NASCAR's official announcement of the 2009 TV package for the Camping World regional series can be read by clicking here.
The good news is that 22 races will get tape-delayed coverage on national TV. The bad news is that 3PM on Thursdays is going to be the timeslot for all of them.
SPEED will once again be the network carrying the coverage. The TV package will actually be produced by The NASCAR Media Group.
SPEED and NASCAR are essentially submitting this to viewers as a "DVR Theater" presentation. 3PM on the East Coast and 12PM on the West Coast are traditionally times when most folks are at work. The message is clear, record it or miss it.
There has to be a better media platform for these regional series than SPEED at 3PM on Thursdays. Recently, SPEED announced it was going to carry tape-delayed AMA motorcycle racing on Saturday nights in primetime in two or three hour time blocks.
Whether the NASCAR product is offered online, syndicated to regional sports networks or moved to a better timeslot with a cash infusion from NASCAR, something should be done. The teams and tracks are looking for media exposure at a crucial time in the sport.
The 7PM timeslot Thursdays on SPEED is dedicated to what the network calls "lifestyle programming." In April, SPEED will feature re-runs of the former MTV Pimp My Ride series
The repercussions of another season of substantially meaningless TV for the Camping World regional series could be much more serious than last season. Just how many fans remember to set the DVR or VCR for 3PM on Thursdays is yet to be seen.
One thing is for sure. No casual TV viewer at 7 or 8PM will be surfing through the channels and bump into NASCAR racing from these rich and diverse series. That is just a flat-out shame.
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