[Greg Donovan]

unless there was another non WRC factory team there pat was on speed channel last night. he was starting a stage behind the woman comentator towards the end of the broadcast of day 3. you onle saw the back of the car but it was definately the national logo that usa canada and aus. use. so it had to be him unless one of the team australia cars was there.

 

[sumit]

yup, i thought so too...but wasn't sure.

 

[jmullan]

No, it was Toshihiro Arai. I checked the car number. It definitely was the US or Canadian logo, though.

 

[Steve McKelvie]

As the Speed Channel program is for US viewers, you would think that if there is a team with a US connection that it would be noted. While Pat is not an American, he has competed in many US events and is widely known in the US rally community. I think a reference to him would be more interesting to US rally fans than an interview with a UK speedway motorcycle rider.

Steve McKelvie

 

[rallymodeller]

This, then, is the problem. The US speed media, (with the exeption of herr Burmeister, of course) is totally unused to the idea of dealing with motorsports that turn right. And not on a track? Preposterous! Most fans of other motorsports want to know more than what the driver had for lunch.

I seem to remember that the same problem with the USGP, and the sad failure of the USTCC. You cannot translate NASCAR-style reporting to rallies and road races. Good ol' boy stuff not needed here.

Jeremy "waiting for the "500" rain delay to end" Oreskovich

"Racing is life...
All else is just waiting."
-Steve McQueen

"Our Car is F***ed"
-Team Skoda co-driver Tina Turner

 

[Steve McKelvie]

Jeremy,

Actually I think that it was the lack of US media in this case that led to an interview with the UK speedway motorcycle racer rather than any reference to a "local", let's say US, rally entrant. Let me explain:

Nicky Grist and (?) Mallory are from the UK. They probably know or at least have heard of the speedway motorcycle racer (Paul Richardson?). They, out of their own curiosity and interest, likely thought that he would be a good interview. They likely forgot that the Speed Channel rally viewers, in general, don't have that backgound. My guess is that there was no US producer/director present to act as a sounding board for Grist and Mallory when the interview was suggested.

Someone should merely have looked at the entry list to see that a Canadian team was entered and that possibly viewers in the US may have heard of these people. I doubt that Nicky Grist or (?) have ever heard of Patrick Richard or know of the significance of his entry. Again possibly the lack of US direction.

Also I get the impression that Pat had personal media staff with him. Pat had a great story to tell - first WRC event for him, first for a North American in many years, accident during recce, co-driver injured, new co-driver recruited just days before event, recce not completed, using old notes, and driving with a cast on his hand! Now if that's not a story, then I don't know what one is! Pat's media people should have tracked down the Speed Channel people to get that story told. They would not have been hard to find. They were the ones in the red jackets with the TV cameras.

One final thing, while I'm on this minor rant, during the show there was a reference to Stig Blomqvist, which said that the former winner was in 29th place (at the time I guess.) This made it sound like we should think, "How quaint for the old guy. But 29th place! He should retire." What was not said was that, I believe, he was in the top three in Group N throughout the rally and was more than competitive. He had the potential to win that class. I was somewhat embarassed for him.

All this being said, I like watching the Speed Channel rally shows and have no major complaints. While I enjoy riding my motorcycle, I just don't care for interviews with motorcycle speedway racers at a rally event,when there are more relevant stories to cover. Save that story for Two Wheeled Tuesday.

Steve McKelvie

 

[aenglish]

Heard Pat got a mention on WRC Radio (@ WRC.com) tho' I didn't hear it. (Actually I wondered if he mighta got a mention on the 2 hr rally wrap-up show as I taped it but haven't watched it all.)
But, the bottom line is if it didn't get covered on the Euro program, it probably won't get a mention on the SpeedTV presentation (tho' for some reason, I actually think Dave Despain might have mentioned it - wonder if those guys actually write their own commentary, or if they just read a script produced by staff writers - anyone know?).
Kinda funny cuz I'd think a NA driver, esp finishing well like Pat,
would be worth a mention at least as much as who went out in the early hours of the event, even to an international audience.
Still, a great job!

androo

(BTW, rallymodeller, I think that's tina 'Thorner' yer quoting... )(Altho'.... I know it's pronounced Turner.......hmmmm... "WRC....Beyond Thunderdome" Why not?!! ...and I thought hers was a funny comment, too!)

 

[rallymodeller]

Crap! You're right!

"Racing is life...
All else is just waiting."
-Steve McQueen

"Our Car is F***ed"
-Team Skoda co-driver Tina Turner (Thorner)(!)