Friday, May 09, 2008 - 12:19 AM Updated: 02:28 PM

 

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DARLINGTON — James “Shifty” Shifton is ready for the storm.

No, Shifton isn’t one of those storm chasers that goes from city to city chasing down tornadoes. He’s the producer in charge of a 200-plus member crew which broadcasts all 36 Nationwide and 17 Cup races on the ESPN family of networks.

“It’s organized chaos,” Shifton said Thursday as he walked through the massive TV compound set up behind Turn 1. “A telecast is like being on a conference call with 40 people speaking at the same time.”

Shifton, who has also worked at NBC and TNT, said the sport has changed considerably since ESPN broadcasted racing a decade ago.

Shifton said you usually were able to run everything out of two trucks. Now it takes 11-13 mobile units, including ESPN’s mobile tech center.

In one of the units, there are 19 plasma TVs that detail the 60 to 80 cameras on site. That’s where Shifton and several other people, including director Richard Basalle, sit and work out every little detail down to how many minutes are used for each commercial break.

“It’s like producing a Super Bowl every week,” Shifton said. “No other sport is like this, but that’s what makes it so fun and challenging.”

Getting set up

The 11 to 13 mobile units started pulling into town Monday, just two days after Saturday night’s race at Richmond.

There are also thousands of feet of cable that have to be laid down along with 80 microphones around the track.

While things are being set up on the track, meetings between the production staff are being conducted all week. Shifton said usually six conference calls are held between Monday and Tuesday, discussing the previous week’s race and also what’s on tap for the upcoming week.

Shifton also watches the previous week’s race at least two times, even breaking it down lap by lap.

There also is the countless number of graphics and pre-tape segments, which are produced during the week. But Shifton said only 10 percent of everything that is produced is actually run.

Which things get on the air is also up for debate. Each producer will pitch things that need to air. But every member is aware their lobbying might not work all the time.

“We’re not trying to compete, we’re trying to make what is the best possible thing,” said Heather Marshall, lead tape provider. “If you’re too sensitive, you got to get over it. You aren’t going to get everything you worked for on.”

A pre-taped segment with Denny Hamlin detailing his desire to win at his home track at Richmond was recorded early last week. So when Hamlin crossed the finish line, Marshall immediately reminded Shifton of the tape.

“I said there is no way she is selling me a sound bite right now,” Shifton said. “I think I used a curse word or two. But you just trust these guys because they are the best of the best.”

Adjusting on the fly

For all the preparation done for a broadcast, some things such as weather are left out of the crew’s control.

During the Nationwide race at Mexico City, generators blew and knocked them off the air for 10 minutes. At Bristol, there was severe weather and cameramen had to come down from their positions for 28 minutes.

“I usually lose 10 pounds during the broadcast,” Shifton said with a laugh. “But then I go home and I watch and I say, ‘Hey that wasn’t bad at all. That’s actually pretty good.’”

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