Is there too much hype in NASCAR?
I asked Brian France that exact question during my extended one-on-one exclusive interview with him Friday of NASCAR weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. His answer:
"There’s always too much hype when the competition on the field or on the track doesn’t fulfill it. It’s OK to have hype but it’s even better to have a great race or a great baseball game that matches the hype."
I don't know how anyone could disagree with France's answer.
The truth is, the 2007 Nextel Cup campaign was not a great season. So that means, yes, there was too much hype.
It was a Chevrolet and Hendrick Motorsports blowout. In achieving its 31st manufacturers' championship, Chevy won 26 of the 36 races. Led by Jimmie Johnson's 10 victories and second consecutive Cup, Hendrick visited victory lane 18 times. Jeff Gordon was second in points with six wins. Kyle Busch and Casey Mears combined for two more.
I realize some of you will find this strange, coming from me, but there IS such a thing as too much hype. Here are my two favorite examples from the season past:
1. At California Speedway, in February, an MRN announcer told us the race was important because "after today, there will only be 24 more races until the Chase." ONLY 24!
2. At New Hampshire, in September, an ABC announcer told us an upcoming series of gas-and-tire service was "critical, because it's the first pit stops in the Chase." ONLY ABOUT 50 MORE TO GO!
Please . . .
I've been asked several times what I'd do to "fix" NASCAR's two-year TV ratings/attendance/media coverage/popularity slide. My advice:
Give it a rest, guys!
Not every race is a "great" race. Not every lap is "critical." Not every driver is a "champion." Not every driver who spins or crashes does "a great job" saving the car. Not every driver is "driving his brains out." Not every event is "exciting." Not every speedway has a "huge" crowd.
I've learned this: Relentless, baseless hype eventually will EXHAUST the public. No one can keep up with it all. No one believes it all. The credibility factor eventually comes into play.
I hope, in 2008, at least for a little while after the 50th anniversary Daytona 500 "Great American Race," NASCAR and Humpy Wheeler and Eddie Gossage and Fox and ESPN and SPEED and MRN and everyone else involved will take a step back. Study the way CBS televised the recent New England Patriots-Indianapolis Colts game -- just let the action tell it's own story.
For that to have any chance of happening, of course, the Car of Tomorrow needs to produce great racing. Fans didn't like what they saw in the second Bristol and Talladega races. If Daytona is an entertainment dud, I know the hype machine will be fed nitro.
If you didn't read my Q&A with France, click the first link below. The second one is my Arizona Republic column of last Friday, which includes even more questions-and-answers with him. (His future plans? Status of diversity program? Criticism of TV coverage?) The third is my Republic story on open-wheel drivers coming to NASCAR, which has Brian's comments on that trend:
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1110france1111.html
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1115racingnb1116.html
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1109openwheelers1110.html
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I made this point during my XM Satellite Radio interview with Claire B. Lang at PIR:
“The Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team made the National League playoffs this year. They did not sell out all of their home playoff games which is really incredible for the National League Championship Series. All the reserve tickets at PIR (Phoenix International Raceway) for Sunday’s Checker 500 kilometer race are sold out. What does that tell you about the strength of NASCAR even with some of the issues going on in the day? Very impressive.”
********************************************************************
In case you missed it, please take a look at my latest "Business of Racing" video commentary on 1320tv.com. I look back on the sad 2007 NHRA season, and look ahead to the two big issues of 2008:
http://www.1320tv.com/dialed_in/article11.asp?vid=dialed_in/dialed_in_mk_bor_02&title=2007%20Powerade%20Drag%20Racing%20Series%20Recap
Thanks to popular California radio personality Joe Benson for the nomination in AutoWriters.com's search for the 100 top automotive blogs, as mentioned in AW.c's November newsletter.
Congratulations to Barry Bronson, Valvoline communications director, elected last week as secretary of ASE (National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence).
I've noticed, for a while, that AP's NASCAR boxscores list winning average speeds in kilometers per hour as well as mph. The Homestead results sheet went a step further, though, showing Matt Kenseth's first-place purse not only in dollars, but also euros. (!) For the record, AP calculated Kenseth's $359,941 converted to euro245,700.
USA Today's Monday odds on the Dancing With the Stars contenders put Helio Castroneves at 8-to-1. The story also called him "the Formula One race car driver . . . "
It was sad to receive news of Bob Holbert's death last week at age 84. Bob was a four-time SCCA national champion and U.S. Road Racing Championship titlist. He stopped racing in 1964 and saw son Al's successful career, which included three Le Mans victories. Al was one of my closest friends -- he recruited me to do the PR for the Quaker State Porsche CART team he ran in 1988 -- and Al died in a private airplane crash in September that year. The Holbert's showroom, in Warrington, Pa., is America's oldest authorized Porsche dealership. Porsche Cars North America President Peter Schwarzenbauer said that Bob "helped establish the Porsche brand in America" and called him "a true American Porsche pioneer.” Indeed.
It's Thanksgiving week, so in that spirit, I'll refrain from naming names of the terrible "PR" people I dealt with (or, in some cases, tried to deal with) in my coverage at PIR. I will say this: There was no legitimate excuse -- none -- for Kyle Busch's boorish behavior upon exiting his hauler after the Cup race. As Busch's handler yelled to reporters, "He doesn't want to talk!," the PR rep (who, apparently, had not thought to educate Kyle beforehand the media would need his comments no-matter-what since he had won the weekend's first two races) stood by and did nothing.
I am thankful, however, to Jim Hunter, Ramsey Poston and Owen Kearns (NASCAR), Judy Dominick (Chevrolet), Bill Janitz (Interstate Batteries/JJ Yeley) and Steve Van Houten (Ford hospitality).
[ more next Tuesday . . . ]
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
DeLANA HARVICK ON THE RACING BIZ
DeLana Harvick is one of the more impressive people I've met in the more than four decades I've been in-and-around professional sports.
She grew up in motorsports. DeLana's father, John Paul Linville, drove in NASCAR's Busch Series until 1995. "I was at the racetrack every weekend, so I didn't really do a lot of kid things," she explains. "I didn't do soccer or brownies or anything like that. I was always with my dad at the track."
What's of interest to readers of this blog is DeLana began her racing career as double Busch Series champion Randy LaJoie's public relations representative. "PR is my first love and I think that’s what I do best," she told me.
She married Kevin Harvick in February 2001, less than two weeks after Dale Earnhardt's death. Kevin was suddenly thrust into the national spotlight as owner Richard Childress' choice to take over the white and renumbered No. 29 Goodwrench Chevrolet. He won a thriller at Atlanta just over a week after their wedding.
Kevin Harvick Inc. fields teams in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck and Busch Series. Ron Hornaday Jr. will go for the Truck championship this Friday at Homestead in KHI's Camping World Chevrolet Silverado. KHI has about 80 employees and DeLana's office is in the 70,000 square-foot shop in Kernersville, N.C.
This is part one of our conversation.
Q. Why did you and Kevin decide to start your own team?
A. It started with the Truck. Kevin had never won a Truck race. So, in 2001, we decided to build a Truck, just to go out and race. We had a fifth-wheel trailer and guys who would just come in and help, no employees. The first time we ran we finished second and almost won. That was just more of a prodding, ‘We can do this. We can go out and run these races.’ Kevin finally won in a Truck we built.
It evolved into a full-time Truck team with full-time sponsorship. On the Busch side, someone came to us and said, ‘I’m interested in running some Busch races. Would you want to do that?’ We thought, ‘Yes, sounds like fun.’ That was the beginning of our Busch team. It just grew and evolved from there.
Q. Ron Hornaday Jr. told me you are the "boss." How do you describe your role within KHI?
A. I don’t have a typical 9-5 job. I think I do a pretty good job putting on different hats depending on what the situation calls for. I hope the employees view me as a good sounding board and someone who’s fair.
When you run your own business, sometimes your heart tells you to do one thing, but your head tells you to do another. That’s been the hardest part for me. Especially when it comes to having to let people go, or make tough decisions when it comes to budgets. Really understanding what it takes to run a successful business is not always necessarily what you want to do with your heart.
Q. Do you have a formal title?
A. I think I’m secretary. I think that means I’m the one who signs all the checks. I guess that’s a good title to have. If the trash needs to be emptied, I’ll empty the trash. If the toilet paper needs refilling, I’ll do that. If there’s a sponsor I need to go do hospitality for, I’ll do that. I think, sometimes, when you put formality into it, I don’t like that. I want people who want to be at KHI that are willing to do anything to make it successful and that’s part of what I hope to instill in people who come here is, you can’t do just one thing, and if you’re closed-minded on that, you’re probably not going to be what we need at KHI.
Q. Is this a seven-day-a-week job for you?
A. It depends on what part of the season. Sometimes I’m here from 8-to-8. There’s no one day that’s the same. Sometimes I choose to work from home, depending on what I’ve got lined up for the day. But, again, I never shut it off. My cell phone never goes off. I’m always in contact whether it’s E-mail or phone calls. You can’t step away from this, because if you do, you’re going to miss something.
Q. How did you learn the different aspects of running a racing business?
A. I can’t say I’ve completely learned. I’m learning every day. I think that’s the part that I’m so challenged by. It's not the typical desk job. I’m out on the shop floor listening to competition-related things, listening to marketing and public relations issues, and trying to come up with solutions for everything.
I think my background, being involved in racing from such an early age, I first and foremost was intrigued by the competition part. Then, as I graduated from college and started to work in the business side of the sport, I realized how much more was out there for me to learn. It’s challenging because I don’t do the same thing every day. I’m still learning and trying to get better and I think that’s what continues to drive me.
Q. Do you negotiate directly with Camping World, Dollar General and the other KHI sponsors?
A. I have a good group who does that but I am involved when it comes to budgets and expenses and portions of the program. That’s the part that I’m most uncomfortable with because, at the end of the day, I want to race to be competitive but the budget is the hard balance. When you’re a competitive person your initial reaction is, ‘I need everything.’ What you have to realize is, you are racing on a budget, and at the end of the day, we have to be successful on what we have coming in. The more support we have coming in, the better, but it’s always a business for the sponsor and it has to make sense for them as well.
Q. Is Richard Childress a resource for you?
A. There’s always an open-door policy with Richard. He’s a good sounding board, but Kevin and I have taken this responsibility of running our teams on our own. We realized from the beginning we had to take baby steps. People assume we’re going to go Cup racing because that’s the next step. That’s not necessarily what we’re interested in. We’re racers. That’s what we do. But we want to have fun.
To me, Cup racing, owning Cup teams, is not necessarily the direction I see KHI going. I would go almost so far as to say that I would likely rule it out. The Cup series is so competitive and if you’re not a multi-car team, almost a powerhouse team, you’re going to struggle. Kevin and I don't necessarily have a life outside of KHI, but I know we wouldn’t have a life outside KHI if we had Cup teams. That’s not really interesting to us.
Coming soon, more with DeLana Harvick, including what she has to say about PR -- including the public image of her sometimes controversial husband.
********************************************************************
Let's turn to NHRA for a moment: Please check out my "Business of Racing" video commentary on 1320tv.com. It looks back on 2007 and the two issues that will be foremost going into 2008. Here's the link:
http://www.1320tv.com/dialed_in/article11.asp?vid=dialed_in/dialed_in_mk_bor_02&title=2007%20Powerade%20Drag%20Racing%20Series%20Recap
********************************************************************
Here are links most of my Arizona Republic stories from last weekend's NASCAR events at Phoenix International Raceway. Please note the first one, a transcript of my exclusive one-on-one conversation with NASCAR Chairman Brian France. Space in Sunday's paper didn't permit me to use it all, so there will be more of this interview in Friday's Republic. And, I'll have more from France in next week's blog:
Brian France Q&A:
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1110france1111.html
The NASCAR Super Teams: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1107nascarteams.html
Open-wheel drivers to NASCAR:
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1109openwheelers1110.html
JJ Yeley's Race Day:
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1111yeleyside1112.html
Busch Series race preview (Carl Edwards):
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1107pirbusch.html
Craftsman Truck race preview (Mike Skinner-Ron Hornaday Jr.):
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1107pirtrucks.html
Who/What to Watch for at PIR:
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/sports/articles/1108pirhotnot1108.html
Thanks to Claire B. Lang for an enjoyable interview on XM Radio last weekend.
[ more Blogging the Chase next Tuesday . . . ]
She grew up in motorsports. DeLana's father, John Paul Linville, drove in NASCAR's Busch Series until 1995. "I was at the racetrack every weekend, so I didn't really do a lot of kid things," she explains. "I didn't do soccer or brownies or anything like that. I was always with my dad at the track."
What's of interest to readers of this blog is DeLana began her racing career as double Busch Series champion Randy LaJoie's public relations representative. "PR is my first love and I think that’s what I do best," she told me.She married Kevin Harvick in February 2001, less than two weeks after Dale Earnhardt's death. Kevin was suddenly thrust into the national spotlight as owner Richard Childress' choice to take over the white and renumbered No. 29 Goodwrench Chevrolet. He won a thriller at Atlanta just over a week after their wedding.
Kevin Harvick Inc. fields teams in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck and Busch Series. Ron Hornaday Jr. will go for the Truck championship this Friday at Homestead in KHI's Camping World Chevrolet Silverado. KHI has about 80 employees and DeLana's office is in the 70,000 square-foot shop in Kernersville, N.C.
This is part one of our conversation.
Q. Why did you and Kevin decide to start your own team?
A. It started with the Truck. Kevin had never won a Truck race. So, in 2001, we decided to build a Truck, just to go out and race. We had a fifth-wheel trailer and guys who would just come in and help, no employees. The first time we ran we finished second and almost won. That was just more of a prodding, ‘We can do this. We can go out and run these races.’ Kevin finally won in a Truck we built.
It evolved into a full-time Truck team with full-time sponsorship. On the Busch side, someone came to us and said, ‘I’m interested in running some Busch races. Would you want to do that?’ We thought, ‘Yes, sounds like fun.’ That was the beginning of our Busch team. It just grew and evolved from there.
Q. Ron Hornaday Jr. told me you are the "boss." How do you describe your role within KHI?
A. I don’t have a typical 9-5 job. I think I do a pretty good job putting on different hats depending on what the situation calls for. I hope the employees view me as a good sounding board and someone who’s fair.
When you run your own business, sometimes your heart tells you to do one thing, but your head tells you to do another. That’s been the hardest part for me. Especially when it comes to having to let people go, or make tough decisions when it comes to budgets. Really understanding what it takes to run a successful business is not always necessarily what you want to do with your heart.
Q. Do you have a formal title?
A. I think I’m secretary. I think that means I’m the one who signs all the checks. I guess that’s a good title to have. If the trash needs to be emptied, I’ll empty the trash. If the toilet paper needs refilling, I’ll do that. If there’s a sponsor I need to go do hospitality for, I’ll do that. I think, sometimes, when you put formality into it, I don’t like that. I want people who want to be at KHI that are willing to do anything to make it successful and that’s part of what I hope to instill in people who come here is, you can’t do just one thing, and if you’re closed-minded on that, you’re probably not going to be what we need at KHI.
