NASCAR on TNT
Encyclopedia
NASCAR on TNT is the tagname for any NASCAR
series race that has been broadcast on Turner Network Television
by Turner Sports
.
. TBS aired side by side coverage during commercials during the 2000 UAW-GM Quality 500
in Charlotte
. Booth announcers/analysts included Ken Squier
, Buddy Baker
, and Dick Berggren
. After TBS made a host/booth switch, Allen Bestwick
became the lap-by-lap announcer with Baker and Berggren in the booth for TBS' 2000 coverage at Lowe's and Pocono
while Squier moved to a host position, the same position he had held at CBS since the start of the 1998 NASCAR season. During this time, TBS' coverage was limited as the television coverage of NASCAR was split between TBS, TNN, CBS
, ABC
, ESPN
, and (later) NBC
. TBS typically covered both Charlotte races, one of two races held at Pocono
, and several NASCAR Busch Series races.
When NASCAR's new broadcasting rights contract was signed in 1999, which included FOX, FX
, and NBC
, TBS was to keep its rights to NASCAR by serving as NBC's cable partner. The deal was to begin with the 2001 NASCAR season. On March 27, 2001, Turner
elected to move the race coverage to sister network TNT as part of its new branding and "We Know Drama" slogan. (A potential conflict also existed with TBS' coverage of Atlanta Braves
baseball games, which were a staple of the TBS lineup for years and which often were aired on weekends at times that NASCAR often held its races, either in the early afternoon or evening.)
in July 2001. Both networks shared the broadcast team of Bestwick, Benny Parsons
, and Wally Dallenbach, Jr.
in the booth and Bill Weber
, Marty Snider, Dave Burns, and Matt Yocum on pit road, as well as the same production graphics and music. The only differences were the placement of the network's logo on the graphics package and different colored pit reporter fire suits.
TNT was treated as the secondary broadcaster during its relationship with NBC due to the fact of it being a cable rather than broadcast network. NBC's portion of broadcast included almost all of the prestigious races during their half of the year (with the exception of the Mountain Dew Southern 500 at Darlington, the fourth leg of NASCAR's Grand Slam
, in 2001 and 2002, and the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond from 2004–2006, when the race was the last race of the regular season under the season format.). The idea was that ratings would most certainly be higher for NBC's coverage of a given race next to TNT's due to a broadcaster's penetration. TNT was given most of the Busch Series
schedule except for major races, then covered by NBC. Night races were almost always covered by TNT except for the Pepsi 400 at Daytona, which aired on NBC in years that they had the rights to it, and (later) the UAW-GM Quality 500 at Charlotte when that raced was moved from Sunday afternoons to Saturday nights. Otherwise, following the fall Richmond race, TNT's Cup Series coverage was limited to one, two or three races (including the Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400
at Rockingham, which they covered from 2001–2003).
It was generally understood anytime a major news story needed to be covered by NBC its NASCAR coverage would be switched over to TNT. This occurred only once: the October 7, 2001 race at Lowe's Motor Speedway
was interrupted during the prerace show when President George W. Bush
announced the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks
. NBC covered the news for the entire afternoon, and the entire race was shown on TNT.
TNT also would broadcast any NBC-scheduled races that were postponed by rain until the following day, much like FX would do for Fox during this contract (this is no longer applicable as Fox airs rain-delayed races the following day, since Fox has no daytime programming, unlike ABC, CBS and NBC).
The TNT/NBC partnership broke off when NBC
chose not to bid for the NASCAR contract when it expired in 2006.
and the ESPN family of networks in a contract that runs until 2014. Under the terms of said contract TNT gained broadcast rights to six June and July races, which it calls the NASCAR on TNT Summer Series. TNT's six races are currently the 5-hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway
, the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 at Michigan International Speedway
, the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway
, the annual July 4
weekend Coke Zero 400
at Daytona International Speedway
, the Quaker State 400
at Kentucky Speedway
, and the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Unlike in the previous contract TNT was not able to procure rights to any Nationwide Series races, as ESPN successfully bid to be the exclusive carrier of the series. However, TNT became the exclusive home for the Coke Zero 400, much like Fox had become exclusive home for the Daytona 500 (in the previous contract, in addition to the races they were contracted to air, Fox and NBC alternated coverage of the two races at Daytona, with the network that didn't air the Daytona 500 airing the then-Pepsi 400 in July).
Bill Weber stayed on as TNT's NASCAR voice and Wally Dallenbach, Jr. was retained to be his color commentator. Originally, Benny Parsons was to join the two in the booth, but he died from lung cancer prior to the beginning of the 2007 season. Kyle Petty
elected to take time off from his driving duties to take the position in the broadcast booth. Marty Snider and Matt Yocum returned as pit reporters. To replace Allen Bestwick and Dave Burns, both of whom went to ESPN following the 2006 season, TNT promoted Ralph Sheheen and Lindsay Czarniak to full-time pit reporter positions; previously both of them served as substitutes or for stand-alone Busch Series races that conflicted with the Cup Series schedule.
