Subscribe to this blog's feed
« A rookie blogger tries to run up front with the big boys |
Main
| Tim Richmond could have been
Curtis Turner's running buddy »
February 12, 2005
ARCA melee requires more reporting
Ken Squier called it a "wreck-'em rodeo" on Speed Channel. Classic understatement.
The Automobile Club of America race at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday saw a car overshoot a pit stall and plow into a group of photographers.
It even had a car hit the catchfence, scattering debris into the stands, slightly injuring a fan. And all that was before a late-race melee that saw cars sliding into and tumbling atop one another.
While I'm writing this, Speed Channel is doing everything but telling us what the hell has happened to those folks. Victory Lane interviews, Budweiser Shootout previews and still more cliches.
I dearly love all of the coverage and most of the personalities at their place. Plain and simple: they give us more to watch about cars and racing than anyone ever has. And they do it extremely well.
But where are the replays of the carnage and the news about those involved?
How bad is it?
As of 7:20 Eastern time we still don't even know what's up with the photographer hurt the worst when Blake Feese's Chevrolet missed its stall early in the race. http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/10886216.htm
But we've seen not one replay of the late-race pile-up. Is there something there not suitable for the viewing public? God, I hope not.
I've hung around a few newsrooms, but never the TV variety. So maybe I don't understand enough about the difficulties of gathering news in this setting. I know it doesn't happen with a simple click and drag.
But people want - and should demand - some reporting in addition to the rest of what they're paying a cable bill to get.
How bad is it?
Ken Squier is back on the tube, talking about Dale Earnhardt's mastery at Daytona now, at 7:42 p.m. And, dang if he didn't own the place.
It's already on the record in the track's media center about some of what happened at the end of the race.
http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/10886591.htm
Unfortunatley, it looks like more reporting is going to be required in relation to the two drivers and the photographer taken to Halifax Medical Center. ...
No, wait a minute. They're signing off and are switching away from Daytona. And .. this just in: Those two injured drivers are "awake and alert." NASCAR's folks apparently passed that along just in time, right as Speed Channel handed race fans over to Fox at 7:59 p.m.
Best-danged segue any right-thinking race fan could wish for.
February 12, 2005 in Racing | Permalink
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d83451bce769e200d83436d02353ef
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference ARCA melee requires more reporting:
Comments
Hi everyone,
Just wanted to introduce myself. This seems like a nice place and I look forward to hanging out here :)
Pam
http://sacredheartdietforreal.blogspot.com/
Posted by: pamelakworkoutgirl | Jan 13, 2008 10:30:41 AM
Now that everything has calmed down regarding the multi-car dogpile at the end of the race, it's a shame that both father and son have suffered neck injuries racing, let's look at the incident that put the car into the front straightaway fence. THE ROOF FLAPS DIDN'T DEPLOY UNTIL THE IMPACT WITH THE WALL! I didn't believe what I was seeing until replay after replay was shown. Racing is SO LUCKY that we didn't start the season with a number of fans injured as the car impacted both the wall and the fence and only some shrapnel went into the stands. Let's find out why the TV talking heads didn't mention the roof flap failure.
Posted by: freddymac | Feb 15, 2005 10:12:40 AM
Bob/all
I for one have no problem with not showing the aftermath of accidents, other than generic clean up. Last year, at the Indy 500, Sam Hornish, Jr. and Darren Manning came down pit road, not exactly in control of their cars. Unfortunatly, they ended up right if front of us, and in the process, took out the IRL pit entrance guy. We watched in person as they carried him down pit road to the waiting ambulance with a lot of blood on his broken leg (he was later released, according to news reports, and is fine).
The year before, on TV, I watched as Kenny Brack had his car literally disintegrate around him at TMS - the only think left was the body-pan with him in in it. The helo views on ABC quickly ended as many, I'm sure, thought that this was one of the bad ones. I couldn't believe he had survived that wreck. Bad, yes, but I did get to catch of glimpse of Kenny last year at Indy while he signed autographs in victory lane.
And nobody can forget what happened four years ago at Daytona.
