ESPN Networks To Have 66 Hours of NASCAR Programming This Week

As NASCAR NEXTEL Cup racing returns to ESPN this weekend with coverage of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard from Indianapolis Motor Speedway, ESPN networks will have 66 hours of programming this week to commemorate the first Cup race coverage on ESPN since 2000.

Highlighting NASCAR programming this week will be two live races, the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup event from IMS on ESPN and the NASCAR Busch Series race from O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis on ESPN2, as well as practice and qualifying coverage from both on ESPN2. In addition, ESPN’s daily news and information show, NASCAR Now, will expand to an hour for three days this week and will air Monday through Thursday on both ESPN and ESPN2. ESPN will also air a series of new historical documentaries in prime time every night this week.

NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Returns to ESPN with Allstate 400 at the Brickyard
Historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a fitting location for the return of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series to ESPN with the running of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on Sunday, July 29. Race coverage will begin at 1 p.m. ET with the pre-race NASCAR Countdown program.

Brent Musburger will host ESPN’s coverage from Indianapolis. Suzy Kolber will host NASCAR Countdown at Indianapolis, joined by analyst Brad Daugherty in the ESPN Pit Studio. ESPN’s coverage from Indianapolis Motor Speedway will include live coverage of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup qualifying at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 28, and Happy Hour final practice at 3:30 p.m

NASCAR Busch Series Live in Prime Time on ESPN2 from Indianapolis
ESPN2 will feature NASCAR Busch Series racing live in prime time Saturday, July 28, from O’Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis as the series makes its only appearance of 2007 at the .686-mile oval. The telecast of NASCAR Busch Series at ORP at Indianapolis presented by Hormel Compleats begins with NASCAR Countdown at 7:30 p.m. ET; the race starts at 8 p.m.

Marty Reid will anchor coverage from ORP, joined in the booth for expert analysis by two-time NASCAR Busch Series champion Randy LaJoie. ESPN2 also will televise NASCAR Busch Series practice from ORP at 12:30 p.m. Saturday and qualifying at 4:30 p.m.

‘ESPN Ultimate NASCAR Week’ Counts Down to NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Return to ESPN
With more NASCAR Cup races televised than any network in the history of motorsports, ESPN kicks off a week of heart-pounding documentaries that will lead up to the July 29 launch of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup racing on ESPN with the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.

Eleven hours of special NASCAR programming continues with The Explosion, a look on the growth of stock car racing into a national phenomenon. ESPN will air the show Monday, at 8 p.m. ET during “ESPN Ultimate NASCAR Week.” The special programming continues through the week with The Dirt (Tuesday, July 24, 9 p.m.); The Cars (Wednesday, July 25, 9 p.m.); Speed and Danger (Thursday, July 26, 9 p.m.); and The Families (Friday, July 27, 8 p.m.). All shows will debut on ESPN.

NASCAR Now Expands Schedule for Brickyard Week
NASCAR Now,  ESPN’s daily news and information show dedicated to NASCAR, will air on both ESPN and ESPN2 Monday through Thursday of this week as ESPN prepares fans for the return of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup racing to ESPN with Sunday’s running of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, and the program will expand to an hour Wednesday through Friday. On Monday and Tuesday, a half-hour edition of NASCAR Now will air at 5 p.m. on ESPN and repeat at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2. On Wednesday and Thursday, the program will expand to an hour and air at 5 p.m. on ESPN and 6 p.m. on ESPN2. The one-hour Friday edition will air on ESPN2 at 6 p.m. The one-hour weekend edition of NASCAR Now will air at 10 a.m. Sunday.

NASCAR Programming This Week on ESPN Networks

NHRA Coverage from Sonoma To Air Saturday and Sunday on ESPN2

The NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series continues its Western Swing with the Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals this weekend at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., and ESPN2 will have coverage of qualifying and finals Saturday and Sunday. Qualifying coverage from the Golden State drag racing facility will air at 6 p.m. ET Saturday, with three hours of finals coverage at 8 p.m. Sunday.

In the heart of Northern California’s high-tech region and sponsored by Infineon Technologies, the facility annually plays host to some of the tour’s most dramatic moments. A $70 million modernization project, which was completed in 2002, included a new 660-foot concrete launch pad and has led to scores of new track records. The event usually is blessed with pleasant weather that, combined with a quality racetrack, has yielded impressive performances, such as the sport’s second 6-second Pro Stock Motorcycle pass in 2005.

Paul Page will anchor ESPN2’s coverage from Sonoma, with analysis by 22-time NHRA winner Mike Dunn. Gary Gerould, Dave Rieff and John Kernan will report the action from the pits. Rieff also will host NHRA Race Day at 11 a.m. ET Sunday on ESPN2. The half-hour program will set the stage for Sunday’s eliminations with driver interviews, features and up-to-the-minute information.

