TV Coverage Highlights: Notes from TNT’s coverage of the Sharpie 500 – Driver’s gone wild: #1 Elliott Sadler pointing at his head signaling for Joe Nemechek to think when he drives, then punching the ambulance on his way off the track. Nemechek knocked Sadler out of the race. #2 Hut Stricklin clapping and giving a mock thumps up as Jeremy Mayfield goes by. Mayfield bumped Strickland out of the race. #3 Jimmie Johnson giving a middle finger wave to Robby Gordon as he passed by. Gordon bumped Johnson out of the race. Dallenbach on why Johnson wouldn’t immediately leave the track: “He is waiting to wave to his favorite driver right now (R. Gordon).” #4 Ward Burton throwing his heel pads at Dale Earnhardt Jr., who knocked him out of the race. Burton on the incident: “I wish I would have had something I could’ve shot through the window.” Best Feature: TNT’s feature on former NFL coach Joe Gibbs, owner of Tony Stewart’s car and Bobby Labonte’s car. The piece described the great respect the teams have for Gibbs as leader, while relaying their lack of confidence in Gibbs’s car knowledge. “We don’t even give him a radio so that he can talk … we give him money to go to the concession stand to buy a hot dog,” said Stewart. Best Video: Points leader Sterling Marlin’s tire jack getting caught under his car, while exiting pit road and going 20 spots up into Ricky Craven’s pit as he left.. Marlin was penalized for the equipment problem. With friends like these:(Turner PR)(8-25-2002)
