Sick of NASCAR

[Jad]

Rather ironically, last night I was getting ready for bed and turned the tv on to watch the weather and decided to see what was on tivo.... There was a CART race on Sunday that I had forgotten about! The DVR missed it, but tivo came through as usual.

I think we have a new thread, instead of aircooled vs watercooled, we should debate tivo vs DVR

Tivo is old technology like a 911. It started the industry and is the icon, like the 911, and is incredibly reliable and just keeps going, like people claim the 911 is , but just doesn't have the features to really perform that well.

The DVR is high tech, multi tasking, mainstream, and fast, but with some serious design flaws and reliability problems, so its no 944, maybe a 996 based on the old school views of the 996?

At least I have a good race to watch tonight, score 1 for tivo!

[mfoley]

Jad, TIVO is a personal video recorder (PVR). What are you talking about? TIVO is a brand. Are you talking about a PVR in a DISH set top box? On the other hand my 951 is no 911 ...

PVR=DVR=TIVO =>digital video recorded on a hard drive

[Jad]

Apple and Dell's are both computers, but there are big debates on which is better

Tivo is a brand, but the interface and features are very unique compared to the timewarner DVR. Two different means to reach an end, much like the 944 vs 911 debate

[Mike]

At least I have a good race to watch tonight, score 1 for tivo!

Did you like the Indy race?
I was glad I had that on DVR, I was able to FF some of it.

[Tim Comeau]

Maybe we should just trade old racing videos?
I can't stand NASCAR. Roundy-round bores me. But I have learned somethings from them in terms of team management, marketing, etc. I even started chewing tobacco.
I just ordered my Cox Cable DVR box today. It'll be here on Thursday.
The thing that kills me about SPEED is that it used to be what I wanted. They showed all the best current road racing on TV, then filled the gaps with historic racing that was just mind blowingly cool! 1968 Sebring, 1970 Le Mans, etc. Yeah, they had some snowmobile racing and some boat stuff, but mostly racing. I could turn the TV on and have a pretty good chance of seeing some good racing. Now? Just the hill billies everytime.......
Anybody want to start a new TV channel?

[Kenyon Blower]

Just to let you guys know, every hour of Grand Am Racing is one less hour of NASCAR. Speed Channel has a contract with NASCAR to carry so many hours of programming. Grand AM races count towards that contract. (NASCAR owns the Grand Am Series). We have one more Grand AM race left this year. I leave for Mexico City next week. It will run along with the Champ Cars.

Start to look for SCCA Runoffs next month. I did that race 2 years ago and it includes 24 one hour shows (all taped in 3 days).

Next years schedule for Grand AM includes even more tracks. We will be racing at the new Miller Motorsports track in Salt Lake City. Grand Am is going to race at Lime Rock next year (and yes, they still do not race on Sundays) and they will be at Long Beach. There is talk of the GT races at VIR be extended to either 12 or 24 hours.

Another series to watch is the AMA Superbikes. They race at most of the big tracks in the nation and yes, they also turn to the right. The Laguna Seca race is run in conjunction with Moto GP, the Formula One of mototcycles.

Yes there is more NASCAR than I like on the channel (actually, I have NEVER watched a full NASCAR race). One thing you need to remember, Speed Channel has a very narrow audience. NASCAR pays the bills. Without it, there would not be a Speed Channel. The budget for a weekend of racing coverage is over $250,000. The sponsorship from NASCAR shows helps to pay for road racing shows.

Kenyon Blower
Tape Producer - Speed Channel / AMA Superbikes & Grand AM Series
and also PCASDR member

[Tim Comeau]

Thanks for the info, Kenyon.

[David J Marguglio]

Did anyone catch the airing of the "East Coast Targa" this week? This was like the coolest amateur racing event I have ever seen. It is is located in Australia (damn those guys like there motorsports) and it takes place over 4-5 days??? It is an all-tarmac rally (no not like our sissy-boy rallies) a real timed-for-speed staged rally. Man do I wish we could pull something like THIS off here in SoCal.

http://www.eastcoasttarga.com.au/

[Tim Comeau]

I saw the one like it in New Zealand? Greta fun to watch. They now have a similar event in Canada called the Targa Newfoundland.
I see on my new Cable DVR box that SPEED will be showing highlights of the 1965 Targa Florio on late Monday night/Tuesday morning! That should be really cool!!!!

[Tim Comeau]

Highlights of the '65 Targa Florio were great. Also got 1951 Grand Prix (F1) season. Hell, I even recorded rounds 9,10,11,12 of the Super Cup series.

[David J Marguglio]

Check out the replay of Test Drive (Saturday ~12:30, I think) of the new Z06. They have Johnny O' and Jeff Gordon punishing them around road atlanta. It was, I hesitate to admit, very impressive.

[Bob Gagnon]

Here are times from Speedvision

Saturday : November 12, 2005
Time Program Description
12:30 pm Corvette Test Drive Z06

Monday : November 21, 2005
Time Program Description
4:00 pm Corvette Test Drive Z06
7:00 pm Corvette Test Drive Z06
10:00 pm Corvette Test Drive Z06

[Mike]

I saw the one like it in New Zealand? Greta fun to watch. They now have a similar event in Canada called the Targa Newfoundland.

Did the NZ coverage show the Porsches that went off?
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthre ... did=250267

[David J Marguglio]

Actually it did. There was another major off in a GT3 (if memory serves) in which the driver died (supposedly a heart attack during or after) and the nav. sustained substancial injuries. The whole thing was on tape. It was amazing how quickly the car left the road and catapulted into the trees.

[Curt]

It looks like the SCCA races are starting on Speed TV this weekend. Sunday if I remember correctly.