Today marked TNT’s return to NASCAR and its annual six race Summer Season. TNT’s first race was in the Poconos and already, TNT has its quotage done. This is why I love Turner Sports so much. Quotage is ready just after its coverage signoff.
Notes from TNT NASCAR Summer Series – Race #1
Pocono Raceway
Sunday, June 12, 2011**** **** **** ****
TNT NASCAR Summer Series – Pocono
Adam Alexander (host), Kyle Petty (analyst) and Wally DallenbachTNT host Alexander to Kyle Petty on Petty pick to win the race: “The sleeper in this [the race today] may just be your pick this week – Jeff Gordon.”
TNT analyst Petty commenting on Alexander’s question about early leader Denny Hamlin after 20 laps in the race: “In these first few laps, I’m not so sure he just came to play as opposed to ruin everybody else’s day.”
TNT analyst Petty commenting on the NASCAR.com ULTIMATE TAILGATING VEHICLE (UTV) that is loaded with big screen TVs, full kitchen, sleeping quarters, bathroom, two taps and the ability to play video games: “That UTV is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen…if you’re a guy.”
TNT’s Lindsay Czarniak and Larry MacReynolds have special guest Carl Edwards – in a rare ‘in-race’ interview before jumping back into his car to rejoin the race after his car was repaired – in the booth while his car was being worked on in his garage. Edwards explained the valve problems he experienced during the race.
Edwards: “We’re off right now, we’re not out…I brought part of the valve. The head of the valve…it’s not a failure based on the way it was built there was some type of failure. I thought I would come up here right now and talk to you about what’s going on what’s happening on the race track. There’s a lot of shifting going on out there and the cars are getting looser. It’s really tough out there.”MacReynolds: “I heard you and Bob Osborne talking before the race…to shift or not to shift…either way it’s a lot of rpm on these long straight-aways.”
Edwards: “It’s a lot of rpm. We’re looking at Kurt Busch, I don’t think when I was racing him [Kurt Busch], I don’t think he was shifting. I was watching the broadcast and we were watching Tony Stewart shifting six times each lap, down into third, back to fourth, down to third, back to fourth…and his transmission, I think, gave up. It’s tough because as a driver you’re trying to get every last bit of speed you can. But, when you’re sitting in that car and you put the car into third gear you take the chance that something could go wrong.”
MacReynolds comments on Edwards’ team trying to get him back out in the race to try to at least get some points from this race.
Edwards responds: “The guys are working hard. Watching the broadcast…with the sun coming out it’s going to be an interesting race.”Czarniak: “How much pressure do you feel being the points leader halfway through the chase?”
Edwards: “It’s a lot of pressure and I think what we’re seeing here with Kurt leading that a lot of things can happen with 13 races left. We came in here with a 40-point lead and it looks like we’ll leave with about a five-point lead. That’s how quick things can change. This year is a lot like the race.”
Czarniak comments on the reemergence of the Penske teams in the last three weeks:
Edwards: “This race hasn’t played out with fuel mileage but it looks like Kurt and Denny are the guys to beat. You got guys out there racing for the wins and that’s what we were out there doing today but it wasn’t meant to be. It’s going to be an exciting race and I’m going to stick around to see the end of it.”Gordon comments on his win at Pocono: “We were embarrassed by the way we were running…we went on a streak where we weren’t competitive. What it takes is a team that you believe in and they work with you to get there. Welcome TNT, it’s a great way to kick it off [TNT’s Summer Series].”
Runner-up Kurt Busch speaking about his day at Pocono: “It’s great to run this good with the Shell/Pennzoil Dodge. We gave it everything we had from the back.”
Third place finisher Kyle Busch speaking about his day at Pocono: “We ran a solid day. I can’t say enough about Joe Gibbs Racing…can’t thank them enough. We had a great ride. [It] seemed like we were a third or fourth place car today.”
Denny Hamlin, who led a great part of the race today, but ended up having car problems: “We were a little out of sequence [on pit road]. When we left pit road [near the end of the race] and had a flat tire, it was just a slew of problems.”
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That’s going to do it.
