I Can't Take D-Shaped Tracks or Daryl On TV Any More!

Well, after ten plus solid years of never missing and watching each televised NASCAR race in its entirety, Daryl Waltrip won and for the first time in eleven years, I did not watch the entire race, as televised, from Texas or Kansas.  And there were a few factors that contributed to this slip.

D-Shaped Tracks Can't Be Good for TV Ratings
Cookie cutter mile and a half (or mid to large sized D-shaped tracks) can be quite the challenge to the viewer as you watch the race start and then the teams stretch out around the circuit.  There's only so much you can do with a D-shaped track and when there are so many of them in the season, well, it gets old.  No matter how much they pitch that track surface characteristics are different.  (And it's true.  Track surfaces in different climes can become different beasts.  But to the TV viewer, that's just word-smithing that more than likely falls on deaf ears.)
And the most shocking thing I did was that during Texas, I tuned in, watched the start.  And then I rented a movie.  When the movie ended, I still had plenty of time and racing action to get my NASCAR fix.  Kansas is interesting but in the end, it too provides a D-shaped racing experience.  Though I have to admit, a few of those restarts definitely got me on the edge of my seat.
Sorry gang, but that's how it is.  I make points with my wife, don't get too bored with the racing show, and still can keep up with the sport.  If the races were shorter I'd have a better reason to stick around.  But even though this is a sport about endurance and skill, I get the length of each event.  But fans, I think, need more to have an anticipation for.
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And Then There's Daryl Waltrip
Daryl Waltrip has won.  His presentation of what information he has is getting distracting at best for this viewer.
I think I started anti-focusing on Daryl back during the Daytona race this year.  I remember his statement about the fuel truck when it was on fire...  He more or less said that (while it was burning) someone should get in the truck and drive it off the track to prevent further damage from occurring to the track surface.  ...crickets.
Since then I've been a bit focused on what he says and I have to say, he seems to come up with some gems during each race.
I like to think I respect the experience of a driver whose behind the microphone, but I'm coming to realize that I'd rather appreciate the skills from a driver whose driven one of the cars from this era.  Right now, all Daryl has to offer is an opinion on a generic mindset of racers and some incredible historical perspectives.  Aside from that, I've seen more often than not his in-race predictions pander out a lot.  It's not his fault, but you'd think someone would direct him better.
Maybe it's just me, but he's become distracting
And as I look at that, I have to wonder who Fox is trying to appeal to with the cast of characters they've been presenting NASCAR with.  Sure, it's their roots, but isn't that demographic already sold on the sport?  And maybe that's working for Fox.  Who knows.