ESPN Acquires Jayski.com: ESPN has acquired Jayski.com - one of the top NASCAR information sites on the Internet. Jayski, who began the site in 1996, will continue to operate Jayski.com, which counts top NASCAR crew chiefs, drivers and owners among its regular visitors. The site has seen tremendous growth in the past three years and is now considered one of the most influential web sites in the sport. Jayski has gained a reputation for consistently breaking industry stories and serving as the ultimate resource and trackside companion for NASCAR fans. Jayski.com will remain an independent voice on ESPN.com and complement the site's revamped NASCAR editorial section, providing NASCAR fans the most comprehensive coverage of the sport on the Internet.
"Jayski.com is, day-in and day-out, one of the most distinctive, authoritative voices for NASCAR fans online," said John Kosner, senior vice president and general manager, ESPN New Media. "Few developments for ESPN are more exciting than getting back into NASCAR, and doing so with one of the most dialed-in NASCAR insiders in the business. Jay's fan perspective informs everything he writes; he's a must-read for any serious NASCAR enthusiast."
Jayski.com's relationship with ESPN extends back to 2004, when ESPN began hosting the website. Jayski and partner Mark Garrow will serve as contributors for NASCAR coverage across all ESPN media - including on-air, online and radio and podcasting. "I am proud to be associated with ESPN, especially as they expand their role in NASCAR," said Jayski. "I'll still be running the site, but with the support of ESPN, we'll have the resources to grow Jayski.com to serve NASCAR fans even better than it already does."
Jayski.com features more than 1,500 pages of content on NASCAR Nextel Cup, the Busch Series and Truck Series. Some of the most popular features of the site include Jayski's NASCAR News and Rumors, Team Pages and the Jayski Paint Scheme section. ESPN.com's core NASCAR news, information and feature coverage is anchored by award-winning writers Terry Blount and David Newton, with contributions from Rusty Wallace, Marty Smith and Angelique Chengelis.(ESPN PR)(4-2-2007)
AP/Sports Business Journal Article: ESPN has acquired Jayski.com, a website that collects NASCAR news, rumors, links, information and statistics. Jayski.com founder Jay Adamczyk, who created the site in 1996 for a class project and made it his full-time job in 1999, will continue to accumulate the bountiful supply of information that fills Jayski.com's 1,500 pages, which cover everything from breaking news to team pages to new paint schemes and television ratings. ESPN.com has served as the host server for Jayski.com since 2004. Terms of the deal were not available. Adamczyk said he had a pair of analysts look at his ad revenue and site traffic to determine a value. John Kosner, senior vice president and general manager of ESPN new media, said he wouldn't tinker too much with Adamczyk's homespun site. Viewers might see more standard Internet banners and ad units, but the content will remain in Adamczyk's hands. "The assumption is that if you make a deal with ESPN, your site is going to look like ESPN," Kosner said. "But Jay has hit on a successful formula. We don't have to reinvent the wheel here. With the Internet, everything is trackable, you can see people's behavior, you know what works." Adamczyk said Jayski.com has been experiencing its most successful period during the first quarter. February produced 17 million page views, aided largely by the Daytona 500, he said, including 1 million unique hits, which marked the first time he had reached 1 million in a month. ESPN first struck a relationship with Jayski.com in late 2004. The network became a host server for the site and began to help with ad sales in January 2005. A Jayski.com link was created on ESPN.com's NASCAR page and ESPN received prominent placement on the Web site's home page. When ESPN acquired the rights to televise half of the Nextel Cup schedule and the full Busch Series slate, which began this year, it revamped the ESPN.com motorsports page and hired more reporters. The purchase of Jayski.com fits into that broader strategy of upgrading its NASCAR coverage, Kosner said. Adamczyk and his partner, Mark Garrow, will serve as contributors for NASCAR coverage on all of ESPN's media, including on-air, online, radio and podcasting. Adamczyk, a computer programmer who has not attended a race in nearly three years, will contribute his reports by phone. "I don't like crowds, I don't like the traffic," Adamczyk said. "There's so much more I can do here in front of my computer. I'm not a reporter who needs to go interview a bunch of people. I'm a web dude who puts it all together." Adamczyk works out of his home in Mooresville, N.C. Michael Smith is a reporter with SportsBusiness Journal.(Sporting News/SportsBusiness Journal)(4-2-2007)

