NASCAR Countdown: ESPN2 NASCAR Busch Series Highlights from Gateway International Raceway

NASCAR Countdown: ESPN2 NASCAR Busch Series Highlights from Gateway International Raceway

ESPN on ABC’s NASCAR Countdown will have a live preview at 8 p.m. ET Saturday, July 21, of the NASCAR Busch Series race at Gateway International Raceway. Allen Bestwick will host the qualifying show, joined in the ESPN Pit Studio by analyst Brad Daugherty. Tim Brewer will be at the ESPN Chevy Cutaway Car. Rusty Wallace, ESPN’s lead auto racing analyst and the 1989 NASCAR Cup Series champion, will work in the ESPN booth as analyst for the telecasts, joined by two-time NASCAR champion crew chief Andy Petree. Dr. Jerry Punch will handle play-by-play.

NASCAR Countdown will include segments from pit reporters Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake.

NASCAR Countdown will originate from the ESPN Pit Studio at Gateway International Raceway as it sets the stage for ESPN2’s coverage of the NASCAR Busch Series race Saturday. Highlights include:

A Race of Opportunity for NASCAR Busch Series Drivers

With NASCAR NEXTEL Cup drivers having their final weekend off this season, the NASCAR Busch Series race at Gateway International Raceway will stand alone, marking an "opportunity" for NASCAR Busch Series drivers. Busch Series driver Stephen Leicht took advantage of the limited number of NEXTEL Cup drivers racing in the series last month to take the checkered flag at Kentucky Speedway. Eyeing another win on the horizon, he will be joined by Busch Series drivers Brad Coleman, Chase Miller and Brad Keselowski also trying to win their first Busch race. NASCAR Countdown will report on why this race is so important to them.

Missouri Native Carl Edwards Comes Home

NASCAR driver Carl Edwards returns home to his native state of Missouri to race in this weekend’s NASCAR Busch Series race at Gateway. At a place where he once beat down

doors in the garage, handing out business cards and trying to get a ride, he returns as the current NASCAR Busch Series points leader.

St. Louis Boys – Rusty, Kenny, Mike and Steven Wallace Talk about racing at their “home track” – Gateway

Another Missouri homecoming involves the legendary Wallace family that grew up in St. Louis. NASCAR Champion Rusty Wallace will call the race from the ESPN booth while his two brothers Kenny and Mike, along with Rusty’s son Steven Wallace will compete in the NASCAR Busch Series race at Gateway. NASCAR Countdown will ask the “St. Louis Boys” their thoughts on racing at their home track.

The Unsung Heroes of the NASCAR Busch Series – The Pit Crew

The voice of the fans, Brad Daugherty, will introduce viewers to some of the unsung heroes of NASCAR Busch Series racing – the pit crew. Some pit crew members forwent their own athletic talents in other sports, including lacrosse, hockey and even pro football to have successful careers on NASCAR Busch Series teams.

ESPN2 Will Have Live NASCAR Busch Series Practice, Qualifying Coverage from Gateway

ESPN2 will have live coverage of qualifying Saturday from Gateway International Raceway, as well as Friday night’s practice session as drivers and teams prepare for Saturday night’s race.

Practice coverage will air at 7 p.m. ET Friday, with the live qualifying show at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Dr. Jerry Punch will be the lead announcer for ESPN2’s coverage of practice and qualifying, joined in the booth by analysts Rusty Wallace and Andy Petree. Pit reporters Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake will contribute to the telecasts.

Allen Bestwick will host the qualifying show, joined in the ESPN Pit Studio by analyst Brad Daugherty. Tim Brewer will be at the ESPN Chevy Cutaway Car.

