The Diary Of A TV-Watching NASCAR Writer

alan4s shared this great piece by Jeff Gluck on FB.

Dear Diary,

Hi. Remember me? The last time we communicated, I was in third grade. I wrote to you about learning cursive in school. But you never wrote back. That hurt, so I gave up.

Anyway, after watching Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on FOX, I felt like writing to you again. You see, Mrs. Diary (Or is it Miss? Not trying to pry into your personal life; just asking), I have a job now that allows me to attend the vast majority of NASCAR races in person.

But there are some races I skip, and the Kansas Speedway race was the first one I've watched from home this season. I assume you didn't watch it – since diaries don't have eyes – so I wanted to let you know what the experience was like. You've always been a good listener, so here goes.

Overall, watching the race at home reminded me how I'm spoiled by being able to see it with my own eyes on a weekly basis. At the track, I control my own viewing destiny; at home, the race director in a TV truck shows me what he thinks is important.

Unfortunately, the race director also has to show me ~~a few~~ lots of commercials. I know that's how NASCAR broadcasts have always been – and it's the same whether it's FOX, TNT or ESPN – but being subjected to commercials during live action feels like the most frustrating experience a viewer can have.

It's like watching a movie and getting into the story, but then someone blindfolds you and mutes the sound for a few minutes – right in the middle of it! Except during NASCAR races, the images and sounds of the race are replaced by annoying AT&T ads about things being so 29 seconds ago.

Really? I'll tell you what was so 29 seconds ago: The race for the lead we just missed while the broadcast was showing an AT&T commercial!

Now, I know commercials interrupting NASCAR races are nothing new. But here's what I found troublesome about FOX's broadcast in particular: For three hours, everything seemed like a commercial – even during the race.

Read the rest....

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by mj on April 24, 2012 at 2:01am

Michael the point is we as fans SHOULD be given good coverage . It's US that supports NASCRAP , it's OUR money going into France's pocket , and it's US that keeps it going .

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Permalink Reply by Kathy Kubara on April 24, 2012 at 10:36am

Great article from Gluck, I'm sooo tired of the dumb and dumber Waltrip commercial

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Permalink Reply by laura_a_Robbyfan on April 24, 2012 at 10:58am

Hope this doesn't get Jeff blacklisted. Ever since ESPN hired Rusty, Brad & Ray I have been spouting that there was a conflict and not fair to sponsors of the other teams.

Nascar should make it illegal that any person who has a part in any team can not be a "hired" on air personality or commentator where that vested interest is participating in.

How many times in the past two years have we starved for any TV spotlight on Robby's car and yearning for the bobblehead to say Robby's Speed Energy Company as his sponsor. They might have showed Robby qualifying, they might have even mentioned the speed energy company, but if they did a poll with nothing but Nascar viewers and ask them if they knew what energy drink company sponsored Robby's car or if they knew Robby was part of it, they would have dismal responses.

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Permalink Reply by Vlad Rogers on April 24, 2012 at 11:31am

Just an FYI to all, MRN and PRN now have free Live Feeds on their websites. I believe this is the first year of that

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Permalink Reply by Michael Martinez on April 24, 2012 at 1:32pm

You would be hard pressed to find an individual who is in fundamental disagreement and an over all war with the sort of goings on that are now part of this fabricated meat puppet society we find ourselves neck deep into to a farther degree than I. Having such commercialized BOTOX (Fuck You Copyright Police) commercialized BOTOX billboards sensationalizing and hyping everything from a new ass oil to a pill that will make you more ............no pills please...........new ass oil to any thing that comes across the company table has gotten old. No, I did not miss the point, on the contrary in fact. I simply explored for the readers (whom were well aware anyway I would think) that there is an option, and complaints lodged, when an alternative is well within reach, carry little weight with me. I explore lets say. Not a bad piece by any means and as per what my own friends tell me "I over react and pick things apart to the point that the fun has been removed along with the lies till nothing is left but the truth and as we all know, nobody likes the truth." Well thats the short version anyway. Last and certainly not least if Robby Gordon was part of a top tier team when it came to resources and such and was on top of the commercial chart some how some way this site and his fans would be mentioned (dedicated bunch I've never visited Jeffs fans world ...does it exist??? ) any way I'd hate to think they, us his fans think Ol' DW and the crew covering the races suck would be made a public point..............but they do. It's the squeeze, nothing is about the sport in racing any more, it's all about the dollar, the control, and the herding of the masses, the messaging of the wallet, the hype, the glitter, what we think the public wants, the sale. Other sports have a TV time out to cut portions of commerce into the coverage, it's what pays the bills. However as once explained by a guy with a giant head that seems to have gotten younger whos brother rolled a vehicle then hid from the law for a "certain amount of time" proclaimed "our sport is different". And it is, it's now a commercial for those not in attendance.............as far as TV goes. But don't tell me I missed the point or I might cry. All in fun ......I might cry.

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Permalink Reply by WJM on April 24, 2012 at 2:47pm

"It's the squeeze, nothing is about the sport in racing any more, it's all about the dollar, the control, and the herding of the masses, the messaging of the wallet, the hype, the glitter, what we think the public wants, the sale."
Well stated, Michael. I agree.
A recent article from Mike Mulhern on the demise of 'legitimate' print media coverage parallels well with your remarks.

Here at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend, NASCAR's own PR corps, which has been strengthened dramatically over the past year or so, is out in force, maybe a dozen strong….almost outnumbering the 'legitimate' media covering the sport. Throw in the 45 or more team PR reps, and the media troops seem all but overwhelmed.

In addition to NASCAR's PR corps and the team PR reps we have the official NASCAR Citizen Journalists Media Corps filling the Kool-Aid pitcher with their own NASCAR Approved shiny happy spin.
Look at the article links section on Jayski's. For the most part it's really nothing more than a collection of the same story lines with the words rearranged.