARacing.com.
IRL TV Review
Sunday’s ABC IRL IndyCar Series broadcast was a difficult one for the team and crew but for the most part, they did a good job. The broadcast team featured IRL newcomers Marty Reid and Rusty Wallace to the booth. As expected, the team had a little trouble getting their rhythm down but performed well for their first trip out. Reid and Wallace said a few things that didn’t make sense or were incorrect during the broadcast but that can be expected due to their newness to the series. It is the producer’s job to correct them and provide them with the best info to keep the talking heads in line. Overall, Wallace performed much better than I expected. He is not Paul Page but he will be a star for ABC in the future.
Brent Musburger disappointed me. I can’t expect him to be Bob Jenkins but he usually performs better. He performed well under the circumstances, but I expected more of one of the top three sports broadcasters in the country. On that note, having Musburger in the booth is a symbol that ABC/ESPN is committed to the IRL and making the broadcasts first class. BM masterfully handled the breaking news of the day’s events on ESPN’s Sports Center and ESPN News.
The production team built this stage at the beginning of pit lane to give the broadcast a “Hollywood Hotel” feel.
While the broadcast did not employ FOX’s new toy, the “fly cam,”
The broadcast did give us new innovations such as on board telemetry. They allowed the viewers to take a lap with eventual winner Dan Weldon. Weldon never lifted.
The program reached out to audiences that normally would not be interested in racing, by devoting time to Carmello Anthony who was on the pitbox.
This season the IRL has brought back “Side by Side” that allows viewers to never miss a second of racing. This feature will be used at every IRL race in 2006.
Overall, the broadcast crew did a great job under difficult circumstances. The program was well produced and the pit reporters are the best in the business. The only weak link, was the program host and the anchors, but that will improve with time. Overall I give it a B+.
IRL Broadcasts Around the Globe
Sunday’s Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will be seen in 147 countries and territories on ESPN International’s affiliated networks in Africa, Asia, Australia, Canada, Latin America, New Zealand and the Middle East. The remaining 13 IndyCar Series telecasts through ESPN International will reach 194 million households worldwide. Larry Rice and Gary Lee will be ESPN International’s English-language announcing team; Andres Agulla and Alex Pombo will serve as Spanish-language commentators. A network from Brazil will also televise the races.
Erin Crocker News
Erin Crocker came in fifth in Wednesday ARCA/REMAX Series testing at Nashville Superspeedway. Crocked grabbed the pole and finished third there last August. The Nashville ARCA race will be carried LIVE on SPEED Saturday afternoon, April 15th at 1:30pm eastern. Crocker will compete in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this weekend at Martinsville. She tested at Caraway Speedway in North Carolina last week to prepare for the race. The former WoO short track driver has never competed in the Truck Series in a short track.
Crocker and Gordon In Diversity Commercial
At the risk of sounding like the Erin Crocker website,
EC is starring in a commercial with Jeff Gordon promoting diversity in NASCAR.
The commercial produced by NASCAR shows,
people and drivers of all walks of life
both sexes and all races climbing out of the same car.
The idea of the commercial is to promote NASCAR and encourage everyone to get involved in the sport. I think the IRL is touching on this by going after Carmello Anthony as a co-owner of a team . The IRL already has Danica Patrick.
Bottom line here is that a car doesn’t care about the sex of the driver behind the wheel. It just wants to go fast.
This Kid has taken a Savage Beating
Finally today, in a scene reminiscent of the movie Slap Shot (staring Open Wheeler Paul Newman), a nasty display for sportsmanship greeted the Brandon Wheat Kings Saturday night in Moose Jaw (Canada). While celebrating the victory on the ice Saturday, the Wheat Kings were showered with water bottles filled with coins by fans. Fisticuffs broke out and fans, according to the Brandon Sun, traded punches with security personnel and Wheat King players. One of the linesman attempting to break up the fight was an off duty Moose Jaw police officer. The Western Hockey League is investigating.
For images related to these stories, please visit our sister website, http://openwheeler.blogspot.com
Images appearing in this blog courtesy of FOX, NASCAR Images, Indy Racing League, ABC and R.E. Technologies.
While the Premier Racing Association/Big Car Racing Series schedule is set for 2006, the series is already looking ahead to 2007. The organizers of the series are currently looking for tracks to fill out a possible 15 to 20 event schedule. The Big Car Series utilizes the older Silver Crown style pavement cars. The series this season will be contested on Tuesdays & Wednesdays that won’t interfere with USAC events. The season kicks off at Indianapolis Raceway Park in May. The Big Car Series also has opportunities for series sponsors and race sponsors. You can contact the PRA at info@PRARacing.com or visit their website at www.PRARacing.com.