SportsCenter’s “NASCAR’s 100 Defining Moments” Series: 100-11 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 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 July 19: 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. 46. Richmond's winning return: Battling the AIDS virus, Tim Richmond returns in June 1987 after missing 11 races due to illness to win at Pocono in dominating fashion. 45. Death of Neil Bonnett: During a practice session for the 1994 Daytona 500, NASCAR lost one of its most popular drivers when Neil Bonnett's car hit the wall. 44. Petty's seventh Daytona 500 win: With 23 laps remaining in the 1981 Daytona 500, Richard Petty and crew chief Dale Inman gambled and decided not to change tires, and with 3.5 seconds to spare, Petty won a record seventh Daytona 500. 43. France family legacy continues: In September 2003, Brian France replaces his father, Bill France Jr., as Chairman of the Board and CEO of NASCAR. 42. Johnson first to use drafting: Despite starting in the middle of the pack in the 1960 Daytona 500, Junior Johnson employs an aerodynamics technique he discovered during practice, and he takes the checkered flag. 41. Death of Adam Petty: NASCAR's first fourth-generation driver, just 19 years old, has a fatal crash into the wall during practice at New Hampshire. 40. Allison Family Double: With 18 laps to go in the 1988 Daytona 500, Bobby Allison – followed closely by his son, Davey -- takes the checkered flag, marking the third time in history a father-son duo finishes 1-2, while Bobby, 50, becomes the oldest Daytona 500 winner. 39. Death of Alan Kulwicki: On April 1, 1993, NASCAR car owner and driver Alan Kulwicki, the 1992 NASCAR Cup champion, died when the small plane in which he was traveling crashed on the way to a race in Bristol, Tenn. In his abbreviated career, Kulwicki amassed five victories and 75 top-10 finishes. He was 38. 38. Wallace spins out Waltrip: Running second behind Darrell Waltrip in the 1989 Winston All-Star race, Rusty Wallace made a controversial move to take the win. A scuffle broke out later in the garage area between the teams’ crews. 37. Death of Davey Allison: Just three months after Alan Kulwicki died in a plane crash, tragedy struck again. In July 1993, former Rookie of the Year and Daytona 500 champion Davey Allison died of injuries suffered in a helicopter crash at Talladega. He was 32. 36. Scott’s Barrier-breaking Win: On December 1, 1963, Wendell Scott becomes the only African-American to win at NASCAR’s highest level. Driving a car purchased from Ned Jarrett, Scott outpaces Buck Baker on the half-mile dirt track at Speedway Park in Jacksonville to take the checkered flag. 35. NASCAR Mandates Restraint System: In October 2001, NASCAR mandates that all NASCAR Cup, Busch and Truck series drivers will wear head and neck restraints. The decision comes after four drivers – Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin, Blaise Alexander and Dale Earnhardt Sr. – die in a span of just 17 months. 34. Earnhardt Secures First Cup Championship: After winning Rookie of the Year, Dale Earnhardt Sr. sets his sights on the 1980 Cup Series championship. He wins five races to build a 29-point lead before placing fifth in the season finale. Good to his word, the Intimidator wins his first of seven Cup championships. 33. Waltrip’s Daytona Dance: In 1989, Darrell Waltrip ended years of frustration, winning the “Great American Race” – the Daytona 500. In victory lane, Waltrip celebrated with a new dance created by NFL running back Ickey Woods – the Ickey Shuffle. 32. NASCAR’S NEXTEL Deal: Ending a three-decade relationship with RJ Reynolds and Winston, NASCAR announced a 10-year, $70 million per-year deal in June 2003 with NEXTEL as the new series sponsor. It was the richest rights and promotion deal ever struck in professional sports. 31. Earnhardt’s Last Victory: Dale Earnhardt earned his 10th career victory at Talladega in October 2000 when he came from 18th place to 1st in the final 5 laps. It was the 76th – and final – NASCAR win of Earnhardt’s storied career.30. First “Strickly Stock” Race: In June 1949, Glenn Dunnaway took the checkered flag at Charlotte Speedway by three laps in NASCAR’s first-ever “strictly stock” race, but when a post-race inspection of the car revealed pieces of steel that had been welded illegally, Dunnaway was disqualified and Jim Roper was awarded the victory. 29. NASCAR’S most Competitive Race: The most hotly contested race in NASCAR history was run at Talladega in May 1984. A record 75 lead changes among 13 drivers occurred on the final lap. Cale Yarborough passed Harry Gant to take the checkered flag. 28. CBS Televises NASCAR Live: NASCAR history was made on January 31st, 1960, when "CBS Sports Spectacular" broadcast the pole position races live for the Daytona 500. CBS's two-hour coverage at Daytona marked the first program devoted entirely to stock car racing. 