I have known Lindsay Czarniak for three years and I can tell you for a fact that she is a dynamo. She is a broadcaster always ready for the next challenge, the next show and, most of all, the next great assignment.
When I spoke to her Thursday, she was hailing a cab for a ride to the airport and her next gig — as a pit reporter on the TNT NASCAR broadcasts. This week, she and the TNT gang will be in Brookline, Mich., for the LifeLock 400.
Lindsay and I spoke about this week’s show.
JW » You have your own feature on the broadcast. “Lindsay on Location” — tell me about it?
Czarniak » This is my third year with TNT and “Lindsay on Location” gives me great freedom to give the fans the entire, [and] cool, behind the scenes stuff that they would otherwise not be able to see. This week I will be in the booth with the NASCAR officials showing the viewers how they access penalties. Given what has happened over the last few weeks I am sure that fans are going enjoy seeing how race officials look at the drivers.
JW » What are some of the biggest challenges that pit reporter faces?
Czarniak » Well it is building a trust with the race teams. That way, when there is a story unfolding, you can get to the crew chief or an owner and ask them the key questions. Also you can see the signals that the crews are giving so that while the driver may say on the radio that he is taking four tires in fact they could flash a two and it is a quick pit with gas and two tires giving them better track position and faking out the competition.
JW » There may not be a sport that allows more access than NASCAR. How does that help you do your job?
Czarniak » You know, NASCAR gets it. The audience can listen to all the drivers talk on their radios during a race. We are given tremendous access so that, at critical point in a race, I am talking to the crew chief about their plans while the race plays out in real time. That would never happen in the NFL or NBA — but in NASCAR they welcome it … well most of the time anyway.”
Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer. Check out his blog, Watch this! on washingtonexaminer.com.
