Jun 18, 03:16 AM
Commercial breakdown, driver focus, and links related to the Citizens Bank 400
Posted by Cheryl Walker under Racing ArticleFor those of you NASCAR fans that like stats and love to hate commercials, here is the breakdown from the race on Sunday afternoon. This breakdown is thoroughly unprofessional, and, hopefully, easy-to-understand.
I began recording the times at the Invocation at 2:00 PM, and stopped at the waving of the checkered flag at 5:00 PM (all times are EST). I did not keep records for the pre- and post-race coverage.
Please note that in addition to all of the following, there is always a company logo visible in the upper right hand corner by the race ticker scrolling across the screen.
Also, below the commercial breakdown, be sure to check out how often drivers were focused on during the race.
There are plans in the future for more stats from the race. Once we reach September, when we began doing these breakdowns last year, we will be able to make side-by-side comparisons.
Race and Commercial Breakdown of the Citizens Bank 400 06-17-2007
Total number of commercials: 121
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 69
Total number of brief promos of products/services during the race broadcast: 15
Total number of companies or entities advertised in brief promos or crawlers: 10 (companies: Glaceau Vitamin Water; Wendy’s; DirecTV; Ford; Subway; Principal Financial; Miller Lite; nascar.com Track Pass Race View; NASCAR Hot Pass on DirecTV; Pepsiracing.com)
Total amount of time these brief promos take during broadcast: app. 1 min. 25 sec.
Also, there are the following race statistics during the broadcast, sponsored by companies:
Budweiser ‘Bud Pole Award’
AT&T ‘Race Talk Question’
TNT ‘Test Ford Fusion’
Principal Financial Group ‘On the Move Drivers’
Toyota ‘Track Fact’
Auto Zone ‘In the Zone Driver’
Gillette ‘Young Guns Challenge’
Nextel ‘Mid-Race Report’
Nextel ‘Getting it Done Call of the Race’
AFLAC ‘Trivia Question’
Miller Lite ‘Race Fact’
Start time to record race/commercial periods 05/05/07: 2:00 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods 05/05/07: 5:00 PM
Total minutes: 180
Minutes of race broadcast: 126
Minutes of commercials: 54
Breakdown of what the commercials were for, by category:
TNT Previews/Promos
‘The Closer’ – 4
‘Ice Road Truckers’ (History Channel) – 2
‘Heart Land’ – 1
‘Saving Grace’ – 1
‘Bridezillas’ – 1
‘The Bill Engvall Show’ – 1
TheTVboss.com – 1
Total: 11
Movies
‘Ghost Rider’ – 2
‘Chuck & Larry’ – 1
‘Live Free or Die Hard’ – 1
‘Transformers’ – 1
Total: 5
Local News/Sports/Points-of-Interest in Penna.
Ferri’s, Lamplighter, Shur Save Supermarket – 1
Total: 1
Restaurants/Food
AppleBee’s – 3
Diet Mountain Dew – 2
Wendy’s – 2
Glaceau Vitamin Water (Kasey Kahne) – 2
Subway (Tony Stewart) – 2
Burger King – 1
Famous Dave’s and Meet Jeff Gordon sweepstakes – 1
Subway – 1
Arby’s and Die Hard Arby’s Fan Sweepstakes – 1
Total: 15
Beer
Miller Lite – 2
Budweiser (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) – 1
Miller Lite (Kurt Busch) – 1
Busch Beer – 1
Total: 5
Car/Truck/Bike
Ford – 4
Toyota (Todd Bodine) – 3
Duralast at Auto Zone- 3
Shell – 2
Shell (Kevin Harvick) – 2
Chevrolet – 2
Midas- 2
Nissan – 1
Fram – 1
Armor All- 1
Frank’s Auto Supermarket – 1
Harley Davidson – 1
Garmin – 1
Dodge – 1
Toyota – 1
Total: 26
Insurance
Total: 3
Attorney
Edgar Snyder – 1
Total: 1
Wireless Phone
Total: 5
Home Improvement
Craftsman Tools – 2
Empire Flooring – 1
Home Depot – 1
Home Depot (Tony Stewart) – 1
Total: 5
Technology
Radio Shack – 3
Comcast Cable – 2
DirecTV – 2
Sprint Mobile Broadband – 2
Sirius – 1
Total: 10
Financial
Total: 2
Education
Total: 1
Products/Services for the Home and Personal Use
Mitchum – 4
Gillette Fusion Phantom (Gillette Young Guns) – 4
Haggar pants- 1
Total: 9
Health
PA Dept. of Health Quit Line – 4
Total: 4
Shipping
Fed Ex – 2
UPS (Dale Jarrett) – 2
Total: 4
Recreation/Travel
Super 8 Motel – 2
Total: 2
Racing Related
nascar.com Track Pass Race View – 4
Gillette Young Guns ‘Fast Cars and Superstars Celebrity Race’ – 2
