NASCAR's TV Ride Along - In Demand TV

I've seen the light-of my television set-and I'm now a believer.

When NASCAR and pay-per-view programmer In Demand first announced plans to offer in-car camera telecasts of Winston Cup events, I have to admit I was skeptical. Some might say cynical.

Here we go again, I remember thinking. Here's yet one more attempt by NASCAR to separate hard-working fans from their hard-earned cash.

With ticket prices soaring, hotel fees tripled on race weekends, and all of the other increasing costs involved with being a fan, I felt that asking viewers to shell out more than $100 for more television coverage was a little much.

Now that I've seen the In Demand offerings, I'm a changed man. I saw it, mind you, for nothing during one of the company's free preview weekends, but the point is I got a chance to give it a test drive of sorts.

The concept is simple: For about $109 for the full season (check your local cable operator for pricing, or go to www.goincar.com for more information), viewers get seven channels of coverage for every race. Each channel consists of the in-car TV feed from seven cars, with three cameras in each, much like those used during the regular race telecasts. You must already be a digital cable subscriber to access In Demand.

But unlike the regular race network coverage on Fox, NBC, or TNT, where the image switches back and forth between in-car and regular wide views from above, the In Demand package never changes. It provides viewers with an in-car look for the entire race.

"You're getting additional coverage of the event," says In Demand's Joe Boyle. "[Viewers] like the fact that this is providing more than they can get on the regular [network TV] feed and they're getting more information, more control."

As a viewer who believes television is a passive medium-one I'd rather not interact with, but instead want to watch-the notion of getting more information at the click of the remote was not all that appealing. It was even less appealing at $109 for the season. But then I saw the telecast and I was hooked.

In Demand's midseason preview came during the July race at Daytona, and that night Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip were two of the seven cars wired up for In Demand coverage. It couldn't have come at a better time because both drivers were in the hunt most of the race, giving viewers an up-close look at the leaders.

And late in the race, as the teammates battled for the lead, I found myself incessantly flipping back and forth between the broadcast network telecast and the In Demand channels.

It was fascinating to see the race from Waltrip's in-car view as he chased the leaders. More importantly, it was fun to listen in on the radio communications between the drivers and their crews as they came upon traffic or other on-track obstacles. I could hear Waltrip's spotter give times and track conditions as he raced through the field. I could hear Junior's team update him on where he might be challenged. I was glued to the set.

In addition to the in-car footage, In Demand viewers get on-screen telemetry that includes throttle usage, brakes, speed, and other valuable information. As part of the package, In Demand provides a free remote control that allows viewers to toggle between the pay-per-view coverage and the network feeds, rather than having to flip through the entire channel lineup to get back and forth.

Arguably, watching a race entirely from the inside of a car can be claustrophobic at times, if not tedious. And if the seven drivers have bad runs, I guess only the most die-hard fans would be willing to watch Rusty Wallace or Tony Stewart spend the day in 21st place.

That said, as an added feature to the main race telecast on the networks, the In Demand coverage is a nice bonus-but at a price. Whether that price is right for everyone remains to be seen.

Me, I'll be waiting with open arms (and eyes) for the next free preview.