Chat Transcript: Chris Myers
July 12, 2001
10:59 AM EDT (1459 GMT)
[Nascar_Host1] Welcome to NASCAR.com's chat with Chris Myers!
[Chris_Myers] Hello everybody! It is good to be talking racing, and for at least one more day the Hollywood Hotel has re-opened!
Believe it or not, Tony Stewart is good for the sport. He is not just a great racer or driver. It is good for NASCAR to have some guys that show personality whenever the opportunity allows itself.
I was especially pleased to see Dale Earnhardt, Jr. get his first victory of the year. Having been around his dad at Daytona this year, and then around Junior the first half of the season, I feel that he hasn't had the proper amount of time to deal with the loss of his father. We all respect that, but we were also constant reminders of how special his father was, and that had to be difficult on Junior.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [Noelle Dalejrfan] What was it like working with Darrell Waltrip, Jeff Hammond, and Larry McReyonlds? You guys looked like you had a lot of fun doing the broadcasts each week! Thank You!
[Chris_Myers] It was more fun than I have ever had in broadcasting! Darrell Waltrip was the only one I had met prior to us working together and yet there was natural chemistry, as if we had been brothers who grew up together, moved away, and then rejoined each other for a season of racing.
I think they allowed me to help them with the finer points of broadcasting, and I certainly leaned on them for the finer points of NASCAR racing. It has only been a few weeks and I truly miss them already, but I am looking forward to next year.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [Maile] What was your favorite memory from this year's broadcast?
[Chris_Myers] Well, let me categorize the memories. The first emotional and heart wrenching one was Dale Earnhardt's loss at Daytona. It is something I will never forget.
I remember what he told me prior to the race about FOX and us doing the coverage. He told me to enjoy it and have fun. I thought about that during the year when I didn't have him there.
The happy memories are spending time with the other drivers and our crew, but the best was the Super Soaker incident in the Hollywood Hotel. That was great! Revenge is coming next year! We are working on it.
Getting to know drivers better, like Jeff Gordon, Dale Jarrett, Tony Stewart, Rusty Wallace, and Dale Jr., was also something that I really enjoyed, along with watching their skills as drivers.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [Noelle Dalejrfan] What do you think about some fans not being able to see some of the races because of the limited access to FX?
[Chris_Myers] I think it is unfortunate that at this current time FX is not in all the homes that we hoped it will be, but it does give the FOX family of networks an additional outlet for people to see racing or qualifying. It also honors our approach, which is that whenever there are cars on the track, FOX, FOXSPORTSNET and FX want to bring it to you.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [webster] How big of a NASCAR fan were you before you took over the broadcast?
[Chris_Myers] I was a casual NASCAR fan. My two brothers that live in North Carolina now are fanatical racing fans. They often talk racing with me and we talked about the races they attended prior to me landing this position.
I became more of a fan after I interviewed a number of drivers when I worked at ESPN, but now, as I told DW when I said goodbye after our season at FOX, I said, "I am hooked! I am a real racing fan."
I was planted in front of the TV to watch the first race that FOX didn't carry, but it was still NASCAR Winston Cup racing. I am hooked for life, because to me it is the closet sport that comes to the NFL because you have a major buildup for that one big race or game each week.
When I was at the races this year, I had that same "big-event" feel that I have when I attend Superbowls or NFL games.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [Noelle_dalejrfan] Chris, what will you be doing now that FOX doesn't have coverage of the races for the rest of the season?
[Chris_Myers] I am getting ready for an NFL pregame show that I do on FOXSPORTSNET called NFL This Morning and Boomer Esiason has been added to the program.
I will also co-anchor the National Sports Report on FOXSPORTSNET nightly, and I will be using up some vacation time with my sons (Christopher and Alex, ages 9 and 7) and spending time with them before my schedule gets crazy again.
We are also preparing for next years FOX racing coverage. I hope to improve on that in whatever ways we can for our pre and post-race coverage.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [shiner248] Great job, Chris. How did you get ready for the NASCAR season? How much studying did you do?
[Chris_Myers] Thanks for the compliment! I didn't know I was anchoring the coverage until the week of the Superbowl when I got a call in Tampa.
I just had a few weeks to prepare. I had been receiving Winston Cup Scene on a regular basis, so I went back and read those. I called the book department at FOX and got all the books available on Winston Cup racing so I could read up on it.
I called my brothers in North Carolina who I think represent the real racing fan. I asked them what they wanted to see in a broadcast. I wanted to get a pulse of what people were hoping to get from FOX.
I did talk to some of our broadcast crew and were very helpful, but I also spent time talking with some drivers on the phone. I listened to some tapes of races, both TV and radio calls. It was a cram course until that first week in Daytona and then every week was a learning experience. I still have a lot to learn, but I am enjoying every minute of it.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [GordonFan24] Chris, I sure miss the Hollywood Hotel! You guys did a great job! Will you be tuning in to NBC's coverage? Do you anticipate any major changes in next season's coverage?
[Chris_Myers] I have watched the other network's coverage because I am a racing fan. The only changes I foresee in FOX's coverage next year are improvements that will make the event more enjoyable for fans to watch.
We had a meeting after our last race in Sonoma and we went over a number of things that we thought could do to make our broadcast even better in our second year of coverage.
