General Sportscar Chat thread

[Mechanic Z]

Originally Posted by jasonjessica09

Who would you rank as the top 5 sportscar specific broadcasters/jounralists/pundits right now? I know there's not many but I'll give you my ranking in order.

1. John Hindbaugh (voice of sportscars who eles would be #1)
2. John Dagys
3. Marshal Pruett
4. Graham Goodwin
5. Leo Parente

I've not been a terribly big fan of JH, lately.

-The Next Next Poster

[TF110]

Hes good, just makes silly mistakes. My favorite; calling Toyota, Peugeot I don't mind it though. Peugeot are obviously missed by him as well.

[deggis]

Hindy should tone down the excitement slider from 11 to 10. Secondly I'm so annoyed at the constant, artificial jabs at other racing categories. Someone tell him bashing person's favourite category is probably not the best way to convert fans. On the other hand, most of the listeners are already fans of sportscars, so basically it is some sort of... group masturbation.

[Accident]

He needs to wait until he has a positive ID on the car before calling anything. As it is he just starts shouting about a car spinning out "OH THAT'S THE LEADER, OH NOOO WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPEN- oh wait that's the #2 car, my mistake" or whatever the case is. I suppose on one hand it shows his enthusiasm, but being too excitable isn't a good quality for an announcer in my opinion, and I feel it hurts his "professionalism" a little.

The little jabs at other series don't offend me but they don't impress me either, although the "quest for the chase for the cup for the thing" or whatever he called the NASCAR chase was mildly amusing the first time I heard it.

I would imagine some view that enthusiasm/excitability, along with is constant little jabs at other series, as a sort of "sportscar bro" quality, like he is just another fan like them and feel that that is a good thing.

In between his inaccurate shouting though, I generally enjoy his commentary, especially so when discussing rumors and news and the like with Goodwin or some of the others.

[CTD]

I enjoy John Hindhaugh mostly because he is one the voices I identify with Le Mans.

But my favorites must be Graham Goodwin, and especially Paul Truswell!
Paul Truswell's comments are often the ones I find most beneficial when I'm at the track as he supply the information that is almost impossible for the spectator to figure out alone.

[Aysedasi]

I'd be happy just to listen to Paul. I used to love it though when he was 'teamed' with Ian Titchmarsh. The perfect pairing.

But Hindy is fine. I've warmed to him over the years. Yes, he makes mistakes, but they all do that.

[Gingers4Justice]

His jibes at other forms of motorsport are perfectly legitimate, in my eyes. He clearly adores all forms of motor racing...it's just a bit of satire. Maybe that doesn't come across so well to a multi-nation audience. But I think that's fairly clear.

The best commentator of all time made some absolute howlers, so I don't think the mistakes are something you can call him down for when he's got the enthusiasm, like Murray Walker, to make up for it.

Decent commentators are hard to come by and we're quite lucky to have him.

Can see why you might find him a bit annoying, but it's because we come across him all the time. When he retires I think it will be sad day for everyone.

[AFC-911]

LOVE Hindy!

[Mechanic Z]

Hindaugh's jabs at other motorsports don't really bother me much.

What HAS bothered me is his attempts to put down teams and/or non-WEC sports car series.

[Lagunaseca_4life]

Yea I don't know, since this season when he wasn't on espn3 and only heard him on wec streams I kinda lost interest in him.he seemed more like entitled to something and put wec as the greatest thing since sliced bread and felt he slipped up a couple of times calling the correct drivers or cars, I understand drivers because there can be three to four in each cars but you can tell the difference from car to car(except for Astons small army of vantages) he also didn't fit in to good with the abc crew and old Johnny.an an and ya know what.

[Nick Woodbury]

Originally Posted by Lagunaseca_4life

he also didn't fit in to good with the abc crew and old Johnny.an an and ya know what.

+100

[deggis]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

His jibes at other forms of motorsport are perfectly legitimate, in my eyes. He clearly adores all forms of motor racing...it's just a bit of satire. Maybe that doesn't come across so well to a multi-nation audience. But I think that's fairly clear.

This is what makes the jibes ridiculous. MWM covers more than sportscars and there he is usually more neutral and he does cover other series too randomly, but it still feels like this typical, pretentious sportscar pundit attitude is what he wants to have. Usually these references to other series (read: F1) have nothing to do with the race going on, so they're getting tiring and it mainly feels like he says this stuff so that he and the listeners can feel better about themselves. I usually facepalm.

Martin Haven is another who seems to do this often.

[porsche91722]

Commentary is always going to be subjective. Some people loved Murray Walker, some couldn't stand him, but the big thing about both Murray and John is that they are both extremely passionate about what they do. MW made some of the biggest clangers in commentary of any sport, but that didn't stop him from being the best. Heck, everybody makes mistakes, and lets face it, commentary in F1 or most other forms of motorsport would be a damn sight easier than multiclass sports car racing, where they have to keep an eye on 4 or 5 different leaders plus all the individual class battles, team and pitstop strategies taking place at the same time, and in the LM24, N24, Sebring and all the other 6H, 10H, 1000km etc races, keep the concentration levels up over the duration of the race. Commentary isn't easy, you should try it sometime. One of the things I enjoy about the RLM guys is their interaction with the fans via social media during the races. Radio Le Mans recently covered the Bathurst 1000, but did it from the UK, so they were seeing the same pictures that we were, on TV here in Aus. Their commentary from 20000kms away left the local yokels for dead.

