Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

Everybody that runs a sportsman car needs to e-mail ESPN and let them know their is more then pros at the drag races as the rotten scums couldn't leave the live broadcasting on ESPN 3 for another 15 minutes so people could watch the finals of the rest of the sportsman classes. I know I dont get on a rant to much but this pissed me off and heck i was there.

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

x2

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

They cut it off at 6:02............ probably some contractual thing.... it is a shame. While the track cleaners were making their laps, you could see them backing the sportsman cars out of the way and bringing the pros up to the front.

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

Joe,
I'm sure NHRA has editorial input with ESPN and we are already know they feel about sportsman.

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

Does this mean we won't see the finals on the Lucas Oil show next weekend? I can't imagine they stopped recording, just stopped broadcasting.

Lew

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

ESPN can leave underwater basket weaving on long enough to cut into NHRA coverage, but can't showcase the"backbone" of NHRA drag racing? What a crock of S*it!

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

100 pros and 672 sportsmans . They even noted that on the espn show and that was it for the sportsmans.......No respect and forgot where they come from.....

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

I hate to say it but.....It will never change.

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

I agree 100%.

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

The entire show was so drawn out, they could have at least shown more than the final round of the Hemi Challenge. Its all about the Fuel classes. Even Pro Stock coverage sucked.

BTW I think Greg Anderson is a classless deuchebag. I felt he was celebrating in his teammates face. I understand he won the biggest race of the year, but he celebrated in a classless manner.

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

only 64 pro's big danny, all of the finalist were given a roll of toilet paper because they were **** on as far as their coverage went at the biggest race of the year, but congrats to all final round winners and runner ups, good job!

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

I am just irrated at espn and nhra you couldn't in 6 hours of.tv shown some sportsman? How is ford and chrysler getting their monies worth if they aren't on tv? 600+ sportsman cars and just the hemi final please what a waste.

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

You nailed that thought

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

Gee,does any of the above complaints really surprise you?Realistically ESPN does
run a business that runs by schedules and is driven by the amount of money that their programing brings in.Seems like drag racing isn't a very profitable product.If it was
not only would the shows be shown from the beginning,they would be telecast to the end.
Simple business sense.So no matter what we think,or say,the coverage only has one way to go,and that is down hill.Powerade coverage will never have sportsman racing covered and Lucas Oil coverage will probably give you a teaser shot at anything more than the alcohol cars.Now focus your attention on getting the HP factoring system correctd and maybe an improvement in payouts to sportsman racers.
Oh and by the way,one of the "new" cars won the race.Weren't there those who said that they don't go rounds anyway?Not any more.

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

Ed my buddy drag racing isn't profitable because they are messing up the tv coverage. Look at nascar it is about the show. Its about the racing putting cameras everywhere and getting fans into every angle. Nhra has screwed it up the show live at the track is the joy, at inch you should show that all of it. There was so many stories Melanie Troxel in funny car and pro mod. Its about the racers and the different classes and cars. You had legends running sportsmen Garlits and Roy Hill don't you think mopar and ford would of loved the two in the booth explaining how these cars work. You have people all over the country with mustangs why not jump on to that? Yes they aren't the street cars but people don't care, look what the fast and the furious did for the import scene its about the cars. Just think of the fun with fletcher or someone on tv explaining how to dump somebody? So much there for tv.

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

I gave up hope for more coverage of us years ago...after I wrote a letter to the editor talking of such back in the mid-early '00's, and the coverage got worse instead of better...we need a sportsman network, and I wish I was rich enough to launch one. Thank God for Toby Lang, because his coverage of us in Indy (and other tracks he's been at), was better than anything I've seen since "Inside Drag Racing"!

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

Toby Lang has brought the online social media aspect of sportsman racing to a new level....the muckety muck network types at the Speed channel or ESPN should pay attention...he has outdone himself covering Indy...Thanks Toby !!!!

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First of all I am NOT coming to ESPN's defense! But I was very surprised by something I saw during the ESPN3 raw feed on the internet. It looked like they were doing a finish-line interview with Jeff Teuton, right after the Stock final. I had the audio muted because I was monitoring the live PA from the NHRA site, so I don't know what was said. But I can guess that when Sam Pourciau's motor unfortunately went away, it backed up the entire "live" program, and with a 6 PM deadline they changed the run schedule for broadcast. ESPN made a big deal of the "live coverage" of the finals for some reason I have yet to understand. But at least the show wasn't preempted by friggin' high school football!!:mad:

We'll have to wait until next week to see if I'm correct about the Sportsman coverage!

Lew

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

I was at work when the show was on,but I was just able to watch the replay on ESPN 3.
That was an incredible oil down in the Stock final.Good thing it happened near the starting line and not the finish line.