nascar.com and racetickets.com – 1
nascar.com/foundation – 1
nascar.com/performance- 1
Pepsi 400 and racetickets.com – 1
Chicagoland Speedway- 1
World of Outlaws at Lernerville Speedway – 1
Total: 12
Breakdown of specific times, broken into two categories (race broadcast times, and commercial broadcast times)
Race brdcast times: Total min: Comm. brdcast times: Total min:
2:00 PM – 2:02 PM – 2 // 2:02 PM – 2:05 PM – 3
2:05 PM – 2:08 PM – 3 // 2:08 PM – 2:11 PM – 3
2:11 PM – 2:25 PM – 14 // 2:25 PM – 2:27 PM – 2
2:27 PM – 2:31 PM – 4 // 2:31 PM – 2:33 PM – 2
2:33 PM – 2:38 PM – 5 // 2:38 PM – 2:41 PM – 3
2:41 PM – 2:46 PM – 5 // 2:46 PM – 2:49 PM – 3
2:49 PM – 2:54 PM – 5 // 2:54 PM – 2:56 PM – 2
2:56 PM – 2:57 PM – 1 // 2:57 PM – 3:00 PM – 3
3:00 PM – 3:08 PM – 8 // 3:08 PM – 3:11 PM – 3
3:11 PM – 3:13 PM – 2 // 3:13 PM – 3:16 PM – 3
3:16 PM – 3:34 PM – 18 // 3:34 PM – 3:36 PM – 2
3:36 PM – 3:40 PM – 4 // 3:40 PM – 3:43 PM – 3
3:43 PM – 3:48 PM – 5 // 3:48 PM – 3:49 PM – 1
3:49 PM – 3:54 PM – 5 // 3:54 PM – 3:56 PM – 2
3:56 PM – 3:57 PM – 1 // 3:57 PM – 3:59 PM – 2
3:59 PM – 4:09 PM – 10 // 4:09 PM – 4:11 PM – 2
4:11 PM – 4:13 PM – 2 // 4:13 PM – 4:16 PM – 3
4:16 PM – 4:19 PM – 3 // 4:19 PM – 4:21 PM – 2
4:21 PM – 4:32 PM – 11 // 4:32 PM – 4:35 PM – 3
4:35 PM – 4:38 PM – 3 // 4:38 PM – 4:40 PM – 2
4:40 PM – 4:43 PM – 3 // 4:43 PM – 4:45 PM – 2
4:45 PM – 4:49 PM – 4 // 4:49 PM – 4:52 PM – 3
4:52 PM – 5:00 PM – 8 // 5:00 PM – checkered flag flies
Total race brdcst time: 126 Total comm. brdcst time: 54
How often were different drivers focused on during the Citizens Bank 400?
2:05 PM – 2:08 PM
Featured driver: Tony Stewart & Dave Gilliland; J.J. Yeley; Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2:11 PM – 2:25 PM
Featured drivers: Greg Biffle (audio with Wally Dallenbach); Carl Edwards; Matt Kenseth; Jimmie Johnson; Jeff Gordon; Ryan Newman & Kyle Busch; Tony Stewart; Ryan Newman & Martin Truex Jr.; Martin Truex Jr.; Martin Truex Jr. & Ryan Newman; Kyle Busch; Jimmie Johnson & Martin Truex Jr.; Martin Truex Jr.
2:27 PM – 2:31 PM
Featured drivers: Ryan Newman (tire); Martin Truex Jr. & Jimmie Johnson; Denny Hamlin & Kyle Busch; J.J. Yeley; Ryan Newman; Martin Truex Jr.
2:33 PM – 2:38 PM
Featured drivers: Martin Truex Jr.; Dale Earnhardt Jr. & Greg Biffle; Brian Vickers; Carl Edwards
2:41 PM – 2:46 PM
Featured drivers: Martin Truex Jr.; Joe Nemechek (pit stop); Martin Truex Jr.; Dale Earnhardt Jr. & Kyle Busch; Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt Jr. (pit stops); Denny Hamlin & Juan Montoya, Kevin Harvick & Jeff Burton (teammates making contact on pit road)
2:49 PM – 2:54 PM
Featured drivers: Martin Truex Jr.; Juan Montoya; Juan Montoya & Martin Truex Jr.; Carl Edwards, Juan Montoya & Martin Truex Jr.; Kasey Kahne
2:56 PM – 2:57 PM
Featured drivers: Debris caution (no debris identified); Martin Truex Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon & Carl Edwards (pit stops)
3:00 PM – 3:08 PM
Featured drivers: Kurt Busch & Jeff Gordon; Kasey Kahne & Kyle Busch; Ryan Newman, Jimmie Johnson & Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Tony Stewart; Jimmie Johnson
3:11 PM – 3:13 PM
Featured drivers: Juan Montoya (tire); Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch & Martin Truex Jr.; Carl Edwards (pit road penalty)
3:16 PM – 3:34 PM
Featured drivers: Carl Edwards; Ryan Newman; Greg Biffle; Kasey Kahne; Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth, Martin Truex Jr., Brian Vickers & Jeff Green (caution); Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Clint Bowyer & Denny Hamlin; Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer & Kyle Busch; Carl Edwards; Greg Biffle; Martin Truex Jr.; Jeff Gordon
3:36 PM – 3:40 PM
Featured drivers: Jimmie Johnson & Jeff Gordon; Jimmie Johnson; Jeff Gordon; Tony Stewart
3:43 PM – 3:48 PM
Featured drivers: Jimmie Johnson; Jeff Gordon; Kurt Busch; Tony Stewart; Casey Mears; Sterling Marlin; Carl Edwards; Denny Hamlin; Greg Biffle; Kyle Busch; Martin Truex Jr.; Dave Blaney; Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Michael Waltrip; Jimmie Johnson