ESPN's Hannah Storm Goes In-Depth with Four of NASCAR's Best: With the 2012 NASCAR season nearing the finish line, four of the sport's biggest stars will open their lives to fans in a one-hour conversation special with ESPN SportsCenter anchor Hannah Storm on Tuesday, Nov. 6, at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. SportsCenter Special: NASCAR Face-to-Face with Hannah Storm, will feature NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart. Viewers will get an up-close look at their lives away from the track through a blend of conversation and access as they near the end of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, with Johnson and Keselowski locked in a battle for the 2012 series championship. NASCAR will be the fourth subject in Storm's Face-to-Face series on ESPN, which in previous editions focused on the NBA, the NFL and NFL player Tim Tebow. The program re-airs Thursday, Nov. 8, at 8 p.m. on ESPN2.(ESPN PR)(11-1-2012)

Edwards on SportsCenter after each Chase race: ESPN's flagship news and information program SportsCenter will air immediately following the nine Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup events airing on ESPN with expanded post-race coverage, including exclusive interviews with the race winners. ESPN NASCAR analyst Ricky Craven will be in the SportsCenter studio for the post-race analysis and as he has done for the past two years, NASCAR Sprint Cup driver #99-Carl Edwards will join SportsCenter live from the track following each Chase race with additional analysis from the perspective of a driver who just competed in the event.(ESPN)(9-15-2012)

Chicago Kicks Off Chase for NASCAR Sprint Cup: The 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup begins at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday, Sept. 16, and ESPN will have a live telecast of the 400-mile race on the 1.5-mile track. NASCAR Countdown airs at 1:00pm/et with the race’s green flag at 2:16pm/et. Also from Chicagoland, ESPN2 airs NASCAR Sprint Cup practice sessions on Friday at 1:00 pm/et and 4:00pm/et. All NASCAR programming on ESPN and ESPN2 is also available on computers, smartphones and tablets with the WatchESPN app and WatchESPN.com.
NASCAR Now Weekend Wrap-up Program Begins Sunday: ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program NASCAR Now will expand its schedule with a weekly one-hour weekend wrap-up program coinciding with the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The first edition airs Sunday night, Sept. 16, at 11:30 pm/et. NASCAR Now will preview that day’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway in the one-hour edition that airs earlier that day at 8:00am/et. Host Mike Massaro will be joined in the studio by ESPN NASCAR analyst Ricky Craven and reporters Marty Smith and Shannon Spake will check in from the track. ESPN.com motorsports writer David Newton will report from Chicagoland.(ESPN)(9-11-2012)

Kid Rock Amps Up ESPN’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Coverage: Renowned singer-songwriter and musician Kid Rock will lend both his presence and his music to ESPN’s telecasts of the 10 races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, which begins with this Sunday’s event at Chicagoland Speedway. ESPN’s coverage from Chicagoland begins at 1:00pm/et with NASCAR Countdown. Kid Rock, who has been a fan of NASCAR for more than a decade, will narrate and appear in the opening teases of the telecasts of the 10 races, with each tease tailored to the racetrack hosting that week’s event. Kid Rock's music will be featured throughout the campaign, including sneak peeks at his yet-to-be-titled new album and hits from his catalogue. “Kid Rock brings rock stardom to a sport that has its own rock stars,” said Rich Feinberg, ESPN vice president, motorsports, production. “His music appeals to a cross-section of America and is a perfect fit for our NASCAR coverage.” Also known for his philanthropy, Kid Rock is especially connected to the U.S. military and is a regular supporter of Operation Homefront, the USO and Operation Finally Home, all organizations to assist members of the armed forces and their families.(ESPN)(9-11-2012)

