Thu, 24 Jan 2002, 06:16 PM NHRA, ESPN Enter Second Year of Five-Year TV Partnership |
Courtesy of NHRA Communications |
GLENDORA, Calif. -- The National Hot Rod Association and ESPN Inc. will continue to present the fast-paced excitement of the world's most sensory-filled motorsports experience to millions of viewers in 2002.
ESPN and its family of networks will dedicate more than 110 hours of original programming to the 23-event, $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series in 2002. It is the second year of an exclusive five-year agreement between ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports, and the NHRA, the world's largest motorsports sanctioning organization.
"Based on the positive feedback we received from fans, racers, sponsors and ESPN executives concerning the success of our television package in 2001, we're certainly anxious to embark on the 2002 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing season," said Tom Compton, NHRA president.
The NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series broadcasts will be highlighted by nearly 11 hours of coverage dedicated to the prestigious Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis over Labor Day weekend. Combined with the 41 half-hour episodes of NHRA 2Day, coverage of the NHRA Sportsman Series and the 2002 NHRA Summit Sport Compact Drag Racing Series, ESPN and ESPN2 are scheduled to provide more than 150 hours of NHRA coverage.
Veteran motorsports announcer Marty Reid will continue to anchor the telecasts and will be joined in the booth by new race analyst Mike Dunn, an experienced NHRA driver in both Top Fuel and Funny Car who has earned 22 victories during his career. Bill Stephens and Dave Rieff will continue their duties reporting all the action in the pits. New to the team will be open wheel racing expert Parker Johnstone, who was introduced to drag racing last season when he worked as a pit reporter at the NHRA national event in Sonoma, Calif. Johnstone has worked with ESPN since 1999. The telecasts will be produced Shawn Murphy.
"We look forward to beginning our second season of exclusive NHRA coverage and building upon the growth we experienced last year," said Burke Magnus, ESPN Director of Motorsports Programming & Acquisitions. "We are excited to explore new story angles, ideas and technological elements in an effort to continue to enhance our telecasts."
NHRA POWERADE DRAG RACING SERIES 2002 TELEVISION SCHEDULE
EVENT NETWORK AIR DATE/TIME
K&N Filters Winternationals ESPN Qualifying, 4:30-6 p.m. (ET), Feb. 9
Pomona, Calif. ESPN2 Qualifying, 6-7 p.m. (ET), Feb. 9
ESPN Eliminations, 5-7 p.m. (ET), Feb. 10
Checker Schuck's Kragen Nat. ESPN2 Qualifying, 9-11 p.m. (ET), Feb. 23
Phoenix ESPN2 Eliminations, 7-10 p.m. (ET), Feb. 24
Mac Tools Gatornationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 8-10 p.m. (ET), March 16
Gainesville, Fla. ESPN2 Eliminations, 5-7 p.m. (ET), March 17
SummitRacing.com Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying 8-10:30 p.m. (ET), April 6
Las Vegas ESPN2 Eliminations, 10 p.m.-Midnight (ET), April 7
O'Reilly Spring Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 9:30 p.m.-Midnight (ET), April 13
Houston ESPN2 Eliminations, 8-10 p.m. (ET), April 14
Mac Tools Thunder Valley Nat. ESPN2 Qualifying, 8-10 p.m. (ET), April 27
Bristol, Tenn. ESPN2 Eliminations, 5:30-7:30 p.m. (ET), April 28
NHRA Southern Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 9-11 p.m. (ET), May 4
Atlanta ESPN2 Eliminations, 5:30-7:30 p.m. (ET), May 5
Matco Tools Supernationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 8-9 p.m. (ET), May 18
Englishtown, N.J. ESPN2 Eliminations, 7-10 p.m. (ET), May 19
O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals ESPN Qualifying 4-6 p.m. (ET), May 25
Topeka, Kan. ESPN Eliminations, 4-6 p.m. (ET), May 26
Route 66 NHRA Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 9:30-11:30 p.m. (ET), June 1
Chicago ESPN2 Eliminations, 8-10 p.m. (ET), June 2
Pontiac Excitement Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 9:30-11:30 p.m. (ET), June 15
Columbus, Ohio ESPN2 Eliminations, 8-10 p.m. (ET), June 16
Sears Craftsman Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 9-11 p.m. (ET), June 29
St. Louis ESPN2 Eliminations, 8-10 p.m. (ET), June 30
Mopar Parts Mile-High Nationals ESPN Qualifying, 7-9 p.m. (ET), July 20
Denver ESPN2 Eliminations, 6-9 p.m. (ET), July 21
Lucas Oil Northwest Nationals ESPN Qualifying, 8-10 p.m. (ET), July 27
Seattle ESPN2 Eliminations, 8-10 p.m. (ET), July 28
FRAM Autolite Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 9-10 p.m. (ET), Aug. 3
Sonoma, Calif. ESPN2 Eliminations, 7-10 p.m. (ET), Aug. 4
Colonels Truck Accessories Nat. ESPN2 Qualifying, 7-9 p.m. (ET), Aug. 17
Brainerd, Minn. ESPN2 Eliminations, 9-11 p.m. (ET), Aug. 18
Mac Tools U.S. Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 4:30-5:30 p.m. (ET), Aug. 31
Indianapolis ESPN2 Qualifying, 1-2 a.m. (ET), Sept. 1
ESPN2 Qualifying, 1-3 p.m. (ET), Sept. 1
ESPN2 Qualifying, 7-10 p.m. (ET), Sept. 1
ESPN2 Eliminations, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (ET), Sept. 2
ESPN2 Eliminations, 10-11:30 p.m. (ET), Sept. 2
NHRA Keystone Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 4-5:30 p.m. (ET), Sept. 14
Reading, Pa. ESPN2 Eliminations, 4:30-7 p.m. (ET), Sept. 15
O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 1-2:30 a.m. (ET), Sept. 22
Memphis, Tenn. ESPN2 Eliminations 4-5:30 p.m. (ET), Sept 22
ESPN Eliminations 5:30-7 p.m. (ET), Sept. 22
NHRA Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 4-5:30 p.m. (ET), Sept. 28
Chicago ESPN2 Eliminations, 8-10:30 p.m. (ET), Sept. 29
O'Reilly Fall Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 4-5:30 p.m. (ET), Oct. 12
Dallas ESPN2 Eliminations, 7:30-10 p.m. (ET), Oct. 13
ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 10:30 p.m.-Midnight (ET), Oct. 26
Las Vegas ESPN2 Eliminations, 7:30-10 p.m. (ET), Oct. 27
Auto Club NHRA Finals ESPN2 Qualifying, 8-10 p.m. (ET), Nov. 9
Pomona, Calif. ESPN2 Eliminations, 8-10 p.m. (ET), Nov. 10
NHRA 2DAY
41 episodes between Feb. 3-Nov. 10
Air on ESPN2 every Sunday, 11-11:30 a.m. (ET), except:
March 30, May 17, June 28, and Aug. 23, the show will air on ESPN2 at 7:30-8 p.m.
(ET).
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