From 2007-2009, TNT's pre-race coverage began with a one hour show called NASCAR on TNT Live! This was followed by a 30 minute version of Countdown to Green, followed by the race itself. The pre-race coverage was changed in 2010 to a simple one hour version of Countdown to Green due to NASCAR's new policy of earlier start times. Since 2007, each pre-race broadcast (whether it be on NASCAR on TNT Live or Countdown to Green) featured "The Pride of NASCAR" segment which featured an interview with a historical NASCAR figure. Some examples include Richard Petty
(interviewed by his son Kyle
), AJ Foyt, and Mario Andretti
.
One of the most popular features of TNT's coverage is RaceBuddy, a free online application on NASCAR.com that allows fans to watch the race through their choice of several camera angles. In 2009, Jim Noble was added as the RaceBuddy-only pit reporter.
On July 7, 2007 during the Pepsi 400
, TNT used for the first time a new broadcast format called "Wide-Open Coverage". The race broadcast was moved to the top of the screen, with all scoring graphics placed in the bottom of the screen. The race was also broadcast with limited commercial interruption; only three green flag laps took place during commercials during the entire broadcast, because of cable and satellite television providers having several minutes every hour to air local ads, bypassing TNT entirely. All other commercials were aired in the lower third of the screen, similar to what is used by the IndyCar Series
but with a significantly larger window for the race coverage. Most of these commercials featured a special ad for that race, followed by their traditional ad. For each Daytona race since, TNT has featured the Wide-Open Coverage format. In 2009 and 2010, no green flag laps were missed.
The 2010 race also featured a 3-D broadcast on some cable/satellite providers and on NASCAR.com.
There were some technical issues with TNT's final Sprint Cup race of the season at Chicagoland when the picture and sound went out during the prerace show, causing the invocation and the national anthem to not be televised.
During the broadcast of the 2008 LifeLock.com 400
, Larry McReynolds
performed a magic trick, "cutting" Marc Fein
in half while green flag racing was taking place on the racetrack. This came at the dismay and outrage of many fans and viewers.
TNT also missed the winning pass of the 2008 Coke Zero 400
when a last lap crash involving Michael Waltrip
took out several cars. When it was all said and done, TNT panned over to Carl Edwards
, who prematurely celebrated his victory, thinking he had the lead when the caution came out. Because the crash occurred on the last lap, the field is frozen at the moment the caution came out and NASCAR reviews the finishing order by using video replays and scoring loop data. Those replays all showed Kyle Busch
as the leader when the caution came out; Kyle was declared the winner of the Coke Zero 400.
on lap-by-lap and Benny Parsons
and Wally Dallenbach, Jr.
on color commentary. Dave Burns
, Matt Yocum
, Marty Snider
, and Bill Weber
were the pit reporters, with Weber hosting the Countdown to Green pre-race show.
When TNT would broadcast NASCAR Busch Series races that conflicted with the Winston/NEXTEL cup races, other pit reporters, such as Glenn Jarrett
, Mark Garrow, Ralph Sheheen
, and Lindsay Czarniak
would join the coverage.
In 2004, Weber became the lap-by-lap announcer for two races as Bestwick recovered from a leg injury he suffered while playing hockey
.
on June 10. Weber and Dallenbach returned to the broadcast booth. After Parsons' death from cancer, he was replaced by Kyle Petty
, who took time off from his driving duties at Petty Enterprises
to do so. Weber also continued to host the pre-race shows, NASCAR on TNT Live and Allstate Countdown to Green, joined by Marc Fein
and Fox Sports' Larry McReynolds
(producer Barry Landis also came over from Fox for these six races). Like the other networks, TNT has adopted a "cut-away" car (provided by Ford
) that McReynolds uses occasionally on the telecasts. Also during the race, Fein and McReynolds contribute to the coverage from a large infield studio that revolves from a point several feet above ground level.
Marty Snider and Matt Yocum returned as pit reporters. Ralph Sheheen and Lindsay Czarniak joined the team full-time for 2007, replacing Dave Burns and Allen Bestwick who had jumped to ESPN.
On June 24, Petty contributed to the broadcast from inside the race car at Infineon Raceway
during the Toyota/Save Mart 350
. During the race, he uttered an obscenity ("fuck
") that was picked up by the network's microphones after he was involved in a crash on lap 1 with Matt Kenseth
and Marc Goossens
. Weber apologized to viewers, and Petty's status at TNT appears to be secure despite the incident. No fines were issued by the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) for the incident as cable television is not subjected to the FCC's indecency policies.
