Speed Channel Sucks!

[jacob360]

Ever since Speedvison was killed, and Speed Channel took it's place, it's been getting worse and worse, especially for WRC fans.

We used to have 1 hour of quality same day coverage (3 total hours), then it was 2 hours of jumpy erratic coverage for the entire rally a week after it was over, this season was 1.5, next year 1, and this year they've scrapped the New Years Day all day WRC marathon. They actually are replaying the season this year, one a day at 3:30am EST . I wouldn't be surprised if WRC gets dumped completely after next season.

They are a business, and they have to do what makes money, so I really can't blame them. NASCAR dominates the ratings, even the replays and various related shows, and WRC ratings aren't very high (butchering the coverage and playing it at inconvenient times couldn't have been a contributing factor ). I guess I'm lucky to get any coverage at all, but it's just frustrating.

Other racing series are suffering too.

Our overwhelmingly popular motorsport is called stock car racing, with nothing stock about the cars, in a technologically advanced society, using carburetors, and drving around a giant oval for hours straight.

Why are so many people so stupid? It really is amazing, and sad.

[nametakennow]

Yup, but when they have some good GT-style racing, it's worth it. I always try to catch some sometime, but with all the NASCAR, I don't check the channel to see what's on as much as I used to... not to mention that I flat out don't watch TV like I used to.

[themadscientist]

rednecks turning left, I think Ill flip to Lifetime for the Golden Girls marathon

[skydragoness]

I've pretty much stopped watching Speed once that started happening.. i do love the speed world challenge gt racing, great action in those races. Shame on what they've done to the WRC, i used to watch it a lot.

[themadscientist]

well I am bummed by what Nascar has become. As Jacob said they are NOT stock cars. I think the racing would be much more interesting if the cars had substatial restrictions placed on them to keep them as close to showroom stock as possible.

[Mr1der]

wonder how long it'll be before they show the world p0ker tournament...

[jacob360]

well I am bummed by what Nascar has become. As Jacob said they are NOT stock cars. I think the racing would be much more interesting if the cars had substatial restrictions placed on them to keep them as close to showroom stock as possible.

I still think the oval would be pretty boring, but NASCAR would be a lot better if it were like what it used to be. Actually, the history and old stories of NASCAR and how it grew from grassroots racing is very interesting, like NHRA and drag racing, a true example of American spirit and ingenuity. But what it has become is a true example of American idiocy and commercialism.

Back in the day, the saying "win on Sunday sell on Monday" was true, because you could buy almost the exact car you saw dominating on the track. That's one of the reasons I like some of the less modified GT classes, because you can get a good idea as to the potential of cars that are actually available for purchase.

[nismofly]

me like road racing

i like rally but they dont show enough of it, didnt they like cancel scca pro rally all together?

i used to watch that on tv now i get the updates from scc

[Rex]

They just need to hear from people that they want WRC. Someone find an email addy and elt's start hitting 'em up with some requests.

They're moving to more and more NASCAR, because that's where the money's at for them. I'm sure they're getting some backing from Fox and/or NBC to help them fulfill their broadcasting requirements as part of the multi-billion dollar deal they signed to carry NASCAR programming. I think the current NASCAR TV package runs through 2008, so don't expect much changes before then.

[SeVa-S13]

Watching racing has never been too exciting to me for longer than like 15 minutes so I'm not too upset over the less WRC coverage. Howevere, the Fifth Gear episodes make me happy because I had never seen any of them before so I have my DVR set up to record them all, and a few other choice shows.

[jacob360]

They just need to hear from people that they want WRC. Someone find an email addy and elt's start hitting 'em up with some requests.

Actually, a bunch of people emailed, started online petitions, and used the Speed Channel online forums a couple years ago when they first started changing the WRC coverage. Basically what Speed Channel's response boiled down to was that they didn't care about all of that stuff because they took for granted we were already fans, and the ONLY thing thing they cared about was ratings. The only thing anyone could do is to get more Nielsen families to watch WRC.

