May 17, 2012

Green Flag Drops for NASCAR on FOX’s 12th Season Saturday @ 8PM ET

February 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

FOX SPORTS NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES

Green Flag Drops for NASCAR on FOX’s 12th Season

Primetime Coverage of the Budweiser Shootout Saturday & Daytona 500 Qualifying Sunday

McReynolds: “Bud Shootout Sets Tone For Great Season”

 

NASCAR ON FOX BEGINS 12TH SEASON SATURDAY WITH 34TH ANNUAL BUDWEISER SHOOTOUT IN PRIMETIME – A deep and talented field hits the Daytona International Speedway as Tony Stewart’s quest for back-to-back championships gets underway Saturday, Feb. 18 (8:00 PM ET) at the Budweiser Shootout.  The network airs Daytona 500 Qualifying Sunday, Feb. 19 (1:00 PM ET).

NASCAR on FOX host Chris Myers and analyst Darrell Waltrip provide Bud Shootout prerace coverage with up-to-the-second reports and live interviews with drivers, crews and officials shaping the night’s action. FOX Sports’ Jeff Hammond serves as the network’s roving analyst taking fans from the garages to pit road and everywhere in between.  Once the green flag drops, race announcer Mike Joy is alongside analysts Waltrip and Larry McReynolds to call all the twists and turns on the track while Dick Berggren, Steve Byrnes, Krista Voda and Matt Yocum patrol the pits for reports on teams and pit stops.

MCREYNOLDS: ANTICIPATION BUILDING FOR BUDWEISER SHOOTOUT – “It’s going to be one of the largest fields we’ve ever had.  It’s almost like an All-Star race at Daytona because it’s the top 25 drivers from last year and any other driver who has ever won a points event at Daytona or a Budweiser Shootout, which would include Trevor Bayne and Jamie McMurray,” said McReynolds.  We’re going to see speeds well over 200 MPH and the drivers are going to be in big packs of racing 3- and 4-wide.  Even though it’s a 75 lap race, we probably won’t have a clue who is going to win until they come off the last corner of the last lap and get close to that checkered flag.”   

Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012

 

Event                                                                                                      BROADCASTERS                                     TIME

Budweiser Shootout (Daytona International Speedway)         Prerace Host Chris Myers                                    8:00 PM ET

Prerace Analyst Darrell Waltrip

 

Announcer Mike Joy                             

                                                                                                                Analyst Darrell Waltrip

                                                      Analyst Larry McReynolds

Roving Analyst Jeff Hammond

                                                                                                                Pits Steve Byrnes, Matt Yocum,

Krista Voda, Dick Berggren

Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012

 

Event                                                                                                      BROADCASTERS                                    TIME

Daytona 500 Qualifying (Daytona International Speedway)  Announcer Mike Joy                                 1:00 PM ET                         

                                                                                                                Analyst Darrell Waltrip

                                                      Analyst Larry McReynolds

                                                                                                                Pits Jeff Hammond, Steve Byrnes, Matt Yocum,

Krista Voda, Dick Berggren

Below are drivers scheduled to compete in Saturday’s Budweiser Shootout:

Jamie McMurray (No. 1 – Earnhardt Ganassi Racing – Chevrolet)

Brad Keselowski (No. 2 – Penske Racing – Dodge)

Kasey Kahne (No. 5 – Hendrick Motorsports – Chevrolet)

Marcos Ambrose (No. 9 – Richard Petty Motorsports – Ford)

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 – Joe Gibbs Racing – Toyota)

Tony Stewart (No. 14 – Stewart-Haas Racing – Chevrolet)

Clint Bowyer (No. 15 – Michael Waltrip Racing – Toyota)

Greg Biffle (No. 16 – Roush Fenway Racing – Ford)

Matt Kenseth (No. 17 – Roush Fenway Racing – Ford)

Kyle Busch (No. 18 – Joe Gibbs Racing – Toyota)

Joey Logano (No. 20 – Joe Gibbs Racing – Toyota)

AJ Allmendinger (No. 22 – Penske Racing – Dodge)

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 – Hendrick Motorsports – Chevrolet)

Paul Menard (No. 27 – Richard Childress Racing – Chevrolet)

Kevin Harvick (No. 29 – Richard Childress Racing – Chevrolet)

Jeff Burton (No. 31 – Richard Childress Racing – Chevrolet)

David Ragan (No. 34 – Front Row Motorsports – Ford)

Ryan Newman (No. 39 – Stewart-Haas Racing – Chevrolet)

Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 – Earnhardt Ganassi Racing – Chevrolet)

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 – Hendrick Motorsports – Chevrolet)

Kurt Busch (No. 51 – Phoenix Racing – Chevrolet)

Michael Waltrip (No. 55 – Michael Waltrip Racing – Toyota)

Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 – Michael Waltrip Racing – Toyota)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 – Hendrick Motorsports – Chevrolet)

Carl Edwards (No. 99 – Roush Fenway Racing – Ford)

 

GATORADE DUEL AT DAYTONA HEADLINES 100 HOURS OF SPEEDWEEKS ON SPEED™ SPEED opens its extensive Daytona Speedweeks programming lineup Thursday, Feb. 16 (6:00 PM ET) with reports from Media Day on a special live two-hour edition of NASCAR Race Hub. NASCAR Race Hub, which enjoyed a 27% ratings increase in 2011, goes live from Daytona on Feb. 20-22, with Steve Byrnes hosting, Danielle Trotta reporting and analysis from Larry McReynolds, Randy Pemberton and Matt Clark.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars take to the track the following day for the first Budweiser Shootout practice session and SPEED brings viewers the Budweiser Shootout Selection Show on Friday, Feb. 17 (8:30 PM ET).

 

On Thursday, Feb. 23 (2:00 PM ET), SPEED is live from the Gatorade Duel at Daytona as drivers battle for the final spots on the Daytona 500 starting grid. Krista Voda and Jeff Hammond host, with the NASCAR on FOX team of Darrell Waltrip, Larry McReynolds and Mike Joy calling the action and Byrnes, Dick Berggren and Matt Yocum reporting from the pits.

See Full Daytona Speedweeks on SPEED Schedule Here: http://bit.ly/wiRjwf

Filed Under: FOX, NASCAR

Ray Evernham Returns to ESPN as NASCAR Analyst

February 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion crew chief Ray Evernham is returning to ESPN as a NASCAR analyst for the 2012 season.

Evernham will join ESPN’s team at Daytona Speedweeks and will be part of NASCAR Countdown before the NASCAR Nationwide Series race that airs on ESPN on Saturday, Feb. 25, at noon ET. He also will appear on NASCAR Now and SportsCenter from Daytona as ESPN’s multimedia platforms surround the opening of the NASCAR season.

Evernham, who won three championships and 47 races as crew chief for Jeff Gordon at Hendrick Motorsports, will be an analyst on NASCAR Countdown for many of the 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup races that will appear on ESPN networks in the second half of the season. In addition to his work on NASCAR Now and SportsCenter, he will help call several NASCAR Nationwide Series races from the booth.

Evernham was an analyst for ESPN from 2008-2010 but left prior to the 2011 season when he took a consulting position with Hendrick Companies, a management company that oversees strategic initiatives for chairman Rick Hendrick, who also owns Hendrick Motorsports.

“I chose to take a year off from ESPN out of respect for ESPN and Hendrick Motorsports,” said Evernham. “I didn’t want to create any perceived conflict of interest while I got my bearings at Hendrick and didn’t want to cause distraction to either company.

“Now that I’m settled at Hendrick Performance, I don’t have any involvement on the racing side of the operations and it frees me from any conflict with NASCAR teams,” he said. “Mr. Hendrick and I have worked out an agreement that allows me to return to the ESPN team.”