These drivers put it all out on the line for their sport, and for our enjoyment. I think, personally, that when a serious accident happens, it is right and best that we remember that these drivers also have families, some who may also be watching on TV just like us. It is the human thing to let them find out from other loved ones or close friends, that their son/daughter/cousin/uncle/boyfriend/father/girlfrient or mother may have suffered life-threatening injuries.
Although, I agree, more ARCA coverage would be nice.
Posted by: theBlur | Feb 15, 2005 1:07:24 AM
I've had the unfortunate experience of attending races where serious/fatal crashes have occurred. NASCAR would not comment until family members were "notified" and quite often this wasn't until the race ended. ThePrivacy Act prevents the TV / Radio people from releasing information until approved by the family. You remember that Dale Earnhart was deceased when removed from his car but no official notice was made until victory celebrations were ended.
Posted by: freddymac | Feb 14, 2005 5:39:43 PM
ok, so showing that last lap crash is wrong? I am asking because while there were serious injuries- and I am glad Billy is ok- we showed Dales death crash over and over, and look how many times we show the photo and the clip of Blake Feese's accident. Even our sensationalized media is screwed up.
Bob, keep up the ARCA news. if you ran a column on just that you would be amazed at the number of people who would read it.
Posted by: Chris | Feb 14, 2005 5:32:25 PM
In fairness, to Speed, it should be pointed out that they only had two pit reporters. Bob Dilner had gone to cover victory lane which was the number one priority from a news standpoint. And the other pit reporter, was Wendy Venturini...yes THAT Venturini.
I am cutting Wendy a whole lot of slack. My need to know what happened doesn't even compare to what Wendy was dealing with at the time. This was her brother. If it's me in her shoes, I am dropping my mic and running somewhere fast. Fire me if you want. There's more important things than a job at a time like this.
Posted by: Mary | Feb 14, 2005 12:40:41 PM
It wasn't just us who couldn't get information about Billy; according to Amanda Brahler on bgnracing.com this morning, his parents were waiting in the infield care center for him and nobody even told THEM he'd been taken to the hospital. All I can say is thank heaven he was wearing a restraint device--it certainly saved his life. He'll have a long, slow recovery, but at least he won't have a permanent impairment!
Posted by: Jo | Feb 14, 2005 9:43:28 AM
Getting news out of Nascar is akin to getting news out of the old USSR. Speed did the same exact thing last year in the Hendrick plane crash. If they are going to be a racing news channel be a racing news channel. If they are going to be a "flack" channel for Nascar, at least have the fortitude to say so.
Posted by: Jim | Feb 14, 2005 7:37:15 AM
I was at the race and it was frustrating to not know what was going on, let alone be sitting in my living room not knowing. It took them 45 minutes to get who I am assuming was Venturini out of his car. I watched the ambulance head right out the turn 4 tunnel and thought "this is not good". There were no replays on the Nextel Vision screens either, which I thought was odd. I personnally think that showing the reply was appropriate, but assumed, since there were NONE and nothing on the PA about it, something "bad" had happened. I will say I have never seen so many emergency crews around one car in all my life as there was on the backstretch that night.
Posted by: Frank | Feb 14, 2005 6:57:09 AM
I've been looking everywhere for info. My husband and I watch everything that goes around in a circle. I'm a nurse and knew that it must have been bad, just because of the way it was handled by SPEED. My prayers go out to all of those injured in the ARCA race, fans, photographers, and drivers. Written that way, it sounds horrible, doesn't it?
Posted by: kelley | Feb 13, 2005 8:39:37 PM
Bob & Jim, thanks for the update on Billy. All of us will keep him and his family in our prayers.
http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/10892264.htm
Posted by: Jo | Feb 13, 2005 5:24:04 PM
Hey Bob,
As a former television anchor It seems you didn't want to get out of your butt molded chair in the media center to find out the facts for yourself.
I get sick of reading on-line or newspaper articles the day after a race with all the quotes coming straight from interviews done on television.
I have covered many races, ran my tail off
to hustle an interview while the print boys are back in the media center typing in quotes from press releases delivered to you by hand.
