RA PA announcer

[Andrew Longman]

Given how much grief we gave Jenkins about not being able to pronounce drivers' names, I expected to hear some chatter here about the RA PA announcer.

He butchered names all weekend. Servia, Carpentier and Tagliani were especially troublesome. The podium celebration was like watching a train wreck. I don't think he pronounce Tags name the same way twice, and only got it right once.

If we ran Jenkins out of his job, is it too much to ask (and sponsors to ask) that the on track folks get the names right (at least by the end of the weekend)

[chop456]

He was a fill-in.

[KLang]

I thought it was rather amusing. Don't know if I would feel that way if it were my name being mangled though.

[racer2c]

Given how much grief we gave Jenkins about not being able to pronounce drivers' names, I expected to hear some chatter here about the RA PA announcer.

He butchered names all weekend. Servia, Carpentier and Tagliani were especially troublesome. The podium celebration was like watching a train wreck. I don't think he pronounce Tags name the same way twice, and only got it right once.

If we ran Jenkins out of his job, is it too much to ask (and sponsors to ask) that the on track folks get the names right (at least by the end of the weekend)

The announcer should know how to pronounce the names, fill in or not.

[RHR_Fan]

Don't forget junky-air-a. Mazz-a-cahn.

~Nicole

[Megger]

Given how much grief we gave Jenkins about not being able to pronounce drivers' names, I expected to hear some chatter here about the RA PA announcer.

He butchered names all weekend. Servia, Carpentier and Tagliani were especially troublesome. The podium celebration was like watching a train wreck. I don't think he pronounce Tags name the same way twice, and only got it right once.

If we ran Jenkins out of his job, is it too much to ask (and sponsors to ask) that the on track folks get the names right (at least by the end of the weekend)

The PA system sucks and RA. It's difficult to hear over the noise of the Champcars .....plus have you ever talked to someone from Wisconsin?

[Audi_A4]

The announcer should know how to pronounce the names, fill in or not.

Thats just criminal. An announcer butchering up the drivers names in the big leagues. Shame on Road America.

[Steve99]

I thought the PA system at RA worked surprisingly well. The problem was the fill-in announcer, and mangling the names was the least of his problems. He wasn't even calling the race correctly. I new more about was going on while sitting at turn 5 (no scanner) than he knew in the booth with his monitors. Positions of the cars, how many laps a car lost by getting stuck in the gravel, who was a lap down, pit stop strategies

[Opposite Lock]

As far as hearing the PA over the engines goes, here's a cheap solution. Cheap FM radio (the kind that will fit into your breast pocket) with earbuds from Radio Shack, and a cheap pair of shooter's earmuffs from your local outdoor outfitters. (Actually I just borrowed some, and I already had the radio.) RA broadcasts the track announcements around 88.7 or something, so I was able to hear the PA broadcast all around the track, with the exception of a dead spot near turn one, whether there were speakers near or not, and whether there were cars close by or not.

And since I borrowed this idea from a NASCRAP acquaintence, I call this my redneck scanner. Until my schedule permits me more than two or three races a year, I can't quite rationalize the price of a real scanner.

[Andrew Longman]

FWIW the PA was one of only two short-comings I experienced during the weekend. I don't want to overly bash RA

I loved the weekend. Everyone I met; security, gate workers, consessionaires, etc were friendly and interested in my good time. Everything was clean and well organized. Food was good and well priced.

Other than the PA, it was inconvenient (but understandable given the crowd) that so many of the food stands were closed on Fri and Sat.

Overall, well done RA, but if you are listening to the feedback, I won't pay one cent to return for an IRL race

[Megger]

Overall, well done RA, but if you are listening to the feedback, I won't pay one cent to return for an IRL race

I suggest FTG and his shills take there series to Slinger Wisconsin and enter the Figure 8 bus races.

[Purple Panic]

Alex Tag-a-lini, Andrew Rang-err, COM Binder (I think he was confusing Cam with some farm equipment), plus the fact that the guy never shut up, just made for an amusing weekend.

Even if he was filling in, the guy had to have had some sort of a problem with pronounciation. Seriously, how do you mispronounce "Ranger?" It's a common word, as in "Forest Ranger" or for people with kids, "Rescue Rangers" or "Power Rangers." Yet the guy kept pronouncing it with a hard "G" sound. That's not a "last minute" issue, that's an "English Language" issue.

[SteveH]

inexcusable :thumdown:

[Railbird]

On the way home I caught part of a wrap-up show with the same guy. After three days you would have thought someone would have pulled him aside to at least explain how to pronounce the winner's name.

During the weekend, whenever the Champcars were running, I had my scanner tuned to the TV crew. Friday was just pure setup with the director talking to the different camera positions and the occasional drop in by the on air talent. By Saturday warm-up the crew was in full force with the different announcers trading info as well as a little humor. During Sunday's warm-up someone congratulated Kendall on his accomplishment Saturday to which he replied "it wasn't near as tough as getting here on time this morning".

Anytime they were broadcasting the info was much more accurate than the Jenkins-esque babble coming from the PA.

[fourrunner]

What... You can HEAR the PA Announcer at Road America .... At most tracks it's a garbled mess no matter how they're pronouncing the names!!! ;)

[Railbird]

LoL

I agree, considering the size of the facility and the fact that the system is just a series of megaphone style speakers it works better than many others.

As big as the place is it's bound to have some dead spots but in most areas that you would gather it can be heard clearly.

[Lizzerd]

...Friday was just pure setup with the director talking to the different camera positions and the occasional drop in by the on air talent. By Saturday warm-up the crew was in full force with the different announcers trading info as well as a little humor...

Anytime they were broadcasting the info was much more accurate than the Jenkins-esque babble coming from the PA.

Uh... Friday of the Monterrey race, Jenkins was doing PA at IMS. I think Saturday too, but not sure. Is it any wonder why Jenkins was Jenkins-esque on the Champ Car broadcast on Sunday?