The announcers for the live coverage of the LA Street Race could not count cautions, called Raudman - Roadman(maybe they were prophetic), put a Brandon Ash graphic up for Brandon Kraus, said Jim Inglebright was an oval not a road course racer, missed the last win Raudman had and used every cliché in the book, who cares?
From those of us in the viewing area we thank KNBC in Los Angeles and their announcers who gave it their best shot. For the most part these were normal reporters, not professional sports editors. It was sure better than nothing. My advice next year? Get a Southwest or Winston West crew member to sit in the booth and help make the calls.
The promoters of the LA Street Race had hoped to attract the NASCAR Winston Cup drivers to the show, deliberately scheduling the event on an off weekend for the Winston Cup. But why bother? The "good ole boys" attracted no more fans than the local racers. They also alienated themselves from the public in previous years, by roping off their pit area, while the local racers were busy signing and talking to those with pit-passes. Chad Little was perhaps the exception. He didn't seem to be "too important" to meet the fans.
And why didn't the NASCAR Winston Cup drivers come? Well, we have been told they were all off racing somewhere else. The truth is simple, it is not a course they need practice on and it is not a likely win. And NASCAR East did not promote it to the sponsors back in "them thar neck of the woods".
Unlike the NASCAR Winston West where a Cup competitor can bring his Cup equipment and team, in the Tour they have to run what everyone else runs. It makes it harder to win. It is a very competitive series.
And unlike the Winston West there is no value for teams to compete, they are not gaining track time or information to use later on.
The Cup drivers were not needed, it was an awesome show without them and the hard work put in by the LA Street Race promoters and NASCAR officials in the west came shining though. Can not wait for next year and the new street course.
