July 18, 2011
NASCAR Nationwide Series Live in Prime Time from Nashville on ESPN
ESPN continues its season-long coverage of the NASCAR Nationwide Series with a live, prime time telecast of the event at Nashville Superspeedway on Saturday night, July 23. NASCAR Countdown presented by OneMain Financial airs at 7 p.m. ET and the race’s green flag flies at 7:46 p.m. Also from Nashville, ESPN2 will air NASCAR Nationwide Series qualifying on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
Marty Reid will call the action with analysis by Rusty Wallace, the 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, and two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion crew chief Andy Petree. Reports from two-time champion crew chief Tim Brewer will air from the ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage, while pit reporters will be Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Dr. Jerry Punch and Vince Welch.
Reporter Roundtable on NASCAR Now
With an open weekend on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule leading into the July 31 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, NASCAR Now’s weekly roundtable discussion program airing Monday, July 25, at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN2 will include three reporters who regularly cover NASCAR racing. Nate Ryan of USA Today, Jim Utter of the Charlotte Observer and David Newton of ESPN.com will discuss and debate the latest NASCAR news and issues with host Nicole Briscoe.
Shannon Spake hosts half-hour episodes of NASCAR Now airing this week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week at 5 p.m. and Friday at 6:30 p.m. There also will be a special Saturday edition at 4:30 p.m. to preview that night’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Nashville Superspeedway.
NHRA Begins Western Swing with Denver Event
The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series begins its annual three-event Western Swing this weekend with the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals Bandimere Speedway near Denver. ESPN2 will air action from qualifying on Saturday, July 23, at 7 p.m. ET and coverage of eliminations airs Sunday, July 24, at 7 p.m. NHRA fans also can watch the full day of eliminations live on ESPN3.com starting Sunday at 1 p.m.
After a schedule reversal in 2010, the event returns to its traditional position as the opener of the grueling three-week Western Swing; teams from all four Full Throttle classes travel high and deep into the Rocky Mountains to more than 5,800 feet, where the altitude affects everything from engine tune-ups to aerodynamics. Crews must make changes to established power-making combinations and battle lack of downforce to tackle the environs. The event is a testament to the skill and adaptability of the racers.
Paul Page anchors for ESPN with analysis by 22-time NHRA winner Mike Dunn. Former NHRA driver Whit Bazemore will be a guest reporter for the three-race Western Swing. Gary Gerould and Dave Rieff will report from the pits.
American Le Mans Series Goes North of the Border
The high-speed, natural-terrain road course at Mosport International Raceway near Toronto will be the setting for the fourth round of the American Le Mans Series season and sports car racing fans can watch the race live on ESPN3.com on Sunday, July 24, at 2:45 p.m. ET. Also from Mosport, ESPN3.com airs coverage of qualifying on Saturday, July 23, at 4:20 p.m. John Hindhaugh and Jeremy Shaw will call the action on the ESPN3.com telecasts.
Highlights from the Mosport race will air on ESPN2 in a two-hour format on Sunday, July 24, at 10 p.m. Brian Till, Bill Adam and Johnny O’Connell will be in the TV booth with pit reporters Jamie Howe and Kelli Stavast.
ESPN Radio Raceday Airs Saturday, Sunday
Each weekend morning, ESPN Radio’s RaceDay starts its engines at 6 a.m. ET with host Pat Patterson anchored from Daytona Beach, Fla. Patterson also originates the broadcast from several racetracks with key races during the season. On both Saturday and Sunday mornings, ESPN Radio’s RaceDay listeners get an hour of news, previews and analysis, as well as profiles and interviews with NASCAR’s biggest names and newsmakers and the involvement of listeners via calls and e-mails.
Additionally, many of ESPN’s NASCAR reporters and analysts contribute each week as ESPN networks televise the entire NASCAR Nationwide Series and the final 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup races, including the 10-race “Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup” championship. A list of ESPN Radio affiliates can be found at www.espnradio.com.
Visit www.espnmediazone.com for ESPN’s latest releases, schedules and other news, plus photos, video and audio clips and more.
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Media Contact: Andy Hall, 386-492-2246 or [email protected]
