CONCORD, N.C. -- Television doesn't do auto racing proper justice. Cars traveling in upwards of 200 miles per hour just doesn't look the same on television, no matter how large the screen and no matter how much technology is pumped into the production.
But that doesn't mean that an excellent product can't be delivered on television. It doesn't mean that broadcasting companies can't use the latest technology to provide viewers with cutting edge camera views and graphics that help to tell a compelling story.
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"Controlled chaos." That's how ESPN's NASCAR lead director Richie Basile describes the in-race production of a single race. "Timing is key. It's all about pacing. Unlike basketball or football, where all the attention is focused on one ball, we have to constantly be aware of what is going on away from the camera."
Luckily, ESPN has the technology to do just that. With over 60 HD cameras, including 25 in-car cameras, the production team always know what's going on, even at the back of the pack. They have over 100 microphones at their disposal, over 60 computer-based playback devices and nearly 20 miles of video, audio and power cables for each race.
But in order to produce the best product using the finest technology in the industry, ESPN needs manpower. But Memorial Day Weekend was unique. With the Nationwide Series History 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday, and the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, ESPN's NASCAR crew was split between two locations.
"You might think it's a rarity, but we do this quite often," said Rich Feinberg, Vice President of ESPN motorsports production. "The reality is that our system is set up, not only in motor sports, but in a lot of other major sports to handle depth. If you think about are college football crew, they do ten, twelve, even fourteen games a weekend. Now it does require logistical planning in terms of preparation, determining which facilities you want at each venue."
Despite having the finest technology in the industry, a main production truck that looks like the main control room inside "The Death Star" none of it means anything without logistics and planning.
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"We plan out races months again," said Basile. "But when the race starts, you really don't know what is going to happen. We have plans in place for almost everything. Communication is key. Jim Gaiero, our producer, handles the 'what,' meaning, the content, and I handle the 'how,' getting the content to tell a story on the screen. There is rarely anything we aren't completely prepared for."
He's right, too.
Unlike basketball, where a production crew can use a timeout of dead ball to show a pre-taped package about a specific player, auto-racing doesn't offer the same event continuity. Right when it seems like there is a lull in the action -- the perfect time to discuss the young prospects in the race or a personals tory about a driver -- a crash could take place away from the action.
Basile and his crew are always watching, and always prepared to shift gears.
"Everybody wants excitement, and it's our job to be able to capture it whenever and wherever it happens."