Racing, traffic and TNT coverage at Kentucky Speedway
TV coverage, traffic and the racing at Kentucky were on the minds of members of the Backseat Drivers Fan Council this week. With the recent complaints about commercials, especially during the Kentucky race, members were asked if Pay-Per-View should be an option. Members also discussed if they were satisfied with the fixes to the traffic situation to go to Kentucky Speedway and what they thought of the racing there last weekend. This is what members of the Backseat Drivers Fan Council had to say:
Would you subscribe to a Pay-Per-View channel to watch races without commercial interruption if that was offered?
In light of the complaints about commercials interrupting NASCAR broadcasts, particularly the last couple of weeks, Fan Council members were asked if they would consider subscribing to a Pay-Per-View service to watch races without commercials if that was offered.
64.7 percent said No
35.3 percent said Yes
What Fan Council members said:
• Definitely! Hard to know what would be a fair price ... maybe $300 for the season. The frequency and repetition of ads is out of control. Casual fans, who are not also following scanners, Twitter, etc, are never going to sit through trying to watch an entire race as poor as the broadcasts are now.
• That's a terrible idea and it would just bring the ratings down even further. You will not gain viewers by raising their cable/satellite bill. The race still being shown in the corner of the screen is good. More of that could help.
• I wouldn't just for the fact it would be crazy expensive. If you look at the cost of what it is to actually run a commercial during these races and how the economy is still shaky, it would not be a good thing to do. With Twitter, RaceBuddy (for TNT at least) and streaming car/driver audio on my Sprint phone I actually don't mind the commercials. I can still keep up with the action. Worse case: I will listen to the race on the radio before I would pay for a premium channel.
• I cannot stand commercials. Considering it already costs me money for cable each month as well as two TiVo's, the thought of spending more money to see a race is not high on my list. But most likely I would do it when it came down to it. Now, I TiVo a race and watch it later in the day so I skip the commercials anyway. TiVo has spoiled me ... I find it so hard to sit and watch anything live these days!
• We miss so much of the racing action due to the number of commercials, it would be a great idea to offer Pay-Per-View for Cup races.
• No, because we are already paying for cable, plus that is one of the reasons I have PitCommand.
• TV cable subscriptions are already outrageous. The best solution is watch on DVR and fast forward through the commercials.
• There are many more ways than ever to follow the race live now days, so people should just shut up about commercials and enjoy the racing!
• I pay enough already for my cable subscription. In this economy I can't afford more costs to watch TV. I agree that there are too many commercials, but my complaint is that the broadcast misses important parts of the race during commercials and doesn't catch the audience up when the commercials are over.
• If I had the funds available, I would in a heartbeat.
• I AM NOT gonna pay every week for something I have been watching for free since I was a kid. Besides, the way the racing has been lately, why would I pay to watch that either?
• Yes! I never thought I'd say this, but after this season's broadcasts, I would definitely pay for a season of real racing coverage. I like the DirecTV broadcasts but they tend to have the same four or five drivers on every week — if I could see more of the field, more of my driver, and more racing, I would pony up the bucks.
Would you consider going to a race at Kentucky since traffic was not as big an issue as last year?
51.1 percent said Yes
48.9 percent said No
What Fan Council members said:
• Not yet. It appears the traffic outbound was still an issue, and some of the improvement inbound was probably due more to less attendance. Needs a few more years of seasoning before I'd consider it. Plus, I’m not exactly sure the track has the most exciting racing.
• I went last year and due to the (traffic) nightmare did not renew for this year. I said “yes,” I would go back. May take me another year or so as it sounds like leaving still has issues.
• Yes, they fixed the problem and it would be a great place to see a race.
• Went last year via backroads; went this year all highway and it was a breeze!
• I would keep Kentucky on the list of tracks I would consider going to since they apparently fixed the traffic issues. The first few years of Texas Motor Speedway were a nightmare for traffic also.
• I really wanted to go this year, but with last year's horrific traffic problem I wanted to wait and see if the changes made a difference. I always go to the Michigan and Road America races. Don't know if, financially, I can go to three races in a row. Guess I better start saving now.
