ESPN

Chase for NASCAR Sprint Cup Continues at Phoenix

The NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series will be at Phoenix International Raceway this weekend and both races, as well as selected practice sessions, will appear on ESPN networks. Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race will be the next-to-last race in the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. 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):

Announcers:

Booth: Lap-by-Lap announcer Allen Bestwick (Sprint Cup); Marty Reid (Nationwide); analysts Dale Jarrett, Andy Petree.

Pit reporters: Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Dr. Jerry Punch, Vince Welch.

ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage: Tim Brewer

NASCAR Countdown: Nicole Briscoe (host); Rusty Wallace, Brad Daugherty (analysts).

NASCAR Now Schedule

The one-hour weekend edition of ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program NASCAR Now will air on Sunday, Nov. 13, at 9 a.m. with a preview of that day’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway. Mike Massaro will host with analyst Ricky Craven while reporting from the track in Phoenix will be Shannon Spake and David Newton. On Monday, Nov. 14, NASCAR Now’s weekly roundtable discussion program will air at 2:30 p.m. with Craven, ESPN analyst Dale Jarrett and ESPN the Magazine senior writer Ryan McGee as panelists with Massaro hosting.

NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series

The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series will have its season finale this weekend with the Auto Club of Southern California NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif., and ESPN2 and ESPN3 will have coverage.

Qualifying airs Sunday, Nov. 13, at 1:15 a.m. ET (late Saturday night) on ESPN2, while eliminations action airs Sunday at 7 p.m. NHRA fans can watch the entire day of eliminations on ESPN3 starting at 2 p.m. and Friday qualifying on Nov. 11 at 3 p.m. Paul Page anchors for ESPN with analysis by 22-time NHRA winner Mike Dunn. Gary Gerould, John Kernan and Dave Rieff will report from the pits.

Motorsports on Other ESPN Platforms

ESPN.com — RacingLive! on ESPN.com is a live blog where fans can engage in debate and discussion with ESPN.com writers and editors during the NASCAR Sprint Cup races. On Sunday, Nov. 13, RacingLive! Phoenix will kick off to coincide with ESPN’s live telecast of the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway. Fans can join ESPN.com’s NASCAR experts in dissecting every aspect of the race live at http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/. ESPN.com motorsports writer David Newton will be on hand at Phoenix.

ESPN Radio — Each weekend morning, ESPN Radio’s RaceDay starts its engines at 6 a.m. ET with host Pat Patterson anchored from the site of the race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. 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.

- ESPN Communications, Press Release

NASCAR Nationwide Series Logo

ESPN, the network that is responsible for much of that publicity, says that could depend on where those drivers are running on the track.

The Nationwide Series season kicks off Saturday at Daytona International Speedway and all but one race will be televised on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2. This is the first season in which Sprint Cup drivers are ineligible for the Nationwide title.

Last year, the two Cup drivers competing for the Nationwide title combined for 10 wins. Full-time Nationwide drivers who didn’t compete in Cup won only one race – Justin Allgaier at Bristol.

“I always start with our job is to document the competition,” ESPN Vice President of Motorsports Rich Feinberg said earlier this week. “If those Nationwide championship contenders are competitive, then they will find their way into our coverage.

- Scene Daily

NASCAR on ESPN -- (l to r) Marty Reid, Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree - Photo Credit: Phil Cavali/ESPN

Thirty-three of the 34 races on the NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule this season will appear on ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC. ESPN also will televise the final 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races of the season, including all 10 races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Fourteen of the 17 races will air on ESPN, with three Saturday night races appearing on ABC. ESPN’s NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage begins July 31 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway while the Chase begins Sept. 18 at Chicagoland Speedway.

In addition to race coverage for both series, the networks also will televise practice and qualifying from select races, season preview and review programs and a special Chase preview. Each race includes a dedicated pre-race program and comprehensive coverage of NASCAR appears on ESPN2’s NASCAR news and information program, NASCAR Now.

ESPN’s team of announcers has four former NASCAR Sprint Cup champions returning to their analyst roles in 2011, including 1999 champion driver Dale Jarrett and 1989 champion Rusty Wallace. Two-time champion crew chiefs Tim Brewer and Andy Petree also will offer expert analysis during the season.

Lap-by-lap announcer Marty Reid will join Jarrett and Petree in the booth for race telecasts, with pit reporters Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Dr. Jerry Punch and Vince Welch. From the newly-designed ESPN Pit Studio, Allen Bestwick will host NASCAR Countdown with analysts Wallace and Brad Daugherty. Brewer will report from the Emmy-winning ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage during race telecasts to help viewers better understand the technical and mechanical aspects of NASCAR racing.

Bestwick and Burns will each step into the lap-by-lap announcer position as fill-ins for Reid for some NASCAR Nationwide Series telecasts while NASCAR Now co-host Nicole Briscoe will host NASCAR Countdown for several races. Wallace, Daugherty and NASCAR Now analyst Ricky Craven also will help call some races from the booth as fill-ins for Jarrett and Petree. NASCAR Now co-hosts Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake will work as pit reporters for selected races as will Rick DeBruhl, a pit reporter on ESPN’s coverage of the IZOD IndyCar Series, and Jim Noble.

ESPN’s NASCAR race telecasts will be produced under the oversight of ESPN vice president, motorsports, Rich Feinberg and senior coordinating producer Jill Frederickson. NASCAR Sprint Cup races and selected Nationwide Series races will be produced by Jamie Shiftan while Jim Gaiero will produce other Nationwide Series races. Richie Basile will be director.

ESPN’s multimedia approach to coverage of NASCAR touches multiple ESPN platforms, including ESPN, ESPN HD, ESPN2, ESPN2 HD, ABC, ABC HD, ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Classic, ESPN Deportes, ESPNEWS, ESPN Radio, ESPN International, ESPN Mobile and Jayski.com.

NASCAR race schedules for the ESPN Networks in 2011 are as follows:

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Schedule on ESPN Networks

(All Times Eastern)

2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Schedule on ESPN Networks

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, ESPN2 is the television home of the NASCAR Nationwide Series. ESPN’s NASCAR coverage extends to ESPN.com, SportsCenter, ESPN the Magazine, 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.

- ESPN Communications, Press Release

NASCAR 3 Series Logo

Regular season points races in the Eastern and Central regions of the country will begin at 1 p.m. ET; West Coast events will begin at 3 p.m. ET; and night races will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET (Note: NASCAR’s longest race, the Coca-Cola 600, will start at 6 p.m. ET on May 29).

In addition, NASCAR announced new start times for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with six of the first seven races beginning at 2 p.m. ET and the last three races, including the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, beginning at 3 p.m. ET. The 52nd annual Bank of America 500 from Charlotte Motor Speedway is the only night race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, and will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points races will again be seen on either FOX, TNT, ESPN or ABC.

“The 2011 broadcast schedule strikes the right balance between keeping the start times in familiar slots and highlighting the races down the stretch, building more excitement at the end of the season,” said Paul Brooks, senior vice president of NASCAR and president of NASCAR Media Group. “Continuing to raise the profile of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup was also on the top of our list and we believe these new start times for those 10 races will help do just that.”

The preseason non-points Budweiser Shootout at Daytona will be on FOX (8:10 p.m. ET on Feb. 12). In addition, two other non-points events – the Gatorade Duel at Daytona (2 p.m. ET on Feb. 17) and the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (7:30 p.m. ET on May 21 at Charlotte Motor Speedway), will be on SPEED.

FOX will have the first 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points races, beginning with the 53rd running of the Daytona 500 (Feb. 20, 1 p.m. ET) and ending with the June 5 race at Kansas Speedway, the first of two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at that track this year.

TNT will have the next six events, beginning with the Pocono 500 at 1 p.m. ET on June 12 at Pocono Raceway and ending with New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s first of two races on July 17 at 1 p.m. ET. In addition, TNT will have the inaugural Kentucky Speedway NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on July 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

ESPN and ABC will carry the final 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events. ABC will telecast three races, including the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup “cutoff race” – the Richmond 400 on Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

ESPN will telecast 14 races, including the first race of the Chase at Chicagoland Speedway on Sept. 18 at 2 p.m. ET and the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 20 at 3 p.m. ET.

ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 will telecast 33 of the 34 NASCAR Nationwide Series races in 2011. ESPN2 opens the season with the DRIVE4COPD 300 at 1:15 p.m. ET on Feb. 19 at Daytona International Speedway. ESPN2 will also telecast the season finale Ford 300 on Nov. 19 at Homestead-Miami Speedway (4:30 p.m. ET).

SPEED will air one NASCAR Nationwide Series race in 2011 with the 24th running of the Bubba Burger 250 from Richmond International Raceway on April 29 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to SPEED for a ninth consecutive season. As was the case last year, SPEED will show the entire 25-race schedule, opening with the NextEra Energy Resources 250 on Feb. 18 at 8 p.m. ET at Daytona.

The full telecast schedules for all three national series – the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – are available via the Word and PDF links at the top of this page.

- NASCAR, Press Release

Helio Castroneves

Castroneves, who captured the Mirror Ball Trophy as the fifth season champion of “Dancing with the Stars” (DWTS) in 2007, returns to the hit show tonight as a guest judge. The invitation was extended to the three-time Indianapolis 500 winner and current standout IZOD IndyCar Series driver as the result of being voted one of the top-10 best dances of all-time over the past 10 seasons of the show. DWTS will be celebrating its 200th episode this week and over 50 former contestants have been invited to take part in the celebration.

One of the most popular contestants in the history of DWTS, Castroneves and his girlfriend, Adriana Henao, and their 10-month-old daughter, Mikaella, will be interviewed by reporter Mary Hart of “Entertainment Tonight” for a feature story on Monday. Castroneves will then serve as a correspondent for “ET” during the DWTS 200th episode party following Monday’s live broadcast.

Leading up to the DWTS anniversary, the show asked fans to vote for their favorite past performances, selecting from nearly 1,000 dances. Castroneves and his dancing partner, Julianne Hough, were chosen as the show’s eighth-favorite dance of all-time with their rendition of the “quick step.”

“It’s an honor to return to ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and I know we are going to have a lot of fun on Monday,” said Castroneves, who posted three wins and two pole positions in the No. 3 Team Penske Dallara / Honda this season and will return in 2011 for his 12th season with the team. “I always enjoy working with everyone at ‘Entertainment Tonight’ and I’m really looking forward to visiting with them and helping them cover all of the excitement of the 200th episode celebration. I’ve been too busy racing to have a lot of time to practice any dance moves, but I’m definitely ready to serve as a judge for Monday’s show and do my best for ‘ET.’ Thanks again to all the fans for giving me this opportunity.”

“Dancing with the Stars” will air Monday, November 1 on ABC at 8 p.m. ET. Check local listings for times and channels for “Entertainment Tonight” and be sure to tune in Tuesday to ET for all of the coverage from Monday night’s celebration.

- Team Penske Press Release

ESPN on ABC

NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series Live in Prime Time from Richmond

With final seedings in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup on the line, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races for 400 laps in prime time under the lights at Richmond International Raceway on Saturday night, Sept. 11, and ABC will have a live telecast. The NASCAR Countdown pre-race show kicks off the evening at 7 p.m. ET with the race telecast at 7:30 p.m. The race’s green flag is at 7:46 p.m.

The NASCAR Nationwide Series also races under the lights at Richmond this weekend and season-long coverage on the ESPN networks continues. The race airs on ESPN2 beginning with NASCAR Countdown at 7 p.m. on Friday night, Sept. 10, with the race telecast at 7:30 p.m. and the green flag at 7:46 p.m.

Also from Richmond, ESPN2 will be on the air most of the afternoon and early evening with NASCAR Sprint Cup practice at noon and qualifying at 5:30 p.m., and NASCAR Nationwide Series qualifying at 4 p.m.

Marty Reid will call the action with analysis by Dale Jarrett, the 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, and two-time champion crew chief Andy Petree. Two-time champion crew chief Tim Brewer will report from the ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage, while pit reporters will be Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Dr. Jerry Punch and Vince Welch.  

NASCAR Countdown from the ESPN pit studio will be hosted by Allen Bestwick with analysis by 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion driver Rusty Wallace, three-time champion crew chief Ray Evernham and Brad Daugherty, a team owner in the series. The studio team will interact with the booth during the telecast of the race.

Jarrett, Petree, Evernham on NASCAR Now Roundtable

NASCAR on ESPN analysts Dale Jarrett, Andy Petree and Ray Evernham will be panelists on NASCAR Now’s weekly roundtable discussion program airing Monday, Sept. 13, at the special time of 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Allen Bestwick will host the edition of ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program.

Mike Massaro hosts half-hour episodes of NASCAR Now airing late night this week due to ESPN’s coverage of U.S. Open tennis from New York. Programs air Wednesday, Sept. 8, at midnight (Late Tuesday night); Thursday, Sept. 9, at 1 a.m. (late Wednesday night); and Friday, Sept. 10, at 1 a.m. (late Thursday night).

NASCAR Now will surround this weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Richmond International Raceway with two episodes Friday and episodes Saturday and Sunday, with Massaro hosting all. The program will have the latest news from Richmond with a half-hour report on Friday at 3:30 p.m., followed by ESPN2’s telecast of NASCAR Nationwide Series qualifying. Another half-hour report airs at 5 p.m. followed by NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying.

The one-hour weekend edition of NASCAR Now presented by 5 Hour Energy airs Saturday, Sept. 11, at 9 a.m. with a preview of that night’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Richmond. The weekend wrap-up edition airs Sunday, Sept. 12, at 12:30 p.m. (late Saturday night). Marty Smith and Shannon Spake will report from Richmond while analyst Ricky Craven will join Massaro in the studio.

NASCAR Now is hosted by Mike Massaro, Nicole Briscoe, Allen Bestwick and Shannon Spake and originates from ESPN’s high definition studios in Bristol, Conn. Contributors include reporters Marty Smith and Angelique Chengelis, analysts Ray Evernham, Tim Brewer, Brad Daugherty, and Ricky Craven, ESPN.com reporters Ed Hinton, Terry Blount and David Newton and ESPN the Magazine senior writer Ryan McGee. The NASCAR on ESPN team event coverage team of Rusty Wallace, Dale Jarrett, Marty Reid, Dr. Jerry Punch, Andy Petree, Dave Burns, Jamie Little, and Vince Welch also make frequent contributions to NASCAR Now.

ESPN.com Offers RacingLive! During Richmond Race

NASCAR fans looking for an online gathering during ESPN’s telecasts of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now have a place to go on ESPN.com.

RacingLive! on ESPN.com is a live blog where fans can engage in debate and discussion with ESPN.com writers and editors during the NASCAR Sprint Cup races. On Saturday night, Sept. 11, RacingLive! Richmond will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET to coincide with ESPN on ABC’s telecast of the race at Richmond International Raceway.

Fans can join ESPN.com’s NASCAR experts in dissecting every aspect of the race live at http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/.

NHRA Lucas Oil Series Action Airs Sunday

Highlights from the recent event at O’Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag racing Series will air in a one-hour format at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 12, on ESPN2.

The series features Sportsman drag racing cars.

- ESPN Communications, Press Release

ESPN on ABC

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Live in Prime Time on ABC

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series appears on ABC for the first time this season when it races for 500 laps in prime time under the lights at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway on Saturday night, Aug. 21. The NASCAR Countdown pre-race show kicks off the evening at 7 p.m. ET with the race telecast at 7:30 p.m. The race’s green flag is at 7:43 p.m.

Also from Bristol, coverage of NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying airs Friday, Aug. 20, at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN.

Marty Reid will call the action with analysis by Dale Jarrett, the 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, and two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion crew chief Andy Petree. Two-time champion crew chief Tim Brewer will report from the ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage, while pit reporters will be Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Dr. Jerry Punch and Vince Welch.  

NASCAR Countdown from the ESPN pit studio will be hosted by Allen Bestwick with analysis by 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion driver Rusty Wallace, three-time champion crew chief Ray Evernham and Brad Daugherty, a team owner in the series. The studio team will interact with the booth during the telecast of the race.

The NASCAR Nationwide Series also races under the lights at Bristol this weekend and season-long coverage on the ESPN networks continues. The race airs on ESPN beginning with NASCAR Countdown at 7 p.m. on Friday, with the race telecast at 8 p.m. and the green flag at 8:13 p.m.

Rusty, Ricky, Ray on NASCAR Now Roundtable

ESPN analysts Rusty Wallace, Ricky Craven and Ray Evernham will be panelists on NASCAR Now’s weekly roundtable discussion program airing Tuesday, Aug. 24, at 1 a.m. ET (late Monday night) on ESPN2. Allen Bestwick will host the edition of ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program.

Mike Massaro will host the weekend editions of NASCAR Now airing around the Saturday night, Aug. 21, live coverage of the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The one-hour preview show airs at 9 a.m. Saturday while the weekend wrap-up edition airs Sunday, Aug. 22, at 10 a.m. Marty Smith and Angelique Chengelis will report from the speedway, while Craven will join Massaro in the studio for analysis.

Massaro also hosts half-hour editions of NASCAR Now airing Tuesday and Thursday of this week at 5 p.m. and Wednesday at 6 p.m. There is no program on Friday due to live NASCAR programming.

NASCAR Now is hosted by Mike Massaro, Nicole Briscoe, Allen Bestwick and Shannon Spake and originates from ESPN’s high definition studios in Bristol, Conn. Contributors include reporters Marty Smith and Angelique Chengelis, analysts Ray Evernham, Tim Brewer, Brad Daugherty, and Ricky Craven, ESPN.com reporters Ed Hinton, Terry Blount and David Newton and ESPN the Magazine senior writer Ryan McGee. The NASCAR on ESPN team event coverage team of Rusty Wallace, Dale Jarrett, Marty Reid, Dr. Jerry Punch, Andy Petree, Dave Burns, Jamie Little, and Vince Welch also make frequent contributions to NASCAR Now.

ESPN.com Expands Coverage with RacingLive!

NASCAR fans looking for an online gathering during ESPN’s telecasts of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now have a place to go on ESPN.com.

RacingLive! on ESPN.com is a live blog where fans can engage in debate and discussion with ESPN.com writers and editors during the NASCAR Sprint Cup races. On Saturday night, Aug. 21, RacingLive! Bristol will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET to coincide with ESPN’s telecast of the 500-lap race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Fans can join ESPN.com’s NASCAR experts in dissecting every aspect of the race live at http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/.

NHRA Lucas Oil Series Action Airs Sunday

Highlights from the recent event at Brainerd (Minn.) International Raceway for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag racing Series will air in a one-hour format at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 22, on ESPN2.

The series features Sportsman drag racing cars.

- ESPN Communications, Press Release

ESPN

NASCAR Nationwide Series Live from

The NASCAR Nationwide Series races in prime time at Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis on Saturday night, July 17, and ESPN2 will have a live telecast in high definition. NASCAR Countdown airs at 7 p.m. ET, while the race telecast starts at 8 p.m. with the green flag at 8:15 p.m. ESPN2 is the home of the series all season, with selected races airing on ESPN and ABC.

Also from Gateway, ESPN2 will air coverage of NASCAR Nationwide Series qualifying on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

Dave Burns will be the lap-by-lap announcer, joined in the booth for analysis by 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Rusty Wallace and former Sprint Cup race winner Ricky Craven. Pit reporters will be Mike Massaro, Dr. Jerry Punch and Shannon Spake while reports from two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief Tim Brewer will originate from the ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage.

Reporter Roundtable on NASCAR Now

The panel on NASCAR Now’s weekly roundtable discussion program will take on a different look on Monday, July 19, at 5 p.m. ET as three journalists who regularly cover NASCAR racing sit down with host Mike Massaro. NASCAR Now is ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program.

Nate Ryan, motorsports writer for USA Today, will join Bob Pockrass, writer for SceneDaily.com and ESPN.com NASCAR writer David Newton as they discuss and debate the latest NASCAR news in the week leading to the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the kickoff to ESPN’s coverage of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for the final 17 races of the season.

Half-hour episodes of NASCAR Now air Tuesday and Wednesday of this week at 5 p.m. and Friday at midnight (late Thursday night) with Ryan Burr hosting.

NASCAR Now is hosted by Mike Massaro, Nicole Briscoe, Allen Bestwick and Shannon Spake and originates from ESPN’s high definition studios in Bristol, Conn. Contributors include reporters Marty Smith and Angelique Chengelis, analysts Ray Evernham, Tim Brewer, Brad Daugherty, and Ricky Craven, ESPN.com reporters Ed Hinton, Terry Blount and David Newton and ESPN the Magazine senior writer Ryan McGee. The NASCAR on ESPN team event coverage team of Rusty Wallace, Dale Jarrett, Marty Reid, Dr. Jerry Punch, Andy Petree, Dave Burns, Jamie Little, and Vince Welch also make frequent contributions to NASCAR Now.

ESPN Classic Goes Back to 1998 Brickyard 400

With ESPN set to kick off its coverage of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with a live telecast of the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 25, ESPN Classic is helping NASCAR fans get ready for the big event by re-airing some previous editions of the Brickyard 400.

Highlights of the 1998 Brickyard 400 from Indianapolis will air on ESPN Classic on Monday, July 19, at 2 p.m. ET.

NASCAR fans can enjoy a Brickyard Marathon on ESPN Classic starting on Friday night, July 23, and running through the night. The 1995 edition opens the marathon at 8 p.m., followed at 10 p.m. by the 2008 race. Highlights from the 2009 and 2007 races follow, with the inaugural Brickyard 400 from 1994 airing at 4 a.m. on Saturday, July 24.

IZOD IndyCar Series Live on ABC from Toronto

The IZOD IndyCar Series goes north of the border to Canada’s largest city this weekend with its annual race on the Toronto street racing circuit at Exhibition Place. ABC will have a live telecast of the race on Sunday, July 18, at 12:30 p.m. ET. Marty Reid will call the action on the telecast with analysis from former IndyCar star Scott Goodyear. Reporting from the pits will be Rick DeBruhl, Jamie Little and Vince Welch,

The event is the final of five races in the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series season to be produced by ESPN and air on ABC.

NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series in Sonoma

The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series continues its annual Western Swing this weekend with the Fram-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., and ESPN2 will air highlights of qualifying and eliminations. Qualifying action airs Saturday, July 17, at 11 p.m. ET, and coverage of eliminations airs Sunday at 6 p.m.

In the heart of Northern California’s high-tech region, the facility annually plays host to some of the tour’s most dramatic moments. A $70 million modernization project was completed in 2002 that included a new 660-foot concrete launchpad and led to scores of new track records. The event is usually blessed with pleasant weather that, combined with a quality racetrack, has yielded impressive performances, such as the sport’s second six-second Pro Stock Motorcycle pass in 2005. This year, the event is the middle leg of the Western Swing.

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 presented by Lucas Oil on Sunday at 1 p.m. to set the stage for that day’s eliminations action.

Also this weekend, ESPN2 airs highlights of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Pacific Raceways near Seattle on Saturday, July 17, at 6 p.m.

- ESPN Communications, Press Release

“We’re inclined to change our starting time,” Belskus said. “We do want to try to make it happen.”

Belskus said ABC, which owns television rights to the 500, has been consulted and hasn’t indicated it would oppose a switch to 11 a.m. from the current 1 p.m.

The idea gained momentum in May when Bruton Smith, CEO of Speedway Motorsports Inc., proposed putting up a $20 million bonus for any driver who could win both races on the same day.

Smith and Indy Racing League CEO Randy Bernard were asked about the status of their negotiations last weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

- Indianapolis Star

Vitor Meira

Collecting his fourth top-10 of the season, Meira worked for every spot. At the start he was pinned down low and lost a couple spots, although he was fortunate to miss the first lap crash that claimed Justin Wilson and Mario Moraes. As the race progressed, so did Meira who moved into 12th by lap 46. He had just passed Ryan Briscoe for 11th when the caution came out for debris on lap 52.

He came out in 12th because Graham Rahal did not pit, trying to gain track position. While Meira beat Dan Wheldon out of the pits, Briscoe beat Meira out because of his favored pit position near pit out.

By lap 64, Meira passed Briscoe again and moved past his Penske teammate and pole winner Will Power for 10th on lap 87. By lap 90, he was ninth. Meira was closing in on Marco Andretti for eighth when the yellow came out for Sarah Fisher’s crash in turn four on lap 95.

Pitting on lap 98, he lost out to the Penske teammates once again due to their pit location (which are determined by entrant’s points); Meira emerged in 11th. However by lap 122 he passed Briscoe again for 10th and moved into ninth past Wheldon on lap 145. Then the car developed a big push as the left front tire wore down to the cords during the stint which was the longest one of the race.

“Too much push!” Meira radioed in when Briscoe passed him back on lap 160. Meira lost quite a bit of track position as he dealt with the change in handling.

Foyt told him, “Do what you can, we’re going to pit in 15 laps.” As it turned out, it was a common complaint as many competitors had handling problems at different points of the race.

Takuma Sato’s crash on lap 177 brought out the yellow before Meira’s scheduled stop. He was the last car on the lead lap. Sato’s misfortune moved Meira into ninth. He pitted under caution on lap 180 and he moved into eighth when Ryan Hunter-Reay was penalized for a pit infraction. On lap 200, Meira moved into seventh when Dario Franchitti , who had just taken the lead, suffered a gearbox problem, forcing him to the pits.

Meira was closing in fast on sixth place Scott Dixon when the checkered flag flew after 250 laps. Tony Kanaan won his first race in two years, outpacing runner-up Helio Castroneves and E.J. Viso who claimed his best finish to date in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Teammates Briscoe and Power rounded out the top five.

“It was a good result,” Meira said afterwards. “What matters most is that we’re improving and being consistent everywhere we go. We’ve had top 10s and the next stage is top 5s. It’s hard in this series but the ABC Supply team is moving forward and that’s important.”

Meira moved from 13th to 12th in the IZOD IndyCar Series standings.

The finish was a satisfying end to the weekend which had a rocky start due to a crash in the second practice on Saturday. Meira had been on a qualifying simulation run when he closed in on Hunter-Reay whose car pushed to the outer groove and forced Meira into the grey causing him to hit the wall in turn two. The crew replaced the right side suspension and sent Meira out to qualify.

He qualified 13th and felt he could have been even more aggressive if he knew the car was going to be as solid as it was. “I wasn’t worried about where we started because I knew we had a good car for the race,” Meira said afterwards.

The team has next weekend off before they leave for a test at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course June 30th on their way to Watkins Glen International road course. The Camping World Grand Prix at the Glen will be televised by ABC starting at 3:30pm ET.

- A.J. Foyt Racing Press Release

ESPN

“As one of the world’s marquee sporting events, the Indianapolis 500 is something that sports fans look forward to every year,” said John Wildhack, ESPN executive vice president, programming & acquisitions. “We join in that enthusiasm and consider it an honor to televise the race in America and on our international platforms.”

ESPN’s production will use 59 cameras to televise the premier race of the IZOD IndyCar Series, including a 360-degree rotating onboard camera mounted behind the driver on multiple cars. Unique views will be provided by Track Cam, a high definition camera running on a cable over pit road and the frontstretch that can move at more than 80 mph. All 33 cars will carry GPS boxes for the Sportvision RaceFX system to provide telemetry and pointers to help identify the cars for viewers. ESPN will use a radio replay system that can record, play back and edit radios from any of the 33 drivers and viewers will learn more about the technical aspects of the sport with segments from the Emmy-winning ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage.

Marty Reid will call the race with analysis by former IZOD IndyCar Series star Scott Goodyear and 1998 Indy 500 winner Eddie Cheever. Reporting from the pits will be Rick DeBruhl, Jamie Little, Dr. Jerry Punch and Vince Welch. Hosting the telecast will be Brent Musburger. ESPN senior motorsports producer Neil Goldberg will produce the telecast and Bruce Watson will direct.

The one-hour pre-race show will include interviews with many of the 33 starting drivers as well as special features:

• A look at the up-and-down past year of polesitter and defending race winner Helio Castroneves, from beating tax evasion charges to winning Indy to becoming a father.
• Ryan Hunter-Reay is featured in an ESPN Sports Science piece comparing driving an Indy Car to flying a fighter jet.
• Drivers who have and have not won at Indy talk about the Blueprint for Success at the famous track.
• ABC Good Morning America host Robin Roberts, the honorary pace car driver for the Indy 500, conducted a unique sit-down interview with Danica Patrick that will appear both on GMA and in the pre-race show.
• Bobby and Graham Rahal are interviewed together in the rarely-seen basement of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, among some of the classic cars that are not normally seen by the public.
• An animated feature on the size, scope and speed of Indianapolis Motor Speedway compares the track to the George Washington Bridge, the U.S.S. Enterprise and the Rose Bowl. The animation also illustrates the speeds reached by Indy Cars.
• A look back on ABC’s 46 years at Indy, a montage of on-camera interviews with some of the iconic announcers through the years mixed with the greatest moments from those races.
• A Memorial Day tribute salute to veterans, in the words of family members of individuals who died in the line of duty.

The opening segment will have the theme of a blockbuster movie trailer, with a central character, The Keeper, that guards the coveted Borg-Warner Trophy and introduces the talented characters who will be vying for the trophy. Several IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials have cameo roles in the segment which also includes drivers Castroneves, Patrick, Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon and Dan Wheldon.

Musburger will host the telecast from an IZOD IndyCar Series-branded set at pit exit. The new set also includes an 8-foot replica of the Speedway’s famous Wings and Wheels logo.

Other ESPN Platforms

In addition to the live telecast on ABC, the Indianapolis 500 will receive ESPN multiplatform coverage on the following outlets:

ESPN International’s networks and syndication of the Indy 500 will reach more than 252 million households. In addition, U.S. troops serving overseas and on Navy vessels around the world will watch via a broadcast agreement between ESPN and the American Forces Network, bringing the total to 213 countries and territories.

ESPN.com will provide surround coverage of the Indy 500 with senior motorsports writers Ed Hinton and Terry Blount, IndyCar correspondent John Oreovicz and motorsports editor K. Lee Davis in the middle year of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Centennial Era celebration. In addition, anchor Marty Reid and analysts Scott Goodyear and Eddie Cheever will provide exclusive digital coverage of the “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

On television, extensive reports, interviews and highlights will air on SportsCenter and ESPNEWS.

ESPN Classic continues airing highlights of past editions of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing throughout the Month of May and will have a 12-hour marathon beginning at noon on Saturday, May 29, the day before the race. And four-time Indy 500 winners A.J. Foyt and Al Unser, and 1969 winner Mario Andretti, are profiled in episodes of the ESPN Classic signature series SportsCentury airing on race morning starting at 9 a.m. The remaining schedule:

ESPN Radio’s Saturday RaceDay starts its engines at 6 a.m. ET with an hour of news, previews and analysis. ESPN Radio also provides auto racing fans the comprehensive Sunday RaceDay (6-7 a.m. Sundays), which covers the auto racing world. Drivers Dixon, Franchitti, Will Power and Marco Andretti will appear on ESPN Radio’s GameNight airing at 8 p.m. ET the night before the race.

ESPN Deportes, ESPN’s Spanish-language television, radio and Internet in the U.S., will cover the Indy 500 via SportsCenter and RPM Semanal, the network’s first news and information program completely aired online on ESPNdeportes.com. Former professional driver Alex Pombo covered the 33-driver starting field’s New York visit on Tuesday of race week. RPM Semanal will be available on ESPNdeportes.com starting Wednesday, May 26, at 1 p.m. ET. The show will offer post analysis of Indy 500 during its Wednesday, June 2 edition.

- ESPN Communications, Press Release

ESPN

NASCAR Now

NASCAR Now, ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program, will cover the induction of the first five members of the new NASCAR Hall of Fame with an expanded schedule this weekend. The induction is Sunday, May 23, and NASCAR Now has added a special one-hour edition to air at 11 a.m. that day. In addition, the induction will be previewed in the one-hour weekend edition airing Saturday, May 22, at 10 a.m. Mike Massaro hosts both programs from the Hall of Fame along with reporters Marty Smith and Shannon Spake. Joining the Sunday program will be analyst Rusty Wallace, ESPN.com senior writer Ed Hinton and ESPN The Magazine senior writer Ryan McGee.

The Hall of Fame induction and the NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star race will be reviewed in the one-hour roundtable edition of NASCAR Now airing at 5 p.m. on Monday, May 24, in a program airing from the Hall of Fame. Host Allen Bestwick and Smith will be joined by analysts Ray Evernham and Ricky Craven.

NASCAR Now continues its month-long series on NASCAR fans in the Saturday program, which also will preview that night’s NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The segments on fans will air in the weekend edition each week during May. Featured in the May 22 show will be Ann Howell-Davis, a deaf NASCAR fan who is part of a group that regularly attends NASCAR races. The group also manages a website that caters to deaf NASCAR fans.

Half-hour editions air at 5 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday of this week with Massaro as host.

NASCAR Now is hosted by Massaro, Briscoe and Bestwick and originates from ESPN’s high definition studios in Bristol, Conn. Contributors include reporters Marty Smith, Shannon Spake and Angelique Chengelis, analysts Ray Evernham, Tim Brewer, Brad Daugherty, 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, Marty Reid, Dr. Jerry Punch, Andy Petree, Dave Burns, Jamie Little, and Vince Welch also make frequent contributions to NASCAR Now.

NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series in Topeka

The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series races this weekend in the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Summer Nationals in Topeka, Kansas, and ESPN2 will air highlights of qualifying and eliminations. Qualifying action airs Saturday, May 22, at 8 p.m. ET, and coverage of eliminations airs Sunday at 7 p.m.

Sprawling multipurpose Heartland Park Topeka has been a Midwest favorite since it opened in 1989, but its dragstrip has gained the majority of headlines. The event, originally in the fall, has featured numerous record performances, the most significant of which was the shattering of the quarter-mile four-second and 300-mph barriers in Funny Car in 1993. The event moved to its current spot on the schedule in 2001.

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 presented by Lucas Oil on Sunday at 10 a.m. to set the stage for that day’s eliminations action.

Also this weekend, ESPN2 airs highlights of the recent event in Atlanta for the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Series. The 30-minute program airs Sunday at 10:30 a.m. following NHRA RaceDay.

Indianapolis 500 Qualifying Weekend Coverage on ESPN Platforms

The starting field for the May 30 running of the Indianapolis 500 will be set the weekend of May 22-23, and reports from Fast Friday (May 21) and the two days of time trials (Saturday and Sunday, May 22-23) will appear on several ESPN platforms. The race will air live on ABC for the 46^th consecutive year on May 30 at noon ET. To see ABC’s promotional spot for the Indy 500 telecast, click HERE.

ESPN IZOD IndyCar Series lap-by-lap announcer Marty Reid and analyst Eddie Cheever will be at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for qualifying weekend and will have video reports for SportsCenter, ESPNEWS and ESPN.com. Coverage on ESPN.com also will include the writing and reporting of ESPN.com IndyCar columnist John Oreovicz.

ESPN Classic Gears Up for Indianapolis 500

To help race fans gear up for the Indianapolis 500 on May 30, which will air live on ABC, ESPN Classic is airing highlights of past editions of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing each Monday in May prior to the big event. In addition, the network will air six past races on Saturday, May 29, the day before the race.

