Motorsports This Week on ESPN and ABC

NASCAR Nationwide Series Live in Prime Time from Milwaukee on ESPN2

The Milwaukee Mile is one of America’s legendary racetracks, and ESPN2’s season-long coverage of the NASCAR Nationwide Series continues with a live, prime-time telecast of the Camping World RV Rental 250 at Milwaukee on Saturday, June 21, beginning at 8 p.m. ET with NASCAR Countdown. The green flag flies at 8:45 p.m. and the telecast also airs in high definition on ESPN2 HD and will be simulcast on ESPN360.com and ESPN MobileTV.

Dr. Jerry Punch will be the lead announcer for ESPN2’s coverage, joined in the booth for analysis by 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Rusty Wallace and two-time Cup Series champion crew chief Andy Petree. Dave Burns, 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 Wallace and Brad Daugherty, a former winning team owner in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, in the ESPN pit studio.

ESPN2 also airs coverage of qualifying on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. 

NASCAR Now Expands Monday for Roundtable Discussion of NASCAR Weekend

The Monday, June 23, edition of NASCAR Now will expand to an hour and will include host Allen Bestwick leading a roundtable discussion with ESPN analysts and reporters of the weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup action at Infineon Raceway and the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the Milwaukee Mile. The program airs at 5:30 p.m. ET.

Half-hour episodes of NASCAR Now air at Tuesday through Friday of this week at 6 p.m. The one-hour weekend edition airs Sunday at 10 a.m. with a preview of that day’s NASCAR Sprint Cup event at Infineon Raceway.

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 Features Classic NASCAR Event Thursday

ESPN Classic will feature highlights of a classic NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event, the 1995 Save Mart Supermarkets 300, on Thursday, June 19, at 2 p.m. ET. The race from Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., originally aired on ESPN.

IndyCar Series Live Sunday from Iowa on ABC

The IndyCar Series heads to Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa, this weekend, and ABC will have coverage of the Ethanol IndyCar 250 at Iowa presented by Iowa Corn Sunday, June 22, at 1 p.m. ET. A replay airs Monday, June 23, at 9 a.m. on ESPN Classic.

With its variable banking, and at less than a mile in length, Iowa Speedway offers a unique challenge to drivers in the high-speed IndyCars. The track, designed by 1989 NASCAR champion and ESPN analyst Rusty Wallace, hosted its first IndyCar Series event last year.

Marty Reid will call the action, joined for analysis by former IndyCar Series star Scott Goodyear. Jack Arute, Brienne Pedigo and Vince Welch report from the pits.

NHRA POWERade Series Moves to New Jersey on ESPN2

The NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series moves to Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J., this weekend, and ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD  will have coverage of qualifying and final eliminations for the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals. Qualifying coverage airs Saturday, June 21, at 4:30 p.m. ET, with more coverage at 7 p.m., and a qualifying coverage re-air at 11:30 p.m. Eliminations coverage airs Sunday, June 22, at 8 p.m., with a re-air Monday, June 23, at 11 a.m. on ESPN Classic.

One of NHRA’s original seven national events, this race is steeped in legend: a historic facility, some of the sport’s most knowledgeable (and definitely most boisterous) fans, and a score of dramatic moments. The event, once known as the Summernationals, has shifted on the schedule from its original scorchingly hot and humid July slot to May and June, and upsets have become the norm. This event is the final chance for Pro Stock teams to earn points toward making the field for the K&N Horsepower Challenge.

Paul Page anchors coverage for ESPN2, with analysis by 22-time NHRA winner Mike Dunn. Gary Gerould and Dave Rieff report from the pits. Rieff and Dunn co-host NHRA RaceDay on Sunday at 11 a.m. to set the stage for that day’s eliminations action. An episode of NHRA Thrills and Spills airs Saturday at 4 p.m.

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 2004 and 2005 seasons as ESPN Classic opens the archives and brings the events back to life on TV. The programs air at 11 a.m. ET Tuesday through Friday of this week, and Monday of next week.

On Tuesday, June 17, fans can watch the action of the 2004 Auto Club of Southern California NHRA Finals from Indianapolis, while Wednesday’s program features the 2005 Carquest Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals, both from Pomona, Calif. The 2005 Kragen-Schuck’s NHRA Nationals from Phoenix air Thursday with the 2005 Mac Tools NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville, Fla., airing Friday.  

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

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