IRL TV Review
Sunday’s ABC IRL IndyCar Series broadcast was a difficult one for the team and crew but for the most part, they did a good job. The broadcast team featured IRL newcomers Marty Reid and Rusty Wallace to the booth. As expected, the team had a little trouble getting their rhythm down but performed well for their first trip out. Reid and Wallace said a few things that didn’t make sense or were incorrect during the broadcast but that can be expected due to their newness to the series. It is the producer’s job to correct them and provide them with the best info to keep the talking heads in line. Overall, Wallace performed much better than I expected. He is not Paul Page but he will be a star for ABC in the future.
Brent Musburger disappointed me. I can’t expect him to be Bob Jenkins but he usually performs better. He performed well under the circumstances, but I expected more of one of the top three sports broadcasters in the country. On that note, having Musburger in the booth is a symbol that ABC/ESPN is committed to the IRL and making the broadcasts first class. BM masterfully handled the breaking news of the day’s events on ESPN’s Sports Center and ESPN News.
The production team built this stage at the beginning of pit lane to give the broadcast a “Hollywood Hotel” feel.
While the broadcast did not employ FOX’s new toy, the “fly cam,”
The broadcast did give us new innovations such as on board telemetry. They allowed the viewers to take a lap with eventual winner Dan Weldon. Weldon never lifted.
The program reached out to audiences that normally would not be interested in racing, by devoting time to Carmello Anthony who was on the pitbox.
This season the IRL has brought back “Side by Side” that allows viewers to never miss a second of racing. This feature will be used at every IRL race in 2006.
Overall, the broadcast crew did a great job under difficult circumstances. The program was well produced and the pit reporters are the best in the business. The only weak link, was the program host and the anchors, but that will improve with time. Overall I give it a B+.
IRL Broadcasts Around the Globe
Sunday’s Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will be seen in 147 countries and territories on ESPN International’s affiliated networks in Africa, Asia, Australia, Canada, Latin America, New Zealand and the Middle East. The remaining 13 IndyCar Series telecasts through ESPN International will reach 194 million households worldwide. Larry Rice and Gary Lee will be ESPN International’s English-language announcing team; Andres Agulla and Alex Pombo will serve as Spanish-language commentators. A network from Brazil will also televise the races.
Erin Crocker News
Erin Crocker came in fifth in Wednesday ARCA/REMAX Series testing at Nashville Superspeedway. Crocked grabbed the pole and finished third there last August. The Nashville ARCA race will be carried LIVE on SPEED Saturday afternoon, April 15th at 1:30pm eastern. Crocker will compete in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this weekend at Martinsville. She tested at Caraway Speedway in North Carolina last week to prepare for the race. The former WoO short track driver has never competed in the Truck Series in a short track.
Crocker and Gordon In Diversity Commercial
At the risk of sounding like the Erin Crocker website,
EC is starring in a commercial with Jeff Gordon promoting diversity in NASCAR.
The commercial produced by NASCAR shows,
people and drivers of all walks of life
both sexes and all races climbing out of the same car.
The idea of the commercial is to promote NASCAR and encourage everyone to get involved in the sport. I think the IRL is touching on this by going after Carmello Anthony as a co-owner of a team . The IRL already has Danica Patrick.
Bottom line here is that a car doesn’t care about the sex of the driver behind the wheel. It just wants to go fast.
This Kid has taken a Savage Beating
Finally today, in a scene reminiscent of the movie Slap Shot (staring Open Wheeler Paul Newman), a nasty display for sportsmanship greeted the Brandon Wheat Kings Saturday night in Moose Jaw (Canada). While celebrating the victory on the ice Saturday, the Wheat Kings were showered with water bottles filled with coins by fans. Fisticuffs broke out and fans, according to the Brandon Sun, traded punches with security personnel and Wheat King players. One of the linesman attempting to break up the fight was an off duty Moose Jaw police officer. The Western Hockey League is investigating.
For images related to these stories, please visit our sister website, http://openwheeler.blogspot.com
Images appearing in this blog courtesy of FOX, NASCAR Images, Indy Racing League, ABC and R.E. Technologies.
posted by Blake Johnson at 7:54 AM
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