Evernham has a history with ESPN dating back to 2000, when he appeared as an analyst on ESPN and ABC’s coverage of the IROC Series and some NASCAR races. In 2007, he was a guest analyst on NASCAR Countdown for several NASCAR Nationwide Series telecasts and was featured in Race Wizard with Ray Evernham, a program that aired on ESPN2.

“I’m glad to be coming back to ESPN,” Evernham said. “I really enjoy the team camaraderie at ESPN and I’m very much at home with this group from my previous three years,” he said. “Stock car racing is my passion and I’m looking forward to being back involved. I’m excited about the momentum NASCAR has going into the 2012 season.”

Evernham, who raced Modifieds in his native New Jersey, rose to prominence in NASCAR after hanging up his helmet and becoming a crew chief. After his championships with Gordon and Hendrick in the 1990s, he started his own team to coincide with Dodge’s return to the top level of NASCAR racing in 2001. He sold the race team in 2007.

With the return of Evernham, ESPN will again have five former NASCAR champions as analysts, including 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup driving champion Rusty Wallace, 1999 champion Dale Jarrett and two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion crew chiefs Tim Brewer and Andy Petree.

“We welcome Ray back to the team and look forward to enhancing our coverage of NASCAR with the knowledge and expertise he brings to the table,” said Rich Feinberg, ESPN vice president, motorsports, production. “He’s a solid professional and a well-respected voice in the sport.”

ESPN’s NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage begins with the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 29.

About NASCAR on ESPN:

ESPN produces comprehensive, multi-platform coverage featuring telecasts of the final 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup races, including the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Additionally, ESPN is the television home of the NASCAR Nationwide Series. ESPN’s NASCAR coverage extends to ESPN.com, SportsCenter, ESPN the Magazine, WatchESPN, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio and ESPN International, among other ESPN platforms. ESPN aired 262 NASCAR Cup Races over a 20-year period starting in 1981 and returned to NASCAR coverage in 2007. The network’s award-winning, live flag-to-flag coverage on ESPN has been honored with 19 Sports Emmy Awards, as well as many industry honors. It is widely credited for helping to popularize the sport nationwide.

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Filed Under: ESPN, NASCAR

ESPN at NASCAR Daytona Speedweeks

February 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

With the NASCAR season getting underway at Daytona International Speedway this week, ESPN’s multimedia platforms will have two weeks of comprehensive coverage of events surrounding the Feb. 26 running of the Daytona 500.

Television coverage, highlighted by Daytona locations for ESPN’s flagship program SportsCenter and ESPN2’s daily news program NASCAR Now, coverage of NASCAR Media Day on ESPNEWS and NASCAR Nationwide Series practice and qualifying, will culminate with the NASCAR Nationwide Series 300-mile race on ESPN on Saturday, Feb. 25.

Other TV highlights include NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series preview shows on ESPN2 and the airing of more than 46 hours of past Daytona 500 races and NASCAR programming on ESPN Classic. And for the first time, all NASCAR programming airing on ESPN and ESPN2 from Daytona will be available on computers, smartphones and tablets with WatchESPN.

Extensive Daytona coverage also will appear on ESPN digital platforms including ESPN.com, espnW.com and ESPN Mobile, as well as on ESPN Radio. In addition, the winner of the Daytona 500 will be at ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, Ct., on Monday, Feb. 27, the day after the race, and will appear on numerous ESPN platforms throughout the day.

SportsCenter at the Daytona 500 airs Sunday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m. on ESPN2, originating from the Fan Zone at Daytona International Speedway. The program will have extensive highlights, interviews and analysis from the “Great American Race.” In addition to the special program, ESPN’s reporters and analysts will appear on regular editions of SportsCenter throughout Daytona SpeedWeeks.

Daytona NASCAR Nationwide Series Race Telecast

Allen Bestwick will be the lead announcer for the Daytona race telecast on Feb. 25, joined in the booth for analysis by 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Dale Jarrett and two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion crew chief Andy Petree. Pit reporters will be Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Dr. Jerry Punch and Vince Welch. Two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion crew chief Tim Brewer will report from the ESPN Tech Garage.

Prior to the 1:15 p.m. ET race telecast, Nicole Briscoe will host NASCAR Countdown from the ESPN pit studio at noon, with analysis by 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty, a team owner in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

ESPN2 also airs coverage of NASCAR Nationwide Series qualifying on Friday, Feb. 24, at 2 p.m., as well as NASCAR Nationwide Series practice coverage on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 10 a.m.

All 33 NASCAR Nationwide Series races will air on ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC this season. ESPN also will televise 14 of the final 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races of the season, with the other three airing on ABC.

NASCAR Now at Daytona

NASCAR Now, ESPN2’s daily news and information show totally dedicated to NASCAR, originates from Daytona for three programs the week of the Daytona 500. Briscoe hosts the Thursday, Feb. 23, program at 5:30 p.m. and the Friday, Feb. 24, program at 1:30 p.m. The edition on the morning of the Feb. 26 Daytona 500 airs at 9 a.m. with Bestwick hosting and analysts Jarrett and Wallace.

Mike Massaro and Briscoe will co-host ESPNEWS’ coverage of NASCAR Media Day on Thursday, Feb. 17, at noon, and conduct exclusive driver interviews from Daytona for the three-hour telecast. They’ll be joined for analysis by former NASCAR Sprint Cup rookie of the year Ricky Craven.

 

Feature Content for Daytona SpeedWeeks

Among the features planned for airings across various ESPN platforms during Daytona SpeedWeeks are:

Roundtable Discussion – ESPN’s Andy Petree, Rusty Wallace, Marty Smith and Allen Bestwick discuss the hot topics brewing in NASCAR, including Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards and Danica Patrick and others.

Tony Stewart Conversation – Stewart discusses his 2011 championship run with Smith.

Kurt Busch – In a hard-hitting interview with Smith, Kurt Busch discusses the trials and tribulations from the 2011 season and how he plans to bounce back to championship form with his new team Phoenix Racing.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. – Earnhardt talks about his confidence and goals heading into the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Season with ESPN’s Dale Jarrett.

Jimmie Johnson – Johnson reflects on not winning a sixth straight championship last year and how the team will rebound in 2012 with ESPN’s Shannon Spake.

Carl Edwards — Edwards speaks with ESPN’s Nicole Briscoe about finishing in second place in the Chase and his quest for a championship in 2012.

Kasey Kahne – The newest driver for Hendrick Motorsports, Kahne discusses his goals and expectations for the upcoming season with Smith.

Silly Season – With all the changes in the off-season, Smith details from point to point who went where. Smith draws diagrams on everything from paper to windows to fully explain all aspects of the silly season.

Cheers to Daytona – An essay from Smith that celebrates the racing roots, legends and beauty that is all Daytona.

Austin Dillon #3 Car – NASCAR Nationwide Series rookie Austin Dillon discusses his family lineage and driving the iconic #3 car for Richard Childress Racing.

Danica Patrick – As she starts her journey racing fulltime in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, Patrick focuses on the next chapter of her racing career.

ESPN’S Multimedia Platforms Surround Daytona

In addition to the live telecasts on ESPN and ESPN2, NASCAR’s Daytona SpeedWeeks will be covered on other ESPN multimedia outlets:

WatchESPN – All of ESPN’s NASCAR television content is also viewable digitally through WatchESPN and WatchESPN.com, the groundbreaking online-accessible authenticated version of ESPN. WatchESPN is available on computers, smartphones and tablets through WatchESPN.com and the free WatchESPN app, which are accessible to fans who receive their video service from an affiliated provider.

