We’ve had a couple of winter happenings in the last week – so why pass up the chance to throw out some banter…
FLEX ON SPIKE TV
Flex got it right. That was just an awesome show. I was more than impressed afterwards while not expecting much beforehand. I thought it would be 70% on Flex, Choppers, LL and Lil’ Kim and the remaining 30% on the race itself. But I was wrong, and glad I was (wait – did I just say that!)
Flex captured the vibe at the bowl. He threw a lot of things in that hour show and amazingly touched on so many of the weekly aspects of local short track racing, especially at the Speedbowl–
The controversy of tech inspections and the gray area of cheating
The anticipation at the fence by stop watching-crewmembers during time trials
The disappointment in failing to qualify
The dreaded rain delay
The pre race trash talking
And how about the seen with Terry and TC. Oh baby – now that was capturing behind the scenes at a weekly racetrack…tremendous
You know what always comes up when I bring someone new to the races….
‘Hey Sid, whatta the flags mean?’ – Flex was on point and had it covered.
Then my man throws out Mike Joy and Rick Fuller as the race commentators. Now that’s impressive. See, I’ll assume if you jump on here and read this forum regularly, you know who those guys are. But if you walk down the streets of Manhattan where Funk’s radio shows is on the air every weekday morning, you’d be hard to fine a handful of people amongst millions who’d know. Goes to show he made this show with a respect for the local history and tradition of our sport.
But – Hey Flex – it’s Rondeau!!! Ya know, like RON-Dough – not Run-DOW!!
Nice touch with the race leader scroll on the top of the screen during the race. Very ESPN style…
Drivers who qualified had their name and picture up on a graphic at least three times. Hey, fifteen minutes of cable fame counts….
Showing how Corey left to contend in a points race at another track was pretty unique too. If Flex had a bigger ego, he wouldn’t have shown that. But he consistently captured the passion of racing – in this case recognizing what’s ultimately more important to the dedicated weekly racer.
The whole love-hate angle with TC and the fans and the cheers when he spins got it’s due as well.
Towards the end I was thinking – they haven’t talked much about Coates yet. But they did the victory up nice – complete with victory lap wave to fans, smoke show and interview. And actually, although I didn’t go to race in person, the people I talked to who did, were talking more about TC and Rondeau anyway. So it seems this TV show captured the race and how it developed pretty well.
Quote of the show:
“I don’t come here to lose” Ted Christopher
But most of all, Flex was genuinely having fun and if you’re promoting a sport, having fun is the ultimate image to portray. There was a great sense for the passion and intensity involved in our weekly addiction. “Racing’s a disease – ya either got it or ya don’t” – and Flex indeed gets it.
Sid