Totally NASCAR
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| Totally NASCAR | |
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| Genre | Fox Sports Net (2001–2004; 2010–2013) |
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Totally NASCAR was a
Original version
The original show aired nightly and replaced the recently cancelled weekly show
The show debuted on February 12, 2001, six days before
The program was a mix of news, highlights, features, and
The show's original producer was Ryan McGee. McGee greenlit the addition of NASCAR.com's Marty Smith as a "garage insider." Years later they became cohosts of Marty & McGee at ESPN.
Controversy
When Totally NASCAR was launched, NASCAR allowed it access to race highlights. At the same time, RPM 2Night, an established show on
The footage battles, which many believed showed de facto favoritism to FSN, led to a large number of complaints, both from viewers and television critics. Some fans blame the policy for the eventual end of RPM 2Night in 2002, but no one ever substantially proved this. Ironically, the two shows were produced only a few miles apart in south
Current version
Totally NASCAR was a weekly program. It was fed to FSN affiliates on Mondays, but actual air dates and times vary from region to region. The host was
Move to Speed Channel
In 2005, FSN relinquished the show rights to Speed (then called SPEED Channel). Speed chose not to bring the show back after the November 21, 2004, episode and set up a successor program,
Air times
Totally NASCAR aired at 6 p.m. local time Monday through Friday from 2001 to
Notable events
- The show was nominated for a 2002 Sports Emmy for Outstanding Daily Studio Show, losing to ESPN's Baseball Tonight, despite a staff of less than 20 and a production office that was essentially a double wide trailer in an office parking lot.
- Hammond's first demo car was sponsored by America's Most Wanted and featured the photos of missing children on its hood. In at least one instance, information called in by a Totally NASCAR viewer helped to solve the mystery of a missing girl.
- When Krista Voda became full-time host in 2004, she is believed to be the first full-time female host of a national sports program.