The broadcast remained the same in the 2008 & 2009 seasons. However, halfway through TNT's 2009 race coverage Weber was suspended by TNT for an incident at a hotel and was replaced in the broadcast booth by Sheheen. TNT later announced that Weber would not return for the Daytona or Chicagoland races, leading many to believe that he was fired by the network, and named Sheheen as his replacement. To take Sheheen's place on pit road TNT turned to MRN
's and SPEED
's Camping World Truck Series reporter Adam Alexander.
and Jayski's Silly Season Site
confirmed that Weber's TNT
contract has not been renewed, but that he's still under a general motorsports contract with NBC
(which reportedly may also include Whelen Modified Tour
coverage on Versus
, whose parent Comcast is buying NBC Universal). NASCAR.com reported on March 3, 2010, that Weber would be replaced by Adam Alexander and Sheheen would return to pit reporting. To replace Weber as pre-race show host Lindsay Czarniak was moved from the pits to take his place. TNT hired SPEED's Phil Parsons
to take her place. Parsons won't return for 2011, and he will be replaced by SPEED's Chris Neville. Kyle Petty joined Czarniak and Larry McReynolds for the pre-race programs for the 2010 season, as Marc Fein was moved to TBS' Sunday major league baseball broadcasts. Czarniak is not expected to return to NASCAR on TNT in 2012, because she has taken a postion as a SportsCenter
anchor on ESPN
.
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
series race that has been broadcast on Turner Network Television
Turner Network Television
Turner Network Television is an American cable television channel created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned by the Turner Broadcasting System division of Time Warner...
by Turner Sports
Turner Sports
Turner Sports is the division of Turner Broadcasting System responsible for sports broadcasts on Turner channels including TBS, TNT, and TruTV, and for operating the interactive properties , , , and...
.
Prior to 2001
Prior to 2001, Turner Sports' home for NASCAR was TNT's sister station, TBSNASCAR on TBS
NASCAR on TBS is the name of former television program that broadcast NASCAR races on the TBS cable network. Select NASCAR Winston Cup Series , Busch Series , and Craftsman Truck Series races were aired on TBS up to the 2000 season.Races were switched to TNT in 2001 as part of the then-new NASCAR...
. TBS aired side by side coverage during commercials during the 2000 UAW-GM Quality 500
Bank of America 500
The Bank of America 500 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race that is hosted annually at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, United States. The race is usually held in the month of October, as part of the Chase for the Sprint Cup and is 500 miles long...
in Charlotte
Lowe's Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
. Booth announcers/analysts included Ken Squier
Ken Squier
Ken Squier is an American sportscaster and motorsports editor from Waterbury, Vermont. From 1979-1997, he was the lap-by-lap commentator for NASCAR on CBS, and was also a lap-by-lap commentator for TBS from the time they had rights to NASCAR until 2000. Squier was the first announcer to give...
, Buddy Baker
Buddy Baker
Elzie Wylie Baker, Jr. , nicknamed "Leadfoot" or more famously Buddy, is a former American NASCAR racecar driver.-Early life:...
, and Dick Berggren
Dick Berggren
Dr. Dick Berggren is a motorsports announcer and magazine editor from Manchester, Connecticut in the United States. Born in Westerly, Rhode Island, he now lives in Ipswich, Massachusetts with his wife Kathy. He is commonly seen wearing a trademark flat cap.- Academia :Berggren described himself...
. After TBS made a host/booth switch, Allen Bestwick
Allen Bestwick
Allen Bestwick is the host of ESPN's NASCAR pre-race show NASCAR Countdown and play-by-play announcer for the Sprint Cup Series races for the same company. He took over that position in 2011 after serving as the countdown to green host from 2008-2010 and a pit reporter for the network in 2007...
became the lap-by-lap announcer with Baker and Berggren in the booth for TBS' 2000 coverage at Lowe's and Pocono
Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway also known as the Tricky Triangle, is a superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at Long Pond...
while Squier moved to a host position, the same position he had held at CBS since the start of the 1998 NASCAR season. During this time, TBS' coverage was limited as the television coverage of NASCAR was split between TBS, TNN, CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, and (later) NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
. TBS typically covered both Charlotte races, one of two races held at Pocono
Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway also known as the Tricky Triangle, is a superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at Long Pond...
, and several NASCAR Busch Series races.
When NASCAR's new broadcasting rights contract was signed in 1999, which included FOX, FX
NASCAR on Fox
NASCAR on Fox is the Emmy-winning branding used for Fox Sports's broadcasts of NASCAR races airing on the Fox network since 2001. The production has been in high-definition since 2005.-Background:...
, and NBC
NASCAR on NBC
NASCAR on NBC, identified by its on-air logo as NBC NASCAR, was a series of NASCAR races that aired on the network from 2001-2006. Prior to the contract that gave NBC broadcast rights the network aired races as early as the 1964 World 600...
, TBS was to keep its rights to NASCAR by serving as NBC's cable partner. The deal was to begin with the 2001 NASCAR season. On March 27, 2001, Turner
Turner Broadcasting System
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. is the Time Warner subsidiary managing the collection of cable networks and properties started and acquired by Robert Edward "Ted" Turner starting in the mid-1970s. The company has its headquarters in the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia. TBS, Inc...
elected to move the race coverage to sister network TNT as part of its new branding and "We Know Drama" slogan. (A potential conflict also existed with TBS' coverage of Atlanta Braves
Braves TBS Baseball
Braves TBS Baseball or Braves Baseball on TBS is a Major League Baseball broadcast on the TBS cable network by Turner Sports, featuring Atlanta Braves regular season games...
baseball games, which were a staple of the TBS lineup for years and which often were aired on weekends at times that NASCAR often held its races, either in the early afternoon or evening.)
