Nascar and TV

[Jimbo]

I have been a Nascar fan since around 1990, mainly because you could not find any Nascar on TV except for the Daytona 500 for the longest time.

Q. When did the networks start picking up Nascar and showing it on a regular
basis ?

Jimbo

 

[boston area dtv]

I think fox picked it up in 2000.

 

[KE4EST]

Then NBC followed, its all about money and contracts.

 

[Jimbo]

Guy's
I thought it was like early '90s

any one else with any thoughts ?

Jimbo

 

[herdfan]

ESPN started televising races in the late 80's. You can catch them ESPN Classic from time to time. To look at some of those tracks then and see them now you can really tell how much the sport has grown.

 

[dail24]

ESPN has been broadcasting since the 80's, in the 90's the "networks" got into the broadcasting. In the 2000's Espn lost (gave up) broadcast privilages and FOX grabed up what they could. Now it has be came a bidding war. Nascar exec's think they can compete with the NFL.

 

[waltinvt]

TNT & TNT HD have the Budwiser Shootout this Saturday night & some qualifing stuff on Sunday. Either they or Speed have the Gatorade Twin races the following Thursday I believe and NBC has the Daytona 500 Sunday the 19th. After that Fox gets all the Nextel Cup races until July when NBC & TNT take over for the rest of the season.

As for competing with the NFL, they've been doing that quite handly for a while now. Most Cup races have 2 or 3 times the attendance of any NFL, MLB or NBA game and the season runs longer than any other sport I can think of. Don't get me wrong, I love my Pats & Redsox too.

 

[herdfan]

Looks like ESPN was in the game as far back as 1985 during Bill Elliott's run for the Winston Million. TNN jumped in 1991. I'm just glad I don't have to watch, or actually listen to, Ken Squier (SP?) on CBS anymore. He was horrible.

Note: IIRC, the first NASCAR event televised from start to finish was the 1979 Daytona 500 that ended with a fight between Yarborough and Allison after they wrecked each other on the final lap allowing Richard Petty to take the win. Before that you had to catch clips on shows like Wide World of Sports.

 

[herdfan]

TNT & TNT HD have the Budwiser Shootout this Saturday night & some qualifing stuff on Sunday. Either they or Speed have the Gatorade Twin races the following Thursday I believe and NBC has the Daytona 500 Sunday the 19th.

The Gatorade Duel (I wish they would stop changing the names of these things.) is on TNT-HD on Thursday at noon and Yes NBC has the Daytona 500 on Sunday at 2:30.

 

[John W]

Note: IIRC, the first NASCAR event televised from start to finish was the 1979 Daytona 500 that ended with a fight between Yarborough and Allison after they wrecked each other on the final lap allowing Richard Petty to take the win. Before that you had to catch clips on shows like Wide World of Sports.

AAHHH those were the days. When you were allowed to get pissed off and show it. Now they fine and suspend for pointing at the driver who wrecked you. It's kinda rare to see a bump and go anymore. That's the main reason I like drivers like Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick. Seems like it all changed the day #3 left us.

 

[Mr Tony]

TNN…god those were the days

I know ESPN had the races in the early 90’s along with monster truck racing. CBS use to have the Daytona 500 (and yes the first race carried live flag to flag was the ‘79 500)

ABC had some races during the time ESPN had them…ABC seemed to have the bigger races.

Saw a NASCAR race a couple weeks ago on ESPN Classic Canada from the Richmond Fairgrounds (!!!). Dale Sr & Darrell bumping each other around the old ½ mile track (heck it looked like dirt track).

2 thoughts
-NASCAR NEEDS more small tracks. I hate these cookie cutter mile and ½ tracks. They need to build a track that is like Bristol or Richmond.
-Road races SUCK! If I want to see people driving on a road course, I’ll go out on my local highways.

 

[dail24]

they are always going to change the name of the races, They'd change it to the panti liner 20 if "always" paid enough money.

 

[dail24]

I totally agree ICEBERG

 

[DWS44]

I believe ESPNs first Cup race was in 1980 or 81 in Martinsville, IIRC. Races were covered sporatically throughout the 80s and 90s on a bunch of networks...ESPN, CBS, TNN, TBS (their coverage was typically horrible), and occasionally ABC. ABC popped up primarily with the first Brickyard 400. TBS always had the Atlanta races (surprise) and a few others. I've heard PBS even covered a race once...showed video coverage along with audio from MRN. Nearly all races were covered live by early 1990's. The last hold-out was the spring race in North Wilkesboro, because in always conflicted with the NFL draft, which ESPN chose to show live, and tape-delay the race. Finally this was resolved in 1994 or 95 and all races have been shown live since (save for one Brickyard race (1995 or 96, I believe?) that was rain-delayed and ABC chose not to show the race at all.)

NBC's first event was 1999 Homestead race. It was also terrible! FOX & NBC/TNT current contract took effect in 2001 and expires at end of 2006 season. In 2007, FOX keeps first part of season and takes over Daytona 500 every year. TNT will have a mid-season pack of 6 races or so, and the "chase" events will be on ESPN/ABC. NBC is out (thank goodness).

 

[Jimbo]

The Gatorade Duel (I wish they would stop changing the names of these things.) is on TNT-HD on Thursday at noon and Yes NBC has the Daytona 500 on Sunday at 2:30.

What ? It's not the Twin 125's anymore ???

I know , they changed it awhile back, just remembering, the Black # 3 use to win that race every year ...

RIP Dale

Jimbo

 

[herdfan]

What ? It's not the Twin 125's anymore ???

I know , they changed it awhile back, just remembering, the Black # 3 use to win that race every year ...

But then lose the 500 more ways than you can count.

 

[Jimbo]

But then lose the 500 more ways than you can count.

What the heck,
Dale lost tha 500 ....what 19 times.....

he got very good at it

Jimbo

 

[John W]

But DE won more times at that track than anyone else. I was in the speedweek and the Firecracker but he still won. I was there when he did finally win the 500 and it sure seemed like he had a little extra under the hood. He was totally dominate in that race and could basically move anywhere he wanted to without drafting help which is unheard of since they imposed the restrictor plates. Unfortunately I was also there when he crashed and died between turns 3 and 4. Very sad day.

 

[boston area dtv]

A thought about Loudon, NH. The track is horrible and race is awful. The flat corners dont enable the cars to keep their speeds in the corners and passing is rare.

I go to both the summer and fall race up there so its not that Im complaining that NH has two races while some of the other tracks down south have been forced to give up a race.

I just wish theyd make the race a little more exciting.

 

[jlhugh]

They don't need to build new tracks, they need to bring back some of the old ones. North Wilkboro come to mind. There was some great racing at that track. I guess it just not big enough for todays fan base.