Viewer's Guide: Atlanta

Bob Jenkins has covered just about every type of race imaginable. In fact, he's the only broadcaster in history to do play-by-play for all three major races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway -- the Indianapolis 500, the Brickyard 400 and the U.S. Grand Prix.

Bob Jenkins Credit: SPEED

And the award goes to ... A summary of awards earned by Bob Jenkins during his career in motorsports Name Honor Tony Hulman Award Given by the National Association of Auto Racing Fan Clubs for unselfish devotion to motorsports Roger McCluskey Award From the United States Auto Club in recognition of his standards of excellence in the sport of auto racing Henry T. McLemore Motorsports Press Award Recognizes outstanding motor sports journalism in the field of writing, broadcasting or photography

You would think that someone with that kind of resume would have a desire to get behind the wheel himself, maybe sip some champagne in Victory Lane.

Not Jenkins. He's pretty happy, thank you.

"My desire to be a race driver ended many years ago," Jenkins said. "I think I've experienced just about everything I've wanted to in broadcasting."

It's an impressive list, to be sure, for Jenkins, who spent nearly 30 years as a motor sports announcer for ESPN and ABC. If you have any doubts about what kind of impact Jenkins has had on his chosen sport, consider this -- a permanent plaque with his likeness is in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Talladega.

These days, Jenkins is embarking on a new challenge as the new anchor of SPEED's weekend racing news show, appropriately titled, Speed News, which can be seen throughout each weekend.

"I've been a race fan all my life, so it seems only natural that I work for the network that obviously cares about and is devoted to speed and motor sports," Jenkins said.

It may surprise people that racing wasn't Jenkins first choice for a career. It was something much different.

"My interest in broadcasting resulted from my love of music," he said. "I originally wanted to be a disc jockey. I then decided to combine my love of racing with my career and began looking for a job in Indianapolis.

"I found it in 1972 at WIRE radio, a country station. I convinced the general manager to fly me to all USAC championship races and phone back reports. The rest is history.

After three decades of covering racing, Jenkins said the hardest thing about covering racing is just keeping everyone smiling.

"You're constantly accused of showing favoritism to a driver, make of car, etc.," he said. "I could care less who wins a race, as long as it's safe."

The news was moderately good for FOX last weekend at Las Vegas. The UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 drew an overnight rating of 5.8 and a 12 share.

While that's slightly higher than the 5.5 the race drew last year, but it was well lower than the 7.1 overnight number from the race at California Speedway three weeks ago.

As a point of comparison, the NCAA basketball tournament selection show drew a 5.7 on Sunday night.

A rating point represents 1,096,000 homes. A share is the percentage of the households watching television at any given time.

Ryan Newman, Mike Bliss and Matt Kenseth are among the guests scheduled for Trackside on Friday from Atlanta (5 p.m. ET) on SPEED. Also, Martin Truex Jr. will co-host Wind Tunnel on Sunday with Dave Despain (9 p.m. ET).

In this week's "Ask The Producer," Rich Nath of Katy, Texas, wants to know who decides which cars get in-car cameras.

NASCAR on FOX producer Neil Goldberg said the source may surprise you.

'NASCAR on FOX' producer Neil Goldberg

"In-car camera placement, for the most part, is determined by sales these days," he said. "There are huge sales commitments by sponsors in supporting our race coverage. FOX, in-turn, supports the advertiser according to its level of commitment by providing them with the option of several different type of in-race enhancements, the in-car being one of them.

"There are certainly occasions that a story will dictate that we approach a team and ask that they run an in-car camera for us."

Each week, we'll choose one fan's question to ask a NASCAR on FOX producer. Does something on the broadcast leave you shaking your head? Have you always wondered how or why the TV crew does something? Use the link to the right to e-mail your question and you just might read the answer right here.

Blake Shoemaker, a weather forecaster from Pleasant Grove, Ala., says the FOX guys need some weather training in this week's version of "The Rant."

