Motorsports This Week on ESPN and ABC

NASCAR Nationwide Series Live from Talladega on ABC

Racing at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway is always fast and unpredictable, and the NASCAR Nationwide Series will be live on ABC Saturday, April 26, as the series makes its annual visit to the 2.66-mile track. High definition, flag-to-flag coverage of the Aarons 312 at Talladega begins at 2:30 p.m. ET with NASCAR Countdown. ESPN2 is the home of the NASCAR Nationwide Series all season, with selected races on ESPN and ABC.

Dr. Jerry Punch will be the lead announcer for ABC’s coverage, joined in the booth for analysis by 1999 NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Jarrett, one of the founding drivers of the NASCAR Nationwide Series, and two-time Cup Series champion crew chief Andy Petree. Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake will report from the pits, while two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief Tim Brewer will be in the ESPN DISH Tech Center.

Allen Bestwick will host NASCAR Countdown with analysis by Jarrett and Brad Daugherty, a former winning team owner in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, in the ESPN pit studio.

Danica Patrick Goes for Second IndyCar Series Win Sunday on ESPN2

One week after Danica Patrick made history by becoming the first woman to win a major open wheel race, she will go for her second straight win as the IndyCar Series visits Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., for a 300-mile race. ESPN2 will have live, high definition coverage Sunday, April 27, at 5 p.m. ET.

The race is the last for IndyCar Series teams before the Month of May and the Indianapolis 500. It also will feature a full field of IndyCar Series teams, including the new teams that have transitioned from the former Champ Car Series due to the unification of American open wheel racing.

Marty Reid will be the lead announcer for ESPN’s coverage, with former IndyCar Series star Scott Goodyear providing expert analysis. Jack Arute, Brienne Pedigo and Vince Welch will report from the pits.

The race will be simulcast on ESPN Deportes, ESPN’s domestic Spanish-language network, and on ESPN360.com, ESPN’s signature broadband service. The race also re-airs on ESPN Classic Monday, April 28, at 11 p.m.

Jarrett, Petree, Evernham on NASCAR Now Monday Roundtable Discussion

Six NASCAR Sprint Cup championships will be represented on the panel as ESPN analysts Dale Jarrett, Andy Petree and Ray Evernham join host Allen Bestwick in a one-hour roundtable discussion on NASCAR Now, ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information show, on Monday, April 28, at 5:30 p.m. ET.

NASCAR Now features news, highlights, opinion, debate and analysis from drivers, crew chiefs and insiders both on and off the track.

Half-hour episodes of NASCAR Now air Tuesday through Thursday of this week at 6 p.m., while the one-hour weekend edition airs Sunday at 10 a.m. with a preview of the NASCAR Sprint Cup event at Talladega Superspeedway.

NASCAR Now is hosted by Ryan Burr, Nicole Manske and Bestwick and originates from ESPN’s high definition studios in Bristol, Conn. Contributors include NASCAR Insiders Marty Smith and Angelique Chengelis, analysts Ray Evernham, Tim Brewer, Brad Daugherty, Boris Said and Tim Cowlishaw, ESPN.com reporters Terry Blount and David Newton and D.J. Copp, a member of Bobby Labonte’s NASCAR team.

NASCAR Now viewers also benefit from frequent contributions by the NASCAR on ESPN team including Rusty Wallace, Dale Jarrett, Dr. Jerry Punch, Andy Petree, Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake.

ESPN Classic Featuring Classic NASCAR Race, Tony Stewart SportsCentury

Race fans will have the opportunity to watch two classic NASCAR programs this week on ESPN Classic.

The 1989 Holly Farms 400 from North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway airs Friday, April 21, at 3 a.m. ET. The race originally aired live on ESPN.

Also airing on ESPN Classic this week is an episode of ESPN’s acclaimed series SportsCentury featuring NASCAR star Tony Stewart. The program airs Tuesday, April 22, at 11 p.m.

NHRA Atlanta Event on ESPN2 Saturday, Sunday

ESPN2 airs coverage of the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series stop at Atlanta Dragway this weekend with action from the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals. Qualifying coverage airs Saturday, April 26, at 6 p.m. ET, with eliminations and finals coverage airing Sunday at 7 p.m.

One of NHRA’s long-established events — the race celebrated its 27th anniversary last season — this belle of the South has gained a reputation as one of the tougher events on the tour to win. With summer approaching, warm temperatures can turn the event into “Hotlanta” and throw crew chiefs a curve as they try to glue their charges to the facility’s 660-foot concrete launchpad. The event is the third on the schedule to feature the high-revving 190-mph Pro Stock Motorcycles.

Paul Page anchors ESPN2’s coverage, with analysis by 22-time NHRA winner Mike Dunn. Gary Gerould and Dave Rieff report from the pits. Rieff and Dunn also co-host NHRA RaceDay to set the stage for Sunday’s finals action. The 30-minute program airs Sunday at 11 a.m. on ESPN2.

NHRA Fans Can Relive Events on ESPN Classic

Fans of the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series will have opportunities all week to relive some of the great events of the 2003 and 2005 seasons as ESPN Classic opens the archives and brings the events back to life on TV. The programs air at 1 a.m. ET Wednesday through Saturday.

On Wednesday, April 23, fans can watch the action of the 2005 Auto Club of Southern California NHRA Finals from Pomona, Calif., while Thursday’s program features the 2003 K&N Filters Winternationals from Pomona. The 2003 Checkers Schucks Kragen NHRA Nationals from Phoenix air Friday with the 2003 Mac Tools NHRA Gatornationals airing Saturday.

ESPN2 is the home for the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series and the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.

Two Episodes of Car Wars with Funkmaster Flex Airing This Week

A new season of the ESPN2 reality show Car Wars with Funkmaster Flex continues with two episodes this week. 

The show features popular New York TV and radio personality Funkmaster Flex, who opens each episode with “music is my life but cars are my passion.” Flex oversees a competition involving amateur car customizers and the real-life drama associated with the contest. The contestants put everything on the line to win.

Back-to-back episodes air Saturday, April 24, beginning at 10 a.m.

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