Q. Is this a seven-day-a-week job for you?
A. It depends on what part of the season. Sometimes I’m here from 8-to-8. There’s no one day that’s the same. Sometimes I choose to work from home, depending on what I’ve got lined up for the day. But, again, I never shut it off. My cell phone never goes off. I’m always in contact whether it’s E-mail or phone calls. You can’t step away from this, because if you do, you’re going to miss something.
Q. How did you learn the different aspects of running a racing business?
A. I can’t say I’ve completely learned. I’m learning every day. I think that’s the part that I’m so challenged by. It's not the typical desk job. I’m out on the shop floor listening to competition-related things, listening to marketing and public relations issues, and trying to come up with solutions for everything.
I think my background, being involved in racing from such an early age, I first and foremost was intrigued by the competition part. Then, as I graduated from college and started to work in the business side of the sport, I realized how much more was out there for me to learn. It’s challenging because I don’t do the same thing every day. I’m still learning and trying to get better and I think that’s what continues to drive me.
Q. Do you negotiate directly with Camping World, Dollar General and the other KHI sponsors?
A. I have a good group who does that but I am involved when it comes to budgets and expenses and portions of the program. That’s the part that I’m most uncomfortable with because, at the end of the day, I want to race to be competitive but the budget is the hard balance. When you’re a competitive person your initial reaction is, ‘I need everything.’ What you have to realize is, you are racing on a budget, and at the end of the day, we have to be successful on what we have coming in. The more support we have coming in, the better, but it’s always a business for the sponsor and it has to make sense for them as well.
Q. Is Richard Childress a resource for you?
A. There’s always an open-door policy with Richard. He’s a good sounding board, but Kevin and I have taken this responsibility of running our teams on our own. We realized from the beginning we had to take baby steps. People assume we’re going to go Cup racing because that’s the next step. That’s not necessarily what we’re interested in. We’re racers. That’s what we do. But we want to have fun.
To me, Cup racing, owning Cup teams, is not necessarily the direction I see KHI going. I would go almost so far as to say that I would likely rule it out. The Cup series is so competitive and if you’re not a multi-car team, almost a powerhouse team, you’re going to struggle. Kevin and I don't necessarily have a life outside of KHI, but I know we wouldn’t have a life outside KHI if we had Cup teams. That’s not really interesting to us.
Coming soon, more with DeLana Harvick, including what she has to say about PR -- including the public image of her sometimes controversial husband.
********************************************************************
Let's turn to NHRA for a moment: Please check out my "Business of Racing" video commentary on 1320tv.com. It looks back on 2007 and the two issues that will be foremost going into 2008. Here's the link:
http://www.1320tv.com/dialed_in/article11.asp?vid=dialed_in/dialed_in_mk_bor_02&title=2007%20Powerade%20Drag%20Racing%20Series%20Recap
********************************************************************
Here are links most of my Arizona Republic stories from last weekend's NASCAR events at Phoenix International Raceway. Please note the first one, a transcript of my exclusive one-on-one conversation with NASCAR Chairman Brian France. Space in Sunday's paper didn't permit me to use it all, so there will be more of this interview in Friday's Republic. And, I'll have more from France in next week's blog:
Brian France Q&A:
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1110france1111.html
The NASCAR Super Teams: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1107nascarteams.html
Open-wheel drivers to NASCAR:
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1109openwheelers1110.html
JJ Yeley's Race Day:
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1111yeleyside1112.html
Busch Series race preview (Carl Edwards):
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1107pirbusch.html
Craftsman Truck race preview (Mike Skinner-Ron Hornaday Jr.):
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1107pirtrucks.html
Who/What to Watch for at PIR:
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/sports/articles/1108pirhotnot1108.html
Thanks to Claire B. Lang for an enjoyable interview on XM Radio last weekend.
[ more Blogging the Chase next Tuesday . . . ]
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
POMONA POWER POINTS
DANCING WITH HELIO: The IndyCar Series is pro-active about promoting double Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves in ABC's Dancing with the Stars. A package, with campaign-style sign, T-shirt and "Vote for Helio" letter, was distributed last week. Castroneves and dance partner Julianne Hough were in Indy last Friday to stump for votes. Viewers of the hit show vote for their favorite via a toll-free phone number (1-800-868-3409) or online at www.abc.com. It's good to see the series taking this publicity opportunity as seriously as Helio obviously is the dancing competition!Despite the smell of nitro in the air, I usually find it refreshing to visit an NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series event, and last weekend's Auto Club Finals in Pomona was no exception. As broadcaster Paul Page has said to me a few times, from a media and fan standpoint, the atmosphere at NHRA races is what it used to be in CART. For whatever reason, it seems easier to get access to any driver on short-notice, or set up a last-minute meeting, than in any other series.
A main purpose of my trip to Pomona was AARWBA's present-ation of its Rick Mears
"Good Guy" Award to Gary Scelzi (right). AARWBA offers this honor, on an occasional basis, to show appreciation to a driver for longtime cooperation with the media. We did this Saturday in the Shav Glick Media Center, with a second present-
ation by AARWBA Western VP Susan Wade, during Sunday's pre-race ceremonies. Susan kindly posted video on her 1320tv.com site. To see my introduction, President Dusty Brandel's presentation and Gary's comments, use this link:
http://www.1320tv.com/racevideos/autoclub.asp?vid=11-1-07/scelzi_aarwba_final&title=Gary%20Scelzi%20Receives%20AARWBA%20Honor&des=2005%20Funny%20Car%20champ%20becomes%20first%20drag%20racer%20to%20be%20presented%20Rick%20Mears%20Good%20Guy%20Award
As usual, NHRA provided AARWBA with plenty of cooperation. President Tom Compton stopped by for the ceremony. Thanks to NHRA's Jerry Archambeault, Anthony Vestal, Michael Padian and Glen Cromwell to working with me to accomplish what needed to get done. Plus, of course, Judy Stropus of Don Schumacher Racing.
NHRA's new Countdown championship format -- designed to create drama -- worked in Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle. Tony Schumacher and his amazing Don Schumacher Racing Army Top Fuel team did it again, winning the title (his fourth straight) on the last pass of the season. The same for Matt Smith on the bikes. Funny Car was basically decided the previous week at Las Vegas, when Tony Pedregon won, and his three rivals all lost in the first round. That's the downside to a two-race shootout, and I'm among those who think that's not enough racing to settle any title.
Plenty of Business of Racing news came out of Pomona, including:
Budweiser renewed its "official beer" partnership with NHRA, which now will go more than three decades. I'm told the deal is for two years, through 2009, which will match Bud's current sponsorship with Kenny and Brandon Bernstein.
NHRA made a contribution of $2,500 to Pasadena City College in honor of legendary Los Angeles Times sportswriter Shav Glick, who died Oct. 20 at age 87. The college foundation annually presents two $500 scholarships -- The Shav Glick Journalism Scholarship -- to outstanding journalism students who are active members of the college newspaper.
With Geico on notice it will have to wrap-up its sponsorship in what will become NASCAR's Nationwide Series, NHRA jumped on this and signed a multi-year marketing partnership. Geico will continue its sponsorship of Karen Stoffer's bike team.
********************************************************************
Controversial questions are unusual on media teleconferences, but there was one last week. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was on the phone with reporters from Atlanta Motor Speedway during his first Hendrick test. Someone asked if Junior felt a responsibility to speak out on military-related issues, since the National Guard will be one of his sponsors next year, and the Navy backs his Busch Series team.
Earnhardt Jr.:
"I'm not in a position to blast opinions on anything like that. I mean, certainly when it comes to knowledge of those various and specific situations that you just spoke of, I'm not intelligent enough about them independently to be able to sit here and think that I would be able to tell a cameraman or a print reporter what I thought should be done.
"You know, what I enjoy doing, I do got some friends in Iraq. One of my buddies just went there recently. I just ask them what they need. They tell me. I try to mail it to them. You know, I think if there's one responsibility, obviously my job with my race team is to try to let young Americans and young adults know that that's an opportunity, to join the Guard, to join the Navy, that that's an opportunity, and try to give them all the information that they can have to make that decision.
"But I feel like, as a citizen of the United States, you know, being able to take some time out of my week to put together a care package to send to a couple of buddies of mine that they can disperse throughout their company and whatnot, that's probably the best thing. I remember being in military school. That was the coolest thing that could happen, when your parents sent you a box of stuff, new socks, candy bars, whatever.
"As ridiculous as that sounds to us, to just be able to walk up to the corner store and pick it up, it's really hard to get over there. You can get an iPod, but you can't download music. The things we take for granted.
"They tell me what the kind of things they wish they had or hadn't thought about bringing over with them, and I try to mail it to them. When we're all on our XM radio show we try to tell our listeners that that's a good exercise for them, too, is just to put a care package together. Takes five minutes. Makes a big, big difference to those guys, the morale over there."
********************************************************************
Danica Patrick picked-up some useful publicity for a couple of companies she is endorsing during a New York City PR tour the other week. (Congratulations to whoever pushed the button for that Oct. 25 USA Today piece.) She's been in the IndyCar Series three years and already is being asked how much longer she'll race? Answer: 10 years. As best I could determine in reading about/listening to her, one of Danica's big things right now is trying to launch her own fashion line, plus more beauty-products endorsements.
Here's what I DIDN'T hear: What Danica is doing to make herself a better race car driver! To try to actually WIN a race, not just in the ICS, but anything. Seems to me she could be spending off-season time in various types of cars, keeping her skills sharp, and working to improve her aggression level on starts and restarts. Even if it means spending some of her own money to rent rides/tracks.
THAT would impress me a lot more than what diamond-studded watch she's wearing.
********************************************************************
Best wishes to Robert Clarke, the president of Honda Performance Development, who will retire from Honda on June 30, 2008. Effective January 1, Robert will move into an executive advisory role at HPD, as Erik Berkman becomes HPD president. Berkman currently is Executive Engineer, Honda R&D Americas, Inc.
I'll be at Phoenix International Raceway Thursday-Sunday, covering for the Arizona Republic. Please check out the paper or http://azcentral.com/ . Here's a link to my column last Friday:
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1101racingnb1102.html
[ more Blogging the Chase next Tuesday . . . ]
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
CARL EDWARDS' FLIP FLAP
I think Carl Edwards is a good guy to help build NASCAR's popularity.
He's just not popular with his Roush Fenway teammates.
Matt Kenseth wouldn't be anywhere near the top of my list of drivers most likely to get tangled in a PR battle, but that's what happened. SPEED's fortuitously placed cameraman caught Edwards' (left) "conversation" with his fellow Roush Ford driver as both were walking out of Martinsville.
I hope somebody sent Ron Dennis the YouTube link to help ease his Fernando Alonso-Lewis Hamilton heartburn. (!)
I listened-in to Edwards on NASCAR's media teleconference last week and wasn't surprised he began with an apology. What got my eyes saucer-wide, though, was that Mr. Backflip didn't leave it there, just pass it off as a mistake. Instead, he launched into a widely-reported discourse on the lack of "team spirit" at Roush. With his answer to each question ("Matt Kenseth and I have not spoken -- I don't think Matt's voluntarily said two sentences to me in the last six months") -- Carl progressively fed the media beast for an all-too predictable controversy. Kenseth later had his say, Greg Biffle had his the night before on TV, and even Kevin Harvick felt free to voice his opinion on a call the next day with Western state reporters.
Hey, at least Carl got to split for Memphis, for (what turned out to be an ugly) Busch Series event!
I don't know if Edwards spoke out on his own, or if there was some PR huddling, but it was a mistake. UNLESS Carl's true purpose was to put public pressure on his team and teammates to deal with what should have been an internal matter. Maybe, just maybe, he had tried to sort-it-out in-house and it wasn't happening?
The sidebar fascination in all of this was how jumbled the "expert" opinions came out. USA Today's man wrote that Edwards and Kenseth "have so much in common." Yes, and Rudy Giuliani and Hillary Clinton both are New York politicians.
An ESPN NASCAR Now analyst did cite the two drivers' numerous personality differences. A show "insider," however, earned the week's biggest "WHAT THE . . . ?!" by calling on Biffle to "step-up" within the Roush driver corps. You betcha! There's a better chance Al Gore will invite George W. Bush to his Nobel Peace Prize ceremony.
Having lived through the Mario Andretti-Nigel Mansell saga at Newman/Haas in 1993 and 1994, I sympathize with Jack Roush. I can also assure him of this: The sun will come up tomorrow. That does not mean, though, he shouldn't do what must be done to Band-Aid -- if not heal -- this wound. Let me tell you from experience, Jack, it WILL hurt your team's performance. I believe Ron Dennis would say the same.
********************************************************************
Those who know of my deep interest in politics and the PR biz will understand why this got my attention: "Conflicts of Interest: Burson-Marsteller and Hillary Clinton's Alliance," by former President Clinton strategist (now anti-Hillary) Dick Morris and his wife, Eileen McGann. Accept or reject as you wish, but it's interesting reading:
http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/?p=180#more-180
While we're on the subject of our government-at-work, educate yourself about this media relations fiasco by FEMA during the California fires. With no legitimate reporters at a news conference (called with little notice), staff PR people did the question-asking!:
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N26366100.htm
********************************************************************
Saturday's Busch Series "race" at Memphis was the worst since . . . ??? I'd say CART's in Australia in 2002, ruined by a non-stop downpour and terrible officiating decisions. Memphis had 25 cautions for 117 of the 253 laps! As radical as it sounded, Rusty Wallace had it right on ESPN2, when he said NASCAR should have thrown the red at halfway and called the drivers together for a chewing-out. In a refreshing bit of broadcast-booth candor (where typically every race is called a "great" race), Rusty described Memphis as "bad."
Sunday, Wallace got teary-eyed on ABC, following a pre-Atlanta video feature on 1992 Cup owner-driver champion Alan Kulwicki.
Larry Henry's "This Week in Ford Racing" podcasts have begun in advance of Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Larry will be podcasting from the track race weekend. Last year, he put up over three hours of material. I don't understand why more sponsors and teams aren't utilizing this sort of "new media" technology. Check it out at http://fordracing.com/ .
********************************************************************
Here are links to my stories about Kevin Harvick and John Force/Robert Hight in last Friday's Arizona Republic:
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1025harvick1026.html
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1025autonb1026.html
********************************************************************
I'll be in Pomona this weekend for the NHRA championship finale. On Saturday, AARWBA will present its Rick Mears "Good Guy" Award to Gary Scelzi in a media center ceremony.
Jim Wilson, the longtime Indianapolis broadcaster and former AARWBA president, is in the cardiac intensive care unit at Indy's St. Vincent's Hospital after suffering a heart attack during surgery.
For some, unexplained, technical reason, even though I posted as usual last Tuesday a.m., it seems many of you could not access the new blog until Thursday. If you missed my tribute to Shav Glick, please scroll down.
[ more Blogging the Chase next Tuesday . . . ]
He's just not popular with his Roush Fenway teammates.
Matt Kenseth wouldn't be anywhere near the top of my list of drivers most likely to get tangled in a PR battle, but that's what happened. SPEED's fortuitously placed cameraman caught Edwards' (left) "conversation" with his fellow Roush Ford driver as both were walking out of Martinsville.I hope somebody sent Ron Dennis the YouTube link to help ease his Fernando Alonso-Lewis Hamilton heartburn. (!)