2001-2006
TNT aired its first NASCAR Winston Cup Series race under the new contract at New Hampshire International SpeedwayNew Hampshire International Speedway
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a oval speedway located in Loudon, New Hampshire which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since the early 1990s, as well as an IndyCar weekend and the oldest motorcycle race in North America, the Loudon Classic...
in July 2001. Both networks shared the broadcast team of Bestwick, Benny Parsons
Benny Parsons
Benjamin Stewart Parsons was an American NASCAR driver, and later an announcer/analyst on TBS, ESPN, NBC and TNT...
, and Wally Dallenbach, Jr.
Wally Dallenbach, Jr.
Wally Dallenbach, Jr. is an American former NASCAR Winston Cup driver. He competed in 226 Winston Cup races from 1991 to 2001 and had 23 top 10 finishes. The son of open wheel racer and former CART chief steward, Wally Dallenbach, Sr., Wally Jr. is also a road racer...
in the booth and Bill Weber
Bill Weber
Bill Weber is a former television sports commentator, perhaps best known for his work on TNT and NBC NASCAR broadcasts. Weber was also the lead announcer for Champ Car World Series events and other auto racing series on NBC. He currently is working as an illusionist.-Early life and career:Weber...
, Marty Snider, Dave Burns, and Matt Yocum on pit road, as well as the same production graphics and music. The only differences were the placement of the network's logo on the graphics package and different colored pit reporter fire suits.
TNT was treated as the secondary broadcaster during its relationship with NBC due to the fact of it being a cable rather than broadcast network. NBC's portion of broadcast included almost all of the prestigious races during their half of the year (with the exception of the Mountain Dew Southern 500 at Darlington, the fourth leg of NASCAR's Grand Slam
Winston Million
The Winston Million was a cash prize award program in the NASCAR Winston Cup series, based on the Grand Slam concept. From 1985 to 1997, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, then the title sponsor of NASCAR's premier circuit, offered an award of $1 million for any driver who won three of the four "crown...
, in 2001 and 2002, and the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond from 2004–2006, when the race was the last race of the regular season under the season format.). The idea was that ratings would most certainly be higher for NBC's coverage of a given race next to TNT's due to a broadcaster's penetration. TNT was given most of the Busch Series
Busch Series
The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...
schedule except for major races, then covered by NBC. Night races were almost always covered by TNT except for the Pepsi 400 at Daytona, which aired on NBC in years that they had the rights to it, and (later) the UAW-GM Quality 500 at Charlotte when that raced was moved from Sunday afternoons to Saturday nights. Otherwise, following the fall Richmond race, TNT's Cup Series coverage was limited to one, two or three races (including the Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400
Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400
The Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 was a NASCAR Winston Cup event that took place in November at the North Carolina Motor Speedway from 1965 to 2003...
at Rockingham, which they covered from 2001–2003).
It was generally understood anytime a major news story needed to be covered by NBC its NASCAR coverage would be switched over to TNT. This occurred only once: the October 7, 2001 race at Lowe's Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
was interrupted during the prerace show when President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
announced the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
. NBC covered the news for the entire afternoon, and the entire race was shown on TNT.
TNT also would broadcast any NBC-scheduled races that were postponed by rain until the following day, much like FX would do for Fox during this contract (this is no longer applicable as Fox airs rain-delayed races the following day, since Fox has no daytime programming, unlike ABC, CBS and NBC).
The TNT/NBC partnership broke off when NBC
NASCAR on NBC
NASCAR on NBC, identified by its on-air logo as NBC NASCAR, was a series of NASCAR races that aired on the network from 2001-2006. Prior to the contract that gave NBC broadcast rights the network aired races as early as the 1964 World 600...
chose not to bid for the NASCAR contract when it expired in 2006.
2007-present
TNT, however, elected to make a bid for rights in the new television contract and was successful in retaining its coverage, joining FoxNASCAR on Fox
NASCAR on Fox is the Emmy-winning branding used for Fox Sports's broadcasts of NASCAR races airing on the Fox network since 2001. The production has been in high-definition since 2005.-Background:...
and the ESPN family of networks in a contract that runs until 2014. Under the terms of said contract TNT gained broadcast rights to six June and July races, which it calls the NASCAR on TNT Summer Series. TNT's six races are currently the 5-hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway also known as the Tricky Triangle, is a superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at Long Pond...
, the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 at Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than in Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas...
, the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway
Infineon Raceway
Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills...
, the annual July 4
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
weekend Coke Zero 400
Coke Zero 400
The Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona is a 160 lap, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held annually, beginning in 1959, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida; the second major stock car event held at Daytona on the Sprint Cup circuit...
at Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
, the Quaker State 400
Quaker State 400
The Quaker State 400 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Kentucky, United States over 400.5 miles . The inaugural event was held in 2011.-History:...
at Kentucky Speedway
Kentucky Speedway
Kentucky Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Sparta, Kentucky, which has hosted ARCA, NASCAR and Indy Racing League racing annually since it opened in 2000. The track is currently owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. and Jerry Carroll, who, along with four other investors, owned...
