NASCAR Countdown: ESPN2 Busch Series Highlights From Kentucky Speedway

ESPN2’s NASCAR Countdown will have a live prime-time preview of the NASCAR Busch Series race at 8 p.m. ET Saturday from Kentucky Speedway. Mike Massaro will host NASCAR Countdown at Kentucky, joined in the ESPN Pit Studio by Rusty Wallace, the 1989 NASCAR Cup Series champion and ESPN’s lead auto racing analyst, and analyst Brad Daugherty. Tim Brewer will be at the ESPN Chevy Cutaway Car.

Wallace and anchor announcer Marty Reid will call the race from the booth. Additionally, NASCAR Countdown will include segments from pit reporters Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Shannon Spake and Vince Welch as NASCAR Busch Series drivers strive for a win in the Bluegrass state.

NASCAR Countdown will originate from Kentucky Speedway and will be telecast from ESPN’s state-of-the-art mobile Pit Studio as it sets the stage for ESPN2’s coverage of the NASCAR Busch Series race Saturday, June 16. Highlights include:

Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Move to Hendrick Motorsports

The hot topic in the NASCAR garage this week is Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s announcement to join Hendrick Motorsports in 2008. NASCAR Countdown will report on the latest reaction from the garage, including reports from Dale Earnhardt Jr., odd man out Kyle Busch and team owner Rick Hendrick.

Racing to Wakeboarding?

Ever wonder what some NASCAR drivers do in their downtime away from the track? NASCAR Countdown caught up with NASCAR Busch Series drivers Aric Almirola and Kevin Conway as they traded asphalt for water in some wakeboarding action.

From the Pits

• NASCAR Countdown pit reporters will speak with NASCAR Busch Series driver Marcus Ambrose about his fiery ride at Nashville Superspeedway in the NASCAR Busch Series race Saturday, June 9.
• Who will lead the pack in the start of Saturday’s NASCAR Busch Series race? NASCAR Countdown will report with the polesitter after Saturday’s 5 p.m. qualifying session. 

NASCAR Now Weekend Edition to Air Sunday

The weekend edition of NASCAR Now, ESPN’s daily news and information show dedicated to NASCAR, will air at 10 a.m. Sunday on ESPN2, with highlights from Saturday afternoon’s NASCAR Busch Series race at Kentucky and a look ahead to Sunday evening’s NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race. Sunday night’s edition of the program will air at midnight.

NASCAR Now will have its expanded Monday edition on the air from 6-7 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The program will have extensive highlights and recaps of the weekend’s NASCAR races, as well as looks ahead to the next weekend. The show returns to its regular 6:30 p.m. timeslot Tuesday

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NASCAR Now is hosted by Erik Kuselias, Ryan Burr and Allen Bestwick and originates from ESPN’s High Definition studios in Bristol, Conn., with reporters Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake. Contributors include analysts Tim Brewer, Brad Daugherty, Stacy Compton and Boris Said, along with NASCAR insiders Terry Blount, Angelique Chengelis, Tim Cowlishaw, David Newton and Marty Smith, as well as D.J. Copp, a member of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s NASCAR team.

SportsCenter’s “NASCAR’s 100 Defining Moments” Series: 100-47 Have Aired

SportsCenter will continue its “NASCAR’s 100 Defining Moments” series, which debuted April 21 and will run for 100 straight days. It will conclude when the No. 1 moment is revealed on the Sunday, July 29, SportsCenter, before ABC’s coverage of the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series at The Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Each of the 30-second vignettes, narrated by Dr. Jerry Punch, features a defining moment in NASCAR's history and evolution as chosen by a panel of 20 NASCAR experts, journalists and historians, including:

Dick Berggren, executive editor of Speedway Illustrated with more than 30 years of motorsports experience as a driver, journalist and broadcaster; Chris Economaki, commentator for ABC Sports and CBS Sports who has received NASCAR’s Award of Excellence, NASCAR’s Lifetime Media Award, and the International Automotive Media Council Lifetime Achievement Award; Peter Golenbock, one of the nation's best-known sports authors; Jim Hunter, NASCAR Vice President of Corporate Communications; Mike Hembree, NASCAR Scene magazine writer; David Poole, Charlotte Observer writer; Ken Squier, one of the founders of the Motor Racing Network who spent more than 25 years at CBS where he was play-by-play commentator on the first live flag-to-flag coverage of the Daytona 500 in 1979; Humpy Wheeler, one of the foremost promoters of NASCAR, and President and General Manager of Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