I listened-in to Edwards on NASCAR's media teleconference last week and wasn't surprised he began with an apology. What got my eyes saucer-wide, though, was that Mr. Backflip didn't leave it there, just pass it off as a mistake. Instead, he launched into a widely-reported discourse on the lack of "team spirit" at Roush. With his answer to each question ("Matt Kenseth and I have not spoken -- I don't think Matt's voluntarily said two sentences to me in the last six months") -- Carl progressively fed the media beast for an all-too predictable controversy. Kenseth later had his say, Greg Biffle had his the night before on TV, and even Kevin Harvick felt free to voice his opinion on a call the next day with Western state reporters.
Hey, at least Carl got to split for Memphis, for (what turned out to be an ugly) Busch Series event!
I don't know if Edwards spoke out on his own, or if there was some PR huddling, but it was a mistake. UNLESS Carl's true purpose was to put public pressure on his team and teammates to deal with what should have been an internal matter. Maybe, just maybe, he had tried to sort-it-out in-house and it wasn't happening?
The sidebar fascination in all of this was how jumbled the "expert" opinions came out. USA Today's man wrote that Edwards and Kenseth "have so much in common." Yes, and Rudy Giuliani and Hillary Clinton both are New York politicians.
An ESPN NASCAR Now analyst did cite the two drivers' numerous personality differences. A show "insider," however, earned the week's biggest "WHAT THE . . . ?!" by calling on Biffle to "step-up" within the Roush driver corps. You betcha! There's a better chance Al Gore will invite George W. Bush to his Nobel Peace Prize ceremony.
Having lived through the Mario Andretti-Nigel Mansell saga at Newman/Haas in 1993 and 1994, I sympathize with Jack Roush. I can also assure him of this: The sun will come up tomorrow. That does not mean, though, he shouldn't do what must be done to Band-Aid -- if not heal -- this wound. Let me tell you from experience, Jack, it WILL hurt your team's performance. I believe Ron Dennis would say the same.
********************************************************************
Those who know of my deep interest in politics and the PR biz will understand why this got my attention: "Conflicts of Interest: Burson-Marsteller and Hillary Clinton's Alliance," by former President Clinton strategist (now anti-Hillary) Dick Morris and his wife, Eileen McGann. Accept or reject as you wish, but it's interesting reading:
http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/?p=180#more-180
While we're on the subject of our government-at-work, educate yourself about this media relations fiasco by FEMA during the California fires. With no legitimate reporters at a news conference (called with little notice), staff PR people did the question-asking!:
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N26366100.htm
********************************************************************
Saturday's Busch Series "race" at Memphis was the worst since . . . ??? I'd say CART's in Australia in 2002, ruined by a non-stop downpour and terrible officiating decisions. Memphis had 25 cautions for 117 of the 253 laps! As radical as it sounded, Rusty Wallace had it right on ESPN2, when he said NASCAR should have thrown the red at halfway and called the drivers together for a chewing-out. In a refreshing bit of broadcast-booth candor (where typically every race is called a "great" race), Rusty described Memphis as "bad."
Sunday, Wallace got teary-eyed on ABC, following a pre-Atlanta video feature on 1992 Cup owner-driver champion Alan Kulwicki.
Larry Henry's "This Week in Ford Racing" podcasts have begun in advance of Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Larry will be podcasting from the track race weekend. Last year, he put up over three hours of material. I don't understand why more sponsors and teams aren't utilizing this sort of "new media" technology. Check it out at http://fordracing.com/ .
********************************************************************
Here are links to my stories about Kevin Harvick and John Force/Robert Hight in last Friday's Arizona Republic:
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1025harvick1026.html
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1025autonb1026.html
********************************************************************
I'll be in Pomona this weekend for the NHRA championship finale. On Saturday, AARWBA will present its Rick Mears "Good Guy" Award to Gary Scelzi in a media center ceremony.
Jim Wilson, the longtime Indianapolis broadcaster and former AARWBA president, is in the cardiac intensive care unit at Indy's St. Vincent's Hospital after suffering a heart attack during surgery.
For some, unexplained, technical reason, even though I posted as usual last Tuesday a.m., it seems many of you could not access the new blog until Thursday. If you missed my tribute to Shav Glick, please scroll down.
[ more Blogging the Chase next Tuesday . . . ]
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
ANOTHER GIANT PASSES
I take comfort in the fact that Shav Glick's last byline was over Wally Parks' obit in the Los Angeles Times, not many weeks ago.
Shav began with these words:
"Wally Parks, the hot-rodder and entrepreneur who curbed drag racing on city streets by steering drivers onto legal racing strips and founded the National Hot Rod Association, died Friday. He was 94."
Times' editors were smart enough to understand that no one could do a story on Parks' remarkable life better than Glick, who had retired about 21 months earlier. Shav got it -- that Wally's great legacy was inventing a sport that helped get illegal racing off the public streets.
Wally and Shav had known, and respected, each other for decades. While so many Big Time Journalists tend to look down on drag racing -- it's just too blue-collar for them -- Shav delighted in the great straight-line personalities like Don Garlits, Shirley Muldowney, Don Prudhomme, John Force and Kenny Bernstein, and enjoyed telling their wonderful tales. Wally saw to it that the media center at Pomona was named for Shav.
I spoke with Shav a couple of weeks ago. Battling cancer, he sounded weak. I am so glad, however, that right up to an E-mail he sent me eight days before he died Saturday morning -- at age 87 at his home in Pasadena -- Shav remained fully engaged in selecting the 2007 Jim Chapman Award winner. Chapman was one of Shav's many friends and admirers and the award recognizes excellence in motorsports public relations. Just as the Shav Glick Award highlights outstanding achievement in motorsports by a Californian. I will forever remember the many social occasions I enjoyed with Jim and Shav. It was an honor to be counted among Shav's countless friends.
Champ Car VP David Higdon asked me to write a tribute to Shav for CC's website. It includes some of my personal memories and comments from Danny Sullivan, Paul Tracy and Jimmy Vasser:
http://www.champcarworldseries.com/News/Article.asp?ID=12301 .
I'll remember 2007 for the passing of the giants: Bill France Jr., Wally Parks and, now, Shav Glick.
********************************************************************
I enjoyed a fun evening Friday with the World of Outlaws at Manzanita Speedway. Danny Lasoski won while Donny Schatz closed in on his second consecutive championship. I can honestly say it would do a lot of PR people good to get out of the NASCAR, Champ Car or IndyCar garage areas and experience some of what it's like in the "real world" Outlaws' pits. Series PR director Tony Veneziano will work all 75 events this year!
I made certain to introduce myself to Joey Saldana, who drives for Kasey Kahne's team. A couple of weeks back, I left a voice mail for Joey, and he returned my call within five minutes. (!) Very professional. I chatted a bit with Steve Kinser, whose son Kraig got shuffled out when Ginn was folded into DEI. When I asked Steve if Kraig (who won the 2005 Knoxville Nationals) had anything new going in NASCAR, he answered, "He's looking . . . like 100 other guys." Steve left open the possibility he'd field an Outlaws sprinter for Kraig in 2008, but some I spoke with think the younger Kinser might be chosen to join Schatz in Tony Stewart's expanded two-car team.
********************************************************************
I've been a Formula One fan since my earliest days, delighting in the exploits of Jimmy Clark, Colin Chapman, Graham Hill, John Surtees and Dan Gurney. That said, I'm glad this F1 season is over, with Kimi Raikkonen's win and world championship last Sunday in Brazil. It can only be described as a ridiculous and counter-productive year, what with the spy scandal, silly FIA rulings, Scott Speed from F1-to-ARCA (still mind-boggling), no more USGP at Indianapolis and unprofessional conduct within the McLaren team. Ron Dennis' reputation as a master manager took a Big Hit with the Fernando Alonso-Lewis Hamilton controversies. I'm quite sure at least three former McLaren drivers of my acquaintance smiled at that spectacle! All of this only served to reinforce F1's elitist image, which, I regret to say, seeps through into the SPEED telecasts: "Hamilton is purple in sector one!" Purple? Please.
Meanwhile, cheers to Ferrari, which won the championship right away P.S. (Post-Schumacher) and despite key personnel changes -- and now, a dispute over fuel temperature!
********************************************************************
FAST LINES: The news of Shav Glick's passing was sad enough. Even sadder, for the news industry he loved, was that neither Speed Report nor Wind Tunnel acknowledged Shav's death. Thanks, SpeedFreaks and Racing Roundup Arizona, for doing the right thing . . . The IndyCar Series will join the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in sponsoring the 2008 AARWBA Journalism Contest. Prize money will increase 25 percent over the previous three-year arrangement. Thank you to my negotiating counterpart, IMS/ICS Executive VP, Communications Fred Nation . . . Last week I reported on the Big News in Indy radio, the AM-FM split by powerhouse WIBC in January. Now, BIGGER News: When that happens, Dave Wilson, the longtime "King" of afternoon drive, will switch to an 8:30-11:30 a.m. time slot. Wow! . . . Congratulations to John Cardinale, promoted to Infineon Raceway's VP for communications and marketing. John managed the track's media relations since 1998. But here's what I don't like -- The continued trend to put media/PR/communications into the same department as marketing. Memo to the sales deep-thinkers: Publicity IS selling, if you want to be honest about it, but casting PR that way by combining it with marketing is not conducive to good relationships with savvy journalists . . . I wish every PR rep would get a copy of Joe Torre's news conference last Friday and make his/her driver watch it. The former New York Yankees' manager read an informal opening statement, told a huge media gathering "I'm here as long as you need me," and answered questions for more than an hour. Torre's class and dignity tamed the notoriously tough Big Apple media . . . IHRA named Mike Perry its media relations director several weeks ago. He must be busy, because I'm still waiting for the courtesy of a reply to an E-mail I sent Oct. 8 . . .
Here's the new logo for NASCAR's Nationwide Series, debuting in 2008, following 26 years of Busch beer backing. NASCAR, Nationwide and Jump Co. (interestingly, of Anheuser-Busch HQ city St. Louis), collaborated on the design. "The logo is simple yet extremely effective in delivering a completely new look to the branding of the series," said Steve Phelps, NASCAR's chief marketing officer. "It's good to be able to place a 'face' to a name now" . . . Quote of the Week (in Time magazine) from Mitt Romney's press secretary, Kevin Madden: "The biggest mistake press secretaries make is that they view the press corps as the enemy. I view them as a conduit" . . . It's been impossible for me not to notice Jenna Fryer's significant volume of Juan Montoya coverage this year. (If this keeps up, Tony Stewart might get jealous.) Last week, it reached a new level -- I'll let you decide if this is a "high" or "low" -- when in an AP Q&A, six of her nine questions were about Martinsville's hot dogs! Oh, the journalistic times in which we live.
********************************************************************
Here's a link to my column in last Friday's Arizona Republic. It focuses on Outlaws' leader Donny Schatz and Adrian Fernandez on his first ALMS season:
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1019racingnb1019.html
[ more Blogging the Chase next Tuesday . . . ]
Shav began with these words:
"Wally Parks, the hot-rodder and entrepreneur who curbed drag racing on city streets by steering drivers onto legal racing strips and founded the National Hot Rod Association, died Friday. He was 94."
Times' editors were smart enough to understand that no one could do a story on Parks' remarkable life better than Glick, who had retired about 21 months earlier. Shav got it -- that Wally's great legacy was inventing a sport that helped get illegal racing off the public streets.Wally and Shav had known, and respected, each other for decades. While so many Big Time Journalists tend to look down on drag racing -- it's just too blue-collar for them -- Shav delighted in the great straight-line personalities like Don Garlits, Shirley Muldowney, Don Prudhomme, John Force and Kenny Bernstein, and enjoyed telling their wonderful tales. Wally saw to it that the media center at Pomona was named for Shav.
I spoke with Shav a couple of weeks ago. Battling cancer, he sounded weak. I am so glad, however, that right up to an E-mail he sent me eight days before he died Saturday morning -- at age 87 at his home in Pasadena -- Shav remained fully engaged in selecting the 2007 Jim Chapman Award winner. Chapman was one of Shav's many friends and admirers and the award recognizes excellence in motorsports public relations. Just as the Shav Glick Award highlights outstanding achievement in motorsports by a Californian. I will forever remember the many social occasions I enjoyed with Jim and Shav. It was an honor to be counted among Shav's countless friends.
Champ Car VP David Higdon asked me to write a tribute to Shav for CC's website. It includes some of my personal memories and comments from Danny Sullivan, Paul Tracy and Jimmy Vasser:
http://www.champcarworldseries.com/News/Article.asp?ID=12301 .
I'll remember 2007 for the passing of the giants: Bill France Jr., Wally Parks and, now, Shav Glick.
********************************************************************
I enjoyed a fun evening Friday with the World of Outlaws at Manzanita Speedway. Danny Lasoski won while Donny Schatz closed in on his second consecutive championship. I can honestly say it would do a lot of PR people good to get out of the NASCAR, Champ Car or IndyCar garage areas and experience some of what it's like in the "real world" Outlaws' pits. Series PR director Tony Veneziano will work all 75 events this year!
I made certain to introduce myself to Joey Saldana, who drives for Kasey Kahne's team. A couple of weeks back, I left a voice mail for Joey, and he returned my call within five minutes. (!) Very professional. I chatted a bit with Steve Kinser, whose son Kraig got shuffled out when Ginn was folded into DEI. When I asked Steve if Kraig (who won the 2005 Knoxville Nationals) had anything new going in NASCAR, he answered, "He's looking . . . like 100 other guys." Steve left open the possibility he'd field an Outlaws sprinter for Kraig in 2008, but some I spoke with think the younger Kinser might be chosen to join Schatz in Tony Stewart's expanded two-car team.
********************************************************************
I've been a Formula One fan since my earliest days, delighting in the exploits of Jimmy Clark, Colin Chapman, Graham Hill, John Surtees and Dan Gurney. That said, I'm glad this F1 season is over, with Kimi Raikkonen's win and world championship last Sunday in Brazil. It can only be described as a ridiculous and counter-productive year, what with the spy scandal, silly FIA rulings, Scott Speed from F1-to-ARCA (still mind-boggling), no more USGP at Indianapolis and unprofessional conduct within the McLaren team. Ron Dennis' reputation as a master manager took a Big Hit with the Fernando Alonso-Lewis Hamilton controversies. I'm quite sure at least three former McLaren drivers of my acquaintance smiled at that spectacle! All of this only served to reinforce F1's elitist image, which, I regret to say, seeps through into the SPEED telecasts: "Hamilton is purple in sector one!" Purple? Please.
Meanwhile, cheers to Ferrari, which won the championship right away P.S. (Post-Schumacher) and despite key personnel changes -- and now, a dispute over fuel temperature!