Bristol TV coverage affected in some markets UPDATE add Miami:
NASCAR fans in six affected markets will be able to watch ABC's telecast of Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway on alternate channels through arrangements made by the local ABC affiliates. The ABC affiliates in the six markets will be airing NFL preseason games Saturday night rather than the NASCAR race but with the alternate channels in each market, the race telecast will still be available nationwide. ABC's coverage begins with NASCAR Countdown at 7:00pm/et.
In four of the affected markets, the race telecast will air on ESPN, including Buffalo, Tulsa, Weslaco, Tex., and Quincy, Ill.
In Detroit, ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV will move the race telecast to its digital tier 2 channel and then join the race in progress when the Detroit Lions preseason game ends.
In Rochester, N.Y., ABC affiliate WHAM-TV will move the race telecast to its digital tier 2 channel.
ABC affiliates in Little Rock, Ark., Corpus Christi, Tex., and Omaha, Neb., will pre-empt NASCAR Countdown at 7:00pm/et for local news but will join the ABC telecast at 7:30pm/et. UPDATE: Due to hurricane coverage, ABC affiliate in Miami not airing race tonight – it will be on ESPN in Miami. The race's green flag is scheduled for 7:43 pm/et.(ESPN)(8-22/25-2012)

Sprint Cup Racing Coming to ESPN for Second Half of Season: The Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, one of the premier events in NASCAR, will be the launching point for ESPN's live, flag-to-flag telecasts of the final 17 races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season on Sunday, July 29.
ESPN's multimedia platforms will surround the race telecasts on television, radio, online and on mobile devices. Of the 17 races, 14 will air on ESPN and WatchESPN and three Saturday night events will air on ABC, and ESPN's flagship news and information program SportsCenter will follow the 14 ESPN race telecasts with additional post-race interviews, highlights and information.
Beginning Sept. 16 at Chicagoland Speedway, the final 10 races will comprise the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, NASCAR's playoffs, culminating Nov. 18 at Homestead-Miami Speedway with the crowning of the series champion.
For the 10 races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, ESPN will again utilize NASCAR NonStop, a split-screen commercial format that brings more racing action to viewers. The format, which ESPN used for the first time in 2011, shows the advertisement on the left side of the screen and a continuation of racing action on the right side. ESPN's scoring ticker continues to move across the top of the screen, allowing NASCAR fans to follow the running order of the race during the breaks. NASCAR NonStop takes effect at or near the halfway point of the race, with the first half of the race presented in the traditional commercial break format.
ESPN's NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage team will include four former NASCAR Sprint Cup champions, led by analyst Dale Jarrett, the 1999 driving champion, who will work with two-time champion crew chief Andy Petree and lap-by-lap announcer Allen Bestwick in the booth. Rusty Wallace, the 1989 driving champion, and three-time champion crew chief Ray Evernham will be analysts for NASCAR Countdown with host Nicole Briscoe and analyst Brad Daugherty, a NASCAR team owner.
Pit reporters during ESPN's 17-race NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage will be Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro, Dr. Jerry Punch, Shannon Spake and Vince Welch while Marty Reid will be the lap-by-lap announcer for the remainder of ESPN's NASCAR Nationwide Series race telecasts beginning with Indianapolis.(ESPN)(7-23-2012)

ESPN closes Tech Garage: Since 2007, younger NASCAR fans know Tim Brewer … stationed inside the ESPN Tech Garage at both Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series races carried by the network. ESPN made a larger commitment of resources to the Nationwide Series telecasts than any network before. That included Brewer's mobile garage and a full infield studio of three on-air personalities. ESPN … has confirmed that Brewer's recent hiatus from the Nationwide Series coverage will be permanent. ESPN returns to Sprint Cup Series coverage in July with the Brickyard 400. The Tech Garage will also not be part of that coverage. This year the final seventeen Cup Series races will be without Brewer on TV. "It has been a great feature of our NASCAR coverage," said a network spokesman. "We will continue to look for places to showcase the garage where appropriate." That means that while ESPN did not sell the Tech Garage, the unit is parked. Unfortunately this also affects more ESPN team members than just Brewer. In addition to the camera crew inside the studio, the Tech Garage also had "runners" who grabbed damaged pieces of cars during the race and brought them back for Brewer to explain.(Daly Planet)(6-27-2012)

ESPN shooting NASCAR ad in Kannapolis NC: Film crews from ESPN are taking advantage of race week in Cabarrus County to shoot a commercial featuring NASCAR drivers. Officials were setting up at the Gem Theatre in Kannapolis on Tuesday morning, gearing up for the film shoot. Officials said a crew of more than 60 were working on the commercials, which would feature several NASCAR drivers. Officials declined to elaborate on the plot of the commercial or which drivers would be used, but did confirm the commercial was for ESPN. Kannapolis Police Department blocked of the street in front of the Gem Theatre, which rentral trucks and other vehicles hauling camera equipment blocking off West 1st Street, Kannapolis. The film crew were also filming at First Baptist Church, using a room in the church to double as a press conference meeting (Independent Tribune)(5-23-2012)

