Monday, January 16, 2023

Rolex 24 Postscript: 2022 Race’s Opening Segment

Which surely will be Déjà vu Du, as ‘Ol Yogi Berra would say again this year…

 

Had a Funny thought this morning, (January 29th) awaiting the Green Flag Dropping upon last year’s Rolex 24 motor race. Thinking how it kind of reminded me like being a kid on Christmas morning. Although the Dawning of another motor racing season can never compare to the Sheer Excitement of waking up to go discover what presents Santa’s left Yuhs underneath Ye tree!

 

Nonetheless, I did get momentarily excited before the Deafening, Sleep Disrupting Nonstop Outdoor “Generator” Noise started at Bloody 7AM, Sigh!

 

Whilst it’s funny how here on the opposite coast in Ye Utter’ Florence, we were experiencing our own Cool weather, albeit warmer than Daytona Beach, with Friday’s High of an unseasonably warm 58 degrees and an expected Drop of 25 degrees Mercury overnight, Crikeys!

 

While it was GURR-REAT! To Hear Leigh Diffey’s voice once again, cannot say I was Happy over the RASSCAR’ Centric NBC Announce Crew! With Junior’, nee Dale Earnhardt Jr. joining Diffey and Calvin Fish in the Broadcast Booth. With ex-RASSCAR’ Crew Chief Steve LeTart roaming the grounds.

 

But I have to say a Smirk came across my face when Kevin “the Werewolf!” Lee got Drowned Out by the noise of the racing cars! With Parker Kligerman also on Pitlane. And then reportedly 12-feet “High” in the Peacock Pit booth was Marty Snidely Whiplash Snyder with Ye Mayor ‘O Hinchtown (James Hinchcliffe) and (Townsend) T-bell  

 

As Once again it was Nothing But commercials! During Big NBC’s One Hour Teas! With their TV coverage starting at 10:30AM Pacific. Beginning with a three minute Intro US Bank Sports Desk segment. Then the first of six three minute commercial breaks; having recorded the following “Racing” segments: 10:36-45AM, (9mins) 10:48-57AM, (9mins) 11:00-04AM, (4mins) 11:07-19AM (12mins) and 11:22-27AM (5mins) before Disappearing to that Freakin’ El Stupidio Peacock Paywall Cock Ah-little DuDu’ Streaming service, Barf!

 

Which contrary to what the Bloggosphere tries spinning, really is a Paywall, No matter How you Slice It! But I digress…

 

Somebody noted Thar were a total of 235 Drivers competing in the Mondo’ 61 car field, the largest since 2014. Whilst Junior claimed that the Prototypes would be lapping the GT Daytona Saloons’ every 15 minutes!

 

Really nice segment of Hinch’ interviewing one of his Best Friends Robby Wickens, a la Thee Young Wicky’ as James once called him a Zillion Years ago. Following Wickens and Co-Driver Mark Wilkens finishing third overall in Wickens comeback race. As Kudos to Townsend Bell for not only pointing out the obvious over Wickens Grit, Determination and Desire to return, but also giving A shout Out to Memo Gidley who’d also made his Prototypes return earlier in the IMSA Prototype Challenge race.

 

And somewhere  later on, during the multiple hours of Broadcasting. I learned that Ford will return to Factory Sports Car racing with it’s brand new IMSA Mustang GT3 racecar in 2024! And go Head-to-Head with Corvette’s new Z06 GT3 racecar, amongst the other GT3 competitors.

 

https://racer.com/2022/01/28/ford-to-revive-imsa-factory-program-with-gt3-mustang-in-2024/

 

Whilst I’ll Arse-sume that this year’s January 28-29 61st running of the Rolex 24 will look virtually the same, with NBC using much of Thar Roundy round Taxicab Bomber personalities as possible, Drat!