March 21, 2009
By Brian Watkins
Brian Watkins
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I understand the concept of the pre-race show. Warming up the crowd a bit, doing a recap of the events (qualifying, practice) that led up to the race is all fine and dandy, and takes about 10 minutes. Why then are we assaulted by an hour (or sometimes more) of pre-race jibber jabber that often has nothing to do with the race at hand. Quite often it seems the commentators are doing their best to fill the time with whatever comes to mind, no happier to be yapping than we are to be listening… and that’s if we bother to listen.
I generally DVR the races so I can skip the commercials and other fat that surrounds the meat of the race. When I start a recorded race I skip ahead to the dropping of the green flag, and not a minute sooner. I don’t care who’s singing the National Anthem, because anymore it’s all about “who” is singing and not “what” their singing. It also angers me to watch some crews and drivers standing in line with their hands elsewhere besides their hearts and sometimes yapping to each other. I understand they have the same routine every week and can become a little numb to it, but really guys, show some respect.
I’m sure NASCAR has contractual agreements with broadcasters regarding pre-race. That’s all fine and dandy, but do they realize that a good portion of new fans, or potential new fans, are going to be turned off by the boredom? When the TV listing says the race starts at 1:30, it should start at 1:30, not an hour or so after pre-race coverage begins at 1:30 (or sooner). If I’m looking to watch a race for the first time, I’ll tune it in at the hour the guide tells me to. If after a few minutes it becomes clear that these guys are going to be trading jokes and stroking each others ego’s for a bit, I’m going to find something else to watch in the meantime. After jumping back to the “race” a few times to find them still reliving their glory days or talking about the latest edition of the Digger cartoon, I’m going to just give up and watch reruns of Hee Haw: at least then you know the kind of Aw-shucks humor you’re getting yourself into. I find it hard to believe that the pre-race shows are winning over any fans at all.
This is not to say that there should be no pre-race. In fact, there is some great pre-race coverage on SPEED. Good post race too. SPEED, in my humble and unqualified opinion, does a better job of covering the truck races than any of the “regular” broadcast networks do of covering the other two major series’.
One reader had suggested that instead of having some big-wig from the sponsoring company yell out “The most famous words in all of motor sports”, have a contest prior to the event and select a fan to do the honors. I like the idea as it is, but to make the sponsors happy, I’d go it one further. The winning fan will do the honors decked out in the race sponsors logo. Is the race at Lowe’s? The winner gets their 15 seconds of fame dressed in a Kobalt Tools jacket and hat. Running at Bristol? Then it’s a Sharpie hat and a shirt autographed by all the drivers and crew chiefs using what else? A Sharpie. The possibilities are endless really, and much more beneficial to the fans and the race.
If they had a contest like this at every track for every race, the fans could vote on who did the best job, and that person will get an all expense paid trip to Daytona to give the call for next season’s opener.
NASCAR has much more access for fans in regards to drivers and garages and the like, but there’s not much ownership. If fans were somehow incorporated into the event itself by way of making the “start your engines” call, waving the green or checkered flag, riding in the pace car, etc it might up viewership and attendance. It certainly couldn’t hurt.
Whatever is done, I hope that something will shorten pre-race and push the races back to a more tolerable (and respectful to the East Coast fan base) time.
The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Insider Racing News, are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of IRN.
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