Additional NHRA programming this week on ESPN2 includes an episode of NHRA Stylefest, which will air at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 24, immediately following NHRA Sport Compact drag racing at 5 p.m.


Champ Car World Series Action from San Jose Sunday on ESPN

The Champ Car World Series will hit the streets of San Jose this weekend with its annual race on the California city’s temporary street circuit. The race will be televised by ESPN2 beginning at 6 p.m. ET Sunday.

Three-time Champ Car Series champion Sebastien Bourdais will be among the top contenders at San Jose, along with series star Paul Tracy and exciting rookie Will Power. At least 13 events in the international open-wheel racing series are being televised on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic and ESPN on ABC in 2007, with the networks exclusively airing the series in 2008.

Veteran play-by-play announcer Rick Benjamin, color analyst and former Atlantic racer Jon Beekhuis will be in the booth for the San Jose race, with Bill Stephens, Cameron Steele and Michelle Beisner reporting from the pits.

The Champ Car Atlantic Championship also will take place as part of the race weekend. Fans can watch the action live on ESPN360.com, ESPN’s signature broadband service, at 3:30 p.m. ET Sunday.


NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Action Airs Saturday

The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series will air at 12:30 a.m. ET Saturday, July 28, on ESPN2 with coverage of series action from the event in Kent, Wash.

Featuring race vehicles that range from 5-second Top Alcohol Dragsters and Top Alcohol Funny Cars to 15-second Stockers, the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series is the premier Sportsman series in drag racing. Eight categories are included in the series, which is showcased at select NHRA national events. ESPN’s Dave Rieff will anchor the coverage.


Indy Pro Series Mid-Ohio Action Will Air Thursday

The Indy Pro Series, the feeder series for the IndyCar Series, will be on the air at 5:30 p.m. ET Thursday, July 26, on ESPN2 with a half-hour recap of last weekend’s action from Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The Indy Pro Series drivers and teams ran in conjunction with the IndyCar Series at the Lexington, Ohio, road racing circuit.

Bob Jenkins will call the action in the telecast, joined for analysis by Robbie Buhl and Mike King. ESPN2 will have tape-delayed coverage of all Indy Pro Series events this season.


World of Outlaws Sprint Car Racing on ESPN2 Sunday

World of Outlaws sprint car racing will be featured at noon ET Sunday, July 22, on ESPN2. The one-hour program will recap the previous night’s WoO event at K-C Raceway in Chillicothe, Ohio.

The telecast continues the World of Outlaws’ “SuperClean Summer of Money,” with eight consecutive weekends of racing on ESPN2 at eight different tracks. The World of Outlaws is the world’s premier sanctioning body for winged sprint car racing.


Rally America Action Airs on ESPN2 Friday

Rally America, which will be featured later this summer as part of ESPN’s X Games 13, will make its 2007 debut on ESPN2 at 5 p.m. ET Tuesday. The 30-minute program will feature action from Rally America’s third and fourth events of 2007.

There are no ovals, pace cars or rain delays, as Rally racing features real cars racing against the clock on closed-off sections of real roads that are usually unpaved and unforgiving. Events can last several days and cover hundreds of miles through rain, snow, day or night.

The events featured in the show took place at Portland, Ore., and Olympia, Wash.


New Episodes of ESPN2 Garage Programs To Air This Week

New episodes of the ESPN2 Garage programs SpeedFreaks, Race Wizard with Ray Evernham and King of the Strip will premiere this week. SpeedFreaks will air at 5 p.m. ET Thursday, July 26, while Race Wizard is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Saturday, July 28. King of the Strip will air at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Also scheduled to air this week are episodes of the ESPN2 Garage programs Hot Rod Television and The Bidding Wars.

Designed to complement ESPN’s extensive coverage of NASCAR, IndyCar, Champ Car and NHRA racing in 2007, ESPN2 Garage is dedicated to the automotive, motorcycle and motorsports worlds. ESPN2 will air more than 1,100 hours of motorsports programming in 2007.

The schedule:

Date    Time    ESPN2  
Tue., July 24           6 p.m.         Race Wizard with Ray Evernham  
Wed., July 25   3 a.m. The Bidding Wars       
Wed., July 25   5 p.m. Hot Rod TV     
Wed., July 25   5:30 p.m.       King of the Strip      
Thu., July 26   5 p.m. SpeedFreaks    
Fri., July 27   5 a.m. SpeedFreaks    
Fri., July 27   5:30 a.m.       The Bidding Wars       
Sat., July 28   1:30 p.m.       Race Wizard with Ray Evernham  
Sat., July 28   2 p.m. King of the Strip      
Sun., July 29   11:30 a.m.      Hot Rod TV     

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