NASCAR’s media reach has grown by leaps and bounds. The television and Internet coverage provide followers with plenty of stories, results and information. On Sirius Satellite Radio there is one station that is dedicated solely to NASCAR coverage. The race fan’s destination channel 128.
Sirius is a subscription radio service that provides a few hundred channels of music, talk, news, sports, comedy, entertainment, traffic, weather, and whatever else I cannot think of. It is a safe bet that there is a station that can relate to anyone’s interest. For the listener looking for a stock car fix, Sirius NASCAR Radio provides coverage 24/7.
Several fan call-in shows are the regular weekday programming while all broadcast qualifying and race coverage air during the weekends. If there is a NASCAR broadcast it can be heard on SNR. Many of the voices heard on the Motor Racing Network and Performance Racing Network race coverage is also heard hosting weekday programming.
The early morning show opens at 7am Eastern Time with the Morning Drive hosted by Mike Bagley and Pete Pistone.
Bagley is a veteran announcer with MRN Radio and Pistone is a journalist with Racingone, CBS Sports, and WGN out of Chicago. The team is new but the chemistry has come quickly.
Charlotte Observer NASCAR writer David Poole used to co-host the show with Bagley until David’s sudden passing this past April. After his death I felt like I lost a friend, which is a sign of a good radio host. Bagley showed remarkable strength in the days that followed and continued to host the NASCAR show. The racing listeners and callers remembered Poole and eventually the regular show topic returned to NASCAR. Bagley’s poise helped the show’s fans move from grief, to anticipation for the next race.
Following a series of guest co-hosts, Pistone was named to be a permanent part of the morning show. The pairing of the two jelled quickly and a solid team was created in a short time period.
Midday on SNR features Tradin’Paint with Rick Benjamin and Danny ‘Chocolate’ Myers.
Benjamin is a long time motorsports broadcaster many fans might remember from TNN’s racing coverage. Rick is versatile, possessing knowledge of many forms of auto racing. His talent shows in his ability to anchor the former Champ Car series broadcasts, talk about current road racing tours, and keep right in step with all things NASCAR.
‘Chocolate’ brings a bit of a celebrity status to the show, being the former gasman on the Dale Earnhardt driven, Richard Childress Racing famed number three. Myers is full of stories from the early days of Childress’ own driving career, to the championship years with Earnhardt. He has a show-and-tell program on Wednesdays where he brings something off one of the RCR cars and gives a detailed description to the listeners. Questions follow and the item usually has to do with a race story line from the previous weekend.
Sirius Speedway holds the afternoon drive-time slot. Dave Moody and Suzy Q. Armstrong provide the banter during the NASCAR debates.
Moody is also an MRN announcer with many years experience and can explain and debate any topic that fans have issues with. The Vermont native has seen many professional and grassroots racing events and sounds just as comfortable talking about a regional late model race as NASCAR’s Chase standings.
Armstrong comes from a public relation, track announcer, and radio production background and she herself also has many years of experience working in motorsports. “Suzy Q.” and “The Godfather” might be the combination that pokes at each other the most to generate laughs. They are a good pairing as well.
Alex Hayden and Buddy Baker are heard a few nights per week on The Late Shift.
Baker is a legendary driver that helped build this sport into the popular spectacle it is today. He, like Myers, can produce stories from his days behind the wheel that could captivate an entire show.
Hayden is another announcer you may hear patrolling the pit area during an MRN broadcast. He can take a listener’s call, let him share his opinion, and set up Baker for one of the stories from racing’s ‘good old days.’
Other names and voices dot the Sirius landscape that can sound familiar to NASCAR followers. Among them are Jerry Bonkowski, Claire B. Lang, Pat Patterson, and Steve Post.
A selection of drivers and crew chiefs make weekly contributions in the form of a call-in. Bobby Hamilton Jr., Jason Leffler, Slugger Labbe, and Ryan Pemberton are just a few who weigh in on the latest NASCAR happenings and share their point of view.
The channel provides extensive pre and post race shows, live Cup, Nationwide and Truck Series events. And it is great to hear drivers from NASCAR’s Hometracks and regional touring series get some airtime with interviews as well.
I have Sirius radio in my truck with hundreds of channels. But being a racer I find myself listening to NASCAR radio far more than the other options combined. Much like my life I always seem to involve racing in all my decisions, even my radio station.