Did you ever think about reasons they didn't replay the accident was A.) They didn't know how serious the injuries were or B.) Out of respect for families not attending the race. Think about it. If you have finished eating the free buffet in the media center!
Posted by: Kevin | Feb 13, 2005 12:36:22 PM
So great to find a place to get ARCA updates. We have always enjoyed ARCA, to the point of.....better racing then cup, most of the time. Hope all drivers are doing well, we were also disgusted at the lack of coverage on those injured. There is a differance in respecting the families and acting like they are just ignoring the situation. Some type of reporting on the incident would have been appreciated by all.
Posted by: Patsy | Feb 13, 2005 11:48:39 AM
You read my mind! One of Wisconsin's newest "rising stars" Todd Kluever, was involved in the wreck and even though we saw him jump out of the car and walk to the ambulance limping, his fans and family can't help but wonder how he is, along with so many others involved? Why didn't we get updates? These guys are racers too, and deserve more coverage than a last lap wreck that ruined thousands of dollars in equipment, let alone potential rides for an entire season! Come on Nascar, we know and love the Nextel Cup drivers, but care about so many others also.
One more point, who's idea was it to use Ken Squire? He's had his day in the sun, don't you think?
Posted by: Rachael | Feb 13, 2005 11:38:47 AM
Cecil, you're right: prayers for all involved, first and foremost.
Bob, you wrote "there might be a point that better serves viewers somewhere between absolute silence and acting as if nothing had happened and the ghoulish airing of replays you mention." That is a good point. If the reporters say, "We understand that several drivers (or photographers or injured people) have been taken to the hospital. Until they or their families authorize releasing information about their condition, we will respect their privacy, and we will pass along any information that's received as soon as we get it," they will not only do their job as journalists but earn points for behaving like human beings.
A good case in point was the Hendrick crash last fall, where the news about the crash was circulating among the press during the late part of the race, but nobody reported it out of consideration for the victims' families. There can be a balance. I just hope the news organizations will use this as a spur to discuss in advance how to handle such situations with sensitivity and adjust their practices.
Posted by: Jo | Feb 13, 2005 11:14:57 AM
Let's stop a minute and say a prayer for those who were injured. For most of us racing is entertainment, but for those injured it represents a paycheck, a career, or a dream.
This race will change their lives. Let's pray it is for the best.
Posted by: Cecil | Feb 13, 2005 10:50:52 AM
Interesting that Billy's sister is a pit reporter for SPEED huh? All good wishes to Billy and his entire family. I have been a fan of his and his dad for years.
Posted by: Bob LaPenta | Feb 13, 2005 9:56:58 AM
Just another example of Speed/NASCAR being out of touch with their fans. Race fans from any division are always more concerned about the health and safety of drivers involved in accidents. Speed and NASCAR are concerned about ratings and advertising revenue.
Posted by: S M George | Feb 13, 2005 9:44:14 AM
OK, let's try that last one again. Then I'll get another cup of coffee.
What I meant to say was that there might be a point that better serves viewers somewhere between absolute silence and acting as if nothing had happened and the ghoulish airing of replays you mention.
Sorry, that still reads like a sleepy man is writing it, but I hope it's a little closer.
Posted by: Bob Henry | Feb 13, 2005 9:28:08 AM
Good points all.
Might there be a point somewhere between absolute silence on the issue and acting as if nothing had happened that would better serve viewers?
Thanks for writing.
Posted by: Bob Henry | Feb 13, 2005 9:15:47 AM
They never show replayes of accidents involving or possibly involving serious injuries until they can report on the condition of the people involved. Due to increasingly restrictive (even to the point of stupidity), medical privacy laws that means they have to wait until the families release the medical information.
Reporters can't just ask the medical staff because the doctors, nurses, paramedics, etc. are not legally allowed to say anything -- not even good news -- without specific permission from either the patient or the family.
Its just plain ghoulish to want instant replays and analysis of severe accidents before you can know if you might be watching someone die.
Posted by: M. B. Voelker | Feb 13, 2005 8:24:51 AM
The comments to this entry are closed.
Advertisements