Through May 23: 100. Dale Earnhardt’s First Victory; 99. Jeff Gordon’s 3rd Daytona 500 Win; 98. Dale Earnhardt spins to win the 1999 Goody’s 500; 97. Andretti wins 1967 Daytona 500; 96. Richard Petty won his first NASCAR race (1959), but victory went to runner-up who protested -- Lee Petty, Richard’s father; 95. Darrell Waltrip won 7th straight race in 1984, tying Richard Petty for the most consecutive victories; 94. 1970 Daytona 500 was first race covered live by radio - Motor Racing Network; 93. Nine drivers were in striking distance for the final four berths in the inaugural Chase in 2004 at Richmond; 92. Cale Yarborough clinched his third straight championship by winning the 1978 American 500 at Rockingham. 91. Gordon Clinches First Cup – Jeff Gordon, at age 24, became the second youngest driver in NASCAR history to win the coveted Cup. 90. Earnhardt's Big Break -- Willie T. Ribbs was primed to become NASCAR's first African-American star until being arrested for a driving violation in May 1978 and owner Will Cronkrite turned to young Dale Earnhardt as his replacement. 89. Kyle Continues Petty Tradition -- With three laps left in the 1986 Miller 400 at Richmond, Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip collide, allowing Kyle Petty to become the first third-generation driver to win a Cup series race. 88. Foyt Wins Daytona 500 -- A year after losing the Daytona 500 by running out of gas with 39 laps to go, A.J. Foyt leads the final 120 laps in 1972 to win. 87. Gordon Wins 4th Cup – With six wins and 18 top-five finishes, Jeff Gordon becomes the third driver, joining Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, with at least four Cup championships. 86. Irvan beats the Intimidator -- Following a red flag due to rain, Ernie Irvan passed leader Dale Earnhardt on the last lap at Talladega in May 1993. 85. Irvan's Final Win -- Three years after Ernie Irvan nearly died in a crash at Michigan, he returned, posting his 15th and final career victory. 84. Daytona's Final Beach Race – Feb. 23, 1958, marked the final race at the "flying mile" -- the historic track on the sands of Daytona Beach. Paul Goldsmith posted a wire-to-wire victory. 83. Cale's 4th Daytona 500 Win -- Cale Yarborough became the second driver – Richard Petty was the first -- with at least four Daytona 500 victories as Yarborough passed Darrell Waltrip on the final lap in 1984. 82. Ned Jarrett’s Route – the North Carolina native clinched his 2nd Cup championship by outpacing the September 1965 Southern 500 field at Darlington by 14 laps, the largest margin of victory in NASCAR history. 81. Gordon's First Daytona 500 Win -- With 11 laps remaining in the 1997 Daytona 500, a backstretch crash allowed teammates Jeff Gordon, Terry Labonte and Ricky Craven to gang up on leader Bill Elliott, with the 25-year old Gordon becoming the youngest Daytona 500 winner. 80. Elliott's First Daytona 500 Win -- Having won the pole and leading through most of the 1985 Daytona 500, Bill Elliot found himself trailing Neil Bonnett with 5 laps left when Bonnett spun out of control and Elliott held off Lake Speed to win. 79. Earnhardt's Daytona Frustration -- Dale Earnhardt was poised to win his first Daytona 500 in February 1990 when debris punctured a tire, knocking out the No. 3 car and handing an improbable victory to Derrike Cope. 78. Martin Pays Price For Win -- Mark Martin was docked 46 points for an improperly mounted carburetor after winning the 1990 Pontiac Excitement 400 at Richmond, costing him the point’s championship. 77. - Dawn of Daytona -- the first car race was run in March 1936 on an improvised 3-mile track at Daytona Beach – fifth-place finisher was local gas station owner William H.G. France, who later became the founding father of NASCAR. 76. Irvan's Inspiring Return -- Just more than 13 months after nearly losing his life in a wreck during practice at Michigan in August 1994, a patched up Ernie Irvan returned to take sixth place at North Wilkesboro speedway. 75. Parsons Towed to Victory -- Benny Parsons started the 1975 Daytona 500 in the 32nd position, but drafting behind Richard Petty he climbed within striking distance of the leader, and after a wreck, Parsons drove his way to victory lane. 74. Lund Wins for Panch -- Not scheduled to drive in the 1963 Daytona 500, Tiny Lund got the opportunity after he rescued friend Marvin Panch from a burning car in a pre-race mishap. Lund agreed to drive for Panch, and won. 73. Death of Tim Richmond -- On Aug. 13, 1989, NASCAR veteran Tim Richmond died at 34 from complications of AIDS. He won seven races in 1986 and back-to-back events in June 1987, but early the next year, when his health began to deteriorate, NASCAR suspended him indefinitely. 72. Jarrett Cheers Son to Victory – Broadcaster Ned Jarrett called his son Dale’s 1993 Daytona 500 victory. 71. Turner Ends Drought -- In 1965 at North Carolina Motor Speedway, NASCAR pioneer Curtis Turner, after a suspension of more than four years for trying to organize a drivers' union, won his first race in six seasons, his last victory. 70. Parsons Returns For Season Title -- An early crash in the 1973 season finale at Rockingham seemingly dashed Benny Parsons’ hopes for winning the Cup, but crew members from various teams repaired his car and Parsons finished 28th, edging Cale Yarborough for the season championship. 69. Pearson splits with owners -- With 104 wins David Pearson was a star entering the 1979 Rebel 500 at Darlington, but miscommunication between him and his pit crew changed his future: a week later he left Wood Brothers Racing and would retire in 1986 after posting just one more victory. 