Up To Speed in winners circle on 104.5 FM

Danny Martin and Crash Mender debut takes the checkers Sunday morning on 104.5 FM WTMM

You may know their voices from Friday night's at the Albany-Saratoga Speedway as Danny Martin calls the races over the sound system with Crash Mender calling the shots to the drivers on the one-way Raceiver System.

As well as the two work on Friday night, they again are a perfect match on the radio, debuting "Up to Speed" on ESPN Radio 104.5 FM WTMM Sunday mornings from 9:55 to 10:55 a.m.

Martin is silky smooth up in the booth and on the radio and Mender is full of color and insight as both are veterans to the sport and have forgotten more race names than I can even begin to remember.

Mender gave me the heads up about his potential return to the airwaves, having success on another station with a different co-host.

WTMM is making a run with local programming, mixed in with its ESPN broadcasts and the combination of programming along with a signal that reaches throughout the entire Capital Region makes it a winner.

The first show raced by and was full of positives from callers and included Kenny Tremont, Jr. as the shows first guest was an excellent call.

The first week is always easy, introduce the staff, line-up a quality guest and your friends and family will pack the phone lines with well wishers and atta-boys.

The next few weeks will prove to be a little more cantankerous as the temperatures rise on and off the track, the show will become a little more challenging as the popularity of the show grows and fans call in to vent about unfair calls effecting their favorite drivers.

Expect Martin to be the peacemaker, but the question is whether Mender can keep his emotions and opinions in check which is what makes him a great color analyst teaming up with Martin.

With a sport that continues to grow each weekend, all four area tracks are packed in the evenings and televisions are tuned in to the big tracks for the big names, NASCAR and dirt track racing isn't going to go away.

Here's hoping that WTMM and Sports Director Brian Sinkoff will continue to support the show and that means more about sponsors than callers.

Congrats to Danny Martin and Crash Mender on a great first show and to WTMM for providing the area race fans with a radio show in a great time slot.

Keep up the good work.