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

I dont really get why this is a news flash. We all know, or at least we should know, that the only people that are interested in class racing are the people that participate in it, and the throttle stop classes, and bracket racing have ruined sportsman racing to the spectators. Look up in the stands at a points meet some time, noone is there for a reason. The only time that there are people in the stands is when the fuel cars run, not for PS, or bikes, they are all filler for the fuel classes. I dont race cause I want to see myself on tv, when I am its cool, but its not my drive. I am there cause I want to win. If you want to get mad cause they didnt show the finals, when they have a 1 hr show scheduled on 9/11 @ 5pm to show the sportsman, than go for it. The only reason that they show the hemi final is because Mopar pays for that. It is true that NHRA is second to anything else that is on, it gets bumped for volleyball, little kids baseball, bowling, etc. I know where we rate in the realm of spectator sports, its not going to change. Go to the races to race, have fun, and go home.
later
cw

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

Charlie I understand how you feel but I disagree. I am a spectator never raced would love to someday because I would like to feel what you guys do. When I go to englishtown or maple grove I get there an hour or so before it starts so I can walk through the sportsman pits and see the cars and say hello to the racers and wish them luck. I stay till the last car down the track also started a 3 day at e-town to see more sportsman. The problem with nhra is they aren't using tv to get people to the live events. You have street nights at race tracks weekly the fan base is there you just have to feed them. The pros are the same week in and week out but stock changes every event there are different cars all the time. How happy do you think the people at fiat are to see a dp win indy tonight? The reason why people leave is because they do the meet the pros during the sportsmen time. I started as a kid watching at atco and we looked for the cars like my dads super bee. I became a darrel alderman fan because he drove the daytona and even cheered for ken ritter in comp for that reason. Its like Wwe if you give them the story and grab theirattention they will follow for life. P.S. I will be at the dutch for the.fifth year in a row too.

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

I have been having this debate with my hockey bretheren going back to when they took the NHL off of ESPN. As hockey fans we didn't need them. And as a sportsman drag racer / fan I don't think we need them either.

Putting together an online TV network for sportsman drag racing is not something that is impossible. Almost every minor-professional, NCAA, and Canadian-junior (both major and lower-tier) hockey league has some sort of online network where you can watch every game of the season live; either on a per-game basis or as a season subscriber.

Yes we are talking apples to oranges, but if the right people put their noggins together I can see something working out.

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

It would be nice to see the SPEED Channel step up & cover Sportsman, just like they do Cup & Nwide Qualifying!! Look what PINKS-All Out did for them, people loved that show except for Mr Christensen's ego. they need to have more "racing" shows instead of some of the other junk they show on there!!

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

I haven't watched the show for years.
Don't plan on changing.
.Stopped watching the Lucas Oil portion also , all they do is show the finals in the "lower" sportsmen classes anyway .

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

I am glad some posts were made about the coverage on ESPN2. I watched ESPN2 on TV and ESPN3 on the computer. The coverage on ESPN3 was a complete round a head of the TV show. ESPN2 had way too much BS. ESPN3 had sportsman coverage and a very good "caclefest" show.

My wife and I, yes my wife watches with me, commented that the stands for the full event were only about 65% to 75% filled. We commented on how it was in the early 70's when the seats were nearly completely jammed. The comment about how Speed Channel promoted Pinks All Out, and I know there are people here who don't want to hear about Pinks All Out, but they were the biggest drag racing event going for about two years. Why do you think NHRA is trying to copy the show. Contact Speed Channel in Charlotte and let them know that there is an interest in sportsman coverage.

The comment about spectators going to the pits during the sportsman racing is unfortunately correct. That is their opportunity to go see the drivers and the crews re-building the cars. It has been this way for many years. I have been on both sides of the fence in this sport. We did race a top fuel front engine car for a year and the "hot car" pits have always been crowded during the "turn around" time. Remember we are the only motorsports event that allows the spectators into the pit area. This is what yours and other racers sponsors want. For many years almost all of the drag racers, including sportsmancars, all had crews "dressed to impress".

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

You all are missing the point, all the people sitting home watching ESPN2 have Top Fuel cars in their garage and that they can totally relate to the technology that goes with them. No transmission, big thing that sits on top of the motor and uses gas that you can't buy at your local gas station. Makes total logic to me!
If it wasn't that my friend's son races Pro Stock, I wouldn't heve even bothered to put the channel on, I only put the channel on when he was up to race, after he lost 2nd round, ESPN2 could evaporate as far as I'm concerned!

Casey Miles
248H Stock?

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

That is the truth..he is an asshole for celebrating in Jason Line's face. I thought I was the only one who felt this way.

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

If you want sportsman coverage then turn on ESPN3 and the live audiocast and go at it. I sat there and watched all the sportsman action on Monday afternoon from my computer and loved it. Unfortunate that the Stocker lost the motor in the final round which bumped the pro's up to the front but, when you watch ESPN3 and NHRA Audiocast together it's like watching it on TV. The Audiocast is about 5 seconds faster then the ESPN3 live feed but, it's the best thing going on out there for the sportsman racers. If you guys think that NHRA & ESPN are going to put sportsman racing into a 6 hours long program then you need to wake up, it's not going to happen. Was I a little mad that they didn't leave the ESPN3 feed running till the end...yes but, that's what DRC is for. I think we've become too pampered by all this technology that we forgot where we were 10-15 years ago when we had to call 1-800-NHRANOW or what ever it was to get just the final round results then wait a week to actually watch the race on TNN. Now if DRC doesn't have the results up in 15 minutes everyone is bashing the site and telling them they suck. So thanks to all the internet news sites out there that give us the up-to-date drag racing coverage that we need!