, and the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Unlike in the previous contract TNT was not able to procure rights to any Nationwide Series races, as ESPN successfully bid to be the exclusive carrier of the series. However, TNT became the exclusive home for the Coke Zero 400, much like Fox had become exclusive home for the Daytona 500 (in the previous contract, in addition to the races they were contracted to air, Fox and NBC alternated coverage of the two races at Daytona, with the network that didn't air the Daytona 500 airing the then-Pepsi 400 in July).
Bill Weber stayed on as TNT's NASCAR voice and Wally Dallenbach, Jr. was retained to be his color commentator. Originally, Benny Parsons was to join the two in the booth, but he died from lung cancer prior to the beginning of the 2007 season. Kyle Petty
Kyle Petty
Kyle Eugene Petty is a former American NASCAR driver and is currently a co-host for NASCAR RaceDay and panel member for NASCAR Smarts which are both on SPEED. He also commentates for TNT in the summer. He is the son of racer Richard Petty, grandson of racer Lee Petty, and father of the late Adam...
elected to take time off from his driving duties to take the position in the broadcast booth. Marty Snider and Matt Yocum returned as pit reporters. To replace Allen Bestwick and Dave Burns, both of whom went to ESPN following the 2006 season, TNT promoted Ralph Sheheen and Lindsay Czarniak to full-time pit reporter positions; previously both of them served as substitutes or for stand-alone Busch Series races that conflicted with the Cup Series schedule.
From 2007-2009, TNT's pre-race coverage began with a one hour show called NASCAR on TNT Live! This was followed by a 30 minute version of Countdown to Green, followed by the race itself. The pre-race coverage was changed in 2010 to a simple one hour version of Countdown to Green due to NASCAR's new policy of earlier start times. Since 2007, each pre-race broadcast (whether it be on NASCAR on TNT Live or Countdown to Green) featured "The Pride of NASCAR" segment which featured an interview with a historical NASCAR figure. Some examples include Richard Petty
Richard Petty
Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
(interviewed by his son Kyle
Kyle Petty
Kyle Eugene Petty is a former American NASCAR driver and is currently a co-host for NASCAR RaceDay and panel member for NASCAR Smarts which are both on SPEED. He also commentates for TNT in the summer. He is the son of racer Richard Petty, grandson of racer Lee Petty, and father of the late Adam...
), AJ Foyt, and Mario Andretti
Mario Andretti
Mario Gabriele Andretti is a retired Italian American world champion racing driver, one of the most successful Americans in the history of the sport. He is one of only two drivers to win races in Formula One, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR...
.
One of the most popular features of TNT's coverage is RaceBuddy, a free online application on NASCAR.com that allows fans to watch the race through their choice of several camera angles. In 2009, Jim Noble was added as the RaceBuddy-only pit reporter.
On July 7, 2007 during the Pepsi 400
Coke Zero 400
The Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona is a 160 lap, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held annually, beginning in 1959, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida; the second major stock car event held at Daytona on the Sprint Cup circuit...
, TNT used for the first time a new broadcast format called "Wide-Open Coverage". The race broadcast was moved to the top of the screen, with all scoring graphics placed in the bottom of the screen. The race was also broadcast with limited commercial interruption; only three green flag laps took place during commercials during the entire broadcast, because of cable and satellite television providers having several minutes every hour to air local ads, bypassing TNT entirely. All other commercials were aired in the lower third of the screen, similar to what is used by the IndyCar Series
IndyCar Series
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
but with a significantly larger window for the race coverage. Most of these commercials featured a special ad for that race, followed by their traditional ad. For each Daytona race since, TNT has featured the Wide-Open Coverage format. In 2009 and 2010, no green flag laps were missed.
The 2010 race also featured a 3-D broadcast on some cable/satellite providers and on NASCAR.com.
There were some technical issues with TNT's final Sprint Cup race of the season at Chicagoland when the picture and sound went out during the prerace show, causing the invocation and the national anthem to not be televised.
During the broadcast of the 2008 LifeLock.com 400
2008 LifeLock.com 400
The 2008 LifeLock.com 400 was the nineteenth race of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, and the final race under the TNT coverage for the year. It was held on July 12 of that year at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois, as the race moves to a nighttime event for the first time in the event's...
, Larry McReynolds
Larry McReynolds
Lawrence Joseph McReynolds III is a former NASCAR crew chief and currently serves as a racing analyst on Fox Sports, TNT and a columnist on Foxsports.com. He currently lives in Mooresville, North Carolina...
performed a magic trick, "cutting" Marc Fein
Marc Fein
Marc Fein is a sports journalist,sports news anchor, and television sports studio host, currently one of the main studio hosts for the NBA TV show, NBA Gametime Live. He is also the host of its show, The Beat, and has been the substitute host for Ernie Johnson on the NBA on TNT...
in half while green flag racing was taking place on the racetrack. This came at the dismay and outrage of many fans and viewers.