Daugherty Picks Up Speed, Experience In Second Martinsville Speedway Test: Brad Daugherty finished his second day of behind-the-wheel training at Martinsville Speedway Thursday with a smile on his face and more speed in his future. The 7-foot-1 former NBA star and current ESPN racing analyst tested his National Auto Sport Association truck on the difficult Martinsville half-mile Thursday, following up a similar test in November. Daugherty has been racing for more than a decade, but said the two Martinsville visits have stepped up his game. Daugherty, was getting some tutoring from fellow ESPN analyst Andy Petree, who was a NASCAR Sprint Cup championship crew chief, and drove several races at Martinsville in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Daugherty’s NASA schedule will consist entirely of road courses, but he said Martinsville’s tight turns offer up similarities to road racing. Daugherty and Petree shut down their trucks a bit early so they could shoot part of ESPN’s daily racing show, NASCAR Now, live from the infield. Daugherty said while the day was enjoyable and a boost to his driving skills, any actual racing experience helps his on-air credibility. Tickets are on sale for October races and may be purchased by calling 877.RACE.TIX or online at www.martinsvillespeedway.com.(Martinsville Speedway)(4-20-2012)

Austin Dillon Featured in New ESPN NASCAR Spot: Rising young NASCAR star Austin Dillon and the legendary black #3 made famous by the late Dale Earnhardt are featured in a new ESPN promotional spot entitled “The Next Generation” that will begin airing next week. The 21-year-old Dillon is the leading rookie in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. All 33 races in the series will air on ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC this season and Dillon is the second Nationwide Series driver this year to be featured by ESPN in its promotional campaign for the series, joining 2011 series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. The 30-second spot, which continues ESPN’s “Names Are Made Here” marketing campaign for the NASCAR Nationwide Series, traces Dillon’s career through go karts, dirt tracks and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where he was series champion last year. At the end of the spot, a team member opens a garage door to reveal the #3 car that Dillon is driving this season. “Here you go, Austin,” the man says. “She’s ready when you are.” The #3, owned by Dillon’s grandfather, longtime NASCAR team owner Richard Childress, has returned to regular use on a car this year for the first time since Earnhardt’s death in the 2001 Daytona 500 and the new ESPN spot reflects the magnitude of the return of the number. Dillon won the Truck Series championship last year driving a Childress-owned #3 truck. The spot was produced by Wieden + Kennedy New York and will run across ESPN platforms.(ESPN)(4-8-2012)

