NASCAR Nationwide Series on ESPN2 from Nashville
The NASCAR Nationwide Series returns to Nashville Superspeedway this weekend for its second and final appearance of the 2009 season, and ESPN2 will have a live, high definition telecast from the 1.33-mile track on Saturday, June 6, at 7 p.m. ET as the series races for 300 miles. The telecast is presented by Pennzoil. ESPN2 is the home of the NASCAR Nationwide Series all season, with selected races on ESPN and ABC. The race re-airs Sunday, June 7, at 8 a.m. on ESPN Classic.
Also this weekend, ESPN2 airs coverage of NASCAR Nationwide Series qualifying at 3 p.m. on Saturday, as well as a practice session on Friday, June 5, at 6 p.m.
Dr. Jerry Punch will be the lap-by-lap announcer, joined in the booth for analysis by 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Rusty Wallace and two-time Cup Series champion crew chief Andy Petree. Dave Burns, Jamie Little and Shannon Spake will report from the pits, with two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief Tim Brewer in the ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage.
Allen Bestwick will host the pre-race NASCAR Countdown program with analysis by Wallace and Brad Daugherty, owner of a winning team in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, in the ESPN pit studio.
In other NASCAR-related programming this week, ESPN Classic airs the 1992 Champion Spark Plug 400 NASCAR race from Michigan International Speedway on Monday, June 8, at 6 p.m.
Craven, Smith on NASCAR Now Monday Roundtable
ESPN NASCAR analyst Ricky Craven and NASCAR Now lead reporter Marty Smith will be panelists on NASCAR Now’s weekly roundtable discussion program on ESPN2 on Monday, June 8, at 5 p.m. ET. They will join host Allen Bestwick on ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program.
Due to ESPN2’s coverage of the French Open, half-hour episodes of NASCAR Now will air Tuesday and Wednesday of this week at 6:30 p.m. with Mike Massaro in the host role. The program returns to its regular time of 5 p.m. on Thursday, and then airs Friday at 7:30 p.m. following ESPN2’s live coverage of NASCAR Nationwide Series practice at Nashville Superspeedway. Massaro also hosts the one-hour weekend edition that airs Sunday, June 7, at 10 a.m. with a preview of that day’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway. LaJoie will join Massaro on the set, while Nicole Manske and Angelique Chengelis will report from the track.
NASCAR Now is hosted by Manske, Bestwick and Massaro 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, Ricky Craven and Randy LaJoie, and ESPN.com reporters Ed Hinton, Terry Blount and David Newton. The NASCAR on ESPN team event coverage team of Rusty Wallace, Dale Jarrett, Dr. Jerry Punch, Andy Petree, Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Spake and Vince Welch also make frequent contributions to NASCAR Now.
NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing from Chicagoland on ESPN2
The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series travels to Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill., this weekend, and ESPN2 will air qualifying and eliminations action on a same-day basis. Qualifying from the United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals airs Saturday, June 6, at 10:30 p.m. ET, with eliminations airing Sunday at 4 p.m. Finals coverage re-airs Monday, June 8, at 1 p.m. on ESPN Classic.
Stadium-like Route 66 Raceway, which opened in 1998, has regularly been the site of astounding performances. The event is the site of the Jegs Allstars, which pits the best Sportsman racers from across the country in individual and team competition. The event also is the fifth of the season for Pro Stock Motorcycle riders.
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 host NHRA RaceDay on Sunday at 11 a.m. to set the stage for that day’s eliminations action.
Other NHRA action on ESPN2 this week includes the Lucas Oil Sportsman Series, with highlights from the recent event at Heartland Park Topeka airing Sunday, June 7, at 3 p.m. Episodes of NHRA Thrills and Spills air Saturday, June 6, at 4:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 7, at 12:30 a.m. and 1 a.m.
Traxxas TORC Series Makes ABC Debut Sunday
The Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL makes its debut on ABC on Sunday, June 7, at 5 p.m. ET with highlights from the series event held at Perris (Calif.) Speedway. The premier short-course racing series with the top stars in off-road racing, this exciting form of door-to-door action will appear on both ESPN2 and ABC this season.
The 2009 season features eight total rounds of racing. ESPN2 will air five rounds with three to appear on ABC, including a live telecast on ABC of the Crandon 40th Anniversary of Off-Road Racing. Marty Reid, lap-by-lap announcer for ESPN on ABC’s coverage of the Indianapolis 500 and selected NASCAR races, will call all of the Traxxas TORC Truck Series events on ESPN2 and ABC. Joining Reid will be long-time extreme sports announcer Tes Sewell and former Miss USA Kimberly Pressler as pit reporter.
Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League Action Airs Sunday on ESPN2
The Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League, which features modified trucks, tractors and other vehicles, will be in action on Sunday, June 7, in a half-hour program beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET on ESPN2.
The programs will feature highlights from an event held in Hamburg, N.Y. The league is sanctioned by the American Tractor Pulling Association.
- ESPN Communications, Press Release