They're moving to more and more NASCAR, because that's where the money's at for them. I'm sure they're getting some backing from Fox and/or NBC to help them fulfill their broadcasting requirements as part of the multi-billion dollar deal they signed to carry NASCAR programming. I think the current NASCAR TV package runs through 2008, so don't expect much changes before then.

Speed Channel is owned by Fox. That's what killed Speedvision, and kept Speed Channel alive. NASCAR is thier bread and butter

[574-240sx]

I wish I got speedvision and toliet bowl racing sucks. The terrorists will win if you watch nascar.

[BadMojo]

I wish I got speedvision and toliet bowl racing sucks. The terrorists will win if you watch nascar.

Yes and yes.

That really sucks about the reduced WRC coverage. Are you sure it's only going to be an hour long? Are they still showing Rally Magazine?

As for emailing them, writing letters is usually more effective. I'm inclined to write them a letter and let them know that both my fiance and myself, in our 30s and professionals, watch the Speed Channel primarily for the WRC coverage. It might also help to write to the big sponsors who advertise during WRC...Subaru comes to mind.

Anyway, this really sucks. I hope there will be BitTorrents set up to download the Euro coverage on the WRC events.

[PoorManQ45]

Yup, but when they have some good GT-style racing, it's worth it.

I've pretty much stopped watching Speed once that started happening..

You don't watch speed. You injest it

Actually, the history and old stories of NASCAR and how it grew from grassroots racing is very interesting, like NHRA and drag racing, a true example of American spirit and ingenuity.

I've watched one or two shows on the History channal about NASCAR. The old style of racing was much better. All the cars actually looked different... And..OMG... they actually had different engines in them .

Now all cars must be the same. Engine output is limited to a certain HP/TQ. What's the explanation for this? IIRC one of NASCAR officials said, "NASCAR should be about the drivers skill, not about the engineering of the vehicle.". WTF is up with that? Oh ya, lets all go drive some Yugo's around in a circle for a few hours. The winner will most certainly be the best driver if he can win, or even keep his car running for that long

[The Mic]

You don't watch speed. You injest it

ingest, moron.


Modified by S13GUY at 2:02 PM 1/1/2005

[underground57]

That is so sad to hear. Back when I had cable, WRC was the only thing I watched religiously. I would leave class early just so I wouldn't miss anything. I even listened to rally radio the entire weekend (until that got killed).

[nismo510]

they should change the seed chanel name to nascar tv i hate nascar sssooo much it take no talent and there not stock cars any more.i want to see some auto cross and driffting and yes way more wrc.the drivers are gods!!!!and it takes a lot of talent.

[themadscientist]

I have "rural" freind who is rabid about NASCAR, myself I prefer road racing. He was spouting off about what good drivers they are yadayada. I just said "the minute they exectute a right turn I will be impressed. Rally is just nuts though, I hold those guys right up there with F1 in terms of inhuman skill. With the F1 cars they are just so insanely fast and tenatively stuck to the track, Rally there is a good chance you will be catching air and dodging trees and dumbass WRC fans in the road for the entire stage. If I was in the states I would seriously look into rally competition. Now not to turn this into a NASCAR thread but I have some opinions and ideas for it I would like to share.

First I beleive NASCAR has a place in the world of racing, it is the only racing series only having American-built cars. I am bored by the oval but I could overlook it if the following changes were made;

Back to it's roots, NASCAR in the old days used essentially stock cars, they are not stock anymore and they need to be IMO. Here are the rules I would impose;

Stock unibody MUST be retained and unaltered, no modifcations whatsoever to the base structure of the car. It could be completely gutted and a full bore racing cage, bucket seat and restraint system installed for driver safety.

Body panels MUST remain unaltered, there would be an allowance for overfenders and spoilers but they would have to be bolt-on.