• Went last year, camped and avoided the traffic mess, but it (was) still the most miserable experience I've ever had at a race track. No coolers, no porta-johns in parking lots or campgrounds, boring race, not to mention watching the traffic at a dead stop as the race started, and eventually seeing that same traffic turned around because they couldn't get in. I will never spend another penny at Kentucky.
• I would have gone regardless. Anybody who has been going to a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race for the last 18 years can tell you to come early, leave late and have plenty of beer. I read comments from after the race and looks like traffic ran smooth, which is good for Kentucky Speedway. Now, maybe some of those fans that skipped out will come back.
• After last year, it was the last place I wanted to go. Seeing how they improved it so much, I think that I will move it up the list.
• I will consider going back. I had season tickets for several years before this year but had no desire to go back after last year.
Grade Saturday's Cup race at Kentucky.
59.2 percent said it was Good
27.7 percent said it was Fair
7.5 percent said it was Great
5.6 percent said it was Poor
What Fan Council members said:
• Worst race I've ever seen, plain and simple. TNT will have to really outdo themselves to do a worse job broadcasting.
• Had everything. Racing, fuel mileage, changing track conditions, enough cautions to let people fix their cars and come back from bad adjustments. That was about the best racing I've seen this season.
• Too many commercials and not enough racing. Only the fact that Brad won gives it a fair rating.
• At least this race had some drama: Kyle Busch having issues, Kasey Kahne coming back from a lap down to finish second, Carl Edwards and others trying to stretch fuel.
• Clean air was so important — the car out front could just get away. There apparently was some good racing in the field (you could find a little of it on RaceBuddy) but for those of us watching the TV broadcast, it was all about mashed potatoes vs mac 'n' cheese, and that was just TERRIBLE. I actually gave up watching the telecast, switched to social media and was streaming Dr. Who on Netflix instead.
• I graded it fair, because the last few restarts got lively. I don't know which was more boring, Sonoma or Kentucky. Somewhere Pocono is laughing and saying, “Yes, I'm no longer hated!! Thank you for repaving me!!”
• Glad that Brad won, but the race itself, with all the commercial interruptions, was boring. No passing except for Kahne at the end of the race.
• I was there and was bored. I still found myself scrolling through Twitter to stay in touch.
Which winner had the most impressive performance at Kentucky?
47.0 percent said Austin Dillon for leading all but eight laps in the Nationwide race
44.8 percent said Brad Keselowski for winning the Cup race in his third race in three nights
8.1 percent said James Buescher for being the first repeat winner in Trucks this season
What Fan Council members said:
• Dillon without a doubt. With that many Cup drivers in the field, I figured it would be one of their races to lose. I was wrong. Dillon showed why he was deserving of a Nationwide ride this year. It was impressive.
• Probably would've voted for Austin except the post-race inspection failure tainted that one a bit.
• Brad put together a great race. Start to finish, he announced that he is here and looking to win a lot of races. He earned a lot of respect from me.
• I'm going to say Brad K. because racing three straight nights in the heat is pretty badass. Plus, it's Cup competition — there is no comparison with the other two from that standpoint.
• They were all pretty darn impressive to me. What a great three nights of racing. I LOVED it!
• 192 laps (led)? That's just crazy!! I know it's gonna be tainted by some since (Dillon) failed post race inspection, but you gotta give the kid some credit. Good to see the legacy of the No. 3 live on!!
• Brad running all three races in that terrible heat and using a back-up car no less to drive it to a win was amazing!!
• How could anybody say Austin Dillon? He had an illegal car.
• Brad Keselowski being the first third-time winner this season is something to look at versus everybody who has won. Obviously, Jimmie Johnson and the rest of Hendrick would be Keselowski's main competition. It's definitely not Austin Dillon, he along with his crew chief, cheated.
The Backseat Drivers Fan Council was founded and is administered by Dustin Long. Fans can join by sending Dustin an email at dustinlong002@gmail.com.
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Name, city, state, Twitter name, e-mail address and favorite driver.
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