Commentary

I think all commentary we currently see during races, the "live", is done post filming. 

Do you have the gift/comfort of public speaking? If you do then I would think it would be similar.  Your dialog should have a flow like public speaking and having pauses, "ums", and the like shouldn't have any place in the dialog. 

Give it a try. Make your own rough drafts while testing your track with cars. Master those rehearsals then bring the commentary to your YouTube channel.

Watch some of the videos done by Rubber Tow at Monster Motorsports. He runs the races first without commentary, then goes back and watches them, adding the commentary as a play by play, like he's seeing it for the first time. If it works and you feel comfortable commenting, great! If not, whatthehell, you tried, go back to doing something that works for your personal style, but always experiment and try new things out.

I would say for the driver intros, you can get away with doing those as onscreen text: show the car, and alongside or underneath, show the intro (like your Post-Its but onscreen instead.). Commentary (if any), save for the racing, describing action, especially things like crashes or passes. (I was pretty impressed at the last-second pass I made onthe busses and trains race.).

I actually like the way you do it with just the music. Gives it a fun feel. Not saying that commentary makes it too serious. Maybe it's because the racing without commentary reminds me of the vids Diecast Racer X used to post, and those were the first diecast racing vids I ever saw.  He had no sound except for the wheel noise of the cars. Anyhow, just my humble opinion. I say if you want to do commentary go for it! You're track is amazing and I'll enjoy watching your vids either way! 

Everyone feels "weird" when hearing their recorded voice, everyone. It's a function of how sound gets conducted partly through your skull, lending a richer and deeper sound you hear all the time as opposed to only seldom on tape or video. 

I give feedback on virtually all the "puzzle pieces" of producing a show, always with my words couched in respect for the work hosts put into each episode. Announcing is something I don't touch in comments, unless it's to highlight that a new direction is adding something good, or maybe I'm sensing a heightened confidence and a smoother flow, or that when the action demanded some extra energy, the host rose up to the challenge. 

What's going to help you in this aspect is that Jungle Fall's design allows you literal time to breathe with an average lap in the mid to high teens of seconds. Also, the track runs smoothly enough to tame the innate chaos of racing little cars. If you want to venture in actually calling the race in the moment, seeing it run as we viewers do, I can't think of a venue more accommodating right away

I have it on pretty good information that even among those hosts we'd name as the best in their craft, getting behind the microphone is for all of them quite intimidating. It's where the emotional bulk of a host's being and personality show through in the most direct fashion, a hotline to the audience where a showrunner is at with the spirit they want to convey to their viewers

I've really enjoyed your drive to experiment as you have in the areas of filming, music and graphics; announcing is but another "puzzle piece" to fit together into the total show. Please note a vocal track is another thing to get volume levels right for in the final edit, my usual advice for volume level priorities is Announcing --> Engine & Car Sound Effects --> Crowd Sounds --> Music. 

The fun you have finding your style of calling the races will resonate with the fans, I'm sure of it

Co-hosts, there's a topic worthy of its own post!!! Look, we all agree the 3D/2D dynamic works, that hardly means every show has to have another character in the booth.

Lots of thoughts, just from a fan's perspective, oh boy. Before you ever consider a co-host who isn't a live person right there with you, get super comfortable with how you've gone in developing your "main" character. Some people can alter their natural voice convincingly to portray another role, many use technical skills to pitch a voice up or down in post production. What truly matters beyond that is writing that other person believably and distinctly, to the point where if you showed me the script for the show with names taken out, I could tell who is saying what. For example, I could see the script for Pottybig Race League and know Potty from Bot-Bot from Tinkle just from their phrasing and styles. 

Some hosts stick with what they can do without the help of A.I. or computers in portraying other characters, which if they have the talent, that works. Let me offer Bud & Roy from Diecast Street League as an example of one man, two voices! I've also heard it. . . not work. The giveaway to me there is the host cannot get far away from their natural vocal cadence, the pace and spacing between spoken words, and this effect really really becomes noticeable as a third and fourth "voice" gets added to the lineup. I respect the effort, the returns on that specific investment can drop so sharply if mishandled

Don't feel any pressure to have a co-host. Don't feel the pressure to be the best at announcing period. It's a skill, you can grow it

I dig the no commentary. There's a host who's retiring (Diecast4Life) that did just racing with music. I think he tried voice-over once. I'm guessing he didn't continue b/c of the extra work of recording the commentary and editing afterwards. That said, if you WANT to do commentary, go for it! You'll never know until you try, if anyone has issues with your voice or words, they can mute it and still enjoy the racing.

Just keep it FUN for YOU!   If it becomes too much work it will become a "chore" and the fans will suffer if  THE JUNGLE is racing less often as a result.  Exploring the commentary may be a fun challenge you want...but....if you think you HAVE to do it.....don't. 

Dutch 

Like dutch said... Keep it fun for you! I actually like the no commentary. The track is so long that it doesn't need it anyway imo.

Give her a Shot! And Have Fun as I know you do. I am not good at anything but being annoying. So with that I have  a few Drinks and Take a few Pulls from the Pen and go for it. Seeing the other Hosts and how they Present their Tracks are all a Kick, you will fall into a Groove.  Doing the Voice over is kinda cool and after all the Editing and paperwork having the fun to Narriate the Race is a Blast.

The Music is Cool and I enjoy watching your Races. 

I have been trying to do some commentary.  it's done during editing at my work bench.

my biggest challenge is my voice can be real loud in real life, so keeping even levels, I struggle with.

also it feels bizarre to sit at the desk and "talk to people" with no people to talk to

as far as a co-host/second person, I have experimented with being on one side of a conversation, cause your on a phone/headset radio, and you only hear me.  kinda gives the second person feel for certain spots (but gets annoying if over done much)

I use audacity (free open source audio editing) for recording and editing

but just have fun!  thats what this is all about!

dr

I think if you are considering it and thinking it would improve the experience in some way give it a good try. I've only dabbled with video/recording on my track (hope to restart that and more racing as the weather warms) and there are many ways to do it as you listed - intros - play by play - awards - etc. You can be on camera or always off camera or use a scale figure or ... something else. I would say this - use a good mic to lay down the commentary. Last thing you want is tinny sounds or like you're underwater. Finally, I think your cat Nayla needs more air time. Heck she could probably have her own Facebook page.