NHRA News: ESPN to televise more than 100 hours of the 23-race NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series in 2004 (2/2/2004)

ESPN to televise more than 100 hours of the 23-race NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series in 2004

2/2/2004

NHRA and ESPN, Inc., will continue their partnership in presenting the fast-paced excitement of the world's most sensory-filled motorsports experience to millions of viewers in 2004.

ESPN and ESPN2 will dedicate more than 100 hours of original programming to feature the NHRA's marquee 23-event nationwide circuit, the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

It is the fourth year of an exclusive five-year agreement between ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports, and NHRA, the world's largest motorsports sanctioning organization.

"We are pleased with our ongoing relationship with ESPN and ESPN2," said Tom Compton, president of NHRA. "They have played an important role in the growth of NHRA POWERade Drag Racing by delivering high quality programming to our current and ever-expanding fan base around the country."

The NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series telecasts will be highlighted by more than 10 hours of coverage dedicated to the historic 50th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, Sept. 1-6. Each POWERade Series event will include at least four hours of coverage.

All NHRA POWERade Series races will be telecast on a live or same-day basis, mostly on ESPN2. Four of the 23 races will feature some qualifying or elimination coverage on ESPN.

The on-air talent will continue their in-depth reporting of the action on the drag strip to the newsworthy events in the pit area. Veteran motorsports announcer Marty Reid will continue to anchor the NHRA POWERade Series telecasts and will be joined in the booth by former Funny Car and Top Fuel racer Mike Dunn, who is entering his third consecutive season as co-host. Bill Stephens, Dave Rieff and Parker Johnstone will continue to report all of the action from the pits.

NHRA POWERade Series coverage will be complimented by 41 half-hour episodes of NHRA 2Day, NHRA's weekly news magazine show, hosted by Stephens, that will air each Sunday on ESPN2. NHRA 2Day will kick-off its 2004 season on Feb. 15 and continue a weekly schedule until the final episode of the season on Nov. 21.

ESPN, Inc. is the world's leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring a portfolio of more than 40 multimedia sports assets. The company is comprised of seven domestic television networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Now, ESPN Today), ESPN HD, ESPN Regional Television, ESPN International (networks and syndication), ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, SportsTicker, ESPN Enterprises, ESPN Zones (sports-themed restaurants), and other growing new businesses including ESPN Broadband, ESPN Wireless, ESPN Video-on-Demand, ESPN Interactive and ESPN PPV. Based in Bristol, Conn., ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN.

NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series 2004 Television Schedule*
(original air dates/times)

EVENT NETWORK TIME/AIR DATE

K&N Filters Winernationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 10 p.m. - midnight (ET), Feb. 21

Pomona, Calif. ESPN2 Eliminations, 10 p.m.-midnight (ET), Feb. 22

Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 11 p.m. - 1 a.m. (ET), March 6

Phoenix ESPN2 Eliminations, 7-10 p.m. (ET), March 7

Mac Tools NHRA Gatornationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 2:30-4:30 a.m. (ET), March 21

Gainesville, Fla. ESPN2 Eliminations, 11:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. (ET), March 21

NHRA Summitracing.com Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 10 p.m.-midnight (ET), April 3

Las Vegas ESPN2 Eliminations, 11 p.m.-1 a.m. (ET), April 4

O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 10 p.m.-midnight (ET), April 17

Houston ESPN2 Eliminations, 5-7 p.m. (ET), April 18

O'Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 7:30-9 p.m. (ET), May 1

Bristol, Tenn. ESPN2 Eliminations, 4-7 p.m. (ET), May 2

Summit Racing Equipment Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 7-9 p.m. (ET), May 15

Atlanta ESPN2 Eliminations, 7-10 p.m. (ET), May 16

Route 66 NHRA Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 7-9 p.m. (ET), May 22

Chicago ESPN2 Eliminations, 7-10 p.m. (ET), May 23

O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 8-10 p.m. (ET), May 29

Topeka, Kan. ESPN2 Eliminations, 4-6 p.m. (ET), May 30

Pontiac Excitement NHRA Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 6-7 p.m. (ET), June 12

Columbus, Ohio ESPN2 Eliminations, 3-6 p.m. (ET), June 13

K&N Filters SuperNationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 6-8 p.m. (ET), June 19

Englishtown, N.J. ESPN Eliminations, 5-7 p.m. (ET). June 20

Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 10-11 p.m. (ET), June 26

St. Louis ESPN2 Eliminations, 9-11:30 p.m. (ET), June 27

Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 8-10 p.m. (ET), July 17

Denver ESPN2 Eliminations, 9 -11:30 p.m. (ET), July 18

CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals ESPN Qualifying, 8-10 p.m. (ET), July 24

Seattle ESPN2 Eliminations, 7-10 p.m. (ET), July 25

FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 7-9 p.m. (ET), July 31

Sonoma, Calif. ESPN2 Eliminations, 7-10 p.m. (ET), Aug. 1

Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 10:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. (ET), Aug. 14

Brainerd, Minn. ESPN2 Eliminations, 7-10 p.m. (ET), Aug. 15

O'Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 10 p.m.-midnight (ET), Aug. 21

Memphis, Tenn. ESPN2 Eliminations, 10 p.m.- midnight (ET), Aug. 22

Mac Tools U.S. Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 8-9 p.m. (ET), Sept. 4

Indianapolis ESPN Qualifying, 1-3 p.m. (ET), Sept. 5

ESPN2 Qualifying, 5-8 p.m. (ET), Sept. 5

ESPN2 Eliminations, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (ET), Sept. 6

ESPN2 Eliminations, 7-10 p.m. (ET), Sept. 6

Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 4-6 p.m. (ET), Sept. 18

Reading, Pa. ESPN2 Eliminations, 4-7 p.m. (ET), Sept. 19

O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals ESPN Qualifying, 4-6 p.m. (ET), Sept. 25

Dallas ESPN2 Eliminations, 11 p.m. - 1 a.m. (ET), Sept. 26

CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 4-5 p.m. (ET), Oct. 2

Chicago ESPN Eliminations, 2-3 p.m. (ET), Oct. 3

ESPN2 Eliminations, 8-10 p.m. (ET), Oct. 3

ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals ESPN2 Qualifying, 8-9 p.m. (ET), Oct. 30

Las Vegas ESPN2 Eliminations, 7-10 p.m. (ET), Oct. 31

Auto Club NHRA Finals ESPN2 Qualifying, 8-9 p.m. (ET), Nov. 13

Pomona, Calif. ESPN2 Eliminations, 6-9 p.m. (ET), Nov. 14

*times subject to change/check local listings

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