TOMAS TALES TEMPUS FUGIT!

That’s hard to justify when Formula 1 can do about the same distance on the same track in less than two hours.

IndyCar races are capped at two hours. When you realize you’re not the only game in town, that’s plenty long enough.

Obviously, stock car racing and open-wheel formula racing are vastly different applications, but as a sporting event, I simply don’t think NASCAR needs three hours-plus to get their point across. Not when other series are able to make time fly!

Thismight just be the very first time some latin kicks off a Tomas Tales! The funky phrase “Tempus Fugit” from the ancient language a lot of our current words come from describes the rapid passing of time.

Time Flies!

Time has flown rapidly since Raceline Radio’s debut in May of 1992. This year, 2023, marks our 31st consecutive season on the air as ‘Canada’s National Radio Motorsport Authority.’

When it comes to time and the passing of it, we’ve been very fortunate. Long-form radio shows such as ours that deal with one specific sport don’t usually last this long, but loyal fan listenership across the country, affiliate program directors who ‘get it,’ an incredibly loyal broadcast partnership from Subaru Canada – who’s been with us all 31 years – and solid long-term support from General Tire Canada are the main reasons our lights are still on, and we still answer the phone.

Over that same time span, sustained support at the regional or local level from sponsors and partners has been just as critical to staying on the air.

In our immediate market, Toronto and Southern Ontario, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park is there with advertising support for us every summer, while tracks like Merrittville and Ransomville Speedways and race-related companies like Bicknell Racing Products and Pete’s Automotive have been our broadcast bedrock partners in Niagara and Western New York for years.

It’s vital the show works at the affiliate and local level. Our good friend Dave Moody from MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio said it best, “The local roots of our sport have to be healthy, because if the roots die the whole tree dies!”

Brilliantly described.

Over the passage of time our tree is still very healthy. Speaking of time, our NASCAR friends, particularly at the Cup level really need to improve management of the clock.

Yes, here we go again! How long have I been grousing about the length of Cup races?

The road course run at the Circuit of The Americas in Texas had me throwing things at the television! Five cautions over the last 12 laps? Please! Tyler Reddick had to survive those re-starts, three of them in overtime, to win it. This insistence you just keep adding overtime laps to get a green flag finish is something I’ve never liked. Manipulated finishes just don’t feel right.

But three and a half hours to do 75 laps?

Tale Pipes

I’m very sad that Tim Moses has left us in his 72nd year. We graduated from the Niagara College Radio and TV program back in the 1970s and for more than 40 years Tim was one of the very best television ‘shooters’ in the business. The ace cameraman who worked for CHCH TV, Global TV and TSN shooting stand ups and segments. We would run into each other at countless motorsport events and media conferences. I loved the way Tim would calm down rookie nerves before a stand-up by saying, “It’s only television!”

God Speed Tim Moses…with a fully charged battery and perfect white balance!

In better news, we’ve doubled up in Alberta! Long-standing Network affiliates TSN 1260 Edmonton and Sportsnet 960 The Fan Calgary have added a second weekly airing of Raceline Radio and we’re thrilled! TSN 1260’s primary airing is now Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. mountain time, with the replay Saturday mornings at 7 a.m. Sportsnet 960 adds early Saturday morning at 7 a.m. Mountain time to their primary airing of Raceline Radio at 10 p.m. Monday nights.

More chances to connect with the excellent racing fans in Wild Rose Country is a very good thing! ET