********************************************************************
FAST LINES: The news of Shav Glick's passing was sad enough. Even sadder, for the news industry he loved, was that neither Speed Report nor Wind Tunnel acknowledged Shav's death. Thanks, SpeedFreaks and Racing Roundup Arizona, for doing the right thing . . . The IndyCar Series will join the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in sponsoring the 2008 AARWBA Journalism Contest. Prize money will increase 25 percent over the previous three-year arrangement. Thank you to my negotiating counterpart, IMS/ICS Executive VP, Communications Fred Nation . . . Last week I reported on the Big News in Indy radio, the AM-FM split by powerhouse WIBC in January. Now, BIGGER News: When that happens, Dave Wilson, the longtime "King" of afternoon drive, will switch to an 8:30-11:30 a.m. time slot. Wow! . . . Congratulations to John Cardinale, promoted to Infineon Raceway's VP for communications and marketing. John managed the track's media relations since 1998. But here's what I don't like -- The continued trend to put media/PR/communications into the same department as marketing. Memo to the sales deep-thinkers: Publicity IS selling, if you want to be honest about it, but casting PR that way by combining it with marketing is not conducive to good relationships with savvy journalists . . . I wish every PR rep would get a copy of Joe Torre's news conference last Friday and make his/her driver watch it. The former New York Yankees' manager read an informal opening statement, told a huge media gathering "I'm here as long as you need me," and answered questions for more than an hour. Torre's class and dignity tamed the notoriously tough Big Apple media . . . IHRA named Mike Perry its media relations director several weeks ago. He must be busy, because I'm still waiting for the courtesy of a reply to an E-mail I sent Oct. 8 . . .
Here's the new logo for NASCAR's Nationwide Series, debuting in 2008, following 26 years of Busch beer backing. NASCAR, Nationwide and Jump Co. (interestingly, of Anheuser-Busch HQ city St. Louis), collaborated on the design. "The logo is simple yet extremely effective in delivering a completely new look to the branding of the series," said Steve Phelps, NASCAR's chief marketing officer. "It's good to be able to place a 'face' to a name now" . . . Quote of the Week (in Time magazine) from Mitt Romney's press secretary, Kevin Madden: "The biggest mistake press secretaries make is that they view the press corps as the enemy. I view them as a conduit" . . . It's been impossible for me not to notice Jenna Fryer's significant volume of Juan Montoya coverage this year. (If this keeps up, Tony Stewart might get jealous.) Last week, it reached a new level -- I'll let you decide if this is a "high" or "low" -- when in an AP Q&A, six of her nine questions were about Martinsville's hot dogs! Oh, the journalistic times in which we live.********************************************************************
Here's a link to my column in last Friday's Arizona Republic. It focuses on Outlaws' leader Donny Schatz and Adrian Fernandez on his first ALMS season:
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1019racingnb1019.html
[ more Blogging the Chase next Tuesday . . . ]
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
HALFWAY POINTS
We're at the halfway point in the Chase and so it's a good time for me to make several points:
* Sprint Nextel Chairman and CEO Gary Forsee resigned last week and now it can be said: The two-year-old merger of the telecommunications companies has -- thus far -- been a failure. According to USA Today, shares have lost approximately 27 percent of their value since the merger, and SN likely will report a net loss of about 337,000 subscribers in the third quarter. Those are staggering numbers. SceneDaily.com quoted Tim Kelly, Sprint's chief marketing officer, as saying: "It's business as usual. The NASCAR relationship is one of the cornerstones to our marketing efforts." I can tell you, from personal experience, when there is management instability and the Board of Directors is expected to recruit someone from outside the company as the new CEO, there is no such thing as "business as usual." My advice to NASCAR observers: Stay tuned.
* More big biz news last week came with word that SABMiller and MolsonCoors will combine U.S. operations in an attempt to compete more efficiently against Anheuser-Busch. The on-going changes in the brewing industry are worth watching because the major beer brands long have been among the most aggressive -- and biggest-budgeted -- sports marketers. The Miller side will have 58 percent share while Coors will take 42 percent. Corporate voting interests will be equal, however. Claims are cost savings will be $500 million (including elimination of "duplicate marketing services"), although we know from other couplings, that does not always prove to be fact. This entity will be called MillerCoors but HQ is as yet undetermined. I'll bet Kenny Bernstein -- and, I trust, NHRA -- are monitoring the situation quite closely. Jon Asher has some interesting thoughts on how this could impact drag racing here:
http://competitionplus.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4296&Itemid=6
* Deaths as a result of illegal street racing were in the news again last week. Especially given the recent loss of Wally Parks -- who founded NHRA to provide a safer (and legal) venue for drag racing -- I would like to see NHRA become much more pro-active on this issue, PR-wise. I suggest an on-going communications program with national news outlets on this issue. PLUS: The creation of a "fast response" team of drivers -- Brandon Bernstein, J.R. Todd, Ashley Force, Angelle Sampey and Antron Brown would fit the demo -- available to guest on the morning and cable TV shows and talk radio to respond when these kind of sad events occur.
* If memory serves, and I believe it does, management has long positioned Lowe's Motor Speedway as being extremely fan friendly. So, I was quite disappointed to see Clint Bowyer with his back to the paying public while being interviewed by ABC's Allen Bestwick during Saturday night's driver introduction parade lap. At the end of the chat, Bestwick told Bowyer to wave to the crowd. That's what Bowyer -- and every other driver -- should be doing during those laps. As I've written before, that's the fans' time, not TV's. ABC and every other NASCAR-partner network has plenty of chances for Q&As during a weekend, but the spectators have limited opportunities to see their heroes up-close. Taking that away not only is disrespectful, it's wrong. I noted plenty of empty seats at Charlotte, where it's supposed to be all-about entertainment value. Track management had no problem taking on TV back in 2001, threatening to have tow trucks remove NBC's production units, because they weren't calling it "Lowe's" Motor Speedway.
* Memo to those responsible for promoting ESPN.com via NASCAR telecasts: Just how many different "search words" do you think people will remember?
* If, like me, you are concerned about the avalanching trend in journalism of reporting opinion as fact, read this: "Fed fast food of opinion, ESPN audience starves for reported fact," by ESPN ombudsman Le Anne Schreiber. It's long but worth your time -- and thought:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=schreiber_leanne&id=3050882
* Headline news in Indianapolis radio last week: Emmis Communications announced that legendary WIBC will split next January 7, with 93.1 FM becoming WIBC-FM and broadcasting a news/talk format, and 1070 AM presenting an all-sports format as an ESPN affiliate. Kevin Lee, who started hosting a Monday night racing show earlier this year, was an immediate casualty. Indy 500 and IRL broadcasts will continue on the AM station.
* The Business Journal of Phoenix, which I noted to be error-plagued in its coverage of the canceled downtown Champ Car race, did it again last week. A story about upcoming appearances by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mario Andretti began this way: "Two of NASCAR's most celebrated drivers will visit Phoenix in the coming weeks . . . "
* Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta is positioned as second only to Sebring in importance in the ALMS. So, I was more than a little surprised by the several E-mails I received from those who were on-site for the 1,000-mile race the other week, complaining about media operations and facilities. An on-going issue is TV's unwillingness to use graphics showing OVERALL standings, not just by class. I've switched away from at least two ALMS races this season in frustration, not being able to understand if a P1 Audi or P2 Porsche was the overall leader. This is a serious audience turn-off and a policy that MUST be changed, a point I've made in recent E-mail exchanges with ALMS President Scott Atherton. No matter the sport, the two basic questions a viewer will have are: 1) Who's leading?; 2) Who won? When ALMS telecasters don't make the answers obvious, well, let's just say that represents a very fundamental misjudgment.
* I've mentioned this before, but it merits repeating, based on what I've seen recently: Too often, media guests who appear on shows such as SPEED's Tradin' Paint are invited on the basis of the perceived importance of their outlet, NOT because of the individual reporter's own REAL knowledge (or experience in) the sport.
* My friend Al Pearce has set-out on his most ambitious fundraising project yet on behalf of the Victory Junction Gang Camp. He's attempting to get all 18 living world Formula One champion drivers to sign a helmet, which then will be auctioned to benefit the Camp. Al previously did this with NASCAR champions and Indy/Daytona 500 winners, resulting in close to $25,000 in contributions. * Huge congratulations to Linda Vaughn, who will be inducted into the Georgia Automobile Racing Hall of Fame later this month. Linda is a native of Dalton, Ga. * A1GP isn't a regular newsmaker in U.S. media but this announcement drew some deserved attention: The series signed a six-year agreement for Ferrari to manufacture and supply all A1GP engines. The famed automaker also will design and consult on the manufacture of chassis starting with the 2008-09 season. Now, that's prestige.
********************************************************************
Longtime Porsche PR ace Bob Carlson made a low-key visit to Petite Le Mans. I worked with Bob on the Porsche CART project in 1988. We shared the difficult personal and professional experience of losing our boss and friend, Al Holbert, in a plane crash. Bob has cancer and his wife, Debbie, is keeping a Caring Bridge website with frequent entries. You can E-mail Bob through this site:
http://www.caringbridge.org/cb/inputSiteName.do?method=search&siteName=bobcarlson
********************************************************************
Kevin Kennedy, the 2006 Jim Chapman Award winner for excellence in motorsports PR and Ford's key racing spokesman (and media strategist), kindly brought this to my attention: AutoWriters.com is searching for the "top 100 automotive blogs." Its October newsletter lists several nominees -- including the blog you are reading now. (!) See for yourself: http://www.autowriters.com/news/10.2007.htm ********************************************************************
Here's a link to my Arizona Republic news/notes column from last Friday:
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1011racingnb1012.html
********************************************************************
I didn't know Ray Cooper well, but I know he was very respected by the NASCAR media corps. After a dozen years as a sportswriter, Ray became Chevrolet's NASCAR media representative, and took a similar position with Dodge in 2001. Over a 15-year run he worked more than 450 consecutive races and earned several prestigious awards. Cooper, 53, died of cancer last weekend.
[ more Blogging the Chase next Tuesday . . . ]
* Sprint Nextel Chairman and CEO Gary Forsee resigned last week and now it can be said: The two-year-old merger of the telecommunications companies has -- thus far -- been a failure. According to USA Today, shares have lost approximately 27 percent of their value since the merger, and SN likely will report a net loss of about 337,000 subscribers in the third quarter. Those are staggering numbers. SceneDaily.com quoted Tim Kelly, Sprint's chief marketing officer, as saying: "It's business as usual. The NASCAR relationship is one of the cornerstones to our marketing efforts." I can tell you, from personal experience, when there is management instability and the Board of Directors is expected to recruit someone from outside the company as the new CEO, there is no such thing as "business as usual." My advice to NASCAR observers: Stay tuned.
* More big biz news last week came with word that SABMiller and MolsonCoors will combine U.S. operations in an attempt to compete more efficiently against Anheuser-Busch. The on-going changes in the brewing industry are worth watching because the major beer brands long have been among the most aggressive -- and biggest-budgeted -- sports marketers. The Miller side will have 58 percent share while Coors will take 42 percent. Corporate voting interests will be equal, however. Claims are cost savings will be $500 million (including elimination of "duplicate marketing services"), although we know from other couplings, that does not always prove to be fact. This entity will be called MillerCoors but HQ is as yet undetermined. I'll bet Kenny Bernstein -- and, I trust, NHRA -- are monitoring the situation quite closely. Jon Asher has some interesting thoughts on how this could impact drag racing here:
http://competitionplus.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4296&Itemid=6
* Deaths as a result of illegal street racing were in the news again last week. Especially given the recent loss of Wally Parks -- who founded NHRA to provide a safer (and legal) venue for drag racing -- I would like to see NHRA become much more pro-active on this issue, PR-wise. I suggest an on-going communications program with national news outlets on this issue. PLUS: The creation of a "fast response" team of drivers -- Brandon Bernstein, J.R. Todd, Ashley Force, Angelle Sampey and Antron Brown would fit the demo -- available to guest on the morning and cable TV shows and talk radio to respond when these kind of sad events occur.
* If memory serves, and I believe it does, management has long positioned Lowe's Motor Speedway as being extremely fan friendly. So, I was quite disappointed to see Clint Bowyer with his back to the paying public while being interviewed by ABC's Allen Bestwick during Saturday night's driver introduction parade lap. At the end of the chat, Bestwick told Bowyer to wave to the crowd. That's what Bowyer -- and every other driver -- should be doing during those laps. As I've written before, that's the fans' time, not TV's. ABC and every other NASCAR-partner network has plenty of chances for Q&As during a weekend, but the spectators have limited opportunities to see their heroes up-close. Taking that away not only is disrespectful, it's wrong. I noted plenty of empty seats at Charlotte, where it's supposed to be all-about entertainment value. Track management had no problem taking on TV back in 2001, threatening to have tow trucks remove NBC's production units, because they weren't calling it "Lowe's" Motor Speedway.
* Memo to those responsible for promoting ESPN.com via NASCAR telecasts: Just how many different "search words" do you think people will remember?
* If, like me, you are concerned about the avalanching trend in journalism of reporting opinion as fact, read this: "Fed fast food of opinion, ESPN audience starves for reported fact," by ESPN ombudsman Le Anne Schreiber. It's long but worth your time -- and thought:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=schreiber_leanne&id=3050882
* Headline news in Indianapolis radio last week: Emmis Communications announced that legendary WIBC will split next January 7, with 93.1 FM becoming WIBC-FM and broadcasting a news/talk format, and 1070 AM presenting an all-sports format as an ESPN affiliate. Kevin Lee, who started hosting a Monday night racing show earlier this year, was an immediate casualty. Indy 500 and IRL broadcasts will continue on the AM station.
* The Business Journal of Phoenix, which I noted to be error-plagued in its coverage of the canceled downtown Champ Car race, did it again last week. A story about upcoming appearances by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mario Andretti began this way: "Two of NASCAR's most celebrated drivers will visit Phoenix in the coming weeks . . . "
* Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta is positioned as second only to Sebring in importance in the ALMS. So, I was more than a little surprised by the several E-mails I received from those who were on-site for the 1,000-mile race the other week, complaining about media operations and facilities. An on-going issue is TV's unwillingness to use graphics showing OVERALL standings, not just by class. I've switched away from at least two ALMS races this season in frustration, not being able to understand if a P1 Audi or P2 Porsche was the overall leader. This is a serious audience turn-off and a policy that MUST be changed, a point I've made in recent E-mail exchanges with ALMS President Scott Atherton. No matter the sport, the two basic questions a viewer will have are: 1) Who's leading?; 2) Who won? When ALMS telecasters don't make the answers obvious, well, let's just say that represents a very fundamental misjudgment.
* I've mentioned this before, but it merits repeating, based on what I've seen recently: Too often, media guests who appear on shows such as SPEED's Tradin' Paint are invited on the basis of the perceived importance of their outlet, NOT because of the individual reporter's own REAL knowledge (or experience in) the sport.
* My friend Al Pearce has set-out on his most ambitious fundraising project yet on behalf of the Victory Junction Gang Camp. He's attempting to get all 18 living world Formula One champion drivers to sign a helmet, which then will be auctioned to benefit the Camp. Al previously did this with NASCAR champions and Indy/Daytona 500 winners, resulting in close to $25,000 in contributions. * Huge congratulations to Linda Vaughn, who will be inducted into the Georgia Automobile Racing Hall of Fame later this month. Linda is a native of Dalton, Ga. * A1GP isn't a regular newsmaker in U.S. media but this announcement drew some deserved attention: The series signed a six-year agreement for Ferrari to manufacture and supply all A1GP engines. The famed automaker also will design and consult on the manufacture of chassis starting with the 2008-09 season. Now, that's prestige.
