Windtunnel moves to Sunday Nights only

[JohnHKart]

From Jayski's:

Wind Tunnel to Sunday night only: SPEED Channel is making several changes to its popular call-in show Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain for the 2005 race season. Beginning in February, Wind Tunnel will be expanded to two hours, anchoring the Sunday night Prime Time lineup at 9:00pm/et. "We want to hear from the fans when they're still excited, still angry and still eager to talk about what they've just watched," said Rick Miner, SPEED Channel's Sr. VP of Programming/Production and Executive Producer. "It's no secret that the only thing more passionate than a race fan is a race fan on race day. "In addition, we'd like to get Dave out from behind the desk during the week, letting him expand on opportunities to do exclusive SPEED Channel interviews with some of the biggest names in racing," Miner added. "Wind Tunnel originally was designed as a show for the fans and we believe this new format will allow us to be even more aggressive in that mission." The new format will include the show's traditional long-form interviews, along with multiple short-form interviews via phone, satellite and in-studio guest appearances. "I really like the idea of a Sunday night show," said Despain, who recently inked a three-year contract extension with SPEED Channel. "We'll talk to the fans while they're still fired up from the racing weekend, and talk to the newsmakers while the news is still hot. Add the fact that the two-hour format will enable us to do a lot of things we simply didn't have time for in the past, and I think it will be a lot of fun." Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain will hit original episode #250 early next season.(SPEED Channel PR), the show will NOT air Mon-Thurs nights in 2005 as it did the past two years, only 2 hours on Sunday nights.[my rare opinion......boooooo](12-20-2004)



This flat out blows...... :thumdown: Ah well more time for History, Discovery, Novelas from Colombia with hot chicks, and watching all the racing I couldn't get to on Sunday. I won't be watching Windtunnel on Sunday, but more likely much later in the week on tape, after all the races it spoils are watched. I know there will be a ton of comments on here like: "I never watched it because it was a redneck trailer park call in show"...So let's hear from WT fans. What do you think?

John

[devilmaster]

I think if anything, it solidifies his show as a NASCAR only call in show. It might be a little more open on the 4 weeks out of the year that a race doesn't take place in Nascar.

But i'm wondering if they will have a harder time getting interviews because of the fact that everyone is usually still finishing off a race weekend.

Steve

[Railbird]

For the most part I've enjoyed Windtunnel and I think this blows. I agree with Steve in that it will only make it more Nascar focused.

as if we needed more insight into the trails and tribulations of Jimmy Spencer's family.

[2DB]

Here in gomerland we got WT in the summer at 9:00pm which left time to get to bed at a reasonable hour. This format is probably more to Dave's liking but there is always news breaking during the week to be addressed. Now it seems to me that most of what he could be reporting, in the upcoming season, on will be snippets of things we will already have some knowledge of. I'll wait to see how it pans out but as of now it appears to be a NASCAR motivated move.
Robin might want to increase to four nights a week and take up the slack. And thats the Truth!

Kelvis

[Methanolandbrats]

There was at least some daily news in motorsports and Dave's show was the only place to learn of it. Now SPEED on weeknights will be a total wasteland of NASCAR garbage. I wonder if those Speadfreak idiots will be a daily "show" and replace Dave?