So I’m having a good time with this particular poll currently being held over at champcarfanatics.com, http://www.champcarfanatics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40830 (no idea if that link works or not). It certainly a hotly contested debate, who should be part of the broadcast in 2007 and while its unscientific, champcarfanatics has always represented the average champcar fan well. Therefore you have to at least take the results into some consideration (and no, I am not simply saying that because I happen to be currently ranked third behind Beekhuis and Kendall). There are some good battles going on.

I like the three females being neck in neck with one another and you can’t ignore the fact that Michelle Beisner didn’t make the first cut. I guess the audience doesn’t relate to her. Such is life. We’ll also forgive Sarah for attempting to campaign votes her way by going public with a request for votes. :) I look forward to seeing the outcome in this one.

What I like about this poll is that it sort of puts all the candidates on one page and lets us use our imagination and picture the best team. For example, I personally don’t think that Kendall and Beekhuis would be good together in the booth. While booth are masters at their craft, their approach is so different from one another that I don’t think they would compliment each other. Having said that, maybe what they need between them is, oh, I don’t know, yours truly to be the referee.

Its certainly telling that Derek Daly is low on the list and frankly, that can’t surprise anybody who regularly goes to champ car forums. In fact, I understand (and saw myself) that Derek has joined speedtv forums and asked the fans for help. This is certainly a modern approach and I hope that he listens, cause 99% of the time, the fans are NOT wrong. It may seem odd that he’s doing this, but if it helps, then all the better. If he is back next season, hopefully he can appeal to more people.

Hinch continues to be a popular choice and I wish I had had the opportunity to hear him this season on the international broadcast. Of course, I don’t think Hinch is quite ready to give up racing just yet for a career in broadcasting. But it’s certainly going to be something he’ll be able to fall back on somewhere down the road. But, it’s safe to say, at 20, he’s got another 15 years of racing in him. At least.

Gary Gerould. Gotta love him. No matter who he’s collected a paycheck from in the past.

I don’t want to say I am surprised that Calvin Fish is garnering that many votes, because that is unfair to him. I’m actually happy that he’s doing well. I always liked him in the pits, thought he got the right people to talk too and most important, asked the right questions. That’s key. Asking the right questions. You are more or less trying to prod the interviewee into revealing a secret, such as their strategy, or how much fuel they have, etc. but you need to do it in a diplomatic way or else you’ll be refused access the next time you try. It’s a fine dance and Fish always did it well.

Parker. Gotta love Parker too.

Thank you for all that voted for me. I appreciate it and who knows where it will lead. All I know is I am going to keep checking for the next few days and hope that my 3rd place remains intact. I have no illusions of beating Kendall or Beekhuis. But the rest of the group? Bring it! ;)