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Longtime Porsche PR ace Bob Carlson made a low-key visit to Petite Le Mans. I worked with Bob on the Porsche CART project in 1988. We shared the difficult personal and professional experience of losing our boss and friend, Al Holbert, in a plane crash. Bob has cancer and his wife, Debbie, is keeping a Caring Bridge website with frequent entries. You can E-mail Bob through this site:
http://www.caringbridge.org/cb/inputSiteName.do?method=search&siteName=bobcarlson
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Kevin Kennedy, the 2006 Jim Chapman Award winner for excellence in motorsports PR and Ford's key racing spokesman (and media strategist), kindly brought this to my attention: AutoWriters.com is searching for the "top 100 automotive blogs." Its October newsletter lists several nominees -- including the blog you are reading now. (!) See for yourself: http://www.autowriters.com/news/10.2007.htm ********************************************************************
Here's a link to my Arizona Republic news/notes column from last Friday:
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1011racingnb1012.html
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I didn't know Ray Cooper well, but I know he was very respected by the NASCAR media corps. After a dozen years as a sportswriter, Ray became Chevrolet's NASCAR media representative, and took a similar position with Dodge in 2001. Over a 15-year run he worked more than 450 consecutive races and earned several prestigious awards. Cooper, 53, died of cancer last weekend.
[ more Blogging the Chase next Tuesday . . . ]
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
'BIG ONE' of NASCAR NEWS DAYS
Talladega again lived up to its reputation as home of the "Big One" last Sunday. NASCAR had its version of the "Big One" -- news wise -- on Wednesday.
I'd say it was Too Big.
October 3 opened with Chip Ganassi confirming what all admitted was "one of the worst kept secrets in NASCAR" -- the signing of Indy 500 winner/IRL champion Dario Franchitti to drive the N0. 40 Dodge next year. It was a poorly-kept secret . . . but that didn't mean it wasn't NEWS. Among the revelations -- aside from hearing Dario explain himself -- was he agreed to a multi-year deal in opposition to his previous policy of one-season contracts. Also, it was said, Dario almost made the jump this year, only to be aced out of the No. 42 ride by none other than Juan Pablo Montoya. Of course, that turned out to be a huge blessing-in-disguise, as Franchitti cleared his table by first taking care of business and winning Indy and the series title.
Up in New York, Kyle Busch unveiled the M&M's colors and graphics that will adorn his No. 18 Joe Gibbs' Toyota next season. Busch took the occasion to keep grumbling to reporters all-too-happy to record his words that he was still unhappy with Dale Earnhardt Jr. for banging him into the wall at Kansas. AP Alert: Kyle Busch Is Bleeped-Off! Stop the presses, if not the Internet.
Meanwhile, Brian France waved his arms and away-went the gathering dark clouds surrounding the future of the Busch Series. NASCAR's search for a replacement for Anheuser-Busch -- ending its 26-year title backing of the No. 2 stock car series -- concluded with the announcement of a seven-year agreement with Nationwide Insurance. The process began with NASCAR and partner ESPN in a joint search for $30 million a season, with about one-third of that designated for advertising across the vast universe of ESPN's media platforms. Names like Subway, KFC, Monster energy drink and Coors were mentioned along the way. Nationwide also becomes NASCAR's official auto, home and life insurance provider. The per-season fee is estimated to be around $12 million. Critics will say that's less-than-half of the original asking price. I'll point out at least NASCAR is able to sign serious series sponsors. NASCAR Chief Marketing Officer Steve Phelps said Nationwide will "activate the sponsorship far differently than we've seen before." Mike Wallace was torqued because NASCAR has told him his deal with Geico must end within two years. It was pointed out to Wallace Geico is free to move up to Nextel (ooops, Sprint) Cup or down to Craftsman Trucks.
Before the day was done, Scott Riggs was confirmed as a new driver for Haas CNC. And Busch's Busch Series crew chief was fined $10,000 for an illegal intake manifold on the winning Chevrolet at Kansas. And, of course, Bruton Smith was threatening to close Lowe's Motor Speedway and rebuild elsewhere if local officials won't allow him to build a drag strip.
That was about one week's worth of headlines in one day. Too much, in fact. NASCAR usually is excellent at stage-managing its news but things got sideways this time. I understand the M&M's event was scheduled several weeks ago. And, for sure, there's no controlling Bruton's blustering. I guess the Franchitti press conference had to be Wednesday since ARCA practice at 'Dega was the next day. From NASCAR's perspective, though, the Nationwide deal had to take center stage. If they couldn't offer a "suggestion" to Ganassi to bump his announcement, then, I'd have waited 24 hours.
I would have expected NASCAR to do what had to be done to ensure that Nationwide was the one to get the nationwide headlines.
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How do you get a sponsor? That's racing's age-old question and it comes my way from time-to-time. I'm given to suggest Googling "Kenny Bernstein" and "Budweiser" since Kenny has maintained a relationship with the St. Louis brewer that will reach an amazing 30 consecutive years come 2009. SpeedTV.com last week posted the Toyota Formula One team's sponsorship-pitch video and, no matter what your budget, it might provide an idea or two. Plus, I just found it interesting, although I laughed a bit at this line: "Sponsors make Formula One touchable." http://www.speedtv.com/speedvideo/?bcpid=340473122&bclid=647737970&bctid=1203050066
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FAST LINES: Rarely does a week go by that I don't hear media complaints about so-called "PR" people who don't even have enough business savvy or common courtesy to return a phone call or answer an E-mail. Given that, it was my pleasure to make contact last week with World of Outlaws PR director Tony Veneziano and Bill Klingbeil, who has a similar role at WoO leader Donny Schatz' team. Also, ARCA's Don Radebaugh. Tony and Bill and Don all responded to my requests very promptly and provided all the help any journalist could ever hope to receive. For the NASCAR and open-wheel types who, I am sure, will say: "That's just sprint cars and ARCA," let me respond in advance: No matter the series, either you know how to be a professional and understand courtesy, or you don't . . . A well-done, also, to Kristi King, Talladega Superspeedway PR director, not only for the well-written, quote-filled releases she issued in advance of last weekend's races, but also the comprehensive "media information" sheet provided to journalists before they ever set foot inside the Alabama oval. Most details regarding media facilities and activities were contained therein. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway does the same. So should every track . . .
I love how the "brand-ers" spin their concepts to earn their six-seven figure fees. In unveiling its new logo (left), the LPGA (who worked with SME) said the stylized design "represents the power, strength and athleticism of our athletes" and "for the first time in the association's 58 years, the LPGA's primary mark will not be enclosed in a frame, representing a future with limitless potential." The invoice is in the mail . . . For the record: The Forbes 400 of the Richest People in America includes John Menard, $7.3 billion (44th overall); Roger Penske, $2.7 billion (149th); Jim France and Bruton Smith, $1.5 bil each (tied at 317). No. 1, of course, is Bill Gates -- at $59 b . . . There was a nice photo of Patrick Dempsey and Frankie Muniz in the Oct. 1 People magazine, smiling during the Grand-Am finale in Utah. Both are wearing Mazda caps; both cost sponsors hundreds-of-thousands of dollars in exposure value because their uniforms are pulled down, leaving white Nomex on the image instead of logos . . . If you'd like to read my first Arizona Republic motorsports notes column, from last Friday, here's a link: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1004racingnb1005.html .
[ more Blogging the Chase next Tuesday . . . ]
I'd say it was Too Big.
October 3 opened with Chip Ganassi confirming what all admitted was "one of the worst kept secrets in NASCAR" -- the signing of Indy 500 winner/IRL champion Dario Franchitti to drive the N0. 40 Dodge next year. It was a poorly-kept secret . . . but that didn't mean it wasn't NEWS. Among the revelations -- aside from hearing Dario explain himself -- was he agreed to a multi-year deal in opposition to his previous policy of one-season contracts. Also, it was said, Dario almost made the jump this year, only to be aced out of the No. 42 ride by none other than Juan Pablo Montoya. Of course, that turned out to be a huge blessing-in-disguise, as Franchitti cleared his table by first taking care of business and winning Indy and the series title.
Up in New York, Kyle Busch unveiled the M&M's colors and graphics that will adorn his No. 18 Joe Gibbs' Toyota next season. Busch took the occasion to keep grumbling to reporters all-too-happy to record his words that he was still unhappy with Dale Earnhardt Jr. for banging him into the wall at Kansas. AP Alert: Kyle Busch Is Bleeped-Off! Stop the presses, if not the Internet.
Meanwhile, Brian France waved his arms and away-went the gathering dark clouds surrounding the future of the Busch Series. NASCAR's search for a replacement for Anheuser-Busch -- ending its 26-year title backing of the No. 2 stock car series -- concluded with the announcement of a seven-year agreement with Nationwide Insurance. The process began with NASCAR and partner ESPN in a joint search for $30 million a season, with about one-third of that designated for advertising across the vast universe of ESPN's media platforms. Names like Subway, KFC, Monster energy drink and Coors were mentioned along the way. Nationwide also becomes NASCAR's official auto, home and life insurance provider. The per-season fee is estimated to be around $12 million. Critics will say that's less-than-half of the original asking price. I'll point out at least NASCAR is able to sign serious series sponsors. NASCAR Chief Marketing Officer Steve Phelps said Nationwide will "activate the sponsorship far differently than we've seen before." Mike Wallace was torqued because NASCAR has told him his deal with Geico must end within two years. It was pointed out to Wallace Geico is free to move up to Nextel (ooops, Sprint) Cup or down to Craftsman Trucks.
Before the day was done, Scott Riggs was confirmed as a new driver for Haas CNC. And Busch's Busch Series crew chief was fined $10,000 for an illegal intake manifold on the winning Chevrolet at Kansas. And, of course, Bruton Smith was threatening to close Lowe's Motor Speedway and rebuild elsewhere if local officials won't allow him to build a drag strip.
That was about one week's worth of headlines in one day. Too much, in fact. NASCAR usually is excellent at stage-managing its news but things got sideways this time. I understand the M&M's event was scheduled several weeks ago. And, for sure, there's no controlling Bruton's blustering. I guess the Franchitti press conference had to be Wednesday since ARCA practice at 'Dega was the next day. From NASCAR's perspective, though, the Nationwide deal had to take center stage. If they couldn't offer a "suggestion" to Ganassi to bump his announcement, then, I'd have waited 24 hours.
I would have expected NASCAR to do what had to be done to ensure that Nationwide was the one to get the nationwide headlines.
********************************************************************
How do you get a sponsor? That's racing's age-old question and it comes my way from time-to-time. I'm given to suggest Googling "Kenny Bernstein" and "Budweiser" since Kenny has maintained a relationship with the St. Louis brewer that will reach an amazing 30 consecutive years come 2009. SpeedTV.com last week posted the Toyota Formula One team's sponsorship-pitch video and, no matter what your budget, it might provide an idea or two. Plus, I just found it interesting, although I laughed a bit at this line: "Sponsors make Formula One touchable." http://www.speedtv.com/speedvideo/?bcpid=340473122&bclid=647737970&bctid=1203050066
********************************************************************
FAST LINES: Rarely does a week go by that I don't hear media complaints about so-called "PR" people who don't even have enough business savvy or common courtesy to return a phone call or answer an E-mail. Given that, it was my pleasure to make contact last week with World of Outlaws PR director Tony Veneziano and Bill Klingbeil, who has a similar role at WoO leader Donny Schatz' team. Also, ARCA's Don Radebaugh. Tony and Bill and Don all responded to my requests very promptly and provided all the help any journalist could ever hope to receive. For the NASCAR and open-wheel types who, I am sure, will say: "That's just sprint cars and ARCA," let me respond in advance: No matter the series, either you know how to be a professional and understand courtesy, or you don't . . . A well-done, also, to Kristi King, Talladega Superspeedway PR director, not only for the well-written, quote-filled releases she issued in advance of last weekend's races, but also the comprehensive "media information" sheet provided to journalists before they ever set foot inside the Alabama oval. Most details regarding media facilities and activities were contained therein. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway does the same. So should every track . . .
I love how the "brand-ers" spin their concepts to earn their six-seven figure fees. In unveiling its new logo (left), the LPGA (who worked with SME) said the stylized design "represents the power, strength and athleticism of our athletes" and "for the first time in the association's 58 years, the LPGA's primary mark will not be enclosed in a frame, representing a future with limitless potential." The invoice is in the mail . . . For the record: The Forbes 400 of the Richest People in America includes John Menard, $7.3 billion (44th overall); Roger Penske, $2.7 billion (149th); Jim France and Bruton Smith, $1.5 bil each (tied at 317). No. 1, of course, is Bill Gates -- at $59 b . . . There was a nice photo of Patrick Dempsey and Frankie Muniz in the Oct. 1 People magazine, smiling during the Grand-Am finale in Utah. Both are wearing Mazda caps; both cost sponsors hundreds-of-thousands of dollars in exposure value because their uniforms are pulled down, leaving white Nomex on the image instead of logos . . . If you'd like to read my first Arizona Republic motorsports notes column, from last Friday, here's a link: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/1004racingnb1005.html .[ more Blogging the Chase next Tuesday . . . ]
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
BACK TO THE FUTURE
WALLY PARKS, 1913-2007: NHRA's founder, a true motorsports legend, died Friday at age 94. Wally was extremely media friendly -- he was the first editor of Hot Rod magazine -- and a long-time member and supporter of AARWBA. Here, at the January 2005 All-America Team dinner in Pomona, Parks (center) joins John Force (left) and Kenny Bernstein in toasting their nominations as Newsmaker of the Half-Century -- the most important event of AARWBA's 50th Anniversary Celebration. Bernstein told me Wally liked this photo and thought it was a great tribute to NHRA to have three from the drag racing community among the 12 nominees. This was Wally's last appearance at an AARWBA function. As the 50th anniversary chairman, I can say it was a great honor to have Wally with us that evening, and I was honored to introduce him. Wally Parks' legacy will be that he had the vision to make NHRA drag racing -- the most American of American motorsports --respectable, safer and a major league-level series. (Photo courtesy Al Wong.)I began my professional career at the Philadelphia Daily News, starting there while still completing my journalism degree at Temple University. I continue to love reporting and writing and journalism and the newspaper business. We all know of the struggles which have affected so many papers around the country and that's sad to many of us.
As I blogged here almost a year ago (Oct. 17), "Bad Newspaper News Is Bad News for NASCAR." There is no question in my mind but that, even in this time of TV and the Internet, knowledgable and substantive reporting in the papers is essential. Not just in racing, but politics, business, entertainment, you name it. So, I'm pleased to tell you that starting this Friday (Oct. 5) and continuing at least through November, I'll be a contributor to the Arizona Republic's motorsports coverage. The Republic is the state's largest newspaper. My friend Mark Armijo provided readers with distinguished coverage for about a quarter-century until yielding the "beat" to Jim Gintonio two years ago. Jim's now full-time following the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes.
On Fridays, I'll be writing a news/news analysis column. Jim will come off hockey to lead the Republic's reporting of the NASCAR races Nov. 8-11 at Phoenix International Raceway. I'll do sidebars from PIR. Most of what is published in the paper also appears at AzCentral.com. I've provided a link in the right-hand column. I hope you'll check it out.