TNT also missed the winning pass of the 2008 Coke Zero 400
Coke Zero 400
The Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona is a 160 lap, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held annually, beginning in 1959, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida; the second major stock car event held at Daytona on the Sprint Cup circuit...
when a last lap crash involving Michael Waltrip
Michael Waltrip
Michael Curtis Waltrip is a semi-former professional race car driver, co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, and a published author. He is the younger brother of three-time NASCAR champion and racing commentator Darrell Waltrip. Waltrip is a two-time winner of the Daytona 500; having won the race in...
took out several cars. When it was all said and done, TNT panned over to Carl Edwards
Carl Edwards
Carl Michael Edwards, II is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #99 Fastenal/Aflac Ford Fusion in the Sprint Cup Series and the #60 Ford in the Nationwide Series for Roush Fenway Racing...
, who prematurely celebrated his victory, thinking he had the lead when the caution came out. Because the crash occurred on the last lap, the field is frozen at the moment the caution came out and NASCAR reviews the finishing order by using video replays and scoring loop data. Those replays all showed Kyle Busch
Kyle Busch
Kyle Thomas Busch, is an American NASCAR driver and team owner. He currently drives the No. 18 Mars/Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Sprint Cup Series, the No. 18 Z-Line Designs/NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs in the Nationwide Series, and the No...
as the leader when the caution came out; Kyle was declared the winner of the Coke Zero 400.
Outside studio
- Lindsay CzarniakLindsay CzarniakLindsay Ann Czarniak , is an American sports anchor and reporter. After spending 6 years with WRC-TV , the local NBC television affiliate in Washington, D.C., Czarniak joined ESPN as a SportsCenter anchor in August 2011.She has also been a pit reporter for TNT's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series coverage...
- Larry McReynoldsLarry McReynoldsLawrence Joseph McReynolds III is a former NASCAR crew chief and currently serves as a racing analyst on Fox Sports, TNT and a columnist on Foxsports.com. He currently lives in Mooresville, North Carolina...
(Also on NASCAR on FoxNASCAR on FoxNASCAR on Fox is the Emmy-winning branding used for Fox Sports's broadcasts of NASCAR races airing on the Fox network since 2001. The production has been in high-definition since 2005.-Background:...
) - Kyle PettyKyle PettyKyle Eugene Petty is a former American NASCAR driver and is currently a co-host for NASCAR RaceDay and panel member for NASCAR Smarts which are both on SPEED. He also commentates for TNT in the summer. He is the son of racer Richard Petty, grandson of racer Lee Petty, and father of the late Adam...
(during pre-race show)
Pit reporters
- Chris Neville
- Marty SniderMarty SniderMarty Snider is an American Sportscaster. Snider is a pit reporter for NASCAR on TNT. He has been a part of Turner Sports' NASCAR coverage since 1998. Snider also served as a NASCAR pit reporter for NBC Sports from 1999-2006. In 2006, Snider was a part of the Emmy award winning NBC/TNT NASCAR...
- Matt YocumMatt YocumMatt Yocum is a long standing reporter in motorsports. He is best known for his pit reporting in the sport of NASCAR.-Biography:Matt Yocum's exposure to automobile racing began at an early age...
(Also on NASCAR on Fox) - Ralph SheheenRalph SheheenRalph Sheheen is currently a pit reporter for NASCAR on TNT, an announcer for AMA supercross and superbike racing on the Speed Channel, and is the lead commentator of CBS Sports' coverage of the AMA....
(Also on NASCAR on SPEEDNASCAR on SPEEDNASCAR on SPEED is a series of NASCAR races and programs airing on SPEED from 2002 through the present. It is better known for covering the entire NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season since 2003 and the race coverage of the Gatorade Duels and the Sprint All-Star Challenge since 2007.-History:...
)
Former
- Bill WeberBill WeberBill Weber is a former television sports commentator, perhaps best known for his work on TNT and NBC NASCAR broadcasts. Weber was also the lead announcer for Champ Car World Series events and other auto racing series on NBC. He currently is working as an illusionist.-Early life and career:Weber...
(now on NBC) - Marc FeinMarc FeinMarc Fein is a sports journalist,sports news anchor, and television sports studio host, currently one of the main studio hosts for the NBA TV show, NBA Gametime Live. He is also the host of its show, The Beat, and has been the substitute host for Ernie Johnson on the NBA on TNT...
(now covering MLB for TBS) - Allen BestwickAllen BestwickAllen Bestwick is the host of ESPN's NASCAR pre-race show NASCAR Countdown and play-by-play announcer for the Sprint Cup Series races for the same company. He took over that position in 2011 after serving as the countdown to green host from 2008-2010 and a pit reporter for the network in 2007...
(now NASCAR on ESPN play by play announcer) - Benny ParsonsBenny ParsonsBenjamin Stewart Parsons was an American NASCAR driver, and later an announcer/analyst on TBS, ESPN, NBC and TNT...
(deceased) - Dave BurnsDave BurnsDave Burns , is a Dutch-British football coach. He is fluent in English and Dutch, and has basic knowledge of French and German....
(now on ESPN) - Phil ParsonsPhil ParsonsPhil Parsons , is a former NASCAR driver and owner of MSRP Motorsports . He is also the younger brother of the late 1973 Winston Cup champion and former NBC/TNT commentator Benny Parsons. Years later, he returned to the Busch Series, where he enjoyed modest success...
