With Fox passing the broadcasting torch to TNT Sports for Sunday’s Pocono 500, fans said goodbye to the broadcasting team that had brought them halfway through the races leading up to the Chase.  The change in networks is bittersweet for many fans as viewers tend to develop a bond with those that bring them the races they so enjoy every weekend.  But it’s not only the personalities that fans will long for until next season.   Along with Fox broadcasters Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds and Darrell Waltrip, fans bid farewell to their favorite catch phrases and gimmicks they had come to love.

“I feel like I lost a brother,” said race fan Nedley Currington. “To think that I won’t see Digger again until next year leaves a hole in my heart big enough for Dario Franchitti to drive through without hitting the sides.” 

“All I’m left with is this empty feeling,” said fan Heather Cobbs. “I think I was only about three boogities short of being fulfilled.”

“Larry Mac, while you won’t be in the broadcast booth again this year, you will always have a place in my heart,” said fan Otis Featherbean.  “See you next season my friend.”

While the current TNT Sports broadcasting team understands the feelings of loss that fans are currently experiencing, they do hope that their special brand of commentary and camaraderie will bring fans that special something they long for.  In order to make the transition as smooth as possible, lead broadcaster Bill Weber has begun his search for the next great catch phrase to comfort fans.

However, the process of coming up with America’s next great catch phrase seems to be more difficult than Weber ever imagined.  “In our first creative meeting of the season I remember Bill sitting there telling us that he wanted something that really jumped out at fans,” said TNT Sports producer Lester Mooble.  “When one of our interns suggested Bill yell ‘Hot Diggity Damn Let’s Get Them Horses Running’ he looked at us with a steely gaze and told us that any old idiot can spew nonsense.  Bill Weber is no Darrell Waltrip.  It takes a true artist to bring something into the popular lexicon of race fans.”  The process of developing the latest hit in pop culture vernacular clearly took its toll on Weber as race season approached.  Reportedly, Weber’s trademark hair was often messed up, his makeup was running down his face and his announcer’s voice was reduced to a nasally drone.  “Things got so bad that we considered turning the Pocono race back over to Fox until we could get things in order,” said Mooble.

According to sources familiar with the process, Weber took total creative control over the process and repeatedly called for the need to develop something that looks great on a coffee mug or a t shirt.  Due to time constraints, Weber settled on saying “You’re watching NASCAR on TNT.”  Plans for coffee mugs and t shirts were eventually scrapped.

In order to help fans ease the loss of the beloved Gopher Cam Digger, Weber suggested they go with Earnest the Earthworm Camera.  Weber thought there was much comedic gold to be mined from a bit called “Ernest Goes To Race.”  Those plans were scrapped however after legal action was threatened by the estate of the late Earnest Goes To Camp star Jim Varney.

Facing a lack of viable options, the TNT Sports crew eventually settled for something on the humorous side when broadcaster Wally Dallenbach would mention that he used to race cars himself.  The decision to go with that was settled when Dallenbach made that mention during the creative meetings, the result was side splitting laughter from the crew.  “It’s funny, the creative process,” said Mooble.  “We would sit there in the meetings talking about what Bill’s new catch phrase would be and Wally would say something about he used to race and it would bring the house down.  It finally dawned on us that Wally was comedy gold and we ended up going with something that had been there right in front of our faces all along.  Fans are going to love it.”