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Budweiser again figured into NASCAR's changing sponsor landscape last week with the announcement that Coors Light is replacing Bud as stock car's official beer. The deal was widely reported to be worth $20 million over five years. Coors Light picks up the pole award in this contract while Bud keeps its season-opening Shootout at Daytona under a separate agreement and is an official Daytona 500 sponsor. Anheuser-Busch, one of the most powerful forces in sports marketing, thus continues to reposition its racing involvements. Bud let its title backing of this month's NHRA's Top Fuel Shootout at Las Vegas go to Technicoat. A-B is ending its 26-year support of the Busch Series after this season. The "King of Beers" will become Kasey Kahne's new primary sponsor in '08 and is contracted with the Kenny Bernstein-owned, Brandon Bernstein-driven, NHRA Top Fuel team through 2009 -- which will bring that relationship to an incredible 30 consecutive years.
Tony Ponturo, A-B's VP of Global Media and Sports Marketing, said the brewer "presented an offer to renew at a price that was right for us based on our total NASCAR marketing investment -- a new race team and driver, media and track sponsorships that includes the Daytona 500. Rather than spend significantly beyond our valuation of the 'official beer' sponsorship, we determined that Budweiser's broader NASCAR strategy is best supported by putting our marketing muscle behind our new relationship with Gillett Evernham Motorsports and Kasey Kahne."
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Here's a smart move in the wake of the Michael Vick dog-fighting scandal.
MAZDASPEED drivers Jeff Altenburg and Randy Pobst will have new
teammates as they contend for the series title in the final two races of the SCCA SPEED World Challenge Touring Car championship. Their Tri-Point Motorsports' Mazda6s will carry special graphics to promote, in association with The Humane Society of the U.S., the adoption of shelter animals. The "MUTTS" comic strip characters, "Earl" and "Mooch," have been "adopted" by the team, with "Earl" the dog on Altenburg's car and "Mooch" the cat on Pobst's. The season enders are Friday at Road Atlanta and Oct. 21 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, and life-sized versions of "Earl" and "Mooch" will be in the paddock for photo opportunities. Both Mazda hoods and driver uniforms will be auctioned to benefit The Humane Society of the U.S. Details at http://www.muttscomics.com/. Altenburg and Pobst each have won twice this season and are 1-2 in points.
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FAST LINES: ISC recently authorized budget for a badly needed new media center at Watkins Glen. “Having a new media center with state-of-the-art technology and proper space for working media, press conferences, the sanctioning bodies, and track staff will help us meet those needs and build positive press coverage during our race weekends,” admitted Glen communications director Eiron Smith. Emphasis mine and point made. Many of us hope Phoenix Raceway will be next . . .
The historic 1963 Lotus-Ford (below) that truly brought the "rear-engine revolution" to the Indianapolis 500 (Jimmy Clark finished second to Parnelli Jones in a controversial finish) will be on display at the 38th AARWBA All-America Team dinner, Saturday, January 12, at the downtown Indianapolis Hyatt. As dinner chairman, I thank the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum for this courtesy. Use link in the right-hand column to go to the AARWBA site, where discounted Hyatt room reservations can be made, as well as ticket orders . . . My friend Bob Margolis, of Yahoo Sports, is scheduled is begin a six-week radiation/chemo therapy this week, followed by a six-week recovery period. mailto:Bob.Margolis@yahoo.com . . . Mike Brudenell wrote quite an amazing column last week in the Detroit Free Press, "Running on Empty?," in which he criticized automakers and the local media for ignoring much of the Michigan racing scene. Here's the link: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070925/SPORTS16/709250306/1064 . . . If you don't know about the "Jay Leno's Garage" site, (lots to see, here a segment with Valvoline's Barry Bronson), check it out: http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/index.shtml?vidID=156639 .
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A social occasion I'll never forget came late in the 1992 CART season, when a "roast" was staged for Nicky Fornoro before the race at Nazareth, because Nicky was about to retire as the series' flagman. Among other tales, I recounted the time at Riverside in the early 1980s when, in the midst of a long, hot, boring 500 kilometers on Labor Day weekend, Nicky seemed to dose-off on the starter's stand! I had worked with Nicky since November 1980 when I joined CART as communications director. Nicky made the Fornoro name famous, especially in Eastern racing circles, first as a driver (he was the NASCAR midget champion in 1953, but retired at his wife's request), and after that as a colorful flagman. Nicky had a great personality and knew it was important to "play" to the fans, so we used to remind the drivers before every CART event, to wave to the fans during the parade lap. Nicky would signal them to do so by waving his hankie. Born in 1920 in Madison, N.J., Fornoro died last week as a result of a stroke. He leaves behind a large family, including his wife Bette and racer sons Drew and Nokie, and countless friends. Let me conclude the same way I did at that "roast": In all the years I knew Nicky, I have only one regret -- that he didn't have the chance to wave a checkered flag over Mario or Michael Andretti after 500 miles at Indianapolis.
[ more Blogging the Chase next Tuesday . . . ]
As I blogged here almost a year ago (Oct. 17), "Bad Newspaper News Is Bad News for NASCAR." There is no question in my mind but that, even in this time of TV and the Internet, knowledgable and substantive reporting in the papers is essential. Not just in racing, but politics, business, entertainment, you name it. So, I'm pleased to tell you that starting this Friday (Oct. 5) and continuing at least through November, I'll be a contributor to the Arizona Republic's motorsports coverage. The Republic is the state's largest newspaper. My friend Mark Armijo provided readers with distinguished coverage for about a quarter-century until yielding the "beat" to Jim Gintonio two years ago. Jim's now full-time following the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes.
On Fridays, I'll be writing a news/news analysis column. Jim will come off hockey to lead the Republic's reporting of the NASCAR races Nov. 8-11 at Phoenix International Raceway. I'll do sidebars from PIR. Most of what is published in the paper also appears at AzCentral.com. I've provided a link in the right-hand column. I hope you'll check it out.
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Budweiser again figured into NASCAR's changing sponsor landscape last week with the announcement that Coors Light is replacing Bud as stock car's official beer. The deal was widely reported to be worth $20 million over five years. Coors Light picks up the pole award in this contract while Bud keeps its season-opening Shootout at Daytona under a separate agreement and is an official Daytona 500 sponsor. Anheuser-Busch, one of the most powerful forces in sports marketing, thus continues to reposition its racing involvements. Bud let its title backing of this month's NHRA's Top Fuel Shootout at Las Vegas go to Technicoat. A-B is ending its 26-year support of the Busch Series after this season. The "King of Beers" will become Kasey Kahne's new primary sponsor in '08 and is contracted with the Kenny Bernstein-owned, Brandon Bernstein-driven, NHRA Top Fuel team through 2009 -- which will bring that relationship to an incredible 30 consecutive years.
Tony Ponturo, A-B's VP of Global Media and Sports Marketing, said the brewer "presented an offer to renew at a price that was right for us based on our total NASCAR marketing investment -- a new race team and driver, media and track sponsorships that includes the Daytona 500. Rather than spend significantly beyond our valuation of the 'official beer' sponsorship, we determined that Budweiser's broader NASCAR strategy is best supported by putting our marketing muscle behind our new relationship with Gillett Evernham Motorsports and Kasey Kahne."
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Here's a smart move in the wake of the Michael Vick dog-fighting scandal.
MAZDASPEED drivers Jeff Altenburg and Randy Pobst will have newteammates as they contend for the series title in the final two races of the SCCA SPEED World Challenge Touring Car championship. Their Tri-Point Motorsports' Mazda6s will carry special graphics to promote, in association with The Humane Society of the U.S., the adoption of shelter animals. The "MUTTS" comic strip characters, "Earl" and "Mooch," have been "adopted" by the team, with "Earl" the dog on Altenburg's car and "Mooch" the cat on Pobst's. The season enders are Friday at Road Atlanta and Oct. 21 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, and life-sized versions of "Earl" and "Mooch" will be in the paddock for photo opportunities. Both Mazda hoods and driver uniforms will be auctioned to benefit The Humane Society of the U.S. Details at http://www.muttscomics.com/. Altenburg and Pobst each have won twice this season and are 1-2 in points.
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FAST LINES: ISC recently authorized budget for a badly needed new media center at Watkins Glen. “Having a new media center with state-of-the-art technology and proper space for working media, press conferences, the sanctioning bodies, and track staff will help us meet those needs and build positive press coverage during our race weekends,” admitted Glen communications director Eiron Smith. Emphasis mine and point made. Many of us hope Phoenix Raceway will be next . . .
The historic 1963 Lotus-Ford (below) that truly brought the "rear-engine revolution" to the Indianapolis 500 (Jimmy Clark finished second to Parnelli Jones in a controversial finish) will be on display at the 38th AARWBA All-America Team dinner, Saturday, January 12, at the downtown Indianapolis Hyatt. As dinner chairman, I thank the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum for this courtesy. Use link in the right-hand column to go to the AARWBA site, where discounted Hyatt room reservations can be made, as well as ticket orders . . . My friend Bob Margolis, of Yahoo Sports, is scheduled is begin a six-week radiation/chemo therapy this week, followed by a six-week recovery period. mailto:Bob.Margolis@yahoo.com . . . Mike Brudenell wrote quite an amazing column last week in the Detroit Free Press, "Running on Empty?," in which he criticized automakers and the local media for ignoring much of the Michigan racing scene. Here's the link: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070925/SPORTS16/709250306/1064 . . . If you don't know about the "Jay Leno's Garage" site, (lots to see, here a segment with Valvoline's Barry Bronson), check it out: http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/index.shtml?vidID=156639 .********************************************************************
A social occasion I'll never forget came late in the 1992 CART season, when a "roast" was staged for Nicky Fornoro before the race at Nazareth, because Nicky was about to retire as the series' flagman. Among other tales, I recounted the time at Riverside in the early 1980s when, in the midst of a long, hot, boring 500 kilometers on Labor Day weekend, Nicky seemed to dose-off on the starter's stand! I had worked with Nicky since November 1980 when I joined CART as communications director. Nicky made the Fornoro name famous, especially in Eastern racing circles, first as a driver (he was the NASCAR midget champion in 1953, but retired at his wife's request), and after that as a colorful flagman. Nicky had a great personality and knew it was important to "play" to the fans, so we used to remind the drivers before every CART event, to wave to the fans during the parade lap. Nicky would signal them to do so by waving his hankie. Born in 1920 in Madison, N.J., Fornoro died last week as a result of a stroke. He leaves behind a large family, including his wife Bette and racer sons Drew and Nokie, and countless friends. Let me conclude the same way I did at that "roast": In all the years I knew Nicky, I have only one regret -- that he didn't have the chance to wave a checkered flag over Mario or Michael Andretti after 500 miles at Indianapolis.
[ more Blogging the Chase next Tuesday . . . ]
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
MORE ON JUNIOR's BIG WEEK
An incredible season of "Business of Racing" news hit the rev limiter last week. While most of the media continue to not understand the intersection of sponsorship money and corporate objectives, and misreport a "merger" vs. a "partnership" and "branding" vs. "positioning," that didn't stop 'em from portraying opinion-as-fact after the Dale Earnhardt Jr.-to-Mountain Dew/Amp/National Guard/88 and Budweiser-to-Kasey Kahne announcements.
Junior IDing himself with the double eights was the NASCAR week's biggest story, topping Carl Edwards' win in Chase Race 2 at Dover. Gentlemen, start your souvenir sales! There were some journalism wrecks along the way. The day Earnhardt Jr. finally made it all official, NASCAR Now -- the most disappointing element of ESPN's stock car coverage all year -- relied on two reporters who, as I explained here last June 19, got the Dale Jr. sponsorship story wrong right from the start.
They bookended an Around the Horn mouthpiece, who, relatively speaking, discovered NASCAR 10 minutes ago. (Another NASCAR Now "highlight": Thursday, while discussing Buddy Lazier's Truck series debut at Las Vegas, viewers were treated to B-roll of Scott Goodyear!) Thankfully, the show salvaged some credibility by letting the audience hear directly from Junior and Rick Hendrick. It was no coincidence the Budweiser/Kahne/
Gillett Evernham deal was revealed the day before Dale Jr. unveiled the green (Mountain Dew/Amp energy drink) and blue (National Guard) colors that would replace his Bud red. The TV analysts apparently didn't remember, but Kahne has occasionally run the Dew identity on his No. 9 Dodge. Someone should have been sharp enough to remind us of that fun fact while producers showed us that video. Let me remind them (above).
With something north of $40 million -- possibly closer to $50 mil -- on the table next season in these team sponsorships, the race to keep -- or capture -- consumer loyalty is ON. (!)
Bud marketed Dale Jr. mainly to young males; thanks to the image created by Allstate's TV commercials, Kasey opens the door to females. Non-alcohol backers will allow Earnhardt Jr. to pitch directly to the under-21 demo he was limited in reaching before. Hello, adidas, and the “Dale Jr.’s Big Mo’ ” milk chocolate candy bar (creamy caramel or peanut butter) also introduced last week. It was a $ign-of-the-Time$ that NASCAR's most popular driver traveled to the Candy Expo trade show in Chicago, and then Dallas for the annual meeting of Pepsi bottlers, where he appeared before about 1,500 people prior to the press conference. Anheuser-Busch apparently had no such forum available at the required time, as Kahne rode into his team's shop in Statesville, N.C., atop the brewer's iconic Clydesdales' wagon. I would have been disappointed with any less a grand entrance.
One needed a HANS Device to avoid whiplash because the NASCAR.com Superstore, Hendrick and Earnhardt Jr. websites had new Junior goodies for sale so, well, FAST! T-shirt, $21.99. Cap, $24.99. Sweatshirt, $29.99. Diecast (1:24), $69.99.
Meanwhile, here's something else the "experts" didn't tell you. Rick Hendrick said in Dallas that he never spoke with Teresa Earnhardt about obtaining the No. 8 for Junior. I found that to be incredibly revealing. If a man of Hendrick's stature doesn't feel he can pick up the phone, call Teresa, and ask her how they could resolve the number issue -- just between them, without the strife of family emotions -- well, I say, that gives us true insight into the secluded Mrs. Earnhardt's relationship with her fellow Nextel Cup owners and lack of interaction within the sport. Even with those at the highest level. Congratulations to Robert and Doug Yates for having the good PR sense, in addition to whatever deal they made with Kelley Earnhardt Elledge (Dale's sister and business advisor, credited with getting this done), to release the 88 to Junior. Yates father and son bought themselves a ton of public goodwill.
As I've written before: It's impossible to understand Modern Motorsports without understanding the Business of Racing. All but a microscopic fraction of racin' reporters don't -- and, to be blunt -- don't feel like taking the bother. Yet, editors continue to assign them to these stories, and then too often don't challenge the validity of their conclusions or fact-check for accuracy. I keep hoping the required standard of knowledge will go up, but there's still no sign of that happening.
Finally, Junior won the battle of sound bites.
"We'll be able to work with Amp. They got me up at 5 o'clock this morning, so I've had a chance to really try out the effectiveness of the product. I'm pretty pleased to be sitting here and not yawning in front of you guys."
