TV TIMES – It’s time to get Dodge back and other new marques into the NASCAR fold

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By Lou Modestino
NASCAR’s problems of not selling tickets and dropping TV ratings is a situation that just has to be solved.  Forget the excuses that all of sports world-wide are suffering with deficits due to a global ailing economy.  Just because Brian France was able to get a huge increase over the previous contracts starting in 2015, it does not mean the problems are solved.  That increase TV money is what is holding NASCAR together. But for how long?   There’s a cliche in the rough and tumble business world. “Don’t tell me what you did for me yesterday. What are you going to do for me today,” say the captains of global industry.
We can’t believe those TV rights contracts don’t contain a performance clause that are tied to increased TV ratings!  It’s time for NASCAR’s Brian France to get  going. Let’s talk about Brian’s job performance review by the fans.  We have seen reports on the social media that Brian is not held in high esteem by the folks who buy the tickets and are not watching the races on TV.

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TV TIMES 03-08-2014 – Phoenix and Daytona leftovers

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By Lou Modestino

Kevin Harvick’s win at Phoenix was a plain and simple domination of the race. He led 78 consecutive laps of that race. “We’ve put a lot of work into the race car,” said Harvick in victory lane. Kevin has been a master of that track having won three out of four races at that track. Getting second was Junior who said, “We were just too far away to catch the leader. We worked our butts off before and during this race. Sixth place finisher Jimmie Johnson quipped, ” We could have used more time because I think it would have been different. But, I’ll still take this finish, anyway, even though we were off.” Fourth place Joey Logano echoed the other drivers comments then he also added, “We didn’t have enough to catch Brad (Keselowski). Brad finished third at the finish line.

Kurt Busch is still trying to reshape his image. He was on Fox Cable News last week telling Fox and Friends that he’s really up for racing in the Indy 500 and flying back to Charlotte for the Coca Cola 600 later that night. He could make the fans forget all of his past behavior problems if he’s somewhat successful.

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TV TIMES EXTRA: Those many empty seats should be removed from the NASCAR venues

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By Lou Modestino

With billions of dollars guaranteed for NASCAR TV rights til 2020 and 2024, discussions have now surfaced of removing those empty grandstands at many Sprint Cup venues. On television, those empty seats look Bad – Bad with a capital B. We’ve seen those empty spaces disguised with sponsors banners, and broadcast networks have been very careful about not panning the spaces with their coverage. Don’t you think that those hollow canyons must have a psychological effect on fans in attendance. They must think, “Why did I come to this race?”

By now followers of motor sports must have heard and read that removal of stands is set to begin at a number of venues. For instance, the backstretch seats at Daytona are scheduled for dismantling. It’s been announced that the removal will be part and parcel of the updating of that track in order to increase the strength of fences on the finish line. (That was the area that Kyle Larson’s Nationwide car tore down the fence, and fans were hit with debris from the wreck in February during SpeedWeeks of this year.) Yet, couldn’t there be another motive as well?
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TV TIMES: Logano Wins Michigan Economy Run

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By Lou Modestino

The typical NASCAR Sprint Cup “economy” runs like Last Sunday’s at MIS is what turns off NASCAR fans when they are forced to dig up mucho money for a “non-economy” ticket. It appears as though NASCAR and Sprint Cup teams have not as yet figured out that the exorbitant prices for tickets, among other factors, is what turns them off. Although I’m told that if your looking for tickets for any race you can haggle over them. Lots of empty seats at MIS.

Joey Logano, who started on the pole, won that one because his crew chief was able to determine that he’d have enough fuel to go the distance. The Middletown, Conn., driver ended up inheriting the lead when then leader Mark Martin exited as his fuel tank ran dry with only four laps to go. It was Joey’s first win of the season.

But the good paying customer wants to see lively competition with two or more drivers coming down to the checkers, not the same old, same old economy runs. That also is another factor contributing to the lack of ticket sales.
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TV TIMES: Kyle Busch is lookin’ good after The Glen

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By Lou Modestino

Kyle Busch was the big winner on the annual visit to the Watkins Glen, NY road course. Settling for less was Brad Keselowski, the runner-up, followed by Martin Truex, Jr., Carl Edwards and Juan Pablo Montoya who came in fifth. Then it was Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano and Jimmy Johnson who placed eighth. That road course win was Kyle Busch’s 27th career win and his third this year.