68. Earnhardt's Speedy Return -- In August 1996, two weeks after suffering multiple injuries in a crash at Talladega, Dale Earnhardt won the pole at Watkins Glen and, despite a broken collarbone and sternum, finished sixth. 67. Craven Leans Past Busch -- In the closest finish since NASCAR went to electronic scoring, on March 16, 2003, Ricky Craven edged Kurt Busch by two one-thousandths of a second. 66. Allison Clinches First Cup -- Less than two weeks shy of his 46th birthday, Bobby Allison became the oldest driver to win the Cup, in November 1983. 65. LeeRoy's Sweep -- LeeRoy Yarbrough passed leader David Pearson on the final lap to win the 1969 Southern 500 at Darlington, giving him a sweep of NASCAR's three most prestigious races (including Daytona, Charlotte). 64. 200 mph Barrier Broken -- On March 24, 1970, on a closed course at Talladega, Buddy Baker became the first man to post a test speed exceeding 200 mph. 63. Turner Reinstated -- July 31, 1965, after more than four years, NASCAR president Bill France lifted a lifetime suspension that had been imposed on driver Curtis Turner for his attempt to form a drivers union. 62. Pearson Slings Past Petty -- On Independence Day 1974, David Pearson, in an attempt to prevent archrival Richard Petty from using his famed slingshot move, employed his own slingshot move to take the checkered flag. 61. Gant Wins 4th Straight Race -- After consecutive victories at Darlington, Richmond and Dover in 1991, Harry Gant, from the 12th position, methodically picked off drivers and collected his fourth straight victory, thus earning the nickname “Mr. September.” 60. Live driver commentary complements win -- In Feb. 1983, Daytona 500 winner Cale Yarborough made television history, speaking live from his car with commentators in the broadcast booth. 59. Baker wins his first Daytona 500 -- After years of close calls and heartbreak, Buddy Baker wins the 1980 Daytona 500. 58. Wreck breaks Earnhardt's bones, heart -- An accident in July at Talladega fractures Dale Earnhardt's collarbone and sternum and ends his hopes for a record eighth NASCAR championship in 1996. 57. Harvick wins in famed Childress car -- Just weeks after Dale Earnhardt's death, rookie Kevin Harvick wins the March 11, 2001, Cracker Barrel 500 in Atlanta, the third Nextel Cup race of his career in the Goodwrench Chevrolet formerly driven by the Intimidator. 56. Busch wins first Chase -- Kurt Busch wins the historic first Chase for the Nextel Cup in 2004, in the closest points race in history. 55. Gordon wins third title -- Giving Hendrick Motorsports its fourth Cup title in four years, Jeff Gordon wins the season finale in 1998 in Atlanta and takes his third NASCAR crown. 54. Elliott burns up record books -- While qualifying for the Winston 500 at Talladega, Bill Elliott sets a NASCAR record with a speed of more than 212 mph in April 1987. 53. Sterling Daytona Victory: Dale Earnhardt charges past 12 cars in the final 10 laps, but race leader Sterling Marlin holds off the Intimidator to win the 1995 Daytona 500. 52. NASCAR Debuts at Daytona: February 15th, 1948. One week before the official formation of NASCAR, the sanctioning body held its first race at Daytona Beach – a 40-lap event run on the famed Beach Course, won by Red Byron. 51. Allison spins to win: Despite a brush with Kyle Petty that sent him spinning, Davey Allison wins the first night race at Charlotte in May 1992. 50. Petty's first Daytona win: Leading 184 of 200 laps, Richard Petty adds to the family tradition started by his father, Lee Petty, in winning his first "Great American Race," the 1964 Daytona 500. 49. Labonte skids to victory: In 1995, after Dale Earnhardt is sent to the back of the pack at Bristol for spinning rival Rusty Wallace, Earnhardt burns up the asphalt to make it back to the front with 50 laps to go and challenges race leader Terry Labonte. Earnhardt gives Labonte a tap, sending him in circles as Labonte holds on for the win. 48. Death of Joe Weatherly: "Little Joe," one of the early legends of NASCAR, dies instantly when his car spins out of control and hit the retaining wall at Riverside. Weatherly won 25 races, including consecutive Grand National Championships in 1962 and 63. 47. Junior wins the Daytona 500: Three years after the death of his father at the same track, Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins his first Daytona 500, stating after the race that his dad was riding along with him.

About NASCAR on ESPN:

ESPN and ESPN on ABC will have comprehensive, multi-platform coverage featuring telecasts of the final 17 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races including the 10-race “Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup” championship on ESPN on ABC. Additionally, ESPN2 will be the home of the NASCAR Busch Series all season. For the first time in the history of televised motorsports, all programming will be produced totally in High Definition. ESPN’s comprehensive, multimedia NASCAR coverage will extend to ESPN.com, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Deportes Radio, SportsCenter, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPNRadio, ESPN360.com and ESPN International, among other ESPN platforms. ESPN aired 262 NASCAR Cup Races over a 20-year period starting in 1981. The network's award-winning, live flag-to-flag coverage on ESPN was honored with 17 Sports Emmy Awards, as well as many industry honors. It is widely credited for helping to popularize the sport nationwide. NASCAR races have appeared on ABC for decades, beginning with broadcasts on the award-winning Wide World of Sports program in the 1960s.

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