********************************************************************
I've never met Brad Daugherty, the former NBA player-turned-ESPN NASCAR analyst. But, I'll bet during his basketball days, Daugherty had off-the-record conversations with reporters. And, I'll bet, Daugherty wasn't happy if the broadcaster or writer used his name anyway. Well, before last Saturday's Busch Series race at Dover, it was Daugherty who broke this accepted rule. Brad revealed he'd talked with Robby Gordon, who in Daugherty's own words, said: "Don't say this on TV" but then added, "I'm going to say it anyway," and quoted Gordon as describing racing at Dover as like driving "in a toilet bowl." It's no secret relationships among some NASCAR drivers and ESPN personnel have been strained, and Daugherty just made it worse. Garage area dealings among participants and media are best based, at least in part, on mutual trust -- from my experience, the same as in a stick-and-ball sport locker room. Daugherty, better than most, should understand this protocol. He blew it. An apology to Gordon is in order. As is some "instruction" from producers to their so-called "Voice of the Fans."
********************************************************************
On the other hand, ESPN2's ace NHRA production team did it right, reporting the story of John Force's serious accident at the Texas Motorplex. Paul Page came on the air reminding viewers that while the drag racing shows are tape-delayed, here is what happened to Force, and provided the latest medical news. "Regular" round-by-round coverage then began. When Force and Kenny Bernstein crashed in the second round, ESPN2 had all the replays, and interviewed all the right people, including Bernstein, Force's wife Laurie and daughter Ashley, son-in-law Robert Hight, and crew chiefs John Medlen, Bernie Fedderly and Dean Antonelli. Page, who has been through more of these situations than he'd like, set exactly the correct tone while letting the emotions-of-the-moment come through. Analyst Mike Dunn agreed with the team's decision for Ashley Force to skip the semifinals. Finally, the network let the coverage run an extra 30 minutes, so all the day's stories were told. Well done.
********************************************************************
The media's frenzied year of Anna Nicole, Imus, Paris, Lindsay and Britney rolled on last week with the unexpected "gift" of O.J. Simpson's arrest in Las Vegas on several felony charges. After a few days in jail, Simpson was released on bail, but not before Las Vegas Motor Speedway issued the following under the headline, "Free O.J.":
"Las Vegas Motor Speedway officials announced Monday (Sept. 17) a special reward for race fans who purchase tickets to an event at LVMS. Fans who stop by the speedway on Wednesday (Sept. 19) to purchase their tickets to Saturday night's Smith's Las Vegas 350, the Oct. 25-28 NHRA ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals or the 2008 NASCAR Weekend will receive free orange juice and muffins from Smith's Food & Drug Stores. The LVMS ticket office opens at 8 a.m. The 'Free O.J.' promotion will be available Wednesday only."
Creative? Over the line? You make the call.
********************************************************************
If you missed it last week, please check out my new "Business of Racing" video commentary on 1320tv.com. It's about Wally Parks and Linda Vaughn. You'll find it in the "Straight Talk" section halfway down the home page. Here's the direct link:
http://www.1320tv.com/straight_talk/article7.asp?vid=straight_talk/straight_talk_bor_wally_linda&title=We%20Miss%20You,%20Wally%20And%20Linda&des=Two%20of%20drag%20racing%27s%20%22stars%22%20not%20visible%20enough
[ more Blogging the Chase next Tuesday . . . ]
Junior IDing himself with the double eights was the NASCAR week's biggest story, topping Carl Edwards' win in Chase Race 2 at Dover. Gentlemen, start your souvenir sales! There were some journalism wrecks along the way. The day Earnhardt Jr. finally made it all official, NASCAR Now -- the most disappointing element of ESPN's stock car coverage all year -- relied on two reporters who, as I explained here last June 19, got the Dale Jr. sponsorship story wrong right from the start.
They bookended an Around the Horn mouthpiece, who, relatively speaking, discovered NASCAR 10 minutes ago. (Another NASCAR Now "highlight": Thursday, while discussing Buddy Lazier's Truck series debut at Las Vegas, viewers were treated to B-roll of Scott Goodyear!) Thankfully, the show salvaged some credibility by letting the audience hear directly from Junior and Rick Hendrick. It was no coincidence the Budweiser/Kahne/Gillett Evernham deal was revealed the day before Dale Jr. unveiled the green (Mountain Dew/Amp energy drink) and blue (National Guard) colors that would replace his Bud red. The TV analysts apparently didn't remember, but Kahne has occasionally run the Dew identity on his No. 9 Dodge. Someone should have been sharp enough to remind us of that fun fact while producers showed us that video. Let me remind them (above).
With something north of $40 million -- possibly closer to $50 mil -- on the table next season in these team sponsorships, the race to keep -- or capture -- consumer loyalty is ON. (!)
Bud marketed Dale Jr. mainly to young males; thanks to the image created by Allstate's TV commercials, Kasey opens the door to females. Non-alcohol backers will allow Earnhardt Jr. to pitch directly to the under-21 demo he was limited in reaching before. Hello, adidas, and the “Dale Jr.’s Big Mo’ ” milk chocolate candy bar (creamy caramel or peanut butter) also introduced last week. It was a $ign-of-the-Time$ that NASCAR's most popular driver traveled to the Candy Expo trade show in Chicago, and then Dallas for the annual meeting of Pepsi bottlers, where he appeared before about 1,500 people prior to the press conference. Anheuser-Busch apparently had no such forum available at the required time, as Kahne rode into his team's shop in Statesville, N.C., atop the brewer's iconic Clydesdales' wagon. I would have been disappointed with any less a grand entrance.One needed a HANS Device to avoid whiplash because the NASCAR.com Superstore, Hendrick and Earnhardt Jr. websites had new Junior goodies for sale so, well, FAST! T-shirt, $21.99. Cap, $24.99. Sweatshirt, $29.99. Diecast (1:24), $69.99.
Meanwhile, here's something else the "experts" didn't tell you. Rick Hendrick said in Dallas that he never spoke with Teresa Earnhardt about obtaining the No. 8 for Junior. I found that to be incredibly revealing. If a man of Hendrick's stature doesn't feel he can pick up the phone, call Teresa, and ask her how they could resolve the number issue -- just between them, without the strife of family emotions -- well, I say, that gives us true insight into the secluded Mrs. Earnhardt's relationship with her fellow Nextel Cup owners and lack of interaction within the sport. Even with those at the highest level. Congratulations to Robert and Doug Yates for having the good PR sense, in addition to whatever deal they made with Kelley Earnhardt Elledge (Dale's sister and business advisor, credited with getting this done), to release the 88 to Junior. Yates father and son bought themselves a ton of public goodwill.
As I've written before: It's impossible to understand Modern Motorsports without understanding the Business of Racing. All but a microscopic fraction of racin' reporters don't -- and, to be blunt -- don't feel like taking the bother. Yet, editors continue to assign them to these stories, and then too often don't challenge the validity of their conclusions or fact-check for accuracy. I keep hoping the required standard of knowledge will go up, but there's still no sign of that happening.
Finally, Junior won the battle of sound bites.
"We'll be able to work with Amp. They got me up at 5 o'clock this morning, so I've had a chance to really try out the effectiveness of the product. I'm pretty pleased to be sitting here and not yawning in front of you guys."
********************************************************************
I've never met Brad Daugherty, the former NBA player-turned-ESPN NASCAR analyst. But, I'll bet during his basketball days, Daugherty had off-the-record conversations with reporters. And, I'll bet, Daugherty wasn't happy if the broadcaster or writer used his name anyway. Well, before last Saturday's Busch Series race at Dover, it was Daugherty who broke this accepted rule. Brad revealed he'd talked with Robby Gordon, who in Daugherty's own words, said: "Don't say this on TV" but then added, "I'm going to say it anyway," and quoted Gordon as describing racing at Dover as like driving "in a toilet bowl." It's no secret relationships among some NASCAR drivers and ESPN personnel have been strained, and Daugherty just made it worse. Garage area dealings among participants and media are best based, at least in part, on mutual trust -- from my experience, the same as in a stick-and-ball sport locker room. Daugherty, better than most, should understand this protocol. He blew it. An apology to Gordon is in order. As is some "instruction" from producers to their so-called "Voice of the Fans."
********************************************************************
On the other hand, ESPN2's ace NHRA production team did it right, reporting the story of John Force's serious accident at the Texas Motorplex. Paul Page came on the air reminding viewers that while the drag racing shows are tape-delayed, here is what happened to Force, and provided the latest medical news. "Regular" round-by-round coverage then began. When Force and Kenny Bernstein crashed in the second round, ESPN2 had all the replays, and interviewed all the right people, including Bernstein, Force's wife Laurie and daughter Ashley, son-in-law Robert Hight, and crew chiefs John Medlen, Bernie Fedderly and Dean Antonelli. Page, who has been through more of these situations than he'd like, set exactly the correct tone while letting the emotions-of-the-moment come through. Analyst Mike Dunn agreed with the team's decision for Ashley Force to skip the semifinals. Finally, the network let the coverage run an extra 30 minutes, so all the day's stories were told. Well done.
********************************************************************
The media's frenzied year of Anna Nicole, Imus, Paris, Lindsay and Britney rolled on last week with the unexpected "gift" of O.J. Simpson's arrest in Las Vegas on several felony charges. After a few days in jail, Simpson was released on bail, but not before Las Vegas Motor Speedway issued the following under the headline, "Free O.J.":
"Las Vegas Motor Speedway officials announced Monday (Sept. 17) a special reward for race fans who purchase tickets to an event at LVMS. Fans who stop by the speedway on Wednesday (Sept. 19) to purchase their tickets to Saturday night's Smith's Las Vegas 350, the Oct. 25-28 NHRA ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals or the 2008 NASCAR Weekend will receive free orange juice and muffins from Smith's Food & Drug Stores. The LVMS ticket office opens at 8 a.m. The 'Free O.J.' promotion will be available Wednesday only."
Creative? Over the line? You make the call.
********************************************************************
If you missed it last week, please check out my new "Business of Racing" video commentary on 1320tv.com. It's about Wally Parks and Linda Vaughn. You'll find it in the "Straight Talk" section halfway down the home page. Here's the direct link:
http://www.1320tv.com/straight_talk/article7.asp?vid=straight_talk/straight_talk_bor_wally_linda&title=We%20Miss%20You,%20Wally%20And%20Linda&des=Two%20of%20drag%20racing%27s%20%22stars%22%20not%20visible%20enough
[ more Blogging the Chase next Tuesday . . . ]
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
CHASING THE NEWS
NASCAR went to work last Thursday, trying to rev-up interest in the Chase for the Nextel Cup championship. The dozen Chasers were assembled in New York City, before heading to New Hampshire (and Clint Bowyer's first victory), for a day-long publicity tour de force. I participated via a media gathering Phoenix International Raceway's new communications director, Paul Corliss, hosted at the downtown Hard Rock Cafe. Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin and Kurt Busch were interviewed via satellite about the fourth edition of NASCAR's "playoffs" and the Nov. 11 Checker Auto Parts 500 kilometers at PIR.
I noticed some differences from a similar event I attended last year. The drivers either were tired or "coached" to speak in sound bites, because most questions produced answers of only a few sentences. (Superficial enough for TV and radio but not much meat for the writers.) This made for some awkward gaps. I take it NASCAR put a dress code in place, because this time all four wore suit jackets. Yes, even Stewart (above). Hey, at least Tony didn't have an Old Spice towel hanging over his shoulder! Otherwise, though, it was Tony-Being-Tony: When a reporter on my end asked him about the Chase field being expanded, his reply was: "It's simple math, 10 + 2 = 12. It's not a big deal . . . It doesn't matter to me what the format is." When someone else requested Tony to reflect on his highly-controversial comments about NASCAR's use of yellow flags earlier this season, Stewart answered: "I don't think we've seen as many cautions as before."
The drivers discovered that, well, not all of the questioners they had to endure were serious-minded journalists:
Edwards said, come Chase time, he's "more cautious" and has to "go out and race for points . . . What you do now, you can't take back." On the possibility he could capture both the Nextel Cup and Busch Series championships: "That would be the ultimate goal in NASCAR and American motorsports." On how he judges the quality of his famous backflips: "As long as I land on my feet, I'm happy."
Hamlin offered now that the Chase is on, he has "got to get back to points racing." Who does he think is the favorite? "The 24 group over the 48" because Jeff Gordon's team "has been the most consistent week-in-and-week out." And which handles better, his FedEx Chevrolet, or that golf cart he races in a TV commercial? "Here, lately, it's been the golf cart."
Busch (right), sported a Miller Lite patch on his jacket, and was the only one of the four to mention his sponsor during the interview.
Did the PR surge work? We'll see how the ABC ratings, at-track attendance, and overall media coverage shake-out. I did observe two things: Even Senator Jon Kyl (R, Arizona) took notice. Kyl said on a Phoenix radio station he hoped Jeff Burton would do well in the Chase. And, if you missed the Wall Street Journal story/Q&A with NASCAR Chairman Brian France, here's the link:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118963253758725574.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
********************************************************************
If someone decides to write a book, or a long magazine review, about the 2007 Rolex Series season, I'll suggest a title: OPPORTUNITY LOST.
A for-the-ages championship battle, featuring the son of an American racing icon plus one of the country's most popular drivers, ended last Saturday at Utah's Miller Motorsports Park. The Grand-Am organization should have been on an All-Time High, but officiating, PR and TV letdowns left us as deflated as the tires on the Scott Pruett, Jon Fogarty and Max Angelelli cars in the last 25 laps. On June 26 and July 10, I specifically called for all involved to take full advantage of this lightning-in-a-bottle situation. The Bottom Line: The sports car group has never had a better chance to make a meaningful breakthrough with the media and public -- it's very difficult to imagine just when such a great opportunity will return -- and they let it pass.
A brief season recap, for context: Pruett (teamed with Juan Pablo Montoya in a Lexus) topped a terrific international field in the opening Rolex 24 at Daytona. After Iowa, with five races to go, Pruett led Angelelli by 15 points and teammates Fogarty/Alex Gurney by 22. Following Barber, the gaps were down to -11 and -13, respectively. Out of Montreal, the numbers were -2 and -9. Exiting Watkins Glen, Pruett and Angelelli were tied and only +4 on the other two. Post Infineon, Gurney/Fogarty's victory put them one up on Pruett and plus three on Angelelli. At Miller, the three title teams ran 1-2-3 much of the 1,000 kilometers. In a wacko last 25 laps, Fogarty had contact with Pruett (leaving both with flats and Scott lots of bodywork damage), Angelelli cut a tire (apparently on Pruett's debris) and that led to a broken oil line and a big fire, Pruett bumped a seemingly slowing Gurney, and the outcome was decided when officials decided to take the championship into their own hands with a judgment call that the Scott-Alex incident was "avoidable contact" and ordered-up a drive-thru penalty for Pruett.
Anyone who waded-through the story written for G-A's website had to struggle to the 16th paragraph to learn Alex -- son of Dan -- and Fogarty had claimed the crown. What WASN'T in the article was the essential fact that the G/F duo finished two points clear of Pruett, with Angelelli 13 back. Newswriting 101 . . .
