Love him or hate him, Rich Christensen caught drag race lightning in a bottle with his shows Pinks and Pinks All Out which both had successful multi-season runs on the Speed channel before going off the air. He did what many said was impossible for decades and turned truly grassroots drag racing into must see television on a weekly basis. By the end of the series, racers were traveling great distances to try and make an All Out field and tracks were packing the stands with spectators. Christensen had also established himself as a central figure in the show and with that brought the lightning rod status that celebrity heaps on anyone. It also brought him some financial gain as we have heard from multiple sources close to the former shows that the host was making well north of a million dollars a year before the show went off the air. Well, he’s back to try and catch that lightning again, this time with a show on the MavTV network called Won and Done. We’ve got the preview below.
The show is being filmed on the eighth-mile at Irwindale events center (about 20 minutes from Chad’s house!) and is essentially a more cut throat version of Pinks where racers have one shot to win and move on or to be eliminated with their VIN numbers being recorded and a lifetime ban from ever appearing on the show again as penalty. Winners collect several hundred dollars for every round win and if they manage to win 10 consecutive rounds without losing, they’ll be awarded a $50,000 cash prize.
The show is already filming, so if you get the MavTV channel through your cable or satellite provider keep your eyes peeled! In the meantime check out the trailer below and let us know what you think. Will you watch? Is the concept good?
Drama drama drama… the negotiation part of it is rediculous. PINKs showed that the negotiations get silly and stupid and cannot be done in the few minutes alotted, just like real street racing, and in the interest of time Rich steps in and forces the issue or makes the decision on behalf of one driver or the other. Usually with a bad result for the poor guy he isn’t favoring at that moment.
I love the fact that once again he is promoting drag racing. Kudos to him for building his empire by making racing fun again and putting the sport on prime time TV. I watch Passtime and All Out regularly. But I cannot stand the man himself. It should be about the drivers, the cars and the racing. Not about Rich. (Although I did love the fact he was outperformed by the bike)
Let’s hope he surrounds himself with knowledgeable people again, and not drive them off… again. If Willie B shows up I’m throwing a rod threw my TV screen
Good luck with the new program. I’ll be one of the folks checking it out.
I hated the “negotiations”. I quit watching Pinks after a while, because I couldn’t stand all the immature crap. All Out wasn’t as bad, since you didn’t have as much of the bickering and bluster.
I watch Passtime a lot more. It has more focus on the cars and I like the challenge of playing along at home, without the childish drama.
As far as the drama goes, it’s probably relevant to paraphrase a quote from the journalist H.L. Mencken: “No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.”
I’ll save him the trouble …. I already banned my car from anymore of his shows. Arm drop live did it for me …. he’s worthless.
OK, unless I’m missing something here I think it’s a pretty dumb concept and nothing I’d be interested in watching or participating in. I’m guessing maybe it will have a one or at the most a two year run, as for Pass Time, I really like that show and watch it whenever I can, I’ve even entered both cars a couple of times but the phone hasn’t rang yet! .
Unfortunately there are no new pss times being filmed. That was easily the best of those shows. They would be smart to renew it but from what I hear Speed will no longer be a motorsports channell soon. Maybe Velocity will pick it up.
If he was’nt such a dumbass about the sport, it wouldnt be so bad. When he started out ,he did not know any thing about drag racing. Now he is rich? It doesnt spin my wheels!
No where on the planet could you win 50K for 10 wins.What a way to join the Big leagues with such financial gain at a non-professional event. This is a Great idea for the Little guy,Awesome!!!
I’ll be watching/////////////
I attended the “All Out” filming at the Atlanta Dragwayin 2008 and my friends and I were shocked at the attendence. There were more folks there than at any NHRA national event I had ever been to there and the racing was great. To many there, it was their first exposure to drag racing. It was like combining the best of heads-up racing of 10.5 racing with a game show.
Christiansen may be tedious and a blowhard but he knows how to turn sportsman racing into an entertaining TV product (something the NHRA has forgotten). I’ll watch.
I was impressed that a man who had only a passing fancy of cars in general and knew absolutely nothing about drag racing was able to.make two successful shows based on the sport. But, as with most people in Hollywood, it becomes all about them. He is just another narcissistant bozo like the rest.
The pinks negotiations were annoying at best. People with slow cars wanting concessions so they could win a race. Back in my street racing days if someone started asking for lengths head start or wanted the other guy to race off the bottle, he got sent packing told to come back when he had a faster car.
