Drag Racing?s definitive pre-race show, NHRA Race Day, returns for second
season
GLENDORA, Calif. (Jan. 29, 2008) ? As a show of its strengthening commitment to the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, ESPN2/ESPN2HD will be presenting 21 of the 24 races during the 2008 season in the coveted 7-11 p.m. ET
prime time viewing window.
This year marks the eighth consecutive year of NHRA?s exclusive broadcasting partnership with ESPN. The season begins with the 48th annual CARQUEST Auto
Parts NHRA Winternationals from Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, Feb. 7-10.
Outside of races in Houston, Topeka and Chicago, which are scheduled to air late Sunday afternoon, every NHRA POWERade Series race during the 2008 season will begin or end between 7 and 11 p.m. ET. During the last half of the season,
NHRA will be featured in the same time slot, 7 -10 p.m., for 10 of the final 14 races.
Additionally, the popular pre-race show that debuted in 2007, NHRA Race Day presented by Lucas Oil, will be back in 2008, once again being produced on-site to allow fans attending the Sunday race a chance to watch ? and participate ? in the
show. It will air on Sunday race days at 11 a.m. ET on ESPN2/ESPN2HD.
In all, the network will dedicate more than 120 hours of original programming to the world?s fastest, most powerful motorsport with live or same-day coverage of
qualifying and the race on Sunday.
Among the highlights of NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series coverage on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD include consistent time slots on Sunday evening for the final elimination rounds, with a majority in the coveted Sunday night prime-time slot. In addition, the network will dedicate 10 hours of coverage to the world?s most prestigious drag race, the 54th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at historic O?Reilly
Raceway Park at Indianapolis, Labor Day weekend, August 27 ? Sept. 1, 2008.
The shows are developed by the production team at ESPN Regional Television, which has been producing NHRA programming since 2001. Paul Page returns to the broadcast booth alongside former drag racer Mike Dunn, who will provide expert analysis and insight on the racing action. Dave Rieff and Gary Gerould will return as pit reporters. Joining them at select races throughout the year will be veteran
announcer John Kernan, who joined the NHRA broadcast team in 2007.
NHRA Race Day presented by Lucas Oil, will be hosted once again by Rieff and Dunn, and originate from NHRA?s Nitro Alley. NHRA Race Day presented by Lucas Oil sets up the day for fans at home with must-see match-ups, interviews with the stars of the sport, driver features, news and analysis, a review of qualifying and what to look for
during the all-important Sunday action.
In addition to coverage on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD, NHRA POWERade Drag Racing will be aired on a tape-delay basis on ESPN Deportes and distributed internationally through ESPN International. ESPN2 is now available in more than 96 million
households.
Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. It presents 24 events through its NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. The NHRA has 80,000 members and 140 member tracks. The NHRA-sanctioned sportsman and bracket racing series? provide competition opportunities for drivers of all levels. The NHRA develops the stars of tomorrow by offering the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, NHRA Summit Racing Series, and the NHRA Street Legal Drags presented by AAA. The NHRA also offers
the O?Reilly Auto Parts Jr. Drag Racing League for youths ages 8 to 17.
