Nascar Coverage 2007

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ESPN/ABC roster heavy on familiar names, faces
By JIM UTTER
The Charlotte Observer

TALLADEGA, Ala. – There will be several familiar faces to race fans when ESPN debuts its NASCAR coverage next season.

ESPN and ABC will broadcast the second half of the Nextel Cup season, while ESPN will carry the entire Busch Series schedule.

Dr. Jerry Punch, NASCAR veteran Rusty Wallace and former NASCAR champion crew chief Andy Petree are expected to take prominent roles in ESPN's return to NASCAR coverage, The Charlotte Observer has learned.

Among the others taking part in the networks' race weekend and daily coverage of the sport are Allen Bestwick, Dave Burns, Jamie Little and Mike Massaro, multiple sources confirmed Saturday. Bestwick and Burns work with NBC currently, while Little and Massaro both work with ESPN. Little works with the Indy Racing League and Massaro with NASCAR.

ESPN and ABC are expected to officially introduce their team of on-air talent and producers during a news conference Thursday at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.

"We have a news conference at Lowe's on Thursday at which time we are going to reveal our announcers and producers who will be ushering our return to NASCAR in 2007," said George McNeilly, ESPN's senior director of corporate and consumer communications.

"We've asked everyone associated with that team to please refrain revealing their involvement. I have an obligation to abide by the same rules.

"However, it is no secret that Thursday's announcement will be the culmination of months of auditions and assessments. Certainly, a number of these people have been under serious consideration."

ESPN has already announced that Punch and Wallace would play a large role in its NASCAR coverage. Both spent the past season working with ESPN's IRL coverage.
 
Coverage changes

:mad: I cannot stand Jerry Punch!!! I was looking forward to Rusty Wallace being on the air but I was hoping they would bring back Bob Jenkins or somebody. Anybody is better than Jerry Punch for play-by-play.

I guess MRN will be my new home for NASCAR racing in 2007.

I thought TNT had a pretty solid lineup: Weber and Dallenbach. Czarniak, Yokum and Bestwick in the pits. That's solid right there. Keep it as is!
 
I guess I just don't see things as you do Andy. I for one, enjoy Dr. Punch and will gladly listen to him. I'm not sure he will be the play-by-play announcer, but he could be as he's done it in the past. They will have two experienced pbp men in Punch and Alan Bestwick. I'll be interested in seeing who will be where.
 
buckaroo said:
I guess I just don't see things as you do Andy. I for one, enjoy Dr. Punch and will gladly listen to him. I'm not sure he will be the play-by-play announcer, but he could be as he's done it in the past. They will have two experienced pbp men in Punch and Alan Bestwick. I'll be interested in seeing who will be where.
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I don't think Allen Bestwick has ever been with ESPN. Bill Weber was for a time but Bestwick came to NBC from MRN. I would like Jerry Punch alot as a pit-reporter but I cannot stand him as play-by-play. What's wrong with Bob Jenkins. Maybe if Weber smartened up a little (just makes alot of mistakes on air at crucial points - other than that he's solid).

I'd like to see on ESPN: Bestwick or Weber, Wallace, Petre. In the pits: Lindsay Czarniak (from SPEED/ARCA and WRC), Jerry Punch, Matt Yokum. There's one more he used to be with CBS... SHEHHEN that's it!
 
My guess is Bestwick will be the play-by-by announcer with Wallace and Petree doing their DW and Larry Mac impersonations. Punch will be pre-race and inside info man with the others as pit reporters.

I was also wanting to see Bob Jenkins return. It looks like he's being black-balled for some reason, unless he's truly not interested.
 
I never said that Bestwick had been at ESPN, only that he's an experienced pbp man. I'd love to see Jenkins back in the booth, but I think that he's been put out to pasture.
 
Why is it Jayski said it's being rumored that former NBA player and former CTS owner Brad Daugherty would be in the booth with Punch and Wallace?
 
AndyMarquisLIVE said:
:mad: I cannot stand Jerry Punch!!! I was looking forward to Rusty Wallace being on the air but I was hoping they would bring back Bob Jenkins or somebody. Anybody is better than Jerry Punch for play-by-play.

I guess MRN will be my new home for NASCAR racing in 2007.

I thought TNT had a pretty solid lineup: Weber and Dallenbach. Czarniak, Yokum and Bestwick in the pits. That's solid right there. Keep it as is!
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many race fans were upset that when nascar left espn that Dr. Jerry wouldnt be doing nascar races anymore...so the news to a lot of us is great that he's comming back.

cant wait for Dr. Punch to do the races!
 
Brent Musburger?!?!?!

Brent Musburger, Rusty Wallace, Dr. Jerry Punch (play-by-play), Andy Petree.

Is Musburger just doing the role Weber used to do?

They will be joined by TV newcomer Andy Petree, former NASCAR crew chief and team owner, who will act as a third analyst in the booth. Pit reporting duties will be handled by Allen Bestwick, Dave Burns, Jamie Little and Mike Massaro.​

TNT will remain with Weber, Dallenbach and Parsons. I think their pit road will be covered by Snider, Czarniak and Yokum.

I won't mind Jerry Punch but I will mind Brent Mustardburder or whatever it is. Why not Keith Olbermann or Bob Jenkins or Eli Gold?
 
barelypure said:
Why Benny? He's just a Lil'E buttboy. His statement Sunday of now that Lil'E was leading all is right with the world is just an example of his bias.
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Bias has NO place with announcers, no matter who the driver.

I do not care who the announcer favors or disfavors, as long as they keep it to themselves.
 
I like Dr. Punch, but I don't think he's the best play-by-play race announcer there is. It's not his knowledge, it's his voice tone or the pitch. When he gets excited, it doesn't seem to convey very well.
 
barelypure said:
Why Benny? He's just a Lil'E buttboy. His statement Sunday of now that Lil'E was leading all is right with the world is just an example of his bias.
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I though his meaning was how the crowd went wild when Jr took the lead after a couple years of being less than stellar at a plate track.
 
MRM said:
I like Dr. Punch, but I don't think he's the best play-by-play race announcer there is. It's not his knowledge, it's his voice tone or the pitch. When he gets excited, it doesn't seem to convey very well.
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Exactly.
 
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