One would have thought Dan Gurney's son enjoying a season of records, in terms of wins and poles, would produce some nice -- and badly needed -- national publicity. One would be wrong. The summer came-and-went without a major USA Today or Associated Press feature or sidebar on the Sports Illustrated racing page. (All of which should have been very doable.) Actually, the only significant space in USA Today in the last few weeks was a glowing Aug. 30 piece on the rival ALMS. The responsibility rests with the Bob Stallings team, sponsor Gainsco, engine supplier Pontiac's PR group and the series, because they had the most to gain. Most embarrassing of all was last week's AP "racing at a glance" listing of the upcoming weekend's events: Even Busch East, Whelen Modified Tour, Grand National West, Canadian Tire Series and Whelen Southern Modified Tour were mentioned. Grand-Am's championship race was not. (!) See for yourself:
http://sports.aol.com/story/_a/auto-racing-package-auto-racing-glance/n20070912135209990050?ecid=RSS0001
Meanwhile, Utah perhaps was the worst officiated race since the 1981 Indianapolis 500. And I'm not just referring to the dubious decision to award the championship via a judgment call. For example: Why did Seth Ingram even have a Daytona Prototype license? (Ingram spun, then drove onto the track right into the path of GT driver Nick Ham, who thankfully wasn't seriously injured when his Mazda RX-8 flipped.) Why was there no full-course caution when Pruett's bodywork went flying in multiple directions? Why was Angelelli not ORDERED to STOP, but allowed to drive his inferno onto the pit-road entrance, a potentially dangerous location?
And while SPEED deserves credit for allocating plenty of hours for the finale, it was a badly produced, directed and (except for Dorsey Schroeder) announced production. The Daytona Prototype START was reduced to a split-screen while a TAPED interview with a GT driver aired. The camera placement for pit entry left the audience, due to a high wall, with a meaningless view of each car's roof line. When Angelelli walked away from his fire, the announcer hurried to interview him while Max was still wearing his helmet. What was the rush? I doubt a competitor from ESPN was attempting to get Max first for a "live" SportsCenter report! A one-minute delay would have allowed Angelelli to remove his helmet and catch his breath -- maybe THEN we would have understood what he said. And seen the emotions painted on his face. After the checkered flag, there was no reaction shot of the Stallings team, no interview with Fogarty, and an awkward talk with Gurney as he walked down pit road. No podium ceremony. No championship presentation from Rolex. Given the controversy, viewers deserved an explanation from Grand-Am competition director Mark Raffauf. In fact, this was a MUST! SPEED's crew didn't get us one.
Gurney and Fogarty set tons of records and are worthy champions. However . . . Following a disappointment of such magnitude at such a vital time, one can only hope series management, sponsors, team owners, engine manufacturers, promoters and the TV partner will understand it's an absolute necessity for all of them to have a good, long, hard, difficult and -- most importantly -- HONEST think about the future.
********************************************************************
Wave the checkered flag over Champ Car's business plan to grow via "Festival of Speed"events on the streets of major cities. Last week the San Jose race was canned. This, coming a couple of weeks after Phoenix was canceled, and Denver was KO'd after last season. San Jose, like Phoenix, was a controversial enterprise from the start and promoters got $4 million in taxpaper support according to the Mercury News.
I am happy that date will go back to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. As CART's communications director, I played a role in the creation of that event back in 1983, and it's always been one of my favorites. At its best, the race was so well-attended that we all knew to wait two hours after the finish before even trying to leave (unless using helicopter service). One of Champ Car's greatest moments happened there in 1996, when Alex Zanardi made "The Pass" of Bryan Herta in the Corkscrew on the last lap. In victory lane, Zanardi asked me what I thought of that move. I told him he had done the impossible! Alex gave me the helmet he wore that day and I proudly display it in my office.
Over at the IRL (and it's still the "IRL" because it says so on the championship trophy), League PR VP John Griffin said this to the Associated Press about the expected departures of Sam Hornish and Dario Franchitti to NASCAR: "It's premature to comment on that directly right now. But, from our standpoint, we feel we're in as good a position as we've ever been in the League's history in terms of drivers who have been around, established names." He got the first sentence right and should have stopped there!
AP's respected Mike Harris had, well, a different perspective. "Will the last IndyCar Series star on his way to NASCAR please turn out the lights and close the door."
********************************************************************
FAST LINES: My friend Mark Armijo has decided to leave the Arizona Republic in early November after a 27-year stint with the state's largest newspaper. Most of that time was spent covering motorsports and he's been an AARWBA journalism contest winner. Mark says he's undecided on his future plans . . . The Sept. 11 NASCAR Foundation/American Red Cross event at Phoenix International Raceway attracted 101 people and resulted in 83 units of blood being donated. I was proud to participate . . . Mazda will be a co-host of the pre-dinner reception at the 38th AARWBA All-America Team ceremony, Saturday, Jan. 12, at the Indianapolis Hyatt. I'm the dinner chairman. See link at the right for the AARWBA website where there's further information and a ticket/table/program advertising form.
********************************************************************
What am I doing with an NHRA "Wally" trophy, which is given to the winner of every national event? Find out in my new "Business of Racing" video commentary on Susan Wade's 1320tv.com site. You'll find it in the "Straight Talk" section halfway down the home page. (Thanks to Mike Lewis, senior VP of Don Schumacher Racing, for letting me borrow the "Wally".) Here's the direct link:
http://www.1320tv.com/straight_talk/article7.asp?vid=straight_talk/straight_talk_bor_wally_linda&title=We%20Miss%20You,%20Wally%20And%20Linda&des=Two%20of%20drag%20racing%27s%20%22stars%22%20not%20visible%20enough
[ more Blogging the Chase next Tuesday . . . ]
I noticed some differences from a similar event I attended last year. The drivers either were tired or "coached" to speak in sound bites, because most questions produced answers of only a few sentences. (Superficial enough for TV and radio but not much meat for the writers.) This made for some awkward gaps. I take it NASCAR put a dress code in place, because this time all four wore suit jackets. Yes, even Stewart (above). Hey, at least Tony didn't have an Old Spice towel hanging over his shoulder! Otherwise, though, it was Tony-Being-Tony: When a reporter on my end asked him about the Chase field being expanded, his reply was: "It's simple math, 10 + 2 = 12. It's not a big deal . . . It doesn't matter to me what the format is." When someone else requested Tony to reflect on his highly-controversial comments about NASCAR's use of yellow flags earlier this season, Stewart answered: "I don't think we've seen as many cautions as before."The drivers discovered that, well, not all of the questioners they had to endure were serious-minded journalists:
Edwards said, come Chase time, he's "more cautious" and has to "go out and race for points . . . What you do now, you can't take back." On the possibility he could capture both the Nextel Cup and Busch Series championships: "That would be the ultimate goal in NASCAR and American motorsports." On how he judges the quality of his famous backflips: "As long as I land on my feet, I'm happy."
Hamlin offered now that the Chase is on, he has "got to get back to points racing." Who does he think is the favorite? "The 24 group over the 48" because Jeff Gordon's team "has been the most consistent week-in-and-week out." And which handles better, his FedEx Chevrolet, or that golf cart he races in a TV commercial? "Here, lately, it's been the golf cart."
Busch (right), sported a Miller Lite patch on his jacket, and was the only one of the four to mention his sponsor during the interview.Did the PR surge work? We'll see how the ABC ratings, at-track attendance, and overall media coverage shake-out. I did observe two things: Even Senator Jon Kyl (R, Arizona) took notice. Kyl said on a Phoenix radio station he hoped Jeff Burton would do well in the Chase. And, if you missed the Wall Street Journal story/Q&A with NASCAR Chairman Brian France, here's the link:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118963253758725574.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
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If someone decides to write a book, or a long magazine review, about the 2007 Rolex Series season, I'll suggest a title: OPPORTUNITY LOST.
A for-the-ages championship battle, featuring the son of an American racing icon plus one of the country's most popular drivers, ended last Saturday at Utah's Miller Motorsports Park. The Grand-Am organization should have been on an All-Time High, but officiating, PR and TV letdowns left us as deflated as the tires on the Scott Pruett, Jon Fogarty and Max Angelelli cars in the last 25 laps. On June 26 and July 10, I specifically called for all involved to take full advantage of this lightning-in-a-bottle situation. The Bottom Line: The sports car group has never had a better chance to make a meaningful breakthrough with the media and public -- it's very difficult to imagine just when such a great opportunity will return -- and they let it pass.
A brief season recap, for context: Pruett (teamed with Juan Pablo Montoya in a Lexus) topped a terrific international field in the opening Rolex 24 at Daytona. After Iowa, with five races to go, Pruett led Angelelli by 15 points and teammates Fogarty/Alex Gurney by 22. Following Barber, the gaps were down to -11 and -13, respectively. Out of Montreal, the numbers were -2 and -9. Exiting Watkins Glen, Pruett and Angelelli were tied and only +4 on the other two. Post Infineon, Gurney/Fogarty's victory put them one up on Pruett and plus three on Angelelli. At Miller, the three title teams ran 1-2-3 much of the 1,000 kilometers. In a wacko last 25 laps, Fogarty had contact with Pruett (leaving both with flats and Scott lots of bodywork damage), Angelelli cut a tire (apparently on Pruett's debris) and that led to a broken oil line and a big fire, Pruett bumped a seemingly slowing Gurney, and the outcome was decided when officials decided to take the championship into their own hands with a judgment call that the Scott-Alex incident was "avoidable contact" and ordered-up a drive-thru penalty for Pruett.
Anyone who waded-through the story written for G-A's website had to struggle to the 16th paragraph to learn Alex -- son of Dan -- and Fogarty had claimed the crown. What WASN'T in the article was the essential fact that the G/F duo finished two points clear of Pruett, with Angelelli 13 back. Newswriting 101 . . .
One would have thought Dan Gurney's son enjoying a season of records, in terms of wins and poles, would produce some nice -- and badly needed -- national publicity. One would be wrong. The summer came-and-went without a major USA Today or Associated Press feature or sidebar on the Sports Illustrated racing page. (All of which should have been very doable.) Actually, the only significant space in USA Today in the last few weeks was a glowing Aug. 30 piece on the rival ALMS. The responsibility rests with the Bob Stallings team, sponsor Gainsco, engine supplier Pontiac's PR group and the series, because they had the most to gain. Most embarrassing of all was last week's AP "racing at a glance" listing of the upcoming weekend's events: Even Busch East, Whelen Modified Tour, Grand National West, Canadian Tire Series and Whelen Southern Modified Tour were mentioned. Grand-Am's championship race was not. (!) See for yourself:
http://sports.aol.com/story/_a/auto-racing-package-auto-racing-glance/n20070912135209990050?ecid=RSS0001
Meanwhile, Utah perhaps was the worst officiated race since the 1981 Indianapolis 500. And I'm not just referring to the dubious decision to award the championship via a judgment call. For example: Why did Seth Ingram even have a Daytona Prototype license? (Ingram spun, then drove onto the track right into the path of GT driver Nick Ham, who thankfully wasn't seriously injured when his Mazda RX-8 flipped.) Why was there no full-course caution when Pruett's bodywork went flying in multiple directions? Why was Angelelli not ORDERED to STOP, but allowed to drive his inferno onto the pit-road entrance, a potentially dangerous location?
And while SPEED deserves credit for allocating plenty of hours for the finale, it was a badly produced, directed and (except for Dorsey Schroeder) announced production. The Daytona Prototype START was reduced to a split-screen while a TAPED interview with a GT driver aired. The camera placement for pit entry left the audience, due to a high wall, with a meaningless view of each car's roof line. When Angelelli walked away from his fire, the announcer hurried to interview him while Max was still wearing his helmet. What was the rush? I doubt a competitor from ESPN was attempting to get Max first for a "live" SportsCenter report! A one-minute delay would have allowed Angelelli to remove his helmet and catch his breath -- maybe THEN we would have understood what he said. And seen the emotions painted on his face. After the checkered flag, there was no reaction shot of the Stallings team, no interview with Fogarty, and an awkward talk with Gurney as he walked down pit road. No podium ceremony. No championship presentation from Rolex. Given the controversy, viewers deserved an explanation from Grand-Am competition director Mark Raffauf. In fact, this was a MUST! SPEED's crew didn't get us one.
Gurney and Fogarty set tons of records and are worthy champions. However . . . Following a disappointment of such magnitude at such a vital time, one can only hope series management, sponsors, team owners, engine manufacturers, promoters and the TV partner will understand it's an absolute necessity for all of them to have a good, long, hard, difficult and -- most importantly -- HONEST think about the future.
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Wave the checkered flag over Champ Car's business plan to grow via "Festival of Speed"events on the streets of major cities. Last week the San Jose race was canned. This, coming a couple of weeks after Phoenix was canceled, and Denver was KO'd after last season. San Jose, like Phoenix, was a controversial enterprise from the start and promoters got $4 million in taxpaper support according to the Mercury News.
I am happy that date will go back to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. As CART's communications director, I played a role in the creation of that event back in 1983, and it's always been one of my favorites. At its best, the race was so well-attended that we all knew to wait two hours after the finish before even trying to leave (unless using helicopter service). One of Champ Car's greatest moments happened there in 1996, when Alex Zanardi made "The Pass" of Bryan Herta in the Corkscrew on the last lap. In victory lane, Zanardi asked me what I thought of that move. I told him he had done the impossible! Alex gave me the helmet he wore that day and I proudly display it in my office.
Over at the IRL (and it's still the "IRL" because it says so on the championship trophy), League PR VP John Griffin said this to the Associated Press about the expected departures of Sam Hornish and Dario Franchitti to NASCAR: "It's premature to comment on that directly right now. But, from our standpoint, we feel we're in as good a position as we've ever been in the League's history in terms of drivers who have been around, established names." He got the first sentence right and should have stopped there!
AP's respected Mike Harris had, well, a different perspective. "Will the last IndyCar Series star on his way to NASCAR please turn out the lights and close the door."
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FAST LINES: My friend Mark Armijo has decided to leave the Arizona Republic in early November after a 27-year stint with the state's largest newspaper. Most of that time was spent covering motorsports and he's been an AARWBA journalism contest winner. Mark says he's undecided on his future plans . . . The Sept. 11 NASCAR Foundation/American Red Cross event at Phoenix International Raceway attracted 101 people and resulted in 83 units of blood being donated. I was proud to participate . . . Mazda will be a co-host of the pre-dinner reception at the 38th AARWBA All-America Team ceremony, Saturday, Jan. 12, at the Indianapolis Hyatt. I'm the dinner chairman. See link at the right for the AARWBA website where there's further information and a ticket/table/program advertising form.
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What am I doing with an NHRA "Wally" trophy, which is given to the winner of every national event? Find out in my new "Business of Racing" video commentary on Susan Wade's 1320tv.com site. You'll find it in the "Straight Talk" section halfway down the home page. (Thanks to Mike Lewis, senior VP of Don Schumacher Racing, for letting me borrow the "Wally".) Here's the direct link:http://www.1320tv.com/straight_talk/article7.asp?vid=straight_talk/straight_talk_bor_wally_linda&title=We%20Miss%20You,%20Wally%20And%20Linda&des=Two%20of%20drag%20racing%27s%20%22stars%22%20not%20visible%20enough
[ more Blogging the Chase next Tuesday . . . ]
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