3:49 PM – 3:54 PM
Featured drivers: Jeff Gordon & Jimmie Johnson (pit stops); Kurt Busch; Clint Bowyer, Mark Martin, Kurt Busch, Casey Mears, Jeff Burton, Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin & Carl Edwards (pit stops); Tony Raines; Kevin Harvick; Tony Raines (pit stop)
3:56 PM – 3:57 PM
Featured drivers: Martin Truex Jr. & Jeff Gordon (pit stops)
3:59 PM – 4:09 PM
Featured drivers: Jeff Gordon; Kurt Busch & J.J. Yeley; Kurt Busch & Carl Edwards; Jimmie Johnson; Dave Gilliland, Jimmie Johnson & Carl Edwards; Tony Stewart, Martin Truex Jr. & Kyle Busch; Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards & Dave Gilliland
4:11 PM – 4:13 PM
Featured drivers: Carl Edwards & Jimmie Johnson; Carl Edwards & Jeff Burton
4:16 PM – 4:19 PM
Featured drivers: Carl Edwards; Jimmie Johnson; Martin Truex Jr.; Kurt Busch; Tony Stewart; Casey Mears; Dave Blaney; Kevin Harvick; Michael Waltrip; Jamie McMurray; Denny Hamlin
4:21 PM – 4:32 PM
Featured drivers: Carl Edwards; Kurt Busch & Tony Stewart; Matt Kenseth; Jimmie Johnson (pit stop); Carl Edwards; Jimmie Johnson & Carl Edwards; Dave Blaney, Kurt Busch & Kyle Busch (pit stops); Carl Edwards; Clint Bowyer (pit stop); Carl Edwards & Martin Truex Jr.; Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Casey Mears, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon & Michael Waltrip
4:35 PM – 4:38 PM
Featured drivers: Carl Edwards & Jimmie Johnson; Kurt Busch (pit stop); Jimmie Johnson & Carl Edwards
4:40 PM – 4:43 PM
Featured drivers: Carl Edwards; Martin Truex Jr.; Jimmie Johnson; Tony Stewart; Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Carl Edwards
4:45 PM – 4:49 PM
Featured drivers: Carl Edwards & Martin Truex Jr.; Jimmie Johnson; Martin Truex Jr.
4:52 PM – 5:00 PM
Featured drivers: Carl Edwards; Martin Truex Jr.; J.J. Yeley & Kyle Busch; Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Martin Truex Jr.; Jimmie Johnson; Carl Edwards; Martin Truex Jr.; Tony Stewart; Casey Mears; Carl Edwards; Carl Edwards & Michael Waltrip
Number of times selected drivers were focused on:
Mark Martin – 1
Michael Waltrip – 4
J.J. Yeley – 4
Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 10
Kyle Busch – 12
Kurt Busch – 12
Jeff Gordon – 12
Tony Stewart – 14
Jimmie Johnson – 24
Martin Truex Jr. – 30
Carl Edwards (race winner) – 31
-
Tom M. Says:
Jun 18, 07:54 PMThat works out to a 70-30 split. 70%race, 30% commercial; or for every 5.47 min of race there is 2.45 min of commercial. Way too much!
-
TX Race Fan Says:
Jun 19, 04:10 AMIt would be better if they had half as many commercial breaks but made them twice as long.
You can’t follow the race anymore, too many commercials.
Fewer 4 and 5 minute segments of racing and more 10 and 15 minute segments would be better.
-
greg miler Says:
Jun 19, 10:38 AMMichigan race seemed mostly comericals. Also the family bio of the apparent winner starting with a few laps to go sucks. I do not care what carl’s mother is knitting. I will use my own version of tape delay or just watch “ugh” baseball.
-
Garry Says:
Jun 20, 06:04 AMI don’t think that the section of the broadcast where they show the cut-away car should be considered “Race broadcast”. They show no cars on the track. And when they come back from commercial and show the sponsors logos in the background as the voiceover says,“The Citizens Bank 400 brought to you by “etc, etc, etc.” is not race broadcast either. If you broke it down to where they actually show cars “RACING” on the track, you might have 95 % commercials, and 5% race.If you broke it down like that, network officials who might catch your column would be thrown under the bus as they should be.
Commercial breakdown, driver focus, and links related to the Pocono 500 Commercial breakdown, driver focus, and links related to the Toyota/Save Mart 350

Jun 18, 10:39 AM
the ad time is getting close to 50% of the show
that is why we don’t watch any more