I, too, enjoyed the Hollywood Hotel with my partner Jeff Hammond. We hope to have even more of that in the pre and post-race show for next year.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [parkerfan36] What was your most embarrassing moment from this year's broadcast?
[Chris_Myers] Other than the Super Soaking incident on national TV, I mentioned on the air twice that Kevin Harvick was Richard Harvick during an emotional time of the race. I had just spoke to Richard Childress about Kevin Harvick, so I had him on my mind. I felt pretty dumb that it happened on more than one occasion! The cameras also caught Jeff and I eating potato chips during a rain delay in the Hollywood Hotel, too!
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [VAL] What do you think about the way the media is treating Dale Jr.'s victory?
[Chris_Myers] I think most of the media is happy for him, his family, and they think it is a magical moment for NASCAR. There are some that will always be skeptical and they certainly have a right to be, but if they are going to print it or say it publicly about the legitimacy of his win, they should come forward with proof or documentation.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [Davey] Do you believe NASCAR is afraid to shoot themselves in the foot by suspending one of its top drivers (Tony Stewart)?
[Chris_Myers] I don't think NASCAR is afraid of anybody. I think they are one of the most powerful entities in sports or business. I do think they think about the big picture before they act on anything.
Tony Stewart is my racing idol, and he sometimes crosses the line, but so did Dale Earnhardt and so do other superstars in sports. I think people realize that Tony has his heart in racing and that is good for NASCAR. We all have to play by rules in life and NASCAR will see to it that he or any other driver will adhere to that.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [m002] How big a change was it for you to cover NASCAR vs. the other things you have covered in your career at FOX and ESPN?
[Chris_Myers] The biggest change was being on location every week. While that was a positive to be at every race, it was very different because when covering the NFL or MLB, you would only travel to the post-season games, and we would sit in the studio with all the information at your fingertips.
A positive difference was the tremendous access NASCAR allowed me in the garage area with the crews, and access during and after the races. I really appreciated people going out of their way to help me out in my coverage of the sport.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [NWCFan] Chris, I loved FOX's coverage of NASCAR and was sad to see it go. How much of the season next year will FOX be covering?
[Chris_Myers] I was sorry to see it go too. I am looking forward to next year. We will carry the races from the second race of 2002 through Daytona in July. We are already preparing for what we can do better next year.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [GoTerry_5] Any clue what you plan to do about retaliating against the water gun commandos?
[Chris_Myers] Jeff Hammond and I do have a plan we have discussed. We also received a lot of support from fans that gave us suggestions. Maybe the best one I heard was while we were taking a group photo for all of us to step out and have motor oil poured on their heads and let the fans see! I hope they aren't reading this! I just love that quote from the Godfather, "Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer!"
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [fanof97] Hi Chris. What track did you enjoy going to the most?
[Chris_Myers] As someone seeing racetracks for the first time in person, the one that "wowed" me the most was Bristol because of the setting and the scene. I felt like I was at Fenway Park or Wrigley Field. I also enjoyed the modern tracks like Fontana and Texas Motor Speedway where they have modern conveniences.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [David] Chris, how did you like covering the pits a couple of weeks ago?
[Chris_Myers] I really enjoyed being down in the pits. One of my favorite things in sports is to interview the athlete. I have enjoyed talking to people who play the games rather than doing the games themselves. I liked being with the drivers and being in the thick of what they do.
They were very cooperative in allowing me to have fun and gather the information that the viewers wanted to know. As long as I get to interview the drivers, I enjoy being in the pits. Don't ask me to help decide a 4-tire change from a 2-tire change! I will leave that to Larry Mac, Jeff, DW, or the other pit reporters!
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [gojp] Which driver gives the best interviews?
[Chris_Myers] I think a number of drivers have given us good interviews. Jeff Gordon and Dale Jarrett seemed to be two of the more polished and media savvy drivers. It is always nice to throw in a Tony Stewart or Jimmy Spencer who will tell you what is on their minds, whether it is politically correct or not.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [hi] What's your opinion on the Tony Stewart incident? Do you think he was forced down below the line?
[Chris_Myers] I think he was somewhat forced, but I think he was trying to avoid a bigger accident. In the past, NASCAR might have let that go, but with the safety issues that have been raised and with the changes at Talladega, I think they needed to bring the hammer down.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [tonyfan20] Who do you think will win the 2001 Winston Cup Championship?
[Chris_Myers] Although it looks like a two-man race with Gordon and Jarrett, and certainly those 2 guys could win it, I think a guy like Dale Jr., Rusty Wallace or Tony Stewart will make a serious run during the final third of the season. If I had to pick one guy, Gordon will come out on top.
As I said on FOX, he has done for NASCAR what Tiger Woods has done for golf, not only by being successful but by bringing awareness, an awareness that even Britney Spears might get a clue on!
[Nascar_Host1] That's all the time Chris for us this evening. Thanks Chris! What are your final thoughts?
[Chris_Myers] Thanks to those of you that joined us on this NASCAR.com chat, and to all of you that watched FOX's racing coverage. You were patient and supportive. I feel like I have been accepted into a special fraternity of racing fans. I hope to talk more racing in the future and see you soon on FOX! Enjoy the rest of the Winston Cup season.
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