SportsCenter at Daytona – SportsCenter will present a one-hour special from Daytona International Speedway on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, following the Daytona 500. Hosted by Allen Bestwick, with analysts Dale Jarrett and Rusty Wallace, SportsCenter at Daytona will review the Great American Race with highlights, analysis, opinion, and interviews. Regular editions of ESPN’s flagship news and information program will include regular updates from Daytona.

ESPN Deportes — ESPN’s Spanish-language television, radio and Internet in the U.S. will televise the NASCAR Nationwide Series race from Daytona on a tape-delayed basis at 4 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 26. ESPN Deportes’ NASCAR commentator team will feature Andrés Agulla (play-by-play) and Alex Pombo (analysis). In addition to the telecast of the race, ESPN Deportes will have segments for its edition of SportsCenter.

ESPN.com — Extensive coverage will originate from Daytona. Award-winning motorsports journalists Ed Hinton, Terry Blount and David Newton and ESPN.com motorsports editors K. Lee Davis and Joe Breeze will lead the reporting team, with additional contributions from NASCAR Insider Marty Smith as well as ESPN The Magazine’s Ryan McGee. Hinton, Blount, Newton and other ESPN reporters and personalities maintain and regularly update blogs with their insights, perspectives and more. ESPN.com, along with Jayski.com, will feature extensive video, audio and editorial coverage of the 2012 NASCAR season, as well as providing multiple ESPN Fantasy games and content distributed to other platforms such as Apple’s iTunes Store and Microsoft’s X Box Live.

ESPN.com RaceCast, ESPN.com’s enhanced, live race-day application features a live animated graphic display, track information, lap leaders, race leaders, driver information and live in-race chat with ESPN announcers and reporters. NASCAR fans looking for an online gathering during telecasts of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as well as the Nationwide Series opener at Daytona have a place to go on ESPN.com. Racing Live! on ESPN.com is a live blog where fans can engage in debate and discussion with ESPN.com writers and editors during the races. Fans can join ESPN.com’s NASCAR experts in dissecting every aspect of the race live at http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/. As part of ESPN.com’s integration with Jayski.com, veteran racing voice Mark Garrow returns as a frequent contributor this year, producing podcasts and hosting regular chats on ESPN.com.

espnW.com – espnW’s mission is to connect female fans with the sports they love and follow, and with Danica Patrick making her NASCAR Sprint Cup debut in the Daytona 500, espnW.com will have on-site coverage, including blogs and video analysis. espnW.com provides an engaging environment where women are an integral part of the sports conversation, share their perspective on men’s and women’s sports and find the motivation and support for their athletic goals and interests.

ESPNEWS – Coverage of NASCAR Media Day at Daytona from noon – 3 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 16, hosted by Mike Massaro and analyst Ricky Craven with reporter Nicole Briscoe on-site in Daytona. ESPNEWS also will air extensive NASCAR reports and interviews during regular programming throughout Daytona SpeedWeeks.

ESPN Radio – The Raceday program airs from 6 – 7 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18, and Sunday, Feb. 19, and then again on Saturday, Feb. 25, and Sunday, Feb. 26. Programs will originate from Daytona with host Pat Patterson and include news, interviews and reports. In addition, ESPN Radio will have daily reports and interviews during other programming in the week leading up to the race. RaceDay airs 52 weeks a year and will originate from the site of every NASCAR Sprint Cup race this season.

ESPN International – ESPN International is one of the world’s leading syndicators of sports programming and its relationship with NASCAR is helping maximize coverage of NASCAR and providing a solid base of distribution. Through a combination of sales and network programming, the 38 NASCAR Sprint Cup races (including the Bud Shootout and Sprint All-Star Race) and 33 NASCAR Nationwide Series races are available to 112 countries and territories around the world. In addition, U.S. troops and their families serving around the world and Navy vessels at sea can watch the season through American Forces Network.

ESPN the Magazine – ESPN the Magazine’s Rivalry Issue, on newsstands Feb. 10, contains a preview of the NASCAR season by senior writer Ryan McGee. Handshakes or fisticuffs? Choirboys or moonshiners? NASCAR has the dirtiest roots in sports—roots that fans still love and expect to see. But with sponsors and new markets wanting clean-cut images, NASCAR drivers are forced to ride the line. McGee also writes that in 2012, priority No. 1 for Jimmie Johnson will be improving the 48 pit crew, which was fired twice last season. The preview also has a rundown of each team in the garage.

ESPN Mobile Web – Live event reporter D’Arcy Maine will be in Daytona live chatting and blogging, delivering feature stories and bringing the taste of Daytona SpeedWeeks to fans. She also will focus on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut of Danica Patrick. The ESPN mobile Web site is available on all Internet accessible mobile and tablet devices.

ESPN Mobile – ESPN’s multiple mobile platforms will give fans on-the-go access to all the racing action, news and developments. Fans can find coverage on the ESPN mobile Web site — the leading mobile Web sports site and among the most-trafficked sites in the world – in a dedicated NASCAR section that includes special coverage around the biggest races, driver cards and more.  Additionally, fans can access real-time results on the ESPN ScoreCenter mobile app and sign up to receive customizable alerts to follow their favorite drivers during the race.

ESPN Classic – To help get NASCAR fans fired up for the opening of the season, ESPN Classic is running a marathon of NASCAR-related programming during the week leading up to the Daytona 500. Included are episodes of the ESPN Classic signature series SportsCentury featuring some of history’s greatest drivers such as Richard Petty, Tim Flock, Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart and 1967 Daytona 500 winner Mario Andretti. The lineup will include highlights of many past Daytona 500 races. In addition, ESPN Classic will tribute Jeff Gordon on Friday, Feb. 17, at 5:30 p.m. with an airing of the 1997 Daytona 500, the 15th anniversary of when at 25 he at the time became the youngest-ever winner of NASCAR’s biggest race.

 

ESPN’S 2012 DAYTONA SPEEDWEEKS SCHEDULE

(all times Eastern)

Date Time Program Network
Monday, Feb. 13 3-3:30p NASCAR Now ESPN2
Tuesday, Feb. 14 2:30-3a NASCAR Now (re-air) ESPN2
Tuesday, Feb. 14 3-3:30p NASCAR Now ESPN2
Wednesday, Feb. 15 4:30-5a NASCAR Now (re-air) ESPN2
Wednesday, Feb. 15 3-3:30p NASCAR Now ESPN2
Thursday, Feb. 16 Noon-3p NASCAR Now: Media Day Special ESPNEWS
Thursday, Feb. 16 3-3:30p NASCAR Now ESPN2
Thursday, Feb. 16 5:30-7:30p Jeff Gordon Tribute – 1997 Daytona 500 ESPN Classic
Thursday, Feb. 16 7:30-8p SportsCentury: Jeff Gordon ESPN Classic
Friday, Feb. 17 3-3:30p NASCAR Now ESPN2
Saturday, Feb. 18 6-7a RaceDay ESPN Radio
Sunday, Feb. 19 6-7a RaceDay ESPN Radio
Sunday, Feb. 19 Noon-1p NASCAR Now ESPN2
Monday, Feb. 20 9-10a SportsCentury: Mario Andretti ESPN Classic
Monday, Feb. 20 10-11a 1976 Daytona 500 ESPN Classic
Monday, Feb. 20 11a-1p 1984 Daytona 500 ESPN Classic
Monday, Feb. 20 1-3p 1985 Daytona 500 ESPN Classic
Monday, Feb. 20 3-4p 1979 Daytona 500 ESPN Classic
Monday, Feb. 20 3-3:30p NASCAR Now ESPN2
Monday, Feb. 20 5-6p SportsCentury: Richard Petty ESPN Classic
Monday, Feb. 20 6-8p 1981 Daytona 500 ESPN Classic
Tuesday, Feb. 21 1-3a 1981 Daytona 500 ESPN Classic
Tuesday, Feb. 21 3-4a SportsCentury: Richard Petty ESPN Classic
Tuesday, Feb. 21 11a-noon SportsCentury: Dale Earnhardt ESPN Classic
Tuesday, Feb. 21 Noon-2p 1991 Daytona 500 ESPN Classic
Tuesday, Feb. 21 2-4p 1988 Daytona 500 ESPN Classic
Tuesday, Feb. 21 2-2:30p 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Preview ESPN2
Tuesday, Feb. 21 2:30-3p 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Preview ESPN2
Tuesday, Feb. 21 4-6p 1993 Daytona 500 ESPN Classic
Tuesday, Feb. 21 3-330p NASCAR Now ESPN2
Tuesday, Feb. 21 6-8p 1996 Daytona 500 ESPN Classic
Wednesday, Feb. 22 1-3a 1998 Daytona 500 ESPN Classic
Wednesday, Feb. 22 3-4a SportsCentury: Dale Earnhardt ESPN Classic
Wednesday, Feb. 22 4-4:30a NASCAR Now (re-air) ESPN2
Wednesday, Feb. 22 Noon-1p SportsCentury: Tim Flock ESPN Classic
Wednesday, Feb. 22 1-2p SportsCentury: Dale Earnhardt Jr. ESPN Classic
Wednesday, Feb. 22 2-4p 1989 Daytona 500 ESPN Classic
Wednesday, Feb. 22 2-2:30p NASCAR Now ESPN2
Wednesday, Feb. 22 4-6p 1999 Daytona 500 ESPN Classic
Wednesday, Feb. 22 6-6:30p SportsCentury: Jeff Gordon ESPN Classic
Wednesday, Feb. 22 6:30-8:30p 1997 Daytona 500 ESPN Classic
Wednesday, Feb. 22 8:30-9p SportsCentury: Jeff Gordon ESPN Classic
Thursday, Feb. 23 1-3a 1997 Daytona 500 ESPN Classic
Thursday, Feb. 23 3-4a SportsCentury: Tony Stewart ESPN Classic
Thursday, Feb. 23 4-4:30a SportsCentury: Jeff Gordon ESPN Classic
Thursday, Feb. 23 10a-noon NASCAR Nationwide Series practice ESPN2
Thursday, Feb. 23 11a-1p 1990 Daytona 500 ESPN Classic
Thursday, Feb. 23 1-3p 200 Daytona 500 ESPN Classic
Thursday, Feb. 23 3-4p SportsCentury: Dale Earnhardt ESPN Classic
Thursday, Feb. 23 4-6p 1998 Daytona 500 ESPN Classic
Thursday, Feb. 23 5:30-6p NASCAR Now ESPN2
Thursday, Feb. 23 6-7p SportsCentury: Tony Stewart ESPN Classic
Friday, Feb. 24 3:30-4a NASCAR Now (re-air) ESPN2
Friday, Feb. 24 1:30-2p NASCAR Now ESPN2
Friday, Feb. 24 2-4p NASCAR Nationwide Series Qualifying ESPN2
Saturday, Feb. 25 6-7a RaceDay ESPN Radio
Saturday, Feb. 25 Noon-115p NASCAR Countdown ESPN
Saturday, Feb. 25 1:15-4p NASCAR Nationwide Series race, telecast presented by GoDaddy.com ESPN
Sunday, Feb. 26 4-6a NASCAR Nationwide Series race (re-air) ESPN2
Sunday, Feb. 26 4-6a NASCAR Nationwide Series race ESPN Deportes
Sunday, Feb. 26 6-7a RaceDay ESPN Radio
Sunday, Feb. 26 9-10a NASCAR Now presented by 5-Hour Energy ESPN2
Sunday, Feb. 26 7-8p SportsCenter at the Daytona 500 ESPN2
Monday, Feb. 27 3-3:30p NASCAR Now ESPN2
Monday, Feb. 27 TBA Daytona 500 winner at ESPN Various outlets

Visit www.espnmediazone.com for ESPN’s latest releases, schedules and other news, plus photos, video and audio clips and more.

 

About NASCAR on ESPN:

ESPN produces comprehensive, multi-platform coverage featuring telecasts of the final 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup races, including the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Additionally, ESPN is the television home of the NASCAR Nationwide Series. ESPN’s NASCAR coverage extends to ESPN.com, SportsCenter, ESPN the Magazine, WatchESPN, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio and ESPN International, among other ESPN platforms. ESPN aired 262 NASCAR Cup Races over a 20-year period starting in 1981 and returned to NASCAR coverage in 2007. The network’s award-winning, live flag-to-flag coverage on ESPN has been honored with 19 Sports Emmy Awards, as well as many industry honors. It is widely credited for helping to popularize the sport nationwide.

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Filed Under: ESPN, NASCAR

Inside NASCAR Returns to SHOWTIME® with Special One-hour Daytona 500 Edition – Wednesday, Feb. 29 at 9 p.m. ET/PT

February 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Fastest Show on Television Premieres

Wednesday, Feb. 29, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME

NEW YORK (Feb. 14, 2012)—Inside NASCAR, the premium motorsports studio show co-produced by EMMY® Award-winning NASCAR Media Group and SHOWTIME Sports®, will return for a third season on SHOWTIME® with a special Daytona 500 edition premiering Wednesday, Feb. 29 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The announcement was made jointly by Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports, and Jay Abraham, Chief Operating Officer, NASCAR Media Group LLC and Vice President, Content and New Media for NASCAR.

The one-hour Daytona 500 special will feature vibrant highlights of all the action and drama from the sport’s premiere race and exclusive driver-crew scanner audio, one segment for which Inside NASCAR has become known. Host Chris Myers returns along with analysts Michael Waltrip and Kyle Petty to discuss, debate and breakdown all the provocative topics carrying the momentum of what was arguably the most exciting season in NASCAR history in 2011. The special also will serve as an in-depth preview show to the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season featuring a sit-down interview with Danica Patrick who makes her anticipated NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut on Feb. 26 at the 54th annual Daytona 500.

Inside NASCAR’s weekly episodes will begin on Wednesday, Sept. 5 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, the week before the final “Race to the Chase” event at Richmond International Speedway. The Sept. 5 episode will be a one-hour recap of the 2012 season and look ahead to The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship before the series returns to its regular 30-minute format for the remainder of the season.

“I’m very happy to announce the renewal of Inside NASCAR,” said Espinoza. “This continued partnership with America’s No. 1 spectator sport solidifies our commitment to a broad sports offering at SHOWTIME. We’ve worked diligently with the talented people at NASCAR Media Group to refine the format for season three, and we believe that 2012 will produce the best episodes yet of the fastest show on television.”

“We are extremely pleased to partner with SHOWTIME for another season of Inside NASCAR,” said Abraham. “We know that NASCAR fans want to see the race inside the race and this season of Inside NASCAR will offer an exceptional behind-the-scenes viewpoint like never before.”

Last year’s NASCAR Sprint Cup season culminated with an epic championship battle as Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards fought for the title through the final turn of the final lap in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The drama is expected to continue in Daytona as Stewart, the first new NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion since 2006, will look to secure his first Daytona 500 victory.

In 2009, SHOWTIME Sports signed a multi-year deal to produce and televise Inside NASCAR throughout the NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Produced in conjunction with NASCAR Media Group, Inside NASCAR is filmed at NASCAR Plaza, the state-of-the-art television production facility at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C.

Filed Under: NASCAR, ShowTime

NASCAR Now Returns to ESPN2 Feb. 13; Allmendinger Joins as Reporter

February 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program NASCAR Now returns for its sixth season on Monday, Feb. 13, at 3 p.m. ET, coinciding with the week activities begin for NASCAR’s season-opening Daytona 500.

NASCAR Now will air Monday-Friday with half-hour episodes originating from ESPN’s studios in Bristol, Ct. A one-hour weekend edition will air on the morning of each NASCAR Sprint Cup race and NASCAR Now will air a weekend wrap-up edition starting with the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

AJ Allmendinger, driver of the Shell-Pennzoil Dodge for Penske Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, joins NASCAR Now this season as a guest reporter for the weekend edition programs. “The Daily Dinger” segment will feature Allmendinger in off-beat interviews around the racetracks with drivers, crew chiefs, fans and others or reporting on a unique aspect of that day’s race.

Mike Massaro will continue as the primary host of NASCAR Now with ongoing hosts Allen Bestwick, Nicole Briscoe, Marty Reid and Shannon Spake. ESPN SportsCenter anchors Lindsay Czarniak, Michael Yam and Michelle Bonner also will fill in as occasional NASCAR Now hosts. Marty Smith will again be the lead reporter for the program while Briscoe, Massaro and Spake will also serve as reporters.

Former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie of the year Ricky Craven will continue as an analyst for NASCAR Now and other ESPN studio programs such as SportsCenter. ESPN NASCAR analysts Dale Jarrett, Rusty Wallace, Andy Petree, Tim Brewer and Brad Daugherty also will contribute to NASCAR Now as will ESPN pit reporters Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Dr. Jerry Punch and Vince Welch. NASCAR Now also will continue to have contributions from ESPN.com motorsports writers Ed Hinton, Terry Blount and David Newton along with ESPN the Magazine senior writer Ryan McGee and former NASCAR pit crew member D.J. Copp.

The program will originate from Daytona International Speedway for three shows surrounding the Daytona 500. In past years, NASCAR Now also has originated from remote locations including the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the White House, Chicago’s Navy Pier and other racetracks.

NASCAR Now and all of ESPN’s NASCAR television content is also viewable digitally through WatchESPN and WatchESPN.com, the groundbreaking online-accessible authenticated version of ESPN. WatchESPN is available on computers, smartphones and tablets through WatchESPN.com and the free WatchESPN app, which are accessible to fans who receive their video service from an affiliated provider.

Visit www.espnmediazone.com for ESPN’s latest releases, schedules and other news, plus photos, video and audio clips and more.

About NASCAR on ESPN:

ESPN produces comprehensive, multi-platform coverage featuring telecasts of the final 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup races, including the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Additionally, ESPN is the television home of the NASCAR Nationwide Series. ESPN’s NASCAR coverage extends to ESPN.com, SportsCenter, ESPN the Magazine, WatchESPN, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio and ESPN International, among other ESPN platforms. ESPN aired 262 NASCAR Cup Races over a 20-year period starting in 1981 and returned to NASCAR coverage in 2007. The network’s award-winning, live flag-to-flag coverage on ESPN has been honored with 19 Sports Emmy Awards, as well as many industry honors. It is widely credited for helping to popularize the sport nationwide.

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Filed Under: ESPN, NASCAR

FOX Sports Announces 2012 NASCAR on FOX Broadcast Schedule

February 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

54th Daytona 500 on Sun. Feb 26 Highlights 12th Season

Coverage Begins with Budweiser Shootout on Feb. 18

New York & Los Angeles – FOX Sports gears up for its 12th season of NASCAR coverage by unveiling the 2012 NASCAR on FOX broadcast schedule featuring 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup points races and 15 events total,  highlighted by the 54th running of the DAYTONA 500, live on Sunday, Feb. 26 (1:00-5:30 PM ET) from Daytona International Speedway.  Coverage of the “Great American Race” begins that day with a special one-hour pre-race program (12:00-1:00 PM ET) from the DIS infield and a completely remodeled Hollywood Hotel.  The flag officially drops on FOX Sports’ 2012 Speedweeks coverage with the BUDWEISER SHOOTOUT, live on Saturday, Feb. 18 in prime time (8:00-10:00 PM ET), followed by live coverage of DAYTONA 500 QUALIFYING on Sunday, Feb. 19 (1:00-4:00 PM ET).

Michael Waltrip, driver, owner and pitch-man extraordinaire, joins the FOX NASCAR SUNDAY prerace team, taking a seat in the famed Hollywood Hotel alongside big brother Darrell Waltrip and host Chris Myers. Darrell and former champion crew chief Larry McReynolds return to provide race analysis for all NASCAR on FOX Sprint Cup events, and Mike Joy returns as race announcer.  Veteran analyst Jeff Hammond takes his extensive experience as a former championship-winning crew chief to the action in the garages and on pit road.  Dick Berggren, Steve Byrnes, Matt Yocum and Krista Voda also return to cover pit road.  NASCAR on FOX “storm scout” and meteorologist Rick Dickert of FOX-owned KTTV in Los Angeles rejoins the crew to provide weather updates to viewers on the FOX NASCAR SUNDAY prerace show as well as during race coverage.

FOX’s 2012 NASCAR schedule is highlighted by races from Phoenix International Speedway on Sunday, March 4; Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, March 11; Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday, March 18; Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, April 14; Richmond International Raceway on Saturday, April 28; Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, May 6; and the NASCAR on FOX season finale from Dover, Delaware on Sunday, June 3.

The network’s presentation of the first 13 races of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup series hit a three-year high averaging 8.6 million viewers per race, up +9% over 2010 (7.9 million viewers).  The 2011 Daytona 500 crowned the event’s youngest champion ever and delivered ratings and audience gains for FOX Sports.  A total audience of just over 30 million Americans watched the race, making the 2011 Daytona 500 the most-watched NASCAR race since 2008.  The 30.1 million total viewers, a measure of the audience that saw at least a portion of the race, is +1% higher than 2010’s total audience of 29.8 million and +15% better than 2009′s 26.2 million.

FOX Sports commands the well-earned distinction as television’s most innovative sports broadcaster.  Ranking high among the network’s achievements are honors for its NASCAR coverage.  NASCAR on FOX has garnered 15 Emmy Awards for its coverage including three for Outstanding Sports Series (2001, 2005, 2007), five for Outstanding Live Event Audio Sound (2002, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010), one for Outstanding Graphic Design (2001), five for Outstanding Technical Team Remote (2001, 2003-05, 2007) and one for Promotional Announcement Episodic (2008).

 

NASCAR on FOX 2012 Schedule

Date                             Track                                        Event                                       Coverage Begins

Sat. Feb. 18                  Daytona Int’l Speedway             Budweiser Shootout                                   8:00 PM

Sun. Feb. 19                 Daytona Int’l Speedway             Daytona 500 Qualifying                              1:00 PM

Sun. Feb. 26                 Daytona Int’l Speedway             Daytona 500                                            12:00 PM

Sun. March 4                 Phoenix Int’l Speedway              NASCAR Racing from Phoenix                   2:30 PM

Sun. March 11               Las Vegas Motor Speedway      NASCAR Racing from Las Vegas                2:30 PM

Sun. March 18               Bristol Motor Speedway            NASCAR Racing from Bristol                     12:30 PM

Sun. March 25               Auto Club Speedway                 NASCAR Racing from Fontana                   2:30 PM

Sun. April 1                   Martinsville Speedway               NASCAR Racing from Martinsville             12:30 PM

Sat. April 14                  Texas Motor Speedway             NASCAR Racing from Fort Worth                7:00 PM

Sun. April 22                 Kansas Speedway                     NASCAR Racing from Kansas City           12:30 PM

Sat.  April 28                 Richmond Int’l Raceway             NASCAR Racing from Richmond                7:00 PM

Sun. May 6                   Talladega Superspeedway         NASCAR Racing from Talladega               12:00 PM

Sat.  May 12                 Darlington Raceway                   NASCAR Racing from Darlington                6:30 PM

Sun.  May 27                 Charlotte Motor Speedway         NASCAR Racing from Charlotte                  5:30 PM

Sun.  June 3                  Dover Int’l Speedway                 NASCAR Racing from Dover                     12:30 PM

All times Eastern; Schedule subject to change

Filed Under: FOX, NASCAR

NASCAR And Turner Sports Restructure And Extend Digital Partnership Through 2016

January 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

NASCAR And Turner Sports Restructure And Extend

Digital Partnership Through 2016

Sanctioning Body To Operate Its Digital Platforms Starting In 2013;

Turner To Continue Exclusive Advertising Sales

Daytona Beach, Fla. (Jan. 30, 2012) — NASCAR and Turner Sports announced today a restructuring and extension of their long-standing digital partnership. The new agreement takes the relationship through 2016, with NASCAR managing business and editorial operations for its digital platforms beginning in 2013 and Turner Sports continuing to oversee advertising sales and sponsorships across NASCAR-branded digital platforms.

“Turner Sports has been, and will continue to be, a great partner for NASCAR,” said Brian France, chairman and chief executive officer of NASCAR. “Taking a leadership role as it relates to our digital rights is something we as the sanctioning body know is important for the future of our sport, the development of our drivers and most importantly, the experience for both our current fans and future followers.”

“Turner Broadcasting and NASCAR have helped make each other successful for more than 28 years through a working relationship that, over time, has evolved with the media and technology landscape,” said David Levy, president of sales, distribution and sports, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. “The latest extension of our partnership is a strategically and fiscally enhanced business model for our company and ensures that NASCAR.COM remains a core asset of Turner’s leading digital ad sales portfolio.  Our unrivaled sports assets and scale offer advertisers the means to deliver the most targeted and relevant marketing messages across multiple digital and mobile platforms and properties.”

Under the new partnership, NASCAR will assume operational control in 2013 of all of its interactive, digital and social media rights including technical operations and infrastructure of all NASCAR digital platforms. Turner will continue to represent sponsorships and advertising for all NASCAR digital platforms, with the unique users from the NASCAR digital properties continuing to roll up to the Turner digital portfolio.

NASCAR’s comprehensive digital and social media portfolio includes NASCAR.COM, the official online destination of NASCAR which provides racing enthusiasts with an all-inclusive offering of engaging content including fantasy games, video highlights, social elements and in-depth editorial content. NASCAR.COM, and the sport’s other digital and social media platforms, have been managed by Turner Sports since 2001.

“This move is about the media, our sponsors and most importantly, our fans,” said Marc Jenkins, vice president of digital media for NASCAR. “We will build an innovative portfolio of platforms that strives to be as diverse as it is comprehensive. For our fans our digital platform will become the online destination for all things NASCAR. For everyone else, it will be the vehicle we’ll use to turn them into fans.”

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for one of North America’s premier sports. NASCAR races are broadcast in more than 150 countries and in 20 languages. In the U.S., races are broadcast on FOX, TNT, ABC/ESPN/ESPN2, SPEED and SiriusXM Satellite Radio. NASCAR fans are among the most brand loyal in all of sports, and as a result more Fortune 500 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, and one local grassroots series, as well as two international series. Also part of NASCAR is GRAND-AM Road Racing, known for its competition on road courses with multiple classes of cars. NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races at 100 tracks in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., NASCAR has offices in eight cities across North America. The next NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the 54th annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, will air Feb. 26th on FOX at 1:00 p.m. ET. For more information and a complete schedule, visit www.nascar.com. Follow NASCAR on www.facebook.com/NASCAR or on Twitter: @NASCAR.

About Turner Sports

Turner Sports, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., is an industry leader in televised and online sports programming, airing championship level sporting events on TBS, TNT and truTV, and managing some of the most popular digital sports platforms. Turner Sports’ television line-up includes the NBA, Major League Baseball, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, NASCAR and professional golf. The company’s digital portfolio includes SI.com, NASCAR.COM, NCAA.com, PGATOUR.COM, GOLF.com and PGA.com, as well as an accompanying collection of mobile websites and connected device apps. Turner Sports and the NBA also jointly manage NBA Digital, which includes NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE PASS, NBA Mobile, the NBA Game Time App, NBADLEAGUE.com and WNBA.com.

 

Filed Under: NASCAR, Turner

Finale Earns ESPN’s Largest NASCAR Sprint Cup Viewership Ever

November 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Finale Earns ESPN’s Largest NASCAR Sprint Cup Viewership Ever

The final race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup featured a down-to-the-wire battle for the championship and earned the largest viewership ever for a NASCAR Sprint Cup race telecast on ESPN.

With a peak audience of 10.5 million when the checkered flag fell on champion Tony Stewart at 8:08 p.m. ET, ESPN’s telecast of the Ford 400 from Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, Nov. 20, averaged 6,799,000 viewers and earned a 4.6 household coverage rating (4.0 U.S. rating), according to the Nielsen Company. The viewership average broke ESPN’s previous record of 6,668,000 viewers for the 2008 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. Final figures do not include a rain delay from 4:45-6 p.m.

Viewership was up 21 percent and the rating was up 18 percent from last year’s event, which also aired on ESPN and earned a 3.9 coverage rating and averaged 5,605,000 viewers. In addition, the 2011 race out-delivered the 2009 race that aired on ABC and earned 5,607,000 viewers and a 3.6 U.S. rating.

Ratings for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup on ESPN and ABC increased 14.8 percent from 2010, averaging a 3.1 U.S. rating compared to 2.7 for last year (not including the rain-delayed Chicagoland Speedway event, which was run on a Monday). Also, excluding rainout races, ESPN and ABC’s NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage for 2011 averaged a 3.2 U.S. rating, up more than six percent from a 3.0 for last year.

 

About NASCAR on ESPN:

ESPN produces comprehensive, multi-platform coverage featuring telecasts of the final 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup races, including the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Additionally, ESPN2 is the television home of the NASCAR Nationwide Series. ESPN’s NASCAR coverage extends to ESPN.com, SportsCenter, ESPN the Magazine, WatchESPN, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio and ESPN International, among other ESPN platforms. ESPN aired 262 NASCAR Cup Races over a 20-year period starting in 1981 and returned to NASCAR coverage in 2007. The network’s award-winning, live flag-to-flag coverage on ESPN has been honored with 19 Sports Emmy Awards, as well as many industry honors. It is widely credited for helping to popularize the sport nationwide.

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Filed Under: ESPN, NASCAR, Ratings

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Tony Stewart to Present Annual ‘Stewie Awards’ Live on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Dec. 1

November 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Tony Stewart to Present Annual ‘Stewie Awards’ Live on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Dec. 1

Three-time champion and his co-host, Matt Yocum, will host from Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas

Annual highlight of NASCAR Champions Week honors the best, boldest and funniest moments from the NASCAR season

NEW YORK – November 22, 2011 - Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) announced today that 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart will host the fifth annual ‘Stewie Awards’ show on Thursday, December 1, live from Las Vegas on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

The ‘Stewies,’ which features Stewart’s entertaining and irreverent take on the best, boldest and funniest moments from the 2011 NASCAR season, will be awarded during a live broadcast hosted by Stewart and Matt Yocum from Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Thursday, December 1 (9:30 pm ET / 6:30 pm PT).  The live broadcast will air nationwide on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90 on Sirius and XM Premier (formerly known as “The Best of Sirius”).  The broadcast will be open to the public for fans in Las Vegas.

Stewart won his third NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title after a remarkable postseason run that saw him win five of the 10 races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.  His down-to-the-wire battle with Carl Edwards created one of the most exciting finishes in NASCAR history, as Stewart overcame early-race troubles and held off Edwards to win the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway and claim the crown.  In just his third year as a driver/owner with Stewart-Haas Racing, Stewart becomes the first driver/owner to win a championship since Alan Kulwicki did it in 1992.  He was the last driver to win the championship before Jimmie Johnson went on his historic five year title run.

The ‘Stewie Awards’ event will feature live interviews with several of Stewart’s competitiors in this year’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, plus other special guests.

“Hosting the ‘Stewies’ is always one of the highlights of Champions Week for me and this year’s show will be incredibly special,” said Stewart.  “This has been an amazing season for me and the team and it’ll be great to share the excitement of Champions Week with the fans in Las Vegas and those listening around the country on SiriusXM.”

Fans can vote for the ‘Stewie Award’ winners online at www.siriusxm.com/stewieawards.

The 2011 ‘Stewies’ nominees are:

Best Original Drama – For the year’s most dramatic moment or sequence.

  • Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick battle Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin to end of Aaron’s 499 at Talladega only to be bested by Jimmie Johnson, who tied a record for slimmest margin of victory at .002 secs thanks to a late push by Dale Earnhardt Jr.
  • Brad Keselowski drives to victory in the Good Sam RV Insurance 500 at Pocono with a broken ankle. During a red flag for rain, Kez had fluid drained from his ankle, which had swollen to the size of a softball.
  • Kyle Busch wins 18 combined series races and passes Mark Martin on all-time NASCAR Nationwide Series win list, yet makes headlines for a series of “less attractive” reasons.
  • Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans thought his 104-race winless drought was over, but on final turn of green-white-checker finish, Junior runs out of gas and Kevin Harvick wins Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte.
  • Tony Stewart overcomes pit road issues, debris damage, a lengthy red flag and down-to-the-wire challenge from Carl Edwards to win season finale Ford 400 at Homestead.  Smoke has to climb his way to the front of the field twice and he and Edwards trade lead several times.  The 1-2 finish leaves them tied in points but tie-breaker, and championship, goes to Stewart.

Bonehead Move of the Year Award

  • Leading the Daytona 500 with two laps to go, David Ragan changes lanes before reaching start/finish line during a restart and is black-flagged to end of lead lap.  He finishes 14th.
  • Carl Edwards destroys his car’s front end during post-race celebration after winning $1 million NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte.
  • Kyle Busch’s win at the Quaker State 400, NASCAR’s inaugural Sprint Cup Series race at Kentucky, gets overshadowed by reports of 15-mile traffic jams on I-71.
  • Perhaps unaware of in-car cameras, Chad Knaus is heard telling Jimmie Johnson before Good Sam Club 500 at Talladega, “If we win this race, you have to crack the back end of the car.”
  • JJ Yeley pushes Matt Kenseth when #17 runs out of gas at Geico 400 at Chicagoland but, since it is illegal to receive assistance on final lap, Kenseth is dropped from 8th to 21st place finish.

 

“Feels Like The First Time” Award – For the most notable “first” of the NASCAR season.

  • On the day after his 20th birthday, Trevor Bayne wins Daytona 500 in his second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start.
  • After 105 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series attempts, Regan Smith finds Victory Lane in the Showtime Southern 500 at Darlington while driving for a single car team.
  • Avoiding a wreck-fest in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona, David Ragan redeems himself from five months earlier (Daytona) by getting his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win.
  • Coming from a family with deep racing roots, Paul Menard becomes first in his family to kiss bricks at Indy after getting his first win in Brickyard 400.
  • Australian champion Marcos Ambrose gets his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win in Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen.

Best Vocal Performance – For the year’s most memorable quote. (Visit www.siriusxm.com/stewieawards to hear audio of nominees.)

  • Clint Bowyer once exclaimed during a 2008 race that, “Michael Waltrip is the worst driver in NASCAR, period.”  Skip ahead to this year, at press conference announcing Bowyer as the newest driver at Michael Waltrip Racing, the two discuss Waltrip’s driving prowess.
  • Kenny Wallace delivers a memorable command to fire engines in the UNOH 225 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Kentucky.
  • After some “you dumped me, so I’ll dump you” talk between Brian Vickers and Tony Stewart in the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma, Smoke waxes poetic with the media about being blocked.
  • After winning the IRWIN Tools Night Race at Bristol, Brad Keselowski celebrates in Victory Lane with help from his sponsor.
  • Pastor Joe Nelms of Family Baptist Church in Lebanon, TN, channels his inner “Ricky Bobby” during the pre-race invocation for the Federated Auto Parts 300 at Nashville.

Best “Driver2Crew Chatter” – (Visit www.siriusxm.com/stewieawards to hear audio of nominees.)

  • The #88 crew helps Dale Earnhardt Jr. mark his pit stall in the STP 400 at Kansas.
  • Comedian Larry the Cable Guy, honorary pace car driver for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, details the biggest challenge of driving at NASCAR’s highest level.
  • In the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas, Chad Knaus and Jimmie Johnson pay their “respects” to one of the year’s biggest success stories.
  • Kurt Busch expresses his “displeasure” with how things are progressing in the Matthew & Daniel Hansen 400 at Richmond.
  • Greg Biffle and then crew chief Greg Erwin discuss their “winning plan” during Coca-Cola 600.

Best Original Comedy – For the year’s most entertaining “incident.”

  • With three regular season races remaining, Tony Stewart questions his team’s “Chase” abilities during a post-race ESPN interview at Michigan.  Smoke goes on to win five postseason races and win his third NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship.
  • On the final green-white-checker attempt, Justin Allgaier begins thanking his team for win at Bucyrus 200 at Road America but runs out of fuel and fails to maintain caution speed.  Ron Fellows and Reed Sorenson advance, but after Fellows also fails to maintain caution speed, Sorenson is declared winner.
  • When Kyle Busch pits during the Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville, crew chief Dave Rogers reminds team to “tighten the lugs,” but as Kyle pulls away his front left wheel detaches and rolls down the track.
  • Thinking Greg Biffle was racing dirty in the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen, Boris Said requests a “meeting” with “The Biff” after the race.  In the ensuing encounter, Biffle takes a swing at Said and Said answers back with verbal TKO.
  • Battling teammate Carl Edwards, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. blows an engine on last lap of US Cellular 250 at Iowa.  The combination of oil on the track and blinding smoke on Edwards’ windshield causes Carl to slam into Stenhouse and push him to win.

Hal Needham Award (Best Stunt Sequence) – For the year’s most remarkable crash.

  • At the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen, Denny Hamlin hits the tire wall at 76 mph.  Hamlin emerges from his car under his own power – sore, but safe.
  • At the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen, David Ragan hits wall at 100 mph.  Ragan then hits David Reutimann who cartwheels into Turn 2 fence.  Everyone emerges safely.
  • Battling Carl Edwards during the 5-Hour Energy 200 at Dover, Joey Logano gets loose, bounces off wall and collects Clint Bowyer, who flips on his side as both cars are destroyed and several other cars get caught in the mess.  The drivers are uninjured.
  • In Goody’s Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville, Martin Truex Jr.’s throttle sticks entering Turn 3 causing him to crash into the SAFER barrier at high speed.  Grateful for NASCAR’s safety improvements Truex says afterward, “Ten years ago I wouldn’t be here.”
  • At Aaron’s 312 at Talladega, Mike Wallace hits Jason Leffler and goes airborne, flipping completely over before landing back on his wheels.  Wallace finishes the race in 18th place.

‘Boys, Have At It” Award – For the year’s most memorable on- or off-track bumping and/or dumping.

  • Robby Gordon gets put on indefinite NASCAR suspension after an incident with Kevin Conway in the Las Vegas garage.  Few people witness the altercation but the two drivers have an unpleasant history following their 2010 partnership.
  • After an on-track battle at the Showtime Southern 500 at Darlington, Kevin Harvick throws a punch at Kyle Busch on pit road.  Busch rams Harvick’s car into pit road wall and fight breaks out between the two race teams.
  • Steve Wallace spins Patrick Carpentier during NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Montreal to prematurely end the final race of Carpentier’s career.  Carpentier’s crew chief, Jerry Baxter, reaches into car to pull Wallace’s hair.  Wallace states later, “Only girls pull hair.”
  • After multiple incidents, Ryan Newman and Juan Pablo Montoya visit the NASCAR hauler.  It is rumored Newman throws a punch during the meeting but “Rocket Man” will only say, “What happens in the trailer stays in the trailer.”
  • Nearing the checkered flag in the Good Sam Club 500 at Talladega, Jeff Gordon gets dumped by his tandem draft partner, Trevor Bayne, for another Ford driver.  Gordon goes from being a contender to win to finishing 27th, 12 spots behind Bayne.

The Social Stewie Award – For the year’s best social media quote.

  • Matt Kenseth via Twitter after his wife’s “Better Half Dash” practice injury. @matt_kenseth17: “Katie is feeling pretty good today, and I got to learn something new…how to put a bra ON!”
  • Would-be-father Scott Speed via Twitter. @scottspeed: “At the obgyn to find out if @Amanda_Speed has bad eggs or if my swimmers are just turning left n going in circles lol”
  • Comedian Jim Gaffigan opines via Twitter about “horse power.” @jimgaffigan: “Horse racing is just NASCAR for gamblers, right?”
  • Kevin Harvick weighs in via Twitter about Ron Hornaday being dumped.  @kevinharvick: “Great night for the 2 truck!! Just watched the race replay and saw what I already knew @kylebusch is a b****…”
  • Jimmie Johnson pleads with “NASCAR Nation” via Twitter.  @jimmiejohnson: “I’m amazed how many of you admit to owning a shake weight.  Please stop buying them so it goes away. #publicservice.”

Golden Stewie Award – Chosen by Stewart and Yocum and honoring a legendary figure from the Golden Era of racing, the winner of this award will be revealed the night of the event.

“Stewie” Lifetime Achievement Award – Chosen by Stewart and Yocum, the winner of this award will be revealed the night of the event.

SiriusXM is the Official Satellite Radio Partner of NASCAR, broadcasting every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race live on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90, the only radio channel dedicated to NASCAR 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

For more info please visit www.siriusxm.com.

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Filed Under: NASCAR, Sirius/XM

ESPN’s Coverage of NASCAR Sprint Cup Season Finale Expands with New Elements

November 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

ESPN’s Coverage of NASCAR Sprint Cup Season Finale Expands with New Elements

ESPN’s coverage of the final weekend of the NASCAR season will include some new elements as one of the closest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship battles in history concludes Sunday at Florida’s Homestead-Miami Speedway. ESPN’s telecast of the Ford 400 begins with NASCAR Countdown at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 20, with the race’s green flag at 3:15 p.m.

ESPN will use 72 cameras in the Ford 400 telecast, including two stationed high above the 1.5-mile superspeedway that will solely focus on championship contenders Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart, giving ESPN the ability to show viewers the two drivers at any time during the race. In addition, both will carry onboard cameras, and Stewart will be ESPN In-Race Reporter and will speak with ESPN analyst Dale Jarrett on the race’s pace laps and during caution periods, bringing viewers the perspective of a driver competing in the race.

ESPN also will have robotic cameras in the garage stalls of both contenders, permitting overhead views of the respective race teams at work during ESPN’s coverage of NASCAR Sprint Cup practice on Friday and views if one or both must go to the garage for repairs during Sunday’s race.

NASCAR Countdown will include a feature on Stewart and his relationship with legendary racer A.J. Foyt, who was the inspiration for Stewart to carry No. 14 when he started his own NASCAR Sprint Cup team three years ago. NASCAR Countdown also will include a feature on Edwards and his Roush Fenway team being “championship ready” and an orchestral salute to Jimmie Johnson, whose reign of five consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup titles ended this year. Actor Ron Perlman will appear in the opening segment, which was shot at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

ESPN news and information programs SportsCenter and NASCAR Now will have reporters Shannon Spake (Edwards) and Marty Smith (Stewart) following the two contenders in Miami on Thursday and at the track Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The newly-crowned champion will be interviewed by ESPN’s Dr. Jerry Punch after climbing from his car at the end of the race and Punch will serve as master of ceremonies for the NASCAR Sprint Cup trophy presentation. The champion will travel to ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Ct., for appearances on various ESPN platforms on Monday, Nov. 21.

Punch also will be master of ceremonies for the presentation of the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship trophy after Saturday’s season finale for that series, which airs on ESPN2 starting with NASCAR Countdown at 4 p.m.

ESPN’s telecasts of the 10 races in the Chase feature NASCAR NonStop, a split-screen commercial format that brings more racing action to viewers. The format shows the advertisement on the left side of the screen and a continuation of racing action on the right side. ESPN’s scoring ticker continues to move across the top of the screen, allowing NASCAR fans to follow the running order of the race during the breaks. NASCAR NonStop takes effect at or near the halfway point of the race, with the first half of the race presented in the traditional commercial break format.

All NASCAR programming on ESPN and ESPN2 is also available on computers, smartphones and tablets with the WatchESPN app and WatchESPN.com.

Telecast schedule (all times Eastern):

Date Time Event Network
Thur., Nov. 17 3 p.m. NASCAR Now ESPN2
Fri., Nov. 18 Noon NASCAR Now ESPN2
Fri., Nov. 18 12:30 p.m. NASCAR Nationwide Series practice ESPN2
Fri., Nov. 18 3 p.m. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice ESPN2
Sat., Nov. 19 6 a.m. ESPN RaceDay ESPN Radio
Sat., Nov. 19 4 p.m. NASCAR Countdown ESPN2
Sat., Nov. 19 4:30 p.m. NASCAR Nationwide Series Ford 300 (GF 4:45 p.m.) ESPN2
Sun., Nov. 20 6 a.m. ESPN RaceDay ESPN Radio
Sun., Nov. 20 9 a.m. NASCAR Now ESPN2
Sun., Nov. 20 2 p.m. NASCAR Countdown presented by NAPA ESPN
Sun., Nov. 20 3 p.m. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford 400 (GF 3:15 p.m.) ESPN
Sun., Nov. 20 10 p.m. NASCAR Now ESPN2

 Rusty Wallace to Enter St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame

ESPN NASCAR analyst Rusty Wallace will be inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame Wednesday night. Wallace, the 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion and a St. Louis native, retired at the end of the 2005 season with 55 wins, eighth on NASCAR’s all-time list. He joined ESPN in 2006. Other sports figures being enshrined with Wallace include former St. Louis Rams Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt and former St. Louis Blues coach Scotty Bowman. Wallace was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.

About NASCAR on ESPN:

ESPN produces comprehensive, multi-platform coverage featuring telecasts of the final 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup races, including the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Additionally, ESPN2 is the television home of the NASCAR Nationwide Series. ESPN’s NASCAR coverage extends to ESPN.com, SportsCenter, ESPN the Magazine, WatchESPN, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio and ESPN International, among other ESPN platforms. ESPN aired 262 NASCAR Cup Races over a 20-year period starting in 1981 and returned to NASCAR coverage in 2007. The network’s award-winning, live flag-to-flag coverage on ESPN has been honored with 19 Sports Emmy Awards, as well as many industry honors. It is widely credited for helping to popularize the sport nationwide.

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Filed Under: ESPN, NASCAR
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