NHRA TV ON PRIMETIME ESPN2

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. 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.


 

2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Television Schedule

 

Event                                                                    Air Date/Time

CARQUEST NHRA Winternationals                     Qualifying, 8-10 p.m., Feb. 9

Pomona, Calif.                                                        Eliminations, 7:30–11 p.m., Feb. 10

 

Checker Schuck’s Kragen NHRA Nationals           Qualifying, 2-3:30 a.m., Feb. 24

Phoenix                                                                  Qualifying (re-air), 11-12:30 a.m., Feb. 24

                                                                              Eliminations, 7–10 p.m., Feb. 24

 

ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals                             Qualifying, 1–3 a.m., March 16

Gainesville, Fla.                                                      Eliminations, 6–9 p.m., March 16

 

O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals                            Qualifying, 4:30-5 p.m., March 29

Houston                                                                 Qualifying, 10–11 p.m., March 29

                                                                              Eliminations, 4:30–7 p.m., March 30

 

NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals                      Qualifying, 8-10 p.m., April 12

Las Vegas                                                              Eliminations, 8–11 p.m., April 13

 

Summit Racing NHRA Southern Nationals              Qualifying, 6–8 p.m., April 26

Commerce, Ga.                                                      Eliminations, 7 – 10 p.m., April 27

 

O’Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals                        Qualifying, 9-11 p.m., May 3

St. Louis                                                                 Eliminations, 7-10 p.m., May 4

 

O’Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals              Qualifying, 6:30–8:30 p.m., May 17

Bristol, Tenn.                                                          Eliminations, 6:30–10 p.m., May 18

 

O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals                         Qualifying, 5:30–7:30 p.m., May 31

Topeka, Kan.                                                         Eliminations, 4–7 p.m., June 1

 

Torco Racing Fuels Route 66 NHRA Nationals      Qualifying, 5–7 p.m., June 7

Chicago                                                                  Eliminations, 5–7 p.m., June 8

 

NHRA SuperNationals                                           Qualifying, 11:30 p.m.–1:30 a.m., June 21

Englishtown, N.J.                                                    Eliminations, 7–10 p.m., June 22

 

Summit Racing NHRA Nationals                            Qualifying, 10 p.m.-12 midnight, June 28

Norwalk, Ohio                                                       Eliminations, 7–10 p.m., June 29

 

Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals                        Qualifying, 10 p.m. – Midnight, July 12

Denver                                                                   Eliminations, 8– 11 p.m., July 13

 

 

Schuck’s Auto Supply NHRA Nationals                 Qualifying, 8 – 9 p.m., July 19

Seattle                                                                    Eliminations, 9-Midnight, July 20

 

FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals                           Qualifying, 6–7:30 p.m., July 26

Sonoma, Calif.                                                        Eliminations, 7–10 p.m., July 27

 

Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals                                    Qualifying, 8:30–10:30 p.m., Aug. 9

Brainerd, Minn.                                                      Eliminations, 7–10 p.m., Aug. 10

 

Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals                                  Qualifying, 6–8 p.m., Aug. 16

Reading, Pa.                                                           Eliminations, 10 p.m.–1 a.m., Aug. 17

 

Mac Tools U.S. Nationals                                      Qualifying, 12:30–1:30 a.m., Aug. 31

Indianapolis                                                            Qualifying, Noon–3 p.m., Aug. 31

                                                                              Qualifying, 6-7 p.m., Aug. 31

                                                                              Eliminations, Noon–2 p.m., Sept. 1

                                                                              Eliminations, 7–10 p.m., Sept. 1

 

NHRA Carolinas Nationals                                     Qualifying, 10 p.m.–Midnight, Sept. 13

Charlotte, N.C.                                                      Eliminations, 7-10 p.m., Sept. 14

 

O’Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals                                Qualifying, 10 p.m.–Midnight, Sept. 20

Dallas                                                                     Eliminations, 7-10 p.m., Sept. 21

 

O’Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals                     Qualifying, 10 p.m.-Midnight, Sept. 27

Memphis, Tenn.                                                      Eliminations, 7–10 p.m., Sept. 28

 

Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals                     Qualifying, Midnight-1 a.m., Oct. 11

Richmond, Va.                                                       Eliminations, 7–10 p.m., Oct. 12

 

ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals                   Qualifying, 10 p.m.–Midnight, Nov. 1

Las Vegas                                                              Eliminations, 7–10 p.m., Nov. 2

 

Automobile Club NHRA Finals                               Qualifying, 10:30 p.m.–12:30 a.m., Nov. 15 Pomona, Calif.          

                                                                              Eliminations, 8–11 p.m., Nov. 16

 

* All times Eastern. Schedule subject to change. Please check local listings. 

 

 

NHRA Race Day (all times ET and on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD)

 

Start times for all 24 episodes will be 11 a.m. (ET) except NHRA Race Day from the Checker Schuck’s Kragen NHRA Nationals in Phoenix, which will air at 12:30 p.m.
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