27. France Passes Torch: In January of 1972, NASCAR’s 62-year-old founder, Bill France Sr. – known as Big Bill - passed the keys of the kingdom to his son, 38-year-old Bill Jr. Big Bill rose from mechanic to part-time driver to one of the most influential positions in auto racing. 26. Earnhardt Rejoins Childress: In August of 1981, Richard Childress gave up his seat behind the wheel of his #3 car to Dale Earnhardt.  They split after one season. But, in 1984, they reunited to form one of the greatest owner/driver partnerships in NASCAR history, winning 6 season championships. 25. Findings in Earnhardt’s Fatal Crash: In August 2001, six months after Dale Earnhardt’s death, NASCAR'S investigation reveals that a broken lap belt contributed to a blunt force trauma to the head. Soon after, sweeping safety changes are announced. 24. Flag-to-Flag Coverage: The November 1989 running of the Atlanta Journal 500 wraps up the first season in which every race in NASCAR’s top division is televised. 23. Talladega Opens Amid Boycott: With concerns about safety, tires and excessively high speeds, a newly formed drivers association boycotts the first race at Talladega Superspeedway. NASCAR founder Bill France recruits replacement drivers and the race, in September 1969, is run without major incident. 22. The Chase is Born: In January 2004, NASCAR announces a new points system. After the first 26 races of the year, the top 10 drivers will compete in the final 10 races for NASCAR’s season title and a $5 million prize. 21. Petty Dominates Season: In 1967, Richard Petty completes the most prolific season in NASCAR history by winning a record 27 races, more than half of the events he entered. 20. Petty Wins Seventh Title: In the final race of 1979, Richard Petty trails Darrell Waltrip by only two points. Petty finishes fifth while Waltrip is eighth at the LA Times 500 and Petty claims his record seventh – and final – season title. 19. Earnhardt Matches Petty’s Titles Record: With an October 1994 victory at Rockingham and with two races to go in the season, Dale Earnhardt clinches his seventh series title and his fourth in five years. 18. Jr.’s Victory Honors Dad: In July 2001, just 5 months after the tragedy, NASCAR returned to the scene of Dale Earnhardt’s death -- Daytona International Speedway -- for the Pepsi 400. In story-book fashion, Dale Jr. took the lead late from Johnny Benson and captured the checkered flag.  
17. Allison’s Last Ride: Just four months after 50-year old Bobby Allison won the Daytona 500, his career came to a sudden end in a crash at Pocono in June 1988. Allison was found with a severe concussion, abdominal trauma and broken leg. With 85 wins, 446 top 10 finishes and 1 series championship, Allison never raced again. 16. Pass in the Grass: At the annual All-star race at Charlotte in May 1987, Dale Earnhardt proved that the grass can indeed be greener on the other side. Although Bill Elliott’s retaliation came during the cool down laps, Earnhardt’s bruising helped to cement his racing rep as “the intimidator.” 15. NASCAR’S New TV Deal: In November of 1999, NASCAR elevated itself as a media powerhouse by announcing a 2.4 billion dollar television partnership agreement. The deal, which covered 6 years with NBC, TBS and Fox, quadrupled in rights fees what NASCAR had been making. 14. Million-Dollar Bill: In September of 1985, Bill Elliott put the exclamation point on a seminal season when he took the checkered flag in the Southern 500 at Darlington, S.C. With that victory, Elliott claimed NASCAR’s first million dollar bonus for winning 3 of the 4 crown-jewel races in a single year. 13. Changing of the Guard: As a legendary career ended, another began. In November, 1992 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Richard Petty drove into retirement and Jeff Gordon launched his career in NASCAR’s top series. While Petty finished 35th and Gordon came in 31st place, Alan Kulwicki edged 6 others to win the crown. 12. Earnhardt Wins Daytona 500: Dale Earnhardt visited victory lane at Daytona International Speedway 29 times in his career, but had never won the Daytona 500 until February 15th, 1998. Earnhardt’s victory broke a 0-for-19 losing streak with Dale spinning victory donuts and all of the other NASCAR teams lining pit road to congratulate him. 11. Roberts Fatally Burned: In May 1964, Glenn “Fireball” Roberts, age 35, was critically burned in a crash at the Charlotte’s World 600, he died just over a month later. The death of Roberts, who had 33 career victories, led to NASCAR’s first major safety changes: fuel cells and fire-retardant uniforms.

 
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.