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2008 OPeR Award: Worst NASCAR Network

Can you say “slam dunk”? Although NASCAR’s media contract negotiation team should get an assist on this one - ABC/ESPN – the network that brought NASCAR fans, “America’s Funniest Home Videos” in place of the end of one of the final Chase to the Sprint Cup races, is the hands down winner of this year’s “Doh!” OPeR.

What are the chances that one of the NFL’s networks will preempt the fourth quarter of the NFC Championship game?

Uh, zero. Zero is the answer.

2008 OPeR Award: Best Post Race Interview

The best post-race interviews almost never involve the winner of the race. Those guys have just too many commercial obligations to cover for their respective sponsors. It’s hard to fit anything interesting in between the thank-you’s.

Our favorite one in 2008 was Carl Edwards’ explanation of his “video game pass” attempt for the lead on the final turn at Kansas Motor Speedway.

The “move” itself has won a bunch of recognition, including the “Monster Moment” on the 2008 Sprint Cup Awards Show. But we especially liked Carl’s deadpan description of what he was was trying to do – and why – after the race. Too cool.

NASCAR and Firestone Tires–Is Goodyear’s Reign Slipping Away

“It was not a Firestone test and it was not a NASCAR test.”  Okay so what was it?

According to a report for SPEED; ON PIT ROW contributor Robin Miller; quoted Firestone-Bridgestone motorsports executive director Al Spreyer as saying, “It was a technical exercise to try and develop current stock car technology.”

This side step-shuffling attempt was after Scott Pruett was seen driving a Chip Ganassi owned ARCA car, this past weekend, at Miami-Homstead’s road course.  This is interesting on several levels.

First the rest of the ARCA bunch was busy testing at Daytona last weekend for their undercard race during Speed Weeks.  That three day test saw Will Kimmel, nephew to nine time series champ Frank Kimmel lead all of the sixty-one testers with a speed of 180.977mph.

Second item of interest shows the test being performed at Miami-Homestead Speedway which will be on the banned track list come 2009.  But because the driver and the road course are not part of the NASCAR world, the test went on without much fanfare.

And lastly, NASCAR has vehemently denied that they are looking for a new tire supplier.  The contract with Goodyear will be up for renewal before the 2011 season.  Could Firestone be looking to that time frame to make a comeback in the NASCAR ranks?  Or are they looking to unseat a supplier in another series?  Hoosier and ARCA are signed through 2011.

So this week our BUZZ ON PIT ROW is:

Would you like to see multiple tire manufacturers in NASCAR?

Let us know what you think and as always we may use your answers ON PIT ROW.  Listen live from 5-7pm ET every week except for our 2 week Holiday break.

photo credit: Icon Sports Media

2008 OPeR Award: Worst Driver

I don’t like writing negative things. Especially about a driver whom I – 1) like and 2) is from our hometown region in Northwest Ohio.

But there wasn’t much escaping the choice for 2008′s Worst Driver OPeR. As was pointed out by Race Talk Radio‘s Dennis Mickelson, in a Facebook message to me -  “Sam Hornish Jr gets my vote for worst driver! He was given a gift of starting in the first five races and still fell out of the top 35!”

Sam had his moments in 2008 – the Daytona 500 was encouraging – just not possitive ones.

2008 OPeR Award: Best NASCAR Network Coverage

The Fox Sports crew, featuring Darrell Waltrip, Larry MacReynolds, Jeff Hammond, et al, do a terrific job of bringing NASCAR to the people. Whether you are a casual, couch-racer or long-time, moonshine lovin’ circle tracker, Larry Mac, DW and Hollywood can get the story-lines and tech stuff across better than just about anybody.

But for a NASCAR addicted, no-life-of-any-kind fanatic (like a NASCAR blogger, for instance) there is nothing like the in-car-with-Junior hissownself-experience of a Sunday at Martinsville with Direct TV’s Hot Pass. Too bad it appears to have come to an end.

2008 OPeR Award: Worst Team/Owner

This one hurt a little bit. Both Steve and I are fans of The King. We’re Kyle Petty fans too – of the driver, the philanthropist and the analyst.

But whomever bears the blame for what has become of the once dominant Petty Enterprises racing organization must be recognized. It’s broke. Probably, irretrievably so. And that is a shame, which is what this OPeR is all about.

The King is dead. Long live the King.

2008 OPeR Award: Best Race of the Year

I think NASCAR fans forgot how good the 2008 Daytona 500 was.

We live blogged the race at the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog – and had a blast – and the whole thing went incredibly fast.

There was drama - Jeff Gordon went out early, the Toyotas were in the mix right to the last lap in their first Sprint Cup race and Ryan Newman took the checkered flag for Roger Penske.

It was a long time ago. But a worthy OPeR winner.

2008 OPeR Award: Worst Race of the Year

This had to be the easiest winner- or loser – to pick this year. The 2008 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard was a joke. The attempts by NASCAR and Goodyear to shed blame for the gutting of one of the biggest events of the season nearly earned this race a second OPer – the “Worst Junior High School-like Moment” – but we decided against redundancy.   Here’s hoping that Goodyear and NASCAR do the same when they pick a tire for the next race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Time to Hand Out Our OPeR Awards

As has been our tradition ON PIT ROW; the end of the year is time to pass out our own, sometimes offbeat, NASCAR awards.

Most people who cover NASCAR on at least a semi regular basis tend to give their opinions as to who deserves the accolades for their participation in the past season.  While Charlie and I do the usual Best Driver, Best Crew Chief type awards we like to venture a little further into the stories of 2008.

The offbeat tends to become normal in a thirty-six week points season in NASCAR world.  From totally undrivable tires at Indianapolis to Carl Edwards’ video game wall move at Kansas, there is plenty to remember in this season gone by.

Please give us your award winners for the following catagories and we may use your answers on this Tuesdays show.

Best and Worst Driver

Best and Worst Crew Chief

Best and Worst Owner

Best and Worst Team

Best and Worst Post Race Interview

Worst attempt at “Adjusting the Rules”

Best and Worst Junior High School-like Drama

Best and Worst Radio/TV Personality

Best and Worst NASCAR Network

Best Guest to Appear ON PIT ROW

Don’t be afraid to go a little “off center” with your answers.  Leave us a comment and we may use it on this weeks show or give us a call with your winners on Tuesday from 5-7pm ET, toll free at 877-502-8255.

photo credit:  Icon Sports Media

Max Papis Podcast: Part 3

In part three of our teleconference/interview with Geico Racing’s brand new Sprint Cup driver, Max Papis talks about how difficult it will be for the team with NASCAR’s new testing ban.

Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie feature writer Chris Leone asks some good questions as we tie up the loose ends on the Mad Max introduction to ON PIT ROW. 

geicopod2_part3

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