Allen Bestwick starts the racing day on ABC at 2:30PM ET with NASCAR Countdown. Loudon, NH is the venue for the Nationwide Series this weekend and the race is a flat-track sprint.
Bestwick is joined this week by Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty from the Infield Pit Studio. Wallace is back to the infield-only this week because Dale Jarrett returns to the broadcast booth.
Jarrett is joined by Marty Reid and Andy Petree for this telecast. This will be a good indicator of just how this crew will handle the Sprint Cup Series when it comes to ESPN and ABC in July. Loudon is a key venue for The Chase.
Pictures and sound should be outstanding and indications are that there is going to be a very good crowd on-hand. TV viewers should look for the continuing issue of triple-split video on caution flag pit stops. This is going to be crucial as much of the passing is going to take place while cars leave pit road. ESPN has been having trouble keeping the triple-split in place for the entire stop until all the cars are racing to the pit exit line.
Reid should be in fine form with Jarrett back in the booth. Jarrett has been great this season and Reid has the veteran ability to provide the kind of excitement that some of the ESPN telecasts have been lacking. Jarrett returning might be exactly what the ESPN team needs right now to get the momentum going for July.
ESPN will not be able to focus on the normal script of Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards vs. the Nationwide regulars this Saturday. Lots of Sprint Cup Series drivers are crossing-over for this race and several flat-track specialists are also in the event.
It should be interesting to see what stories Bestwick introduces as possible race scenarios and then how Reid and company continue those storylines. Look for whether the ESPN crew interviews the drivers who have fallen out of the race. This has been a tough issue for the network this season.
Also important to watch are the stories that are unplanned. A driver coming up through the field, a favorite with a bad pit stop and a battle for position not in the top five are things that fans want to see that sometimes do not make it to the TV set.
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