Hi all. I usually don't rant but this just rubbed me wrong. My wife and I made sure to watch Windtunneel with Dave Despain last night to find out more details about the Eric Medlin crash. We were both surprised when it was not mentioned in the opening of the show. They never even mentioned it in his hot topics segment which to me would have been a slap in the face. Is this just not that big of a deal? Kids like him are exactly what Force has named them. Generation X which truly is the next generation. To me atleast Funny Car lost a person that helps promote the growth of the sport not even putting into account that this was a good kid with all the tools in place to contribute to society as much as anyone can. And Nascar is fine to talk about as I am slowly learning most people would rather sit and watch a race on a Sunday afternoon rather than actually putting their mind and hands to work on a car. But if someone winning a race in a big bowl is more important than the loss of a person like an Eric Medlin, I must have my heart in the wrong place. I like Dave and he is truly a great interviewer, but I guess the balance in his check book means more to him than the big picture as racing in general has suffered a major loss. And I don't know if they talked about it. I didn' care and I just changed channels after that opening as the showed failed in my eyes. So as fellow Gearheads and members of this board, am I looking at this wrong or is Drag Racing just that low on the totem pole?

John Weaver

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I too was upset they didnt bring it up right away. They have a short segment about it after all the hot topics and stuff, but I think it should be immediate news along with the who won in the big races. But SpeedTV is all Nascrap and the Crap of Tomorrow gets all the time.

Nascar is selling a product that people want right now. I hate to get on a Nascar kick, but I hope this COT will give them a reality check. But if I am thinking right, they are looking at a much bigger picture than just the USA at this point and they could care less if they lose some of their good ole boy fans. They want to go abroad and controlling the car that they want to race on their tracks puts them one step closer. But back on point, I might just fire an email off at them and see if I get a respnse. I am a big Ricky Carmichael fan. I have been for years and I hope he can get what he wants out of 4 wheel racing. But to put that ahead of the loss of a great young racer like an Eric Medlin on a show that is suppposed to be geared towards the racing community in general just reinstates to me that somebody has their priorities out of order. But it is just an opinion.

John Weaver

It is sad that Eric was just a side bar story. I didn't see the show but would give them both barrels if it was presented that way.

My neighbors kid is in high tech engineering robotics and says soon the NASCAR drivers will be some geeky looking dudes sitting in a booth with the radio contols for the cars! Think about that! Full size 700+ hp radio control cars! I want one too!!!:hurray:

I haven't heard anyone on any news station, sports station, speed, ESPN or any other source even mention the death of Eric Medlen. Those idiots on speed channel, and ESPN/ABC doing NASCAR are so hard to watch, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if they never mention it. It will be talked about on Sat night by the ESPN-2 NHRA guys, when they start the qualifying coverage, but it's a shame those numbskulls like Waltrip, and and the rest of those knuckle-heads he works with, couldn't discuss such a tragic loss.
Cory Mac did mention the death before the Bristol race, as they interveiwed him for a total of maybe 10 seconds, then those idiots in the NASCAR booth, STILL didn't mention it:clonk: OK, My rant is ove,r for now.

I never have thought too much about how nascar presents their product. They come acrooss like they are the only type of motorsports in the country. Too me, watching a nascar race on a Sunday afternoon is an excellent way to catch a nap, because they are not racing...I could go on and on about nascar...

I knew Eric shook hands with Eric and just recently at the winter nationals got his autograph. Like most of his fans evrybody could talk to him he made sure of that. He is a big lost to the race world even bigger to the NHRA and yet even Bigger to JOHN FORCE RACING. No one will replace him! John will find someone to drive the car and the race will go on! I feel that more sould have been said to. I sure more will be said in the coming week. all of my prayers are with the family he left behind! We all know he is in a better place and now will be doing what he loves the best race all the greats! Lets just remeber him as he would want us to and cont. on with are lives and go RACING

Not a NASCAR fan by any means. To each is own, but I saw part of Windtunnel last night as well and was quite surprised that there was nothing said at the beginning. I hate to see the sports section of out local paper that NEVER has the NHRA results......but they have every round track REDNECK event listed for the next week!!

Unfortunately this country only has a few sports that get any attention. NASCAR, NFL, MLB, NBL and golf, thats it. So if you don't like playing with balls your just screwed;) .

I am huge fan of bicycle racing and the only coverage I get on TV is two hours on a sunday afternoon, and thats only 8-9 months of the year. Anything else I have to get off the net or magazines.

Unless you are a mainstream sports fan, don't plan on getting any decent coverage, or even hearing when tragedies happen on the TV.

Jeff

Missed the beginning so I thought I had missed it too...glad I wasn't the only one who noticed.

NHRA Drag Racing is NASCAR's red-headed stepchild...let's face it.The ONLY reason why I knew the Medlen crash was serious and that Eric probably wouldn't make it...was because ESPN reported it on their ticker Monday night after the crash.ESPN NEVER reports about drag racing unless someone crashes or dies.