[Tim the Grey]

I like Hindy. Heading somewhere with a local transmitter, and 5 miles out, I hear THAT accent. It's like Christmas Eve! Plus he is actually a decent bloke, unlike some.
Then Trussers, for the Data Crunching he does on our behalf.

One or 2 others come to mind, but then I'm biased!

[Brownj]

I enjoy all of the above, and would add Sam Collins as a favorite to hear. He has a wealth of knowledge and insight into the technical side of things, and his presentation is top notch.

Marshall Pruett's increase in sports car coverage this year has been very welcome, and some of his in-depth articles on Racer.com have been outstanding.

[Paradise City]

Jeremy Shaw and David Addison by a distance. I know Addison has gone to the BTCC in recent years.

He's a very worthy commentator Hindaugh but the way he lavishes praise on the sport and the action comes across as over the top and occasionally crosses over into condescension. I can judge for myself how exciting the action is at any given time - I don't need to be told. That form of commentary is a necessary evil if you are pandering to a casual audience that one might expect with a mainstream channel but a specialist channel should appreciate that your fans possess a level of understanding as to what is exciting and what is not.

Praise from Addison, but particularly Shaw, is always proportionate and merited. None of the above shy away from delivering criticism when it is deserved though, which is a credit to them all.

GG and PT are like Mr. Data and Mr. Spock out of Star Trek. First class pundits, analysts, who knows the sport backwards and forwards and can be relied upon to deliver first class info.

[Dead-Eye]

I always liked Shaw, but I wasn't impressed by what he did in the recent ALMS broadcasts. Maybe he just didn't get along with Creamer very well, but whatever the reason, most of the time I wished they'd get someone else.

Originally Posted by Paradise City

He's a very worthy commentator Hindaugh but the way he lavishes praise on the sport and the action comes across as over the top and occasionally crosses over into condescension. I can judge for myself how exciting the action is at any given time - I don't need to be told. That form of commentary is a necessary evil if you are pandering to a casual audience that one might expect with a mainstream channel but a specialist channel should appreciate that your fans possess a level of understanding as to what is exciting and what is not.

Funnily enough, my impression of Hindhaugh is that that's exactly what he doesn't do. I thought about this while watching the Shanghai WEC race, and was very happy that compared to many other pundits (especially on American TV), he doesn't constantly tell you how exciting the battle for seventh in the slowest class is and how awesome the series is because of it. Yes, he sometimes gets excited, but that's because he genuinely is excited about something, and that doesn't bother me.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Tim the Grey

I like Hindy. Heading somewhere with a local transmitter, and 5 miles out, I hear THAT accent. It's like Christmas Eve!

No, that's his missus.......

[Mechanic Z]

While we're discussing commentators, we need to give credit to the ALMS pit reporters. Jamie Howe and Kelli Stavast have both done a fantasic job over the past couple years.

Also, Tommy Kendall did a really good job in commentary a couple years back. (I think it was the Daytona 24?)

Brian Till has done a pretty good job in the booth as well.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

I'd be happy just to listen to Paul. I used to love it though when he was 'teamed' with Ian Titchmarsh. The perfect pairing.

I see it that way too.

[rwintle]

Originally Posted by Mechanic Z

While we're discussing commentators, we need to give credit to the ALMS pit reporters. Jamie Howe and Kelli Stavast have both done a fantasic job over the past couple years.

Agreed. When they're not engaging in the dreaded "Michelin Tire Feature" or something similar, that is (remember the famous "tires are like erasers" bit? Argh.)

But then there was that *other* guy... what was his name? Taro Koki or something? Gawd, the painfulness.

Regarding commentators - I also have found Hindy a little trying in recent years - too much yelling, too many errors. But nothing compares with the two clowns RLM fielded for Petit Le Mans a couple of years ago when Hindy and Shaw were off doing something else. I wish I could remember their names. Mistake after mistake after mistake. Argh.

[Ginaro Zukovsky]

Originally Posted by rwintle

Regarding commentators - I also have found Hindy a little trying in recent years - too much yelling, too many errors. But nothing compares with the two clowns RLM fielded for Petit Le Mans a couple of years ago when Hindy and Shaw were off doing something else. I wish I could remember their names. Mistake after mistake after mistake. Argh.

If it was the ILMC race in 2011 then it was Haven and Damon, but I don't remember them being too bad, taking into account they were commentating from the UK, working off the stream and live timing. I remember there being a problem with the justin.tv stream I was watching so the streamer put on RLM - was quite good, funny commentary.

[TRspitfirefan]

Originally Posted by Mechanic Z

While we're discussing commentators, we need to give credit to the ALMS pit reporters. Jamie Howe and Kelli Stavast have both done a fantasic job over the past couple years.

Also, Tommy Kendall did a really good job in commentary a couple years back. (I think it was the Daytona 24?)

Brian Till has done a pretty good job in the booth as well.

+1

[Lagunaseca_4life]

Originally Posted by rwintle

But then there was that *other* guy... what was his name? Taro.

Agh no not Taro!! Taro for gosh sake turn your mic on...taro turn your mic on!!


Back to topic.Justin Bell has always been a favorite of mine, his mid night Le Mans adventures are epic.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Ginaro Zukovsky

If it was the ILMC race in 2011 then it was Haven and Damon, but I don't remember them being too bad, taking into account they were commentating from the UK, working off the stream and live timing. I remember there being a problem with the justin.tv stream I was watching so the streamer put on RLM - was quite good, funny commentary.

I quite like Damon's style on the mic. I echo what other people have said about Collins, Truswell, Goodwin, Palmer, and the other RLM crew.