The only thing more annoying than Rich is his twin moron Willie B … you could fill up a solo cup with both of their car knowledge. Passtime was by far the best show that came out of this mess. The original pinks with these idiots and their 15 car lengths were the biggest joke going. The best thing that ever happened on the show was Rich taking a dive on the street bike. Give it up and bring back passtime. Anyone ever wonder why the real car guys left the show? Nate, Brian, Kent…. i would rather listen to real car talk from educated car guys than two bald bozos running yelling MOPAR for an hour.
I’ll watch if is carried by COX Cable. The shows are fun ,it fills the gap.
I don’t have Mav TV so I can’t see it anyway, Speed should have picked up new episodes of Pass Time,the best show they had on Speed Channel.
Oh good Lord No.
Rich couldn’t drive a hot nail in a snow bank…but he lip skids pretty good.. lol. Drag cars and drag racing will always be cool as far as I’m concerned, and as long as the know nothing host doesn’t muck it up too bad it sounds like fun to me.
They should name it Bog Won and have Rich wear a turban!
They should race for hotdogs and only the winner gets a bun.
Real cutting edge Rich.
I liked the original Pinks as when we raced in the Hole that is how it was done. Lengths and breaks but we hid our NOS systems! Loved Pass Time and used to play with people all the time but hated when someone had a catastrophic failure cause then I didn’t prove my estimate was close.
Other than that I filmed Pinks@Englishtown NJ for my sight and had a lot of friends race that day. Never saw Raceway Park that full except for Summer Nationals or Swapmeets.
Link to my PINKS video http://nosleepatall.com/?cat=358
ohh englishtown how do i miss that place …. i had already moved to california when they were planning that. Ive been going there since i was 4 … im 37 now
i was at bristol pinks an rich passed by me an spoke an seemed really friendly to the kids but cry babys like john phillips sandbagging an not giving his opponent a chance really burnt me out on the first pinks show
Let’s start by agreeing Rich is full of it. At least there’s a chance the cars won’t be complete junk-yard builds, like PINKS became. I understand the grudge racing inspiration of PINKS, but running for the cars (not cash) hurt the quality. I’ll watch the first episode at least…. we’ll see how long I can put up with that windbag…
Good concept, but Rich is a douche.
I was there Thursday night when they filmed it, it’s doomed in my opinion, gone back to all that 6 car lengths head start BS and starting races with a pistol shot FFS!! The crowd not seem too interested in what was going on either…
the guy is a douche,my brother was in vegas an this fool let this chick who lost in the 1st round take another run.when people got pissed off who where in line to take a pass.he would not let them do one at all and asked them to leave the grounds.He does not know nothing about drag racing and he is only in it for the ratings,I’ll pass on this…
Pinks didn’t impress so much. Pinks All Out delivered race cars to prime time and lots of bums in seats. I watched and enjoyed. I’m always amazed and disappointed at racers who are small-minded and hyper-critical of other’s success — it reflects badly on them and does nothing to enhance the sport. OK, RC is an ego and a big mouth; not many successful promoters aren’t. I’ll judge the new show on its overall merits, not his personality.
Bring back Pass Time. It was awesome. I won’t be watching the new show, not interested in the BS drama, and can’t get that channel anyway.
I would have to basically agree with “Davey” and his initial comment in that I admire and appreciate RC for bringing attention to grass roots drag racing. It absolutely increased interest among folks who otherwise may not have cared. I find it interesting that there may be a correlation between RC’s shows and increased viewership/ratings of ESPN2’s NHRA broadcasts during that same time period. However, I as well find RC to come across as incredibly arrogant and pompous……wanting to make sure the show is as much about him as the cars and Drivers. It’s his show and he can certainly do that……but I believe he will drive viewers away again….just as he had done previously.
Looks Stupid. Brink back Pinks All Out and have one at New England Dragway please
Someone just needs to bring a good Grudge type Fox platform or G Body sleeper with a sophisticated throttle stop system and lotsa stages of nitrous. Just dial it up some after every win. $50K in a hurry.
Now you’re talking. Fuel injected-turbo motor, and slowly turn it up… Is Larry Larson listening?
I never liked this ego-testicle self centered penis with ears anyway. If you are going to race do it, first one to the finish line wins. No lengths, No nego’s, No whinning
This whole idea stinks like the shit house on a Tuna Boat. He should take his money and just go away.
One and done, what kind of crap is that. I won’t even consider entering my car just to be eliminated by a cheating sandbagger . To make it fair for everyone no nitrous, no turbo’s, no superchargers , no trans brakes, no programmers, just a footbrake car.