NHRA Story » Chicago TV coverage offers early, late qualifying shows

NHRA 101: Your Guide to NHRA Drag Racing

In basic terms, a drag race is an acceleration contest between two vehicles over a measured distance, but what is a holeshot? Or a breakout? Welcome to NHRA 101, your complete guide to the world of NHRA Drag Racing, from the terminology of the sport to what you need to enjoy a day at the races to info on the many different vehicles that take to the track during a race weekend.
NHRA.com Features and Columns

There's more to drag racing than just two cars streaking down the strip. NHRA.com has a wide assortment of regular columns, including the DRAGSTER Insider -- in which ND Editor Phil Burgess treats you to "the stories behind the stories" from yesterday and today -- exclusive Driver Blogs that take you into the homes and trailers of the sport's top stars, and the NHRA.com Notebook. From this area, you also can access previous Special Sections, including special-edition websites and blogs as well as memorial pages.
Meet the Stars of the NHRA Mello Yello Series

Want more information on your favorite NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series drivers? NHRA.com has full bios on all the series regulars, including major accomplishments, best runs, hobbies, and more, plus team and driver website addresses and contact information in the fan-club sections.
Watch NHRA Drag Racing on TV

All 24 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events feature same-day television coverage on ESPN2 of the Professional-class action with play-by-play from motor racing veteran Dave Rieff and expert color commentary by former Top Fuel and Funny Car racer Mike Dunn. ESPN2 also offers coverage of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. NHRA Drag Racing also is aired in Canada on TSN.
The Sights and Sounds of NHRA Drag Racing

NHRA.com offers a wide array of multimedia features for you to enjoy the sights and sounds of NHRA Drag Racing. With video clips and photos from the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, the popular National Dragster Photo of the Week, and a gallery of .wav files for your computer, there's lots to see and hear in NHRA Multimedia.
Get Your Official NHRA Apparel and Merchandise

A wide range of NHRA-themed items is available for purchase online. The NitroMall is your one-stop spot for official NHRA merchandise, products from some of the teams of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, and more. The NHRA Store is the place to join NHRA and purchase specialty items and DVDs, and the NHRA Museum Store has items to satisfy history buffs, from vintage T-shirts to historical books.

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Chicago TV coverage offers early, late qualifying shows

Saturday, June 30, 2012

The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series is heating up as teams start a stretch of six races in eight weeks and four time zones. This will be the part of the regular season that starts to determine the top 10 in each of the Professional categories and the chance to compete in the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship.

The television schedule this week offers an early and very-late qualifying show on Saturday, followed by a re-air of the late-night qualifying show on Sunday morning. The schedule is a result of night qualifying at the O’Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by Super Start Batteries both Friday and Saturday. The early qualifying show is Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2, followed by the conclusion of qualifying several hours later at 3 a.m. ET. The late-night show will re-air the following day, on Sunday beginning at 11 a.m. ET.

The weekend concludes with Sunday’s three-hour broadcast in prime time on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD starting at 6 p.m. ET.

Here’s what viewers can expect when they tune in this weekend:

The popular feature Sports Science, which is on ESPN’s SportsCenter, has taken the last few months to explore NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing. Specifically, the show will explain how Top Fuel machines reach speeds of more than 330 mph. How do they do it?

Ron Capps is trying to become the second NHRA Funny Car driver to reach seven straight final rounds in the same season. If he is successful this weekend, he will tie NHRA Funny Car legend John Force, who did it twice in 1996. Can Capps stay on his remarkable roll?

ESPN2 sits down with Pro Stock drivers Mike Edwards and Allen Johnson to ask about their exciting finish in the final round in Bristol, where Edwards won by a .0000-second margin, making it one of the closest finishes in NHRA history. What are the emotions when you literally win by a hair?

This week’s Prestone Ask the Expert question is for NHRA owner and former NHRA Funny Car driver Don Schumacher, a Chicago-area native. You can ask Don about his racing experiences or the challenges of being the owner of multicar teams in both NHRA Top Fuel and NHRA Funny Car. Email your question to NHRA’s Facebook page, and it may be picked to air during Sunday’s telecast on ESPN2.

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