EMAIL Send Mark your take for "The Rant" or your question for "Ask The Producer"

"Why in the world do the guys in the booth call the heaviest on-track action the 'Eye of the Storm'? The eye of a hurricane is very quiet and is the only part of the storm with calm conditions! On a fact standpoint, the guys couldn't be any farther off."

Now to this weekend's schedule:

Nextel Cup Series: Golden Corral 500

Track: Atlanta Motor Speedway

• 1.54-mile oval
• 24-degree banking in turns
• 5-degree banking on straights
• Length of frontstretch: 2,332 feet
• Length of backstretch: 1,800 feet

Race length: 325 laps/500.5 miles

TV schedule (All times ET)

• NASCAR Live: noon Fri., SPEED
• Nextel Cup Series Final Practice: 1:30 p.m. Fri., SPEED
• NASCAR Live: 3 p.m. Fri., SPEED
• Trackside: 5 p.m. Fri, SPEED
• NASCAR Live: 6 p.m. Fri., SPEED
• Bud Pole Qualifying: 7 p.m. Fri., SPEED
• NASCAR Live: 10:30 a.m. Sat., SPEED
• NASCAR Performance: 6:30 p.m. Sat., SPEED
• NASCAR This Morning: 11 a.m. Sun., SPEED
• Race: 12:30 p.m. Sun., FOX

Junior holds off Mayfield for last year's win Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

One year ago, one race after he nearly was parked for running too slow, Junior zoomed by Jeremy Mayfield with 15 laps to go and sprinted to an easy victory.

The most recent checkered flag went to Jimmie Johnson, who dominated the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 just a week after coming so close to winning at Fontana.

Keep an eye on Bud Pole Qualifying. In just six career starts at AMS, Ryan Newman has four poles. Also consider that of the 91 Cup race winners at Atlanta, 71 -- or 78 percent -- have come from starting spots inside the top 10.

Thirteen of those winners came from the Bud Pole.

Busch Series: Aaron's 312

Track: Atlanta Motor Speedway

• 1.54-mile oval
• 24-degree banking in turns
• 5-degree banking on straights
• Length of frontstretch: 2,332 feet
• Length of backstretch: 1,800 feet

Race distance: 203 laps/312.62 miles

TV schedule (All times ET)

• Busch Pole Qualifying: noon Sat., SPEED
• Race: 2:30 p.m. Sat., FX

Kenseth wins last year in a green-white-checker finish Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

One year ago, despite starting 28th, Matt Kenseth held off Kyle Busch in a two-lap sprint to win.

The most recent checkered flag went to Mark Martin, who moved into the lead and won after Carl Edwards suffered a flat tire.

Keep an eye on Reed Sorenson. He has finished on the lead lap in his past six races. What's more, Sorenson -- from just south of Atlanta in Peachtree City -- started sixth and led 47 laps in the fall Busch race at AMS last season.

Craftsman Truck Series: World Financial Group 200

Track: Atlanta Motor Speedway

• 1.54-mile oval
• 24-degree banking in turns
• 5-degree banking on straights
• Length of frontstretch: 2,332 feet
• Length of backstretch: 1,800 feet

Race distance: 130 laps/200.2 miles

TV schedule (All times ET)

• Race: 9 p.m. Sat., SPEED

Hamilton and Skinner battle to the finish last year Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

One year ago, Bobby Hamilton passed Mike Skinner in the final turn, then held on when they bumped coming to the finish line to win the inaugural EasyCare 200 at Atlanta.

The most recent checkered flag went to Steve Park. Park got his first Craftsman Truck Series victory Feb. 25 at Fontana.

Keep an eye on Bobby Labonte. He will drive the No. 47 Chevrolet in Friday night's race. Labonte leads active drivers with six Cup Series wins at AMS.

Mark Spoor is an interactive producer for NASCAR.COM. The Domino's Viewer's Guide runs each Thursday during race weeks.