(now on SPEED)
Broadcast team history
TNT and NBC shared the broadcast team of Allen BestwickAllen Bestwick
Allen Bestwick is the host of ESPN's NASCAR pre-race show NASCAR Countdown and play-by-play announcer for the Sprint Cup Series races for the same company. He took over that position in 2011 after serving as the countdown to green host from 2008-2010 and a pit reporter for the network in 2007...
on lap-by-lap and Benny Parsons
Benny Parsons
Benjamin Stewart Parsons was an American NASCAR driver, and later an announcer/analyst on TBS, ESPN, NBC and TNT...
and Wally Dallenbach, Jr.
Wally Dallenbach, Jr.
Wally Dallenbach, Jr. is an American former NASCAR Winston Cup driver. He competed in 226 Winston Cup races from 1991 to 2001 and had 23 top 10 finishes. The son of open wheel racer and former CART chief steward, Wally Dallenbach, Sr., Wally Jr. is also a road racer...
on color commentary. Dave Burns
Dave Burns
Dave Burns , is a Dutch-British football coach. He is fluent in English and Dutch, and has basic knowledge of French and German....
, Matt Yocum
Matt Yocum
Matt Yocum is a long standing reporter in motorsports. He is best known for his pit reporting in the sport of NASCAR.-Biography:Matt Yocum's exposure to automobile racing began at an early age...
, Marty Snider
Marty Snider
Marty Snider is an American Sportscaster. Snider is a pit reporter for NASCAR on TNT. He has been a part of Turner Sports' NASCAR coverage since 1998. Snider also served as a NASCAR pit reporter for NBC Sports from 1999-2006. In 2006, Snider was a part of the Emmy award winning NBC/TNT NASCAR...
, and Bill Weber
Bill Weber
Bill Weber is a former television sports commentator, perhaps best known for his work on TNT and NBC NASCAR broadcasts. Weber was also the lead announcer for Champ Car World Series events and other auto racing series on NBC. He currently is working as an illusionist.-Early life and career:Weber...
were the pit reporters, with Weber hosting the Countdown to Green pre-race show.
When TNT would broadcast NASCAR Busch Series races that conflicted with the Winston/NEXTEL cup races, other pit reporters, such as Glenn Jarrett
Glenn Jarrett
Glenn Jarrett is a former NASCAR driver from Conover, North Carolina and the oldest son of Ned Jarrett and older brother of Dale Jarrett. He made 10 Winston Cup starts from 1978 to 1983 with a best finish of 12th at Ontario Motor Speedway...
, Mark Garrow, Ralph Sheheen
Ralph Sheheen
Ralph Sheheen is currently a pit reporter for NASCAR on TNT, an announcer for AMA supercross and superbike racing on the Speed Channel, and is the lead commentator of CBS Sports' coverage of the AMA....
, and Lindsay Czarniak
Lindsay Czarniak
Lindsay Ann Czarniak , is an American sports anchor and reporter. After spending 6 years with WRC-TV , the local NBC television affiliate in Washington, D.C., Czarniak joined ESPN as a SportsCenter anchor in August 2011.She has also been a pit reporter for TNT's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series coverage...
would join the coverage.
In 2004, Weber became the lap-by-lap announcer for two races as Bestwick recovered from a leg injury he suffered while playing hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
.
2005
In 2005, Bestwick and Weber traded positions. However, Bestwick would occasionally do lap-by-lap for Busch races that conflicted with the schedule for the primary series.2007-2009
For 2007, TNT went solo, covering six races that started with the Pocono 5002007 Pocono 500
The 2007 Pocono 500, the fourteenth race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season, was run Sunday, June 10, 2007 at Pocono Raceway outside of the village of Long Pond, Pennsylvania. The race marked the start of the second half of the race to qualify for the Chase for the Nextel Cup and the first...
on June 10. Weber and Dallenbach returned to the broadcast booth. After Parsons' death from cancer, he was replaced by Kyle Petty
Kyle Petty
Kyle Eugene Petty is a former American NASCAR driver and is currently a co-host for NASCAR RaceDay and panel member for NASCAR Smarts which are both on SPEED. He also commentates for TNT in the summer. He is the son of racer Richard Petty, grandson of racer Lee Petty, and father of the late Adam...
, who took time off from his driving duties at Petty Enterprises
Petty Enterprises
Petty Enterprises was a NASCAR racing team based in Randleman, North Carolina, USA. The team was owned by Richard Petty, his son Kyle Petty, and Boston Ventures. At the time of its folding the team operated the #43 and #45 Dodge Chargers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Petty Enterprises ran from...
to do so. Weber also continued to host the pre-race shows, NASCAR on TNT Live and Allstate Countdown to Green, joined by Marc Fein
Marc Fein
Marc Fein is a sports journalist,sports news anchor, and television sports studio host, currently one of the main studio hosts for the NBA TV show, NBA Gametime Live. He is also the host of its show, The Beat, and has been the substitute host for Ernie Johnson on the NBA on TNT...
and Fox Sports' Larry McReynolds
Larry McReynolds
Lawrence Joseph McReynolds III is a former NASCAR crew chief and currently serves as a racing analyst on Fox Sports, TNT and a columnist on Foxsports.com. He currently lives in Mooresville, North Carolina...
