Thu, 21 Feb 2013, 19:39 PM NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Returns to ESPN2 in 2013

Courtesy of NHRA Communications

GLENDORA, Calif. -- The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series will again be televised in 16 one-hour shows on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD, with coverage from select NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series national events, it was announced today by the world's largest motorsports sanctioning organization. The popular NHRA Sportsman Spotlights, focusing on NHRA's Member Track network, will be showcased as part of the race-coverage telecasts.

The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series coverage will air on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD on a tape-delay basis as part of NHRA's relationship with ESPN, in its second decade as the exclusive home of NHRA Drag Racing. All 16 telecasts will air on Saturday or Sunday. The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series has a long-standing tradition of serving as a highly-competitive developmental arena for the future stars of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

Returning as anchor of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series telecasts will be long-time NHRA announcer Dave Rieff. Rieff has been involved for many years with NHRA coverage on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. The color analyst role for the shows will be filled by a rotation of two veteran NHRA announcers, Alan Reinhart and Bill Stephens. Reinhart, whose announcing career spans more than two decades, has been the lead public address announcer of Lucas Oil Series racing at national events and brings extensive knowledge of the series and its competitors. Stephens has been involved with NHRA on the ESPN telecasts for many years and returns to the sport in 2013 both on-site as a public address announcer and in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series telecasts. ESPN2 is now available in nearly 100 million households.

The popular NHRA Sportsman Spotlight segments will continue in 2013. The segments will showcase unique and interesting stories from NHRA Member Tracks in each of the sanctioning body's seven divisions as well as focus on the different racing programs available for the weekly NHRA enthusiast. Two new faces will be a part of the special feature in 2013. Lewis Bloom, currently involved in the NHRA Mello Yello telecasts on ESPN and best known as "Stat Guy," will split duties with Reinhart, as they will visit the member tracks and share their reports with viewers during the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series telecasts on ESPN2.

2013 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Television Schedule

Event                                           Air Date, Time
O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals        Saturday, March 2; 8-9 a.m.
Pomona, Calif.

Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals                  Saturday, March 23; 11 p.m.-Midnight
Gainesville, Fla.

SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals                 Saturday, April 14; 11 a.m.-Noon
Las Vegas

Dollar General NHRA Four-Wide Nationals         Sunday, April 28; 5-6 p.m.
Fueled by Full Throttle
Charlotte, N.C.

O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA SpringNationals        Sunday, May 5; 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Houston

NHRA Kansas Nationals                           Sunday, May 26: 11 a.m.-Noon
Topeka, Kan.

O'Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals     Sunday, July 7; 6-7 p.m.
Chicago

Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals          Sunday, July 14; 11 a.m.-Noon
Norwalk, Ohio

O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals    Sunday, Aug. 11; 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Seattle

Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals                        Sunday, Aug. 25: 11 p.m.-Midnight
Brainerd, Minn.

NHRA U.S. Nationals                             Sunday, Sept. 8; 10-11 a.m.
Indianapolis

NHRA Nationals                                  Saturday, Sept. 21; 9-10 a.m.
Charlotte, N.C.

AAA Texas NHRA Fall Nationals                   Sunday, Sept. 29; 2-3 p.m.
Dallas

Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals                        Sunday, Oct. 13: 3-4 p.m.
Reading, Pa.

NHRA Nationals                                  Sunday, Nov. 3; 1-2 p.m.
Las Vegas

Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals   Sunday, Nov. 17; 1-2 p.m.
Pomona, Calif.

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