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

It's a very tough spot we are in as sportsman drag racers. I think of the old saying "when you point your finger, theres three more pointing back at you". NHRA and ESPN don't promote us the way we would llike. WE don't promote us either ie. we hide our passion inside a white box, not active in public displays, not pushing/selling/involving the next generation etc.(unless they're your kids) to grow the grandstands and the pits. I have nothing but respect for all of you, but we could all do more to help ourselves. Look at it like JFK would: "ask not, what drag racing can do for you....ask what you can do for drag racing (sportsman that is). The other thing is the cost involved in Class Racing. Can you imagine being seventeen years old, and this is your first INDY. Your walking the pits looking at the sportsman entries thinkin this is what I want. You walk over to Jeff Teuton, Gary Richard, The Skillmans, any of the SS/AH teams, or for that matter any team on the property, and ask "how much dose all this cost"? Walking away with your head down you think "my parents don't have that much in our home" Then last but not least, you can never explain to the casual fan (that used to be in the stands) how you "lost a race" by going to fast. These are the reasons there's nobody in the stands during sportsman competition. These are the reasons you don't get your due from NHRA and ESPN.

We don't race because we are racers, we race because we are competitors. And the biggest competition we face is just keeping the sport alive. In the words of Chris Rock "you better recognize"

Wade Mahaffey

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

Greg Anderson acted like a classless jerk.

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

Wade I agree completely. I have made a comment on here before about promoting drag racing. Where I live, near Raleigh, NC, I can be at 4 or 5 drag strips within an hour and a half. Many have been around for a long time. We had our drag car in a display at the International Auto Expo for three days. During that time I was amazed at how many people looked at the car and asked "where do you race." When I mentioned names like Piedmont, Roxboro, fomerly known as Person County, Fayetteville and Benson they did not know that these tracks even still exist and that they race there every week-end.

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

Not that anyone on here really cares, but............

NHRA has decided that there will be no more 4-wide Finals at Charlotte. Seems the sponsors complained that the race cars are too small on the television for the viewers to see, so the great experiment has ended! They'll still qualify 4 up, which doesn't bother anyone important.

What a joke!

Lew

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

If nhra wanted to fix this it easy. First return to 1/4 mile for fuel I know its a safety problem. Take power away do it with on fuel pump and go from there. It will make it cheaper which will bring more independent cars back and perhaps some jura teams when they aren't running. Let them match race again. The small teams can make some money while doing some testing. People will hit their.local tracks to see the pros and will get exposure to the local classes. If you grab the kids as fans they stay fans. Inch should be shown as is like you are spending the day at the track good or bad. Isn't that the joy of nascar all the cameras the ability to listen to the crew chief so you feel like your there when your home. If you get people to the track they will return hell a day at maple grove in oct. Cost me less than a day a hershey park and I be to see how many cars compared to just 43 in nascar.

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

Glad to hear that...drag race is between 2 cars/bikes.

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

I wrote to ABC Wide World of Sports in 1966 when they first started TV drag racing coverage. Roone Arledge(who was a little guy at the time) wrote back and thanked me for my compliments.
Who should we write/email to at ESPN? Is sportsman coverage the best term? I know the rails are fast--but they all look the same. The variation of cars in stock and SS and the wheelstands are great!

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

The RAILS are great!
How old are you ?80?LOL!!!
If you write it goes right in the trash and if you email its delete!

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

The coverage just seemed 'out-of-touch',,,,,,
They are going the way of ratings,,,,,,,,and what will bring in the
highest amount of viewership,,,,,,,,,which is understandable for the
bottom line,,,,,advertising dollars,,,,,,,,,,,,
any else,,,,,,,is second in line,,,,,,,,
pc

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

This is a good idea !
Speed needs to dump the NASCAR re-runs anyway.
They should develop a Sportman Program for all the races roundy, sportcar and drag racing
With the mountain of Contingency available that maybe a boon for all.

My 2 cents

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

Don't look for any S/SS drag racing related coverage on Speed Channel.They're addicted to Pass Time and reruns of Pinko's.The rest is Nascar,Nascar,Nascar and more Nascar.As crappy as Nascar has gotten (not many good old boys left) it's still
#1 in the eyes of whoever is in control.

Re: Thanks ESPN your rotten to the core
 

First off why don't they get rid Paul Page he SUCKS!!!!!!! ESPN would be better off with Whit Bazemore as a color man along side Mike Dunn at least he knows the sport! This was my second time watching ESPN 3 on the net now weather it was Time Warner Internet or ESPN the screen seemed to freeze up on my laptop. The camera angles sucked for SS/St/comp and all the sportsman classes. Greg Anderson I am huge fan of him, but Monday he showed no class towards his team mate Jason Line. Greg should brought Jason into the camera shot and celebrated together as a team effort! One more litttle jab enough with the John Force show.:mad: