Production meeting key for Sunday success

LOUDON, N.H. -- It's 8:15 on an overcast Saturday morning at New Hampshire International Speedway and Allen Bestwick is wondering why the trailer behind Turn 4 that doubles as a production office is so quiet.

	Allen Bestwick

"Is it too early in the morning? Come on, people!"

It doesn't take long for TNT/NBC's play-by-play man to get his wish, as jokes at his expense come fast and furious.

The mood over the early moments of the Saturday morning production meeting is more like a bunch of friends giving each other a hard time at a pick-up basketball game rather than a television network crew preparing for a national broadcast.

It doesn't stay that way, as producer Sam Flood centers the group of 20 that includes the entire on-camera crew.

He quickly runs through the lineup for the pre-race show. There's a Robby Gordon feature scheduled, along with an interview with Dale Jarrett, Wally Dallenbach's "Wally's World" feature with CNN anchor Robin Meade, a piece on NASCAR's "big red truck," (made necessary after the Ricky Rudd/Kevin Harvick confrontation the previous week at Richmond), and several interviews

Afterward, there'll be an unpredictable 300-lap Winston Cup race to navigate.

	Sam Flood

There's a myraid of decisions made, including which drivers that pit reporters Matt Yocum, Dave Burns and Marty Snider will talk to during the pre-race show, which driver will talk with analyst Benny Parsons from inside his car during the pace laps and what will happen if any of the above falls through.

An impressive to-do list, to be sure. Yet, the meeting took just over 15 minutes.

Flood, a veteran producer who has covered everything from the Winter Olympics to the NBA to Arena Football, believes familiarity with the crew and the athletes make planning a broadcast much easier than it would be otherwise.

"In year one, (the first year of NBC/TNT's NASCAR coverage, in 2001), the meeting would have lasted an hour, at least," Flood says. "If you're covering a onetime event, like the Breeders Cup, or you're just starting the season, it takes that long because you're not familiar with the group."

ALSO  LOUDON, N.H. -- They're sat off behind Turn 4 in a makeshift village filled with trucks, satellite dishes and tents as far as the eye can see. Several small groups are huddled in a large, blue tent enjoying danish, juice, V8 and loads of coffee.  It's raceday at New Hampshire International Speedway -- and the TNT/NBC production crew is running wide open.  •  Complete story, click here

Of course, there is much more to it than a quick 15-minute meeting. Most pieces are decided on and some are shot early in the week, if possible. Pieces have to be edited, voiceovers have to be recorded. There will be meetings and rehersals on raceday, but Flood is nearly certain nothing discussed Saturday would change.

"With us, we all know each other and we know all the cast of characters, so it makes it a lot easier," he says.

An impressive statement when you consider that the 125-member crew is a combination of Turner Sports and NBC employees -- two networks that are owned by distinctly different groups.

No matter, says Flood.

"It couldn't be smoother," Flood says. "It really is one group."