I know! I thought about that too.

And I think I've given NAPA more exposure on the internet than ESPN2 did the whole damn weekend!

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NAPA Nitro Fan! Beware of the Capps Blitzkrieg Tour 2008!

Agreed Kelly! And I do realize it is the "John Show" but I do believe there were several interesting and worthwhile stories that went totally uncovered--how bout a quick little interview with Urs? I think that's a little bit of a unique story there--Max Naylor's new sponsor, etc etc. I just hope we are done being subjected to all the "John struggling in therapy" stills that just kept reappearing over and over.....

At one point I said to my TV, 'Hey, there's this thing called the Internet. Some of us have used it.'

OK, I know there are casual fans who haven't kept up with all the changes over the off season, and while I don't post much during the off season I read the 'Mater daily ... which is likely why all this stuff seems especially redundant to those of us who try to stay connected to drag racing whether there's events going or not.

I DVRd all of the coverage this weekend for various reasons. I ended up fast forwarding through the second go-rounds with Doug Herbert and John Force. It was painful to watch Doug tortured. I didn't talk to anyone about my dad's death for a year afterward. Granted, I was 7 years old and not necessarily prepared to cope with it, and Doug is handling the pressure admirably. Still, I agree, give the poor guy a break.

I think I'll DVR the next race, too, so I can fast forward through the stuff I've seen repeatedly. Didn't even bother watching Race Day though I had recorded it. I like John Force, I'm glad to see him racing again, but watching him too much is like eating ice cream too fast ... gives ya a brain freeze.

I find stat guy kind of distracting, to be honest, it's a bit jarring. Like a parenthetical statement smack in the middle of a sentence in a newspaper article.

I am disappointed Saliva's 'Ladies and Gentemen' has not found its way into the coverage. It feels like it was meant to be about drag racing. I actually have purchased all of their albums since first hearing them last year.

I do like the new graphics they're using and John Kernen continues to be an asset to the show. I was also impressed with Paul Page's performance as it is clear he is more comfortable in the booth and talking about drag racing. He's what we've got so I am learning to like him.

One down. Twenty-three to go. Yay!

To all of you who believe we are being a crybaby about this, we are upset because it could have been a whole lot better. They have the tools, the right people but whoever is running the production truck simply does not have a clue.

Why oh why would you think it would be ok to torture a man multiple times who has lost both of his sons.... Ratings??????

Or why would you continue to show the same JFR stuff over and over again??? After awhile you just get numb to it.

Or why would you continue to show the T Ped crash so many times??? The production truck people must have been in production with nascar before because they don't understand the people who go to Drag Racing are there to watch the races and NOT the wrecks.... Be it personal or physical.

This is not rocket science folks. Show the winners with interviews. If there is time then show some short personal interest storys. But show the racing and the racers. Why is this so hard to understand?????

jim

When I am at the track, I watch the racing, roam the pits, BS with other Maters, head to the RV for some cold ones and I am usually there for at least2 days, usually 3. There is a rythym to the weekend. I don't see/hear the same interviews over and over nor do I see the same replay of 2 cars striking the hides 15 times. And I dammed sure don't hear one utterance from PP. It is as much a social event as it is a racing event.

3.5 hours of redundant TV on my couch on Sunday night doesn't compare to being at the track so I choose not to compare the 2. I am glad the racing is on TV same day and all ... but it could be better with minimal effort.

Anyone who doesn't think so just watch the old National Event replays on ESPN Classic every morning. A whole National Event condensed to 1 hour and you don't really miss out on anything. I say the present National Events could be produced in the same manner with a few more interviews and human interest stuff thrown in to stretch the show to 1.5 hours, schedule it to a regular timeslot in early primetime so the folks on the East Coast aren't up too late and watch the ratings grow.

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I am suspicious of everyone's agenda, especially my own.

this thread needs a big dose of

and

Lack of Ron Capps face time MAYBE in defference to the event sponsor - maybe same story re: Max's new drink.
I DID feel badly for Jim Dunn. Only time I saw the car was in the background when they were talking to somebody else.

That said, Jim OUGHT to get them to do some pet-oriented feature for the next broadcast. Heck, it's a new non-traditional sponsor.

I think it was great!! I guess I would not mind if the show was 16 hours long. It has been a lonnng winter without NHRA drag racing. I guess I can never have enough. Trying to figure out which races to attend this year now. Already looking forward to Phoenix, at least there is the Daytona 500 to fill up next weekends TV time.

Jim,

I was thinking the same thing watching the show. It would be nice for them to come up with something they haven't done already. Here's a novel idea, when showing things like the JFR wreck and recovery, feed us something that hasn't been shown 100 times before, and instead of asking the same questions over and over, ask something different.

I felt very sorry for Doug Herbert, but although he probably wanted to put their mics where the sun don't shine, he handled things very well.

The Hendricks commercial is a year old, and REALLY overused!

Perhaps they should sell NHRA to John Force.....he already gets the majority of attention.

Poor Tony....bad enough he just blew up his car and burned his hand....."Tell us how you feel".

Loved Scelzi's spot. He's not right......LOL.

Too long and repetitive......just my opinion.

I am not trying to come across as a cry baby. Too much 'my life has changed forever' exchanges from Doug Herbert (that is all they wanted to know, not his team or sponsors), too many 'tremendous recovery from John Force (yes it was, but lets move on) and too little from some winners at the end of the track. I didn't mind the length of time of the show. All my friends talked about this morning was the grammy's. That wasn't much better from what I hear.
Have fair and even coverage of who is making the news at the races, not the month or two before, and for God's sake, interview the winners after each round. Lord knows some of them (and their sponsors) don't get that each week. Cory's team deserved some air time. Period. And Doug Herbert deserves some peace. Let him find it on his own, not with camera's in his face. I still have a hard time talking about my mom, and that has been 4 months. Get a clue ESPN!!!

When I first saw that we were getting that much time for this weekend, I was pumped. There have been a lot of changes. I thought we would see more Capps, Naylor, Dunn, etc. Teams that brought new, non-traditional sponsors got a comment like "here is so and so with a new sponsor" but they would rarely mention who that was.
As everyone has said, what John Force has done is amazing. but, once per show, done. Herbert, I cannot describe how I would feel, why would I expect him to do it over and over. The website sounds like it will be great.
I will take as much coverage as I can get.
Didn't John Kernan come on here last year and ask for ideas? Maybe logical, constructive thoughts could be relayed to Production?

Yes i did ask for your ideas. that was for my own personal use, so that i would know what the hard core fans wanted to see. i thank you for the ideas and i have tried to implement those ideas when i do my research for the shows that i am involved in.

also, thanks to those of you who stopped me in the pits to say hi. i'm sorry that i didn't have a lot of time to chat but it seemed as if every time someone came up to say hello i was being sent to some other part of the pits. i apologize and i'll see y'all in gainesville!!!!!

John. Thanks for coming on again.
Would you be able to pull together a piece like someone mentioned with Jim Dunn/Tony Bartone with the pet food sponsor? Or just spotlighting a new team or sponsor during qualifying? Something like that?
Thanks.

You guys just can't quit whining about something can you, just be thankful that we can watch dragracing on tv more than once or twice a year like the old wide world of sports days, or would you people rather wish that dragracing wasn't on tv at all!!!!!!!!!!

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"A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new."