Whole thing makes me sick anyway....

I live and work right near the Tasca dealership and had expected to at least see the flag at half mast. I was kind of surprised when they didn't.

I live in NC (nascar country) and when Dale Earnhardt died many people treated it like a national tragedy. The truth is, it was a tragedy, a husband, father, and friend was lost.
But Eric's death is equally as tragic. No matter how popular someone is or is not, unexpected death is a tragedy.
I remember watching the NHRA race after Dale Sr. died and they flew the flag at half mast, the camera zoomed in on a #3 flag, and nearly every driver that was interviewed mentioned Dale. They did this because he was a race car driver. Well, Eric was a race car driver also, and nobody mentioned Eric.
Shame on nascar. I never really like nascar, always thought they were a bunch of cry babies, but now I feel even worse about them. It will be a long time before I watch another nascar race.
God bless Eric, and God Bless the NHRA, where you can watch real racing.

All weekend,Friday included,the only mention that we seen on tv about Eric was by Cory McClenathan prior to the Bristol race Sunday.Kinda miffed that nobody covered it.I'm going to use the link posted earlier.

It's a shame that Despain couldn't even give Eric Medlin one line. With the talking he does in half an hour, surely Dave could squeeze that much in. Makes you wonder where these guys hearts are.....if they have one.

To be fair,they did mention Eric on the IRL coverage on Saturday night...I did catch that.

Shows you another form of motorsports besides NHRA has some class too.

I too was shocked at the lack of coverage on Eric Medlen! I watched speed more than usual just to catch the story,and nothing was said! The whole lot of them need to get their head out of their ass.

All weekend,Friday included,the only mention that we seen on tv about Eric was by Cory McClenathan prior to the Bristol race Sunday.Kinda miffed that nobody covered it.I'm going to use the link posted earlier.

Yeah - I was going to say that Eric's death was mentioned at the opening cermonies at Bristols this past Sunday.

I was thinking it was not just me that keyed in on the Speed Channel in general not covering more of this tragedy. And Force racing will have to go back to the drawing board to find someone like an Eric Medlin and what he was all about. I made sure to ask all my Nascar fans at work today and only one even knew anything about the accident but knew nothing of Eric. And talking to fans of Nascar is really useless if it entails any other type of motorsports in general. I have never been a big fan of Nascar anyways, but when Dale Sr. died, he took with him the only part of that whole scene that interested me. If you watch an old race with Sr. in it, the racing was just different. Like I said, people do amaze me. I bet if a Nascar driver had gotten killed in testing it would have made national news even if it was a lower ranked driver. Nascar is real big and the media likes to capitalize on what makes a buck. I plan on writing a strongly worded letter at one point this week once I get my thoughts together on how it needs to be written to show my disappointment in how this was handled. It won't change anything I am sure but the power of the pen can be might soothing on the mind.

John Weaver

If its not Nascar, or Asscar as I like to call it. Or, some sort of import tuning bs, or this rediculous Unique Whips crap. Speed Channel could care less.

What about ESPN?? I tuned in and out over the weekend, and never saw anything about it on a sports center... Did I just miss it, it should of been a bigger story because racing lost a great guy...

I made sure to ask all my Nascar fans at work today and only one even knew anything about the accident but knew nothing of Eric. And talking to fans of Nascar is really useless if it entails any other type of motorsports in general.

I would bet a very high percentage of NASCAR fans are fans because it is fashonable to be. Also many, many people find drag racing to be the pinnacle of boring.

Like I said, people do amaze me. I bet if a Nascar driver had gotten killed in testing it would have made national news even if it was a lower ranked driver.

Remember when Kenny Irwin and Adam Petty died, national news.


John Weaver

What about ESPN?? I tuned in and out over the weekend, and never saw anything about it on a sports center... Did I just miss it, it should of been a bigger story because racing lost a great guy...

I do think had it been John Force that died this would have made national news, Eric Medlen was not a household name, John Force is. People know the name John Force, whether they know what he does or not, they have heard the name. Just like Dale Sr., you don't have to care one bit about NASCAR to know the name Dale Earnhardt. The media isn't going to make a huge deal out of a name most people would say "Who?" about a sport the majority don't care for. Although speed channel of all people should have made a deal out of it.


Jeff

Surprised no one has mentioned that the founder of Hot Rod passed a couple days ago as well..until now that is....

Surprised no one has mentioned that the founder of Hot Rod passed a couple days ago as well..until now that is....

Robert Peterson passed on Friday as well...same day as Eric.
It has been mentioned in detail at just about every forum I've been on...

Robert Peterson passed on Friday as well...same day as Eric.
It has been mentioned in detail at just about every forum I've been on...

Including this forum.

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169621&highlight=peterson

Jeff

When Tony Roper was killed,that didn't get much of any news coverage either.Paul Dana got very little coverage or Tony Renna.


edit:Here's some Medlen related news:http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?seriesId=8&id=2812009&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines