AMERICA DRAGSTER RETURNS
The popular NHRA professional drag-racing behind-the-scenes show, "American
Dragster," will begin airing10 episodes of its second season on ESPN2
starting with Episode 1 on Feb.11, at 11:30 a.m. ET. Episode 2 will air on
Feb. 25, at 11:30 a.m.
Subsequent Episodes 3 through 7 will air on March 3,
March 18, April 1, April 29 and June 2. Air dates for the final three are to
be determined. The entire schedule is listed below.
The show, which
featured Brut Revolution Dodge Funny Car driver Ron Capps and U.S. Army Top
Fuel pilot Tony Schumacher in its first season, adds Jagermeister Pro Stock
Driver Max Naylor and Pro Stock Driver Erica Endersto its lineup for the
second season.
The popular NHRA professional drag-racing behind-the-scenes show, "American
Dragster," will begin airing10 episodes of its second season on ESPN2
starting with Episode 1 on Feb.11, at 11:30 a.m. ET. Episode 2 will air on
Feb. 25, at 11:30 a.m.
Subsequent Episodes 3 through 7 will air on March 3,
March 18, April 1, April 29 and June 2. Air dates for the final three are to
be determined. The entire schedule is listed below.
The show, which
featured Brut Revolution Dodge Funny Car driver Ron Capps and U.S. Army Top
Fuel pilot Tony Schumacher in its first season, adds Jagermeister Pro Stock
Driver Max Naylor and Pro Stock Driver Erica Endersto its lineup for the
second season.
The first episode covers the prestigious 2006 U.S.
Nationals in Indianapolis. The second episode features the October event at
The Strip atLas Vegas Motor Speedway, and the third chronicles the
exciting season-ending NHRA finals at the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. The
fourth through tenth episodes will be shot at the first seven events of the
2007NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
"We are also adding some new
segments to the show as the season progresses," said Ryan Johnson,
director/executive producer. "For example, UTI (Universal Technical
Institute) is sponsoring a technical discussion of some of the components
that make up the race car and will compare them to their everyday vehicle
counterparts.
"In Episode 1 of the second-season premiere, you will catch
up with Ron Cappsand Tony Schumacher as they fight their way through the
U.S. Nationals in a whole new race for the championship. Also, you will meet
Erica Enders and Max Naylor as they try to balance the challenges of being race-car drivers on and off the track. And as Brut unveils its
new Brut Revolution Funny Car, viewers will discover the importance of
sponsorship in this expensive sport.
Episode 2 follows Capps, Naylor
and Enders as they deal with technical issues at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor
Speedway. From the clutch to the tires to the seat belts, no one is safe from
mechanical problems that ariseon the track. Crews and drivers race to
discover what glitch is keeping them from qualifying.
"We've received
an enormous amount of support from drag-racing fans and it makes the hard
work of creating a TV series really worth it," added Johnson.
"We strive to
remain true to the sport of NHRA drag racing. There's no script. The drivers,
their crew, friends and families tell the stories.We're just giving them a
new voice."
Tony Schumacher, the four-time NHRA Top Fuel champion, is a
fan of the show. "Having been involved with American Dragster in its infancy,
I can tell you that the show truly offers a rare inside look at the sport,"
he said."Viewers can really get a feel for the personalities involved with
the teams that are being featured. They can relate to the emotions the
drivers and crew guys experience throughout the season, be they highs or
lows."
Added Ron Capps, "The first season kind of went under the radar,
but with John Force's show on A&E and the DVD of the first season of
American Dragster available now, people are realizing that American Dragster
is an awesome show. The feedback is that people love it because there's so
much non-stop footage taken on the track and in the pits, so it's very
authenticand realistic. People often wonder what goes on behind the ropes in
the pit area, and there's nothing else that's been documented like American
Dragster where you see exactly what goes on in our pit areas and even in the
crewchief's lounges. We let the cameras roam around, so you get to see
some incredible footage."
"Nothing captures the behind-the-scenes
activities of the Jagermeister Racing Team like American Dragster and the
additional exposure to our sponsors is unrivaled," said Naylor.
Enders
is also enjoying the experience. "It has been really exciting working with
American Dragster," she said. "It has been interesting to have someone follow
me around and document on camera all of the things that happen duringa race.
I think it gives the viewer a unique opportunity to have an inside look at
what it is like being on tour that they would otherwise never know.The
viewer can experience the stresses that are involved, how busy we actually
are and the million directions we are constantly being pulled in.
They can
see what it is like to find sponsors, interact with fans and set
up hospitality for existing sponsors. I am very happy to be a part of
American Dragster and look forward to working with the AD guys this season
and beyond."
Viewers who missed the first season of "American
Dragster" can get caught up on the show by purchasing the First Season DVD
from www.americandragster.tv