After the FOX: Station answers the call
By Tim Packman, Turner Sports Interactive
June 29, 2001
11:15 AM EDT (1515 GMT)
ATLANTA -- When the NASCAR Winston Cup Series got done with the twisting and turning road course of Sears Point Raceway, it was also the final turn in FOX's NASCAR race coverage for the year 2001.
Beginning with the Daytona Speedweek activities, the network made its NASCAR coverage debut. Although none of the talent team was new to racing, some of them were in a new role. Namely, Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds.
Waltrip, a three-time Winston Cup champion, and McReynolds, a former crew chief with 21 Winston Cup victories, made the announcer booth their new home this year. They joined veteran broadcaster Mike Joy to round out the three-man team.
Waltrip provided the viewpoint of a driver, what the thought process may be like when behind the wheel in making decisions. Once carrying the nickname of "Jaws" for his bravado at times, he has never been one to shy away from a microphone while collecting 84 Winston Cup victories.
McReynolds provided the mechanical view, what the crew chief may be thinking from atop the pit box. Crew chiefing for the likes of Davey Allison, Dale Earnhardt and Ernie Irvan gave him a pretty good resume of knowledge for the job.
Waltrip and McReynolds aren't what some might consider, shall we say, well-polished graduates from a school of broadcasting. But that, we also say, is what has made them more likeable to the fans of NASCAR.
"After the first few broadcasts it was brought to my attention that it was something I probably needed to work on," McReynolds said, referring to his use of the English language. "Fortunately, I was open-minded enough and realized it. It's something I have worked very hard on through the help of a lot of people.
"Do I want to lose every bit of it? Unless I'm told to, no, I don't. That's Larry McReynolds, I'm from Birmingham, Alabama, NASCAR Southern boy. But, it is something I'm going to work on during the off-season because you can't work on it on the air, you have to do that off the air."
Waltrip has brought his own adaptation of the English language to the Fox booth, as well. If one thinks he's not aware of what he's saying, think again, according to him. The native of Owensboro, Ky., knows "'cisely" what he's doing.
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Larry McReynolds
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"Ninety percent of what I use is things that I have done in the garage and with the competitors," he said. "Like when I talk about 'sperience' and 'munication,' I'd like to think that there is an audience out there that has as good a sense of humor as I do.
"I say a lot of dumb things, but I believe I offset those with a lot of intelligent things, too. Hopefully, the people will realize that's all in fun, all in jest and it's part of the telecast."
Having a combined record of 105 Winston Cup wins between the two of them, they knew what to expect when they were actually racing. They knew the lay of the track, where the bumps were, what time the race started and where they were going to be the next week.
That was not the case in the broadcast booth. The unexpectedness of a race caused them to keep on their toes.
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Matt Yocum
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"The racing was great, it took care of itself," Ol' DW said. "When we dropped that green flag we never knew what was going to happen."
If things are going to be any different next year when Fox returns to NASCAR coverage at Rockingham, Waltrip hopes it's for the better. But, there's one thing that won't change.
"We're rookies," he said. "If we were good this year, we'll be even better next year. I've learned so much about the business. I watch and critique every race and see how we can better.
"I never want to be slick, I hate slick."
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