Inside Focus                                                       Story and photos by Dwight Drum
© 2004-7 Dwight Drum                                                      Web work by Larsen & Drum

ESPN Returns: Drivers Respond

Interviewer: Dwight Drum

Do you have a comment on ESPN coming back to NASCAR?

"Well, I'm glad to see them back. I think ESPN has had a tremendous amount to do with the amount of success that our sport has had. It's normal for ESPN to be here, in my opinion. And that's no disrespect to anyone else. I think the other networks have done a great job of covering our sport. A lot of the roots in our sport go back to Bob Jenkins and Jerry Punch and Ned Jarrett and those guys that were doing the races. I'm glad to see ESPN back. I watch ESPN classics and watch some of the old races and I just really enjoy the coverage that they gave then and I'm glad that they're back."

"ESPN has always kind of been the root of sports entertainment on TV. I'm not a big TV watcher when it comes to sports, but they are always covering it and they always seem to be No. 1 so it's nice to have them back."

"I think it's cool. I grew up on ESPN, Jerry Punch and the guys calling races. I remember watching North Wilkesboro places like that on ESPN. So it will be cool to get them back. They were a big part of bringing this sport to the level it is, because of all that. It's cool to get them back."

"We used to say in 'Days of Thunder' lingo, the coverage is excellent and I think they are trying to outdo that. I think they are trying to get out there and get in everybody's face and make it what it used to be. They're doing an awful lot, I'll tell you that."

"I miss them to be honest with you. I think our series took a blow when they left. It was a blow that we are getting back but from the business side of it, I'm happy to hear that. It will carry over to this garage."

"I think it's great. I hated that they left. I thought ESPN and the old Diamond P Motorsports and all that stuff that really got racing into the forefront. It really made it mainstream in my opinion. They have a place in racing and they need to be here."

"It's great. I wish they never had gotten pushed out. ESPN really did build this sport up. Everybody would go and watch the Cup races, they'd air a couple times through the week. If you missed it the first time you got to see it. It really help build stock car racing televising races at Wilkesboro and all the little tracks that people didn't get to see."

"It's going to be cool to see them come back. I spent a lot of time as a kid watching NASCAR races on ESPN. I always enjoyed watching the broadcasters. You can get lost sometimes get lost on wants going on with the guys on TV. Maybe they'll bring some of it back and racing will be a little bit more about the racing verses how many commercials they can sell."

"ESPN and ABC. I grew up watching those. I'm excited about it. I like it."

"I think it's awesome. I grew up in rural Wisconsin and I remember when we first got cable TV. I was 15-years-old. I thought it was awesome that they were showing races on TV. For me the only time I have to go to the racetrack was a Friday or Saturday night at the local quarter-mile. For me to see the big guys running on ESPN was great. I think it definitely helped to kind of get the sport off the ground. It helped get it to where it's at today. I think it's rightfully so that back involved in it."