Beckman , TV, etc. (2 Viewers)

[Al]

I really hope that Jack Beckman keeps his FC ride next season. He is very good for the sport. He is very personable and well spoken. I see him on the starting line when any class runs. I see him congratulating all of the Sportsman eliminator winners. I have seen him as a terrific guest speaker at Thursday night "fan fests" before a national event begins. He is very active in charity functions, such as the Infinite Hero foundation. So hopefully a sponsor will see this and give him the funding to keep driving.
BUT.... if he has to sit out next season, FOX Sports and NHRA really have to keep him involved and use him to replace Tony Pedregon. I say this knowing some people will not like it, but Pedregon has to go. He is far too critical of drivers and teams (what do team sponsors think when Tony makes comments about drivers like "unacceptable"). He has no flow in his commentary (the DeJoria fire in Dallas is one of many instances that come to mind). He has had ample time to perfect his craft. Like stand-up comedy, commentating takes a knack, and Tony does not have it. Beckman said in a recent interview that he might take some vacation days to "work the broadcast booth for NHRA". So FOX and NHRA, give him the job !!
If Beckman is not available, another good replacement would be Tommy Johnson Jr. (if he doesn't keep his ride). Many people forget that he was the commentator for the IHRA TV broadcasts back in 2000 and did a great job. As well, he was the host of a weekly network TV car program. He is not a past World Champion like Beckman (and Pedregon), but neither was Mike Dunn and he was terrific for years !
Either way FOX Sports/NHRA, its time for a change !

 

[T.Smith]

It must be the dog days of racing off season again, because it's time to bash Tony Pedregon.....again.

 

[the guy]

It must be the dog days of racing off season again, because it's time to bash Tony Pedregon.....again.

well...if I had to pick a true driver, patriot, genuine guy, drag racing historian, and a total dbag poser..and had to pick between Jack and Tony...Jack would only win 80% of the time...

 

[stitcherbob]

I say a simple, fair swap....Cruz got TJ jr's crew, TJ jr gets Tony's job

 

[4onthefl4]

I always thought Beckman would make a great announcer. He certainly has the "gift of gab" and I liked his series about the history of drag racing on NHRA. I hope they finish it now that the season is over and he has no ride for next year, although I'm sure he's working hard to find one.
Bruno Massell is another one I would like to see/hear in the booth. He has such an easy on the ears voice.
Not defending Tony Pedregon, but Brian Lohnes has misspoken a few times also. As for TJ, I think he's trying hard to be what's not.
How about a female in the commentators booth? Any thoughts on that?

 

[Jer]

I always thought Beckman would make a great announcer. He certainly has the "gift of gab" and I liked his series about the history of drag racing on NHRA. I hope they finish it now that the season is over and he has no ride for next year, although I'm sure he's working hard to find one.
Bruno Massell is another one I would like to see/hear in the booth. He has such an easy on the ears voice.
Not defending Tony Pedregon, but Brian Lohnes has misspoken a few times also. As for TJ, I think he's trying hard to be what's not.
How about a female in the commentators booth? Any thoughts on that?

Id def like to see Bruno in the booth,keep tony and get rid of lohnes,he talks way to much

 

[Al]

I always thought Beckman would make a great announcer. He certainly has the "gift of gab" and I liked his series about the history of drag racing on NHRA. I hope they finish it now that the season is over and he has no ride for next year, although I'm sure he's working hard to find one.
Bruno Massell is another one I would like to see/hear in the booth. He has such an easy on the ears voice.
Not defending Tony Pedregon, but Brian Lohnes has misspoken a few times also. As for TJ, I think he's trying hard to be what's not.
How about a female in the commentators booth? Any thoughts on that?

Actually, in 1999, Shelly Anderson had that job and did pretty good.

 

[mick]

shelly anderson is great behind the mic, as she was in the past (as mentioned) and on 'the nomex effect' podcast.......please retain amanda busick. for the sake of the new sponsor CW, do you want to sell some campers? or just have 600k dudes watching more dudes talk about racing......time to think about your new series sponsor and not just the racing.......any tv ratings increase nhra
may stumble on in the future will not happen because tony p. was replaced. the amount of talent gained or loss by a replacement in the booth would be IMO a complete waste of time and energy.
i see segments within each national event broadcast that talk about CW. mini infommercials if you will. at each event highlight an RV/camper of a racer or fan. tell us how his/her particular RV enhances
their racing experience, whether a home away from home while on road racing, or how a fan uses his/her RV or camper throughout the year as they escape their normal life and travel to diffferent
areas and events. ....... now back to our regular programming

 

[Bullard Anderson]

Tony is doing a fantastic job! Keep up the great work.

