Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 6, 1990 TAG: 9005060011
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK TV/RADIO SPORTS COLUMNIST
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Kernan, sports director at WDBJ (Channel 7) for seven years, learned Saturday morning that he will work the cable network's remaining 15 Winston Cup telecasts in 1990.
ESPN's NASCAR telecast producer, Neil Goldberg, told Kernan the network wanted the Roanoke sportscaster on its remaining 15 Winston Cup races as a pit reporter.
"I asked Neil because I needed to know if I'd have to sit down and make some arrangements with my schedule and vacation days at Channel 7 to work for ESPN," Kernan said from Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.
"He told me they wanted me to work the rest of this year. He said Peter [Englehart, executive producer of ESPN's "SpeedWorld"] was pleased with what I've done. He said they wanted me to finish out this year and they'd like to have me back again next year."
Kernan, 31, first worked the pits for ESPN on April 22 at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway. He replaced Dick Berggren on the ESPN "SpeedWorld" NASCAR crew.
A three-race commitment from ESPN to Kernan was to end with today's Winston 500 telecast. The next Winston Cup show on the network is June 3 at Dover, Del.
"I'm walking on air right now," Kernan said.
Kernan said Goldberg also mentioned that ESPN also would like to spot Kernan on some Saturday Grand National racing shows.
Kernan was at the Talladega track for Saturday's IROC and ARCA races. He spends his time during those Winston Cup preliminary events doing homework.
"I spend a lot of time getting to know the people behind the scenes . . . like mechanics and tire-changers. A pit reporter needs to know everybody," Kernan said.
by CNB