Long block MUST retain the stock geometry and parts. The parts must be completely stock but will be allowed to be blueprinted, prepared and assembled by the teams. No increases in compression and a maximum allowable overbore will be set for the purposes of giving the builders the leeway to clean up the cylinders. Similarly the manifolds, both intake and exhuast must be stock but can be prepped to the limit of the stock peice.

the engines must be run by the OEM computer and electronics, complete reworking of the maps will be allowed to further allow tuning to play a part above the vehicle selected.

suspension geometry CANNOT be altered. The car must retain all original suspension points but things like racing struts with ride-height adjustment and camber/caster adjustment will be allowed as long as the pasrts attach at the factory points. Once again this will allow the good tuners to break away from the pack.

Safety items like fuel cells , scattershields, steel hoses for the engine and brakes, racing type windows will be allowed. Brakes must be stock, steel-braided lines and aftermarket pads will be allowed as well as crossdrilled and prepped rotors that do not exceed the OEM dimensions.

Changes like this will really force the manufacterers to build cars capable right out of the box because if the car is not well built and reliable it won't win on Sunday and nobody will buy it on Monday. Will NASCAR do what I have described? NO FREAKIN WAY! The body has gone to far to come back now, a new sanctioning body would have to do it and stick to it. It would not be a direct competitor to NASCAR because those are not stock cars.but I am sure the big boys would do everything in their power to crush it.

[BadMojo]

MadScientist,

I completely agree with all of what you said. I guess we can only hope that FIA takes over NASCAR.

[PoorManQ45]

Brakes must be stock, steel-braided lines and aftermarket pads will be allowed as well as crossdrilled and prepped rotors that do not exceed the OEM dimensions.

I don't understand, how can you mandate stock brakes, yet you specifically allowed the changing of the brakes to performance parts. Did you mean the Calipers can't be changed/modified? The master cylinder?

[themadscientist]

exactly, the hoses can be upgraded for sfety and responsiveness, the pads can be upgraded for longevity in a racing environment and the rotors can be upgraded for the same reason. The master cylinder and calipers must be stock and the rotors may not exceed OEM dimensions

[jdmfreak]

LOL! TMS made a boo-boo?

As for NASCAR? The hell with them. We need our television show or even our own channel.

First FA will go down. And then Greg can start his plans for NICO TV. I guess we can allow the other manufacturers in on the fun.

[nismofly]

NASCAR has to have insane cars though because a bunch of guys racing stock tauruses and monte carlos isnt fun for rednecks...also spec racing, where the driver is more important than the car, is of no importance in NASCAR, where driver talent plays little part in the overall scheme...but in racing such as rally and road racing, driver talent plays a much larger role, hence all the spec series that exist where all the cars are prepared equally. the most popular of which these days is champ car, because that has lost so much popularity in recent years they have cars all same chassis and with ford engines.

[themadscientist]

What boo boo?the only boo boo I ever made was buying a Sega instead of a Nintendo back in the day. Oh yeah and paying $7.00 to see Sphere

[Rex]

It's funny that people who don't understand NASCAR nor have done any NASCAR type racing/ride-along talk about how little talent it takes.

I'm a fan fo ALL racing, I think it all serves a purpose, I alos believe that as cart enthusiasts we should all be fans of any type of racing that requires/needs a better built part for any car.

[themadscientist]

I would prefer a type of racing that promotes a better built car. By forcing the manufacturers to build a better base product we as car enthusiasts. We have enough balls to the wall no limit racing. NASCAR started as Stock Car Racing, it should not have strayed away from that.

[nsrZ32]

Yeah it sucks....but atleast they have good stuff sometimes. Could be worse, they could have made it the 24 hour nascar channel. There's good racing to be found on there from time to time still so I can deal.

[Bubba1]

I don't think the channel sucks. The excessive NASCAR coverage is boring, but there's this amazing thing I do when NASCAR programs come on.... are you ready?...I switch channels. Actually I think there are still some good programs on Speed, Barret-Jackson, SCCA runoffs, WRC, roadracing stuff, my classic car, etc. If Speed became NASCRAP 24/7, I would never watch it, but it's not all NASCRAP.just my $.02