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

I always get a kick out of people being critical of Tony (or anybody for that matter....) when it comes to snafu's/stuttering while on the mic. I've been watching this sport from the days of D-Mac and Evans, and when I say all of them, I mean ALL.....OF.......THEM have had points in time where they've gotten stuck between words, misspoken or whatever.

Personally, I think Tony has come along nicely and I don't mind him in the booth at all. For that matter, I like all of them in the positions they're currently in, including the Sporstman and Pro Mod shows. I think it's a quality crew we get to listen to.

Sean D

 

[Jim]

I'd hate to see ANYONE lose a job. As I only watch/listen to the NHRA.TV broadcast (can't comment on Tony's development), I'd love to see Jack in the booth with Alan.
Every big-time sports broadcast has - at least one - color commentator.
Of course, I think everyone wants Jack (and Tommy) to have a competitive ride.

I
Personally, I think Tony has come along nicely and I don't mind him in the booth at all. For that matter, I like all of them in the positions they're currently in, including the Sporstman and Pro Mod shows. I think it's a quality crew we get to listen to.
Sean D

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

I'd hate to see ANYONE lose a job. As I only watch/listen to the NHRA.TV broadcast (can't comment on Tony's development), I'd love to see Jack in the booth with Alan.
Every big-time sports broadcast has - at least one - color commentator.
Of course, I think everyone wants Jack (and Tommy) to have a competitive ride.

Nobody would like to see AR get in the booth for the national events more than me, but my issue with that would be the loss on the sportsman side of things. There are plenty of good announcers out there that sound smooth on the mic, but I don't know of any that A) sound as good as AR, while at the same time, B) has the knowledge of the sportsman series and it's players that he does. What he brings to to the table for the sportsman guys and gals during those broadcasts would be ultra tough to replace.

Sean D

 

[Matt Lewis]

Is there any chance of Dunn ever coming back or has the bridge been burned?

 

[Huge]

Is there any chance of Dunn ever coming back or has the bridge been burned?

Mike was awesome behind the mic. He had so much knowledge and he was good at sharing it with the viewers. When he was driving the La Victoria salsa top fuel car I was that fan that is always the first one to the track and the last one to leave. I remember one time at Pomona it was around 2.00 am on Sunday morning and I stood there at the ropes and watched him and his crew thrash on that thing until I finally got tired and went to my motorhome around 4.00 am and went to sleep. When I left they had the whole car stripped down to an almost bare chassis with the engine and the rear end out of it... but when I came back by their trailer on Sunday morning around 8.30 am they had the car back together and ready to race.

 

[Andy]

I am not going to knock anyone about their announcing or commentating skills. The job has to be difficult as hell. But that being said, Mike Dunn was awesome. I learned so much about the sport from him, he seemed like it was so natural for him. If I knew at one time I forgot, but what happened when he left the booth?

 

[Matt Lewis]

I am not going to knock anyone about their announcing or commentating skills. The job has to be difficult as hell. But that being said, Mike Dunn was awesome. I learned so much about the sport from him, he seemed like it was so natural for him. If I knew at one time I forgot, but what happened when he left the booth?

He became the head of the IHRA, but I haven't heard anything else in a long time (I'm not even sure if he's still there.) Tony's obviously got a lot of experience to bring to the broadcast and I enjoy listening to him, but you're right, there was something really natural about Mike. NHRA's unique angle has always been the technical side of the sport (for example, opening the pits to the fans), and since Mike knows the mechanical aspects of the cars inside and out he was really able to explain a lot.

 

[Cliff]

Mike left IHRA after a year or so. Kinda had the impression IHRA wanted to go back to running a Pro show, but nothing happened. Mike is the son of Big Jim Dunn, and he basically grew up at the drag strip. Was not surprised that he became a good driver himself. He knows what a driver goes thru & also the mechanical end of it. You're right, that is what made him such a great announcer. You remember when he drove he used to talk about getting a present for his daughter Samatha. Wonder how old she is now? Mike is around 60, more or less, I think.

 

[mikebcurve]

Was Mike the one supposedly making calls to pro teams trying to get them to commit to a new IHRA Nitro Jam series? If so he probably burned the NHRA bridge. I really liked him in the booth as well.

 

[mick]

..........When he was driving the La Victoria salsa top fuel car...........

that car kicked ass.

 

[Dragracer]

NHRATV has Alan R doing the Pro classes. He is by far the best I have seen doing the Pro's in years. The only problem is the sound from FOX comes through some times and it's hard to hear him. He has a great personality and sense of humor which adds to the show.