Race Weekend Central

Couch Potato Tuesday: Brendan Gaughan’s Energetic Addition to NBCSN NASCAR Coverage

2018 Cup Pocono Zach Catanzareti William Byron

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Split weekends can cause some problems for NASCAR TV partners as their resources get stretched. NBC was no different. Some people went to Iowa while others went to Pocono, expanding a crew with additions that don’t cover the sport full-time. Regardless, viewers got 600-plus miles of racing over the weekend.  Both of them were quite …

Read more

Beyond the Cockpit: Chase Briscoe on Winning the Dirt Derby, IMSA and XFINITY

2018 Xfinity Richmond Zach Catanzareti Chase Briscoe

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

For Ford Performance development driver Chase Briscoe, the past couple of weeks have been nothing short of a whirlwind.  First, he won his first race in a winged sprint car at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind. Knocked two things off the bucket list last night… Winning in a wing car and winning at Haubstadt. Thanks …

Read more

Couch Potato Tuesday: NBCSN’s Disorganized NASCAR Loudon Experiment

2018 Cup New Hampshire Zach Catanzareti Martin Truex Jr.

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Rainy weather is the bane of race fans’ existence during the racing season.  For those of you that go to local tracks, it doesn’t really take all that much moisture to end the evening.  At NASCAR races, it means you’re treated to the buzzing of the Air Titan track-drying equipment. Sunday was another one of …

Read more

Couch Potato Tuesday: NBCSN’s Kentucky NASCAR Broadcasts Earn Mixed Reviews, Ratings Decline

#78: Martin Truex Jr., Furniture Row Racing, Toyota Camry Auto Owners Insurance, #12: Ryan Blaney, Team Penske, Ford Fusion Dex Imaging Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Kentucky Speedway, the spot of the latest NBCSN NASCAR telecast, has been an enigma for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.  The track was in heavy demand to be added to the Cup schedule for much of the first 10 years it was open.  Then, once they finally got a date, there was the traffic …

Read more

Couch Potato Tuesday: NBC, Earnhardt Do Well With Daytona Coverage

#20: Erik Jones, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry Buyatoyota.com Celebrates His Win Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Daytona International Speedway is always intriguing, no matter what happens; it’s a crown jewel for TV broadcasters.  Typically, the Coke Zero Sugar 400 starts the NBC portion of their second-half coverage.  However, due to schedule changes, it is now the second NBC race and the first on broadcast television. The biggest story Saturday night was …

Read more

Couch Potato Tuesday: Broadcaster Dale Earnhardt Jr. Comes to Play in Joliet

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series Daytona 500 Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fl Usa Sunday 18 February 2018 Dale Earnhardt Jr On The Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports, Nationwide Chevrolet Camaro Pit Box World Copyright: Barry Cantrell Nkp

(Photo: Barry Cantrell/NKP)

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series moved over to NBC Sports this past weekend for the rest of the 2018 season.  With that move comes some changes in production coverage, philosophy and talent. But the tweak everyone cares about, more than any other this decade is the addition of Dale Earnhardt Jr. to the booth …

Read more

Couch Potato Tuesday: FOX Closes Out Cup Schedule with Rough Sonoma

2018 Sonoma Cup Race Start

In the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, road races have become must see TV over the past few years.  Bumping and banging was the norm and drivers seemed to be more willing to root and gash than on short tracks. Then, stage racing showed up. Our own Bryan Gable wrote this week about how they’ve …

Read more

Couch Potato Tuesday: Off-Site NASCAR Commentator Issue Continues For FOX

Justin Allgaier 2018 Iowa 250 Pres. By Enogen

(Photo: Christian Koelle)

For NASCAR’s XFINITY Series, getting away from its big brother, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, for a weekend helps establish a separate identity.  The division becomes more than just “Cup Lite.” Unfortunately, as we’ve seen recently, creating a standalone event comes at a cost; a serious cutback in television production value and support. Iowa …

Read more

Couch Potato Tuesday: Michael Waltrip Just Isn’t Serious Enough

2018 Michigan I Cup Pack Racing Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Rain is the worst part of oval racing.  Unlike road courses, rain is a complete no go. Last weekend was every bit of that in Michigan, not just for the Monster Energy Cup Series, but the XFINITY Series as well.  We’ll cover the LTi Printing 250 later this week.  For now, the focus is on Sunday’s …

Read more

Couch Potato Tuesday: The Dale Jr. Cavalry Comes to NBC

2017 Hendrick Motorsports Cup Zach Catanzareti Dale Earnhardt Jr.

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

After the generalized exhaustion of my last two weeks (five days at racetracks, two Saturdays of commutes from one track to another, etc.) we’re going to do something a little different in this space.  Don’t worry; we’ll still critique Sunday’s Pocono 400 later this week.  But the fact I was at the race covering it, …

Read more

Couch Potato Tuesday: FOX Adjusts Themselves in Charlotte, ESPN Bids Farewell to Indy

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Memorial Day weekend is one of the busiest race weekends of the entire year in motorsports.  You have Monaco, Charlotte and Indianapolis.  Add Lime Rock for Pirelli World Challenge on top of that and you basically have four days without sleep. Coca-Cola 600 Sunday night saw the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series take on Charlotte …

Read more

Couch Potato Tuesday: FOX Sports 1 Pimps New NASCAR Package

#4: Kevin Harvick, Stewart Haas Racing, Ford Fusion Jimmy John's And #19: Daniel Suarez, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry Arris Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

All-Star Weekend is typically the time of year where NASCAR likes to throw things out there.  In the past, the Monster Energy All-Star Race saw the creation of segments, inversions, eliminations, and mandatory pit stops that required a pen and paper to determine who was going to line up where. 2018 brought even more shenanigans. …

Read more