Kyle said, “It’s just great to win here before The Chase comes up. It wasn’t easy because I had some problems earlier with cold tires and I had to take it easy. Second place driver Brad Keselowski revealed, “I should have pushed harder on the last lap. I took Kyle right to the edge and he just wouldn’t cave.” Martin Truex, Jr. reflected, “Kyle was better than the rest of us.” Junior revealed, “The late caution didn’t help us at all. Overall I say it was not a good day.” Some of the problems included grass from the track getting into the air dams and into the brakes.

Road course expert Marcos Ambrose started on the pole and he’s also won races at The Glen. However, he had problems and went out of the race, and he was not all happy about it. Jeff Gordon was another one that ended up out of the race.
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TV TIMES for May 24 to 26

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By Lou Modestino

Jimmie Johnson won the non-point All Star race at Charlotte picking up the $1 million prize! The next four who completed the top five were Joey Logano, Kyle Busch, Kasey Kahne and Kurt Busch. It was also JJ’s fourth All-Star win in this rain-delayed, anything goes annual event.
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TV Times for May 10 to 12

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By Lou Modestino

The 8 hours of Talledega

David Ragan was a 100-1 shot going into Talledega’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race on Sunday. But he ended up being at the right place at the right time in the green and white checker that brought that NASCAR Sprint Cup race to a merciful end. Leading when it really counted, the Georgia driver proved a point that almost anybody left in that field had a chance at that win. But you also had to be on top of your game and lucky enough to survive up to the end in order to be in contention. Another factor that made the final laps of the race tense as that the track was quickly running out of daylight.

“I’m a low key guy. I’d just like to thank everyone that helped me get here. I don’t know what else to say, ” said the winner. It was also Ragan’s second career win. Equally suprised at his performance was his teamate and runner-up Dave Gilliland. “I’m very proud of my team. This is awesome. I didn’t dare to back off,” said the second place finisher. As it turned out both were able to work together to finish one-two in the final laps of that long afternoon grind.
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TV TIMES For May 3-5 2013

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TV TIMES

Biff! Bam! Pow!
By Lou Modestino

Referees may be required from now on at all NASCAR short track racing! Yet even negative attention is better than none at all for the circus that took place at Richmond when fists flew. Hey, it probably will prove to be a positive stimulus to sell tickets and increase TV ratings!

Kevin Harvick’s team made the decision to go for a complete set of tires on their final pitstop at the Richmond International Speedway and it paid off for them. Harvick only led three laps of that race as it all came down to a green, white, checker at the end. Kevin took the lead almost at the very end.It was also his first win of the season and his 20th career win.

“We didn’t know how many green, white, checkers it was going to take before the race ended. We just did what we had to do and it turned out just right for us,” said Harvick in his victory interview.
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TV TIMES April 27 to 29, 2013

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Kenseth overhauls the rest at Kansas

By Lou Modestino

Matt Kenseth and company had more than enough to show that he and his team were the masters of Kansas International Speedway. Besides being the top driver at that Middle -America track on race day, he also took the pole position in the qualifying runs. Matt drove a flawless race on race day, especially in the last 20 circuits when it really counted.

Try as he might, Kasey Kahne just couldn’t catch the leader as the pair raced toward the checkered flag. However, Kenseth revealed, “I thought that Kasey had me a few times, but he just couldn’t do it probably because my cars have been fast all year. My team is just awesome and we are contenders. Everything just turned out right for us.”

Kahne said,” I really needed the cloud cover but that never happened. Matt was just very fast. That’s why he got out front and had the stuff to stay there. But my team still gave me everything that they had and that’s why I think that they are all just great.” Read Full Article →

TV TIMES for April 20 to 22, 2013

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Kyle Busch is doing well in the Cup. Now can he turn it into a roll?

Nice going by anti hero Kyle Busch! Love him or hate him, he won the Texas Cup race when he beat Martin Truex on the final stop of the race. Car owner Joe Gibbs was beaming when said, “Kyle has had a lot of disappointments. I told him ‘keep doing what you’ve been doing’.” Even Speed’s Matt Clark thought that Kyle dominated the race.

Not so happy was Truex who lamented, “It’s been a rough season. I finished second tonight and I’m just sick of this crap.” His car also flunked a post race inspection. Brad Keselowskl was also candid after his ninth place finish because his car had to undergo changes before he could move it to the grid. “I’m totally unhappy with the way NASCAR treated us.”

Brad’s crew chief Paul Wolfe admitted, ” We had to work very hard to get the car into compliance with NASCAR.” Speed’s Matt Clark revealed that the Penske Team had to do a major overhaul before the race and undergo another inspection. Those were for Brad’s and Joey’s cars.
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