And four-time Indy 500 winners A.J. Foyt and Al Unser, and 1969 winner Mario Andretti, are profiled in episodes of the ESPN Classic signature series SportsCentury airing in the weeks leading up to the race. On May 30, Helio Castroneves will be trying to join Unser and A.J. Foyt as the only four-time winners.

The Indianapolis 500 is airing on ABC for the 46^th consecutive year in 2010. ABC also is televising four other races in the IZOD IndyCar Series this season.

The remaining schedule (all times Eastern):

- ESPN Communications, Press Release

JR Motorsports Logo

TRACK – Talladega Superspeedway (2.66-mile tri-oval)

DATE – Saturday, April 24, 2010

TV / RADIO – ABC (coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. EST) / MRN (broadcast begins at 2:30 p.m. EST)

Jamie McMurray

How do you mentally prepare for a race like Talladega?

“I’ve raced at Talladega several times in the Nationwide Series and it just seems like trouble wants to find you at a track like that. The biggest thing you can do is not try to overthink it. You’ll see guys riding in the back of the pack trying to avoid The Big One, and you’ll see guys doing the same up front and in the middle. But the wreck can happen anywhere. So you’ve got to keep your head and just be smooth. Try not to overanalyze the situations.”

What’s it been like working with JRM’s No. 88 Hellmann’s team?

“It’s was great working with Pops and the Hellmann’s crew last weekend. They brought a great car to Texas, and they are really good at restrictor-plate tracks. It’s no secret that group has had a lot of success and experience at superspeedways, and with some of the best equipment in this garage, we’re expecting good results.”

What are your thoughts on working with Steve Arpin? “I’m excited for Steve [Arpin]. I’m looking forward to working with him as JRM teammates this weekend. He’s got a great shot with a quality organization, and I hope he can make the most out of it. I think it’s really neat that Dale’s putting Steve in the No. 7 Chevrolet, and I think it says a lot about what he’s trying to do for the future of his organization.”

Steve Arpin

What’s going through your mind this week, as you look ahead to your first Nationwide Series start with JRM? “It’s been a busy week leading up to this race at Talladega. I’ve been trying to keep my mind focused and centered on what I do best, which is driving a racecar. The biggest thing is how thankful I am to Dale Jr., Kelley, and the Eurys for putting this opportunity in front of me. It’s really cool they would be willing to take a chance on me, and I hope we can get some solid results out of it.”

What would constitute a good weekend for you at Talladega?

“Anytime you go into a race weekend, you want to do well. But I also want to be realistic for myself and for this No. 7 Chevy team. For it to be a good weekend, we have to finish all of the laps. I need to get some solid seat time and learn what I can out there. I know I have an awesome team, so to have a good competitive top-10 or top-15 finish would be great. Our main goal though is to finish the race and get a solid point’s day for the No. 7 Chevy.”

Is there any added pressure debuting in such a massive facility as Talladega?

“I don’t think there is much added pressure being at Talladega. It is a race where you have to respect one another and stay 100 percent focused from start to finish. Tony Eury Jr. has been a great help in preparing me for it and I’ll have Dale’s spotter TJ Majors on the roof for me. Dale and I are also going to sit down and talk about drafting. I’m looking forward to that. He’s one of the best at restrictor plate tracks, and there isn’t any better coach than him. Also, I’m in a perfect situation with great people at JRM, so that relieves a lot of the added pressure.”

JR MOTORSPORTS NOTEBOOK —

DRIVER CHANGE IN NO. 7 - JR Motorsports co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced last week that Steve Arpin will take over driving duties of the No. 7 Chevrolet for the next two consecutive races, beginning this weekend at Talladega. Arpin currently occupies the points lead in the ARCA Series and has won the series’ past two races, but will make his Nationwide Series debut with JRM. The Fort Frances, Ontario native is also expected to pilot the No. 7 next week at Richmond Int’l Raceway.

ARPIN AT TALLADEGA – Arpin holds one start at Talladega in the Automobile Racing Club of America Series while driving for Eddie Sharp. The 26-year-old finished 11th after an 18th-place start in the event in 2009.

MCMURRAY AT TALLADEGA – In five starts at the 2.66-mile superspeedway, McMurray owns one top-10 finish, with a career average finish of 26.8. In those five starts, McMurray’s sole top-10 came in the only race in which he completed every lap.

RESTRICTOR PLATE TRIUMPHS – The No. 88 Hellmann’s team is no stranger to success at Talladega Superspeedway. Dating back to the 2008 race at Talladega, the No. 88 Hellmann’s team has never started outside the top 10 and has led 28 laps. Their best finish was a ninth-place showing in this same event last year.

ON THE MOVE – Both the JRM teams continue to gain ground in the 2010 owner standings. After last week’s effort at Texas, the No. 88 team gained three spots and sit 10th, while the No. 7 team gained one spot and occupy the 24th position.

SUAVE MEN RAISES THE STAKES – Suave Men recently announced its Head-to-Head Challenge, a challenge pitting the No. 88 team against the No. 7 team in July at Chicagoland Speedway. Dale Earnhardt Jr. issued the challenge to his teams, and will factor in average practice speeds, qualifying, pit-stop times and race results. The team with the best times will have a donation made on its behalf to The Dale Jr. Foundation.

NEW, IMPROVED AND FREE JR NATION FAN CLUB – Now race fans can be part of all the JR Motorsports action with a free subscription to The JR Nation Crew Fan Club – the official fan club of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and JR Motorsports. The club has just launched a new website complete with chat rooms, forums and blogs from your favorite JRM drivers. Join today for your chance to win a custom-designed race helmet provided by Nationwide Insurance and signed by Dale Jr., Kelly Bires and Danica Patrick. For more information visit www.dalejr.com/jrnation.

200TH WISH: In honor of Dale Earnhardt Jr. granting his 200th wish for Make-A-Wish Foundation, The Dale Jr. Foundation is hosting an exclusive hospitality event on May 22 at the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit The Dale Jr. Foundation and Make-A-Wish. Visit www.dalejr.com for more information.

- JR Motorsports Press Release

Date: April 19, 2010

Event: O’Reilly 300 (Round 7 of 35)

Series: NASCAR Nationwide Series

Location: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth (1.5-mile oval)

Start/Finish: 3rd/1st (Running, completed 200 of 200 laps)

Winner: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

Kyle Busch talks with his NASCAR Nationwide series crew chief Jason Ratcliff - Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Busch, who led four times for a race-high 153 laps, won his fifth consecutive Nationwide Series race at Texas and joined NASCAR legends Jack Ingram and Dale Earnhardt in the record books as drivers who have won five straight races at one track.

Ingram, the 1982 and 1985 Nationwide Series champion, won at South Boston (Va.) Speedway in July 1985 and then won four more races at the .357-mile oval in southern Virginia in April, May, June and July of 1986. Earnhardt won the February Nationwide Series event at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway every year from 1990 to 1994.

“That’s cool man,” said Busch, who scored his third Nationwide Series victory of 2010 and his second straight as he won last week at Phoenix International Raceway. “I can’t believe it. Such a great race car – a great Z-Line Designs Camry. Just a phenomenal day. We were able to just run around all day and bide our time, and there at the end we were going to try and save fuel and go the rest of the way, if need be. But, a caution came out and we had to race Joey (Logano) for it. He kept me on my toes there. We were a little bit too loose to try to go real, real hard. I couldn’t get away from him. Then it seemed like he got a little bit tight and I started moving away.”

Busch has dominated in all five victories at Texas, having led a combined 810 of 1,000 laps available to him, meaning he has been at the point for an astounding 81 percent of the Nationwide Series circuits conducted at Texas since 2008.

That translates to 1,215 miles of leading the pack – a distance that would allow Busch to start a drive from Texarkana, Texas, head west on Interstate 30 through Dallas, and take Interstate 35 south through Waco and the state capital of Austin to the north side of San Antonio. From there, Busch could take Interstate 10 west all the way to El Paso and continue north on Interstate 25 to the southern outskirts of Albuquerque, N.M.

“It’s a team effort,” said Busch, who now has 66 victories in NASCAR’s top three divisions (Sprint Cup – 16; Nationwide – 33; Camping World Truck – 17). “It’s these guys – all the guys at Joe Gibbs Racing. The chassis guys, the body guys, the guys in the engine shop and everybody just makes this possible. Joey had a great racecar today. I’m proud of him. He ended up second and I know he’s probably upset. I would be too. We had a flawless racecar so we had to make sure we got this one to victory lane. I drove my guts out there at the end after I made a miscue on pit road. Fortunately, I didn’t look bad and I was able to come back and get it.”

The victory capped off 801 miles of racing for Busch as he also competed in Monday’s rain-postponed NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Samsung Mobile 500 (actually 501 miles) where he finished a solid third in the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry for JGR. Despite having less than one hour between races, Busch never slowed down in the second-half of the NASCAR doubleheader.

“This makes it a lot easier to get out of the racecar, I’ll tell you that,” Busch said. “To run in the 500-mile race earlier I was a little bit down, a little bit drained. Got some fluids in me before the start of this race and got some good food in me. Of course, my fiancé Samantha made me up something great. So, that was good and helped me win.”

Finishing .688 of a second behind Busch was JGR teammate Logano. Reed Sorenson was third, while Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top-five. Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle, David Reutimann, Steve Wallace and Paul Menard comprised the rest of the top-10.

The race featured four caution periods for 24 laps, with 13 drivers failing to finish event.

While Busch is not running the full Nationwide Series schedule, JGR’s No. 18 Toyota is competing for the owner’s title. Thanks to Busch’s win, the No. 18 picked up two positions to climb to first in points after round seven of 35, where it is 20 markers ahead of the No. 22 car of Penske Racing. JGR has won the past two Nationwide Series owner’s championships.

The next event on the Nationwide Series schedule is the April 24 Aaron’s 312 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. The race starts at 2:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by ABC beginning with its pre-race show at 2 p.m.

- True Speed Communication Press Release

Jay Robinson Racing

Saturday’s Aaron’s 312 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Talladega

Superspeedway. Wallace will be driving the No. 28 Anderson’s Maple

Syrup Chevrolet at the famous 2.66 mile track.

“Anderson’s Maple Syrup sure tastes good on my pancakes,” said a smiling

Wallace. “And I want to thank Steve Anderson for his continued support of

our racing program.”

“We at Anderson’s Maple Syrup are thrilled to continue our racing

relationship with Jay Robinson Racing and Kenny Wallace,” said Steve

Anderson, owner of Anderson’s Maple Syrup. “I can’t think of a better way

to end a successful syrup season then to be on Kenny’s car.”

You can follow Kenny Wallace and the Anderson’s Maple Syrup No. 28

Chevrolet all weekend long on Kenny’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

About Anderson’s Maple Syrup:

For over 80 years, Anderson’s Maple Syrup has provided Midwestern

grocery stores, bakeries, butcher shops, and specialty shops with quality

maple syrup. In 1931, Paul Anderson first shared the distinct taste of

Wisconsin’s Northwoods in the tins of his delicately sweet maple syrup.

Three generations later, Steve Anderson and the Anderson family carry on

its sugar making heritage by bottling pure maple syrup from the same

sugarbush their grandfather tapped for so many years. A healthy all-natural

delicacy, authentic maple syrup is a nutritious, low-calorie alternative to

artificial sweeteners and maple-flavored syrups. From its roots in

Cumberland, Wisconsin, Anderson’s Maple Syrup can today be found in

grocery stores and specialty shops across the country. For more information

log onto www.AndersonsMapleSyrup.com.

About the Aaron’s 312:

The Aaron’s 312 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Talladega

Superspeedway will be televised live on ABC beginning at 2:30pm ET on

Saturday, April 24th. Radio coverage will be provided by MRN and Sirius

XM Satellite Radio.

- Jay Robinson Racing Press Release