“It was very difficult because I was looking for those nuances. But having that HD monitor here where I can bury in it, helps me, because my scan is very small.

“There’s an upside and a downside. We have all this monitoring that couldn’t go that way if we were looking out of a booth. Plus, I’m eyeball with Lewis Bloom, the statistician, so he’s very pro-active on letting me know stuff, but if he’s behind me (in a booth), it’s harder for him to get my attention. The downside is more in Mike Dunn’s arena because, if he was looking out the window at the starting line, we could see all those little nuances.”

That’s a key reason why Swaringen has his starting line camera operators wired for sound. They are the on-site eyes for Page and Dunn and break into commentary to report anything unusual.

As with other TV sports, NHRA’s ratings were down from last year’s after the first seven races – 29 percent, from a 0.7 rating to a 0.5 through Bristol. Households were down 27 percent, from an average 673,875 to 489,625.

Here, in brief, are some other TV questions I asked and they answered:

Why don’t Pro Stock and PS Motorcycles get more airtime?

Swaringen: “It goes back to what gets the best ratings. More people tune-in to watch the nitro cars. When Pro Stock comes up, we’re going to show every run. But I feel the best way to keep the show going is to show what is going on in the nitro pits. Pro Stock and motorcycles aren’t going to get as many interviews as nitro, but again, we have documentation that more people tune in to watch the nitro cars.”

What is the most difficult aspect of the delayed but “plausibly live” shows?

Page: “It’s weird because you go on, do a run, and then you stop with a sentence. (Then) you might wait 10 minutes or you might wait 10 seconds. You have to be aware of that continuity. We might record something and then the producer will say, ‘That’s out. That won’t be in the show.’ Then you have to go back and think, ‘What did I say around that?’”

Why use gimmicks, like having kids ask questions?

Swaringen: “Qualifying is not the most exciting form of racing. Why not try to have something that gives you a little more entertainment value? The thought process is kids will ask tough questions, stuff that almost would be impolite for a Dave Rieff or a Gary Gerould. Lewis Bloom is a gimmick, but when you see Stat Guy, everyone I talk to says it grabs their attention. And he gives you great facts and notes. Our camera guys on the starting line, that’s a gimmick. But when Paul’s talking and one of them jumps on and screams, ‘There’s a problem with a car,’ that grabs your attention.”

What do you want fans to know about your job?

Page: “I hope the audience sees how much I enjoy it. When you think of what I have done, I love this. It’s kind of funny, because I’ve always loved it. (He did the 1972 U.S. Nationals for an Indianapolis radio station.) Of course, I loved Indy (500), but this is fun. I hope I’m able to communicate that.”

Finally, I offer this from ace analyst Dunn – His three-step process for racers who want more ESPN2 coverage:

1. Win races.

2. Crash and burn.

3. Cry during an interview.