NASCAR on NBC

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

NASCAR on NBC is a series of NASCAR races that have aired the network from 2001-2006. Under the deal NBC aired the 2002, 2004, and 2006 Daytona 500's. NBC also aired the Pennzoil 400 in 1999 and 2000, as its only contracted race during that time.

NBC's cable partner in NASCAR was TNT, which will retain its television rights as part of the new NASCAR contract.

[edit] Announcers

Lap-by-Lap

• Bill Weber
• Wally Dallenbach, Jr.
• Benny Parsons

Pit Reporters

• Allen Bestwick (Now at ESPN/ABC)
• Dave Burns (Now at ESPN/ABC)
• Marty Snider
• Matt Yocum (worked for FOX as well, now solely works for Fox)
• Lindsay Czarniak (At Busch Series stand-alone events)

[edit] Notes

• On November 11, 1999, a new $2.48 billion contract was signed for American television broadcast rights for NASCAR, split between FOX/FX and NBC/TBS. The contract would run from 2001 through 2006, with FOX/FX covering the first half of the season, and NBC/Turner covering the second half of the season. Shortly after the 2001 season began, and before the second half of the season began, on March 27, 2001, Turner replaced TBS with TNT for its NASCAR programming, as part of its "We Know Drama" re-launch marketing campaign.

• From 2001 until 2006, the FOX and NBC alternated the Daytona 500, with FOX covering the race in odd-numbered years, and NBC in even-numbered years. The network that did not televise the Daytona 500 instead televised the Pepsi 400 at Daytona in July. Under the new television contract beginning in 2007, FOX will broadcast the Daytona 500 exclusively, and TNT will have exclusive rights to the Pepsi 400.

• Since 2001, the start time for the Daytona 500 has progressively moved later into the day. In 2001, the start time was 1:15 p.m. In 2002, the start time was shifted back to 12:45 p.m. (because of the Winter Olympics on NBC), but in 2003, the start time was 1:01 p.m. (originally 1:28 p.m. but NASCAR tried to start the race before rain, which stopped the race prematurely), and in 2004, 1:52 p.m., with the 2005 and 2006 races starting at 2:45 p.m., and the 2007 race beginning at 3:30 p.m.

[edit] Fan Bias

A large number of fans were biased against NBC's coverage, claiming that it was largely inferior to FOX in terms of both technological capabilities and bland commentators. Wally Dallenbach and Bill Weber were viewed as monotone and boring compared to Larry McReynolds and Darrell Waltrip.

NBC was also criticized by fans for having long commercial periods during the race, much longer than the commerical periods when Fox televises a race. Two glaring problems on NBC were that restarts were often missed due to long commercial breaks, and the frequent breaks during green flag runs. The name itself, NBC, has been used as an acronym for "Nothing But Commercials". The term originated from fans at the NASCAR.com chat room during the race. This cliché was exploited in the film Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, when NBC is shown to take a commercial break in the middle of a ridiculously long crash sequence.

[edit] NASCAR leaves NBC

In mid October 2005, NBC announced that it would not renew its package starting in 2007. This is mainly because of its Sunday Night Football package starting in 2006.

From 2007 until 2014, the Daytona 500 will be shown every year on Fox under the terms of the television contract. FX Networks and NBC will be replaced by ESPN and ABC, TNT will go solo.

[edit] Trivia

• A segment during the telecasts was the Aflac Trivia Question, where Benny Parsons "cued the duck" and the Aflac Duck walked across the screen before the question is displayed.
• Allen Bestwick had been the lead commentator until 2005, when he switched duties with then-lead pit reporter Bill Weber.
• In the opening sequence, a driver can be heard shouting over his radio, "Good job guys, good job!!" This is the voice of driver Rusty Wallace when he won the 2004 Advance Auto Parts 500 at Martinsville Speedway.
• Matt Yocum was in the pits at every NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event over the six years of the contract, as he had separate talent contracts with FOX/FX and NBC/TNT.

[edit] See also

• NASCAR on FOX
• NASCAR on TNT
• NASCAR on television and radio

[edit] References