(producer Barry Landis also came over from Fox for these six races). Like the other networks, TNT has adopted a "cut-away" car (provided by Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
) that McReynolds uses occasionally on the telecasts. Also during the race, Fein and McReynolds contribute to the coverage from a large infield studio that revolves from a point several feet above ground level.
Marty Snider and Matt Yocum returned as pit reporters. Ralph Sheheen and Lindsay Czarniak joined the team full-time for 2007, replacing Dave Burns and Allen Bestwick who had jumped to ESPN.
On June 24, Petty contributed to the broadcast from inside the race car at Infineon Raceway
Infineon Raceway
Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills...
during the Toyota/Save Mart 350
2007 Toyota/Save Mart 350
The 2007 Toyota/Save Mart 350 was the 16th race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season. It took place on June 24, 2007, at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, about 25 miles north of San Francisco....
. During the race, he uttered an obscenity ("fuck
Fuck
"Fuck" is an English word that is generally considered obscene which, in its most literal meaning, refers to the act of sexual intercourse. By extension it may be used to negatively characterize anything that can be dismissed, disdained, defiled, or destroyed."Fuck" can be used as a verb, adverb,...
") that was picked up by the network's microphones after he was involved in a crash on lap 1 with Matt Kenseth
Matt Kenseth
Matthew Roy "Matt" Kenseth is an American stock car driver. Kenseth currently drives the No. 17 Crown Royal Ford Fusion in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Roush Fenway Racing...
and Marc Goossens
Marc Goossens
Marc Goossens nicknamed The Goose is a Belgian racecar driver who drove in Formula 3000 from 1994 to 1996 and part-time from 1999 to 2001. In between he drove in endurance races and is a veteran of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. From 2002 to 2005 he then raced in FIA GT...
. Weber apologized to viewers, and Petty's status at TNT appears to be secure despite the incident. No fines were issued by the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) for the incident as cable television is not subjected to the FCC's indecency policies.
The broadcast remained the same in the 2008 & 2009 seasons. However, halfway through TNT's 2009 race coverage Weber was suspended by TNT for an incident at a hotel and was replaced in the broadcast booth by Sheheen. TNT later announced that Weber would not return for the Daytona or Chicagoland races, leading many to believe that he was fired by the network, and named Sheheen as his replacement. To take Sheheen's place on pit road TNT turned to MRN
Motor Racing Network
The Motor Racing Network is the principal radio broadcasting operation of NASCAR, promoting themselves as "The Voice of NASCAR." It broadcasts coverage of most major NASCAR races at the top three levels of NASCAR at tracks owned by International Speedway Corporation as well as Dover International...
's and SPEED
SPEED Channel
Speed , is a cable and satellite television network broadcast to various parts of North America, but primarily the United States...
's Camping World Truck Series reporter Adam Alexander.
2010-present
On February 25, 2010, USA TodayUSA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
and Jayski's Silly Season Site
Jayski's Silly Season Site
Jayski's Silly Season Site is a web site focusing primarily on NASCAR news and rumors, created and run by Charlotte-area resident Jay Adamczyk , a former United States Air Force mechanic, on August 25, 1996. Adamczyk started the site after having difficulty finding news regarding the Melling Racing...
confirmed that Weber's TNT
Turner Network Television
Turner Network Television is an American cable television channel created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned by the Turner Broadcasting System division of Time Warner...
contract has not been renewed, but that he's still under a general motorsports contract with NBC
NBC Sports
NBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
(which reportedly may also include Whelen Modified Tour
Whelen Modified Tour
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is a stock car racing series owned and operated by NASCAR in the Modified division. The Modified division is NASCAR's oldest division, and its one of two open-wheeled divisions...
coverage on Versus
Versus (TV channel)
Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. It was previously known as Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports...
, whose parent Comcast is buying NBC Universal). NASCAR.com reported on March 3, 2010, that Weber would be replaced by Adam Alexander and Sheheen would return to pit reporting. To replace Weber as pre-race show host Lindsay Czarniak was moved from the pits to take his place. TNT hired SPEED's Phil Parsons
Phil Parsons
Phil Parsons , is a former NASCAR driver and owner of MSRP Motorsports . He is also the younger brother of the late 1973 Winston Cup champion and former NBC/TNT commentator Benny Parsons. Years later, he returned to the Busch Series, where he enjoyed modest success...
to take her place. Parsons won't return for 2011, and he will be replaced by SPEED's Chris Neville. Kyle Petty joined Czarniak and Larry McReynolds for the pre-race programs for the 2010 season, as Marc Fein was moved to TBS' Sunday major league baseball broadcasts. Czarniak is not expected to return to NASCAR on TNT in 2012, because she has taken a postion as a SportsCenter
SportsCenter
SportsCenter is a daily sports news television show, and the flagship program of American cable network ESPN since the network launched on September 7, 1979. Originally broadcast only daily, SportsCenter is now shown up to twelve times a day, replaying the day's scores and highlights from major...
anchor on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
.