ESPN'S NASCAR Coverage Set to Take Green Flag at Daytona: ESPN's coverage of the 2012 NASCAR season launches with a live, flag-to-flag telecast of the NASCAR Nationwide Series season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, Feb. 25, on ESPN. The telecast is presented by GoDaddy.com and begins at noon ET with NASCAR Countdown. The 300-mile race's green flag flies at 1:34 pm/et.
All 33 races on the NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule this season will appear on ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC. ESPN also will televise the final 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races of the season, including all 10 races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Fourteen of the 17 races will air on ESPN, with three Saturday night races appearing on ABC. ESPN's NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage begins July 29 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway while the Chase begins Sept. 16 at Chicagoland Speedway.
In addition to race coverage for both series, the networks also will televise practice and qualifying from select races, season preview and review programs and a special Chase preview. Races include NASCAR Countdown, a dedicated pre-race program, and comprehensive coverage of NASCAR appears on ESPN2's NASCAR news and information program, NASCAR Now.
All of ESPN's NASCAR television content is also viewable digitally through WatchESPN and WatchESPN.com, the groundbreaking online-accessible authenticated version of ESPN. WatchESPN is available on computers, smartphones and tablets through WatchESPN.com and the free WatchESPN app, which are accessible to fans who receive their video service from an affiliated provider.
ESPN's team of announcers has five former NASCAR Sprint Cup champions in analyst roles in 2012, including 1999 champion driver Dale Jarrett and 1989 champion Rusty Wallace. Two-time champion crew chiefs Tim Brewer and Andy Petree also will offer expert analysis during the season while three-time champion crew chief Ray Evernham returns to ESPN this season after taking the 2011 season off.
Lap-by-lap announcer Allen Bestwick will join Jarrett and Petree in the booth for race telecasts, with pit reporters Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Dr. Jerry Punch and Vince Welch. From the ESPN Pit Studio, Nicole Briscoe will host NASCAR Countdown with analysts Wallace and Brad Daugherty, joined by Evernham for selected races, mostly in the second half of the season. Brewer will report from the Emmy-winning ESPN Tech Garage during race telecasts to help viewers better understand the technical and mechanical aspects of NASCAR racing.
Marty Reid will step into the lap-by-lap announcer position for NASCAR Nationwide Series telecasts once ESPN's NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage begins, with Bestwick calling the Cup races. Reid also will call selected Nationwide Series races in the first half of the season while continuing his role as lap-by-lap announcer for ESPN on ABC's telecasts of the IZOD IndyCar Series. Wallace, Evernham and NASCAR Now analyst Ricky Craven also will help call some races from the booth as fill-ins for Jarrett and Petree. NASCAR Now co-hosts Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake will work as pit reporters for selected races as will Rick DeBruhl, a pit reporter on ESPN's coverage of the IZOD IndyCar Series, and Jim Noble.
ESPN's NASCAR race telecasts will be produced under the oversight of ESPN vice president, motorsports, Rich Feinberg and coordinating producer Kate Jackson. NASCAR Sprint Cup races and selected Nationwide Series races will be produced by Jamie Shiftan while Jim Gaiero will produce other Nationwide Series races. Richie Basile will be director. ESPN's multimedia approach to coverage of NASCAR touches multiple ESPN platforms, including ESPN, ESPN HD, ESPN2, ESPN2 HD, ABC, ABC HD, WatchESPN, ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Classic, ESPN Deportes, ESPNEWS, ESPN Radio, ESPN International, ESPN Mobile, espnW and Jayski.com.(NASCAR on ESPN:)(2-25-2012)

Evernham Returns to ESPN as NASCAR Analyst: Three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion crew chief Ray Evernham is returning to ESPN as a NASCAR analyst for the 2012 season. Evernham will join ESPN’s team at Daytona Speedweeks and will be part of NASCAR Countdown before the NASCAR Nationwide Series race that airs on ESPN on Saturday, Feb. 25, at 12noon/et. He also will appear on NASCAR Now and SportsCenter from Daytona as ESPN’s multimedia platforms surround the opening of the NASCAR season. Evernham will be an analyst on NASCAR Countdown for many of the 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup races that will appear on ESPN networks in the second half of the season. In addition to his work on NASCAR Now and SportsCenter, he will help call several NASCAR Nationwide Series races from the booth. Evernham was an analyst for ESPN from 2008-2010 but left prior to the 2011 season when he took a consulting position with Hendrick Companies, a management company that oversees strategic initiatives for chairman Rick Hendrick, who also owns Hendrick Motorsports. "I chose to take a year off from ESPN out of respect for ESPN and Hendrick Motorsports,” said Evernham. “I didn't want to create any perceived conflict of interest while I got my bearings at Hendrick and didn't want to cause distraction to either company. Now that I'm settled at Hendrick Performance, I don't have any involvement on the racing side of the operations and it frees me from any conflict with NASCAR teams. Mr. Hendrick and I have worked out an agreement that allows me to return to the ESPN team.” Evernham has a history with ESPN dating back to 2000, when he appeared as an analyst on ESPN and ABC’s coverage of the IROC Series and some NASCAR races. In 2007, he was a guest analyst on NASCAR Countdown for several NASCAR Nationwide Series telecasts and was featured in Race Wizard with Ray Evernham, a program that aired on ESPN2. "I'm glad to be coming back to ESPN,” Evernham said. “I really enjoy the team camaraderie at ESPN and I'm very much at home with this group from my previous three years,” he said. "Stock car racing is my passion and I'm looking forward to being back involved. I'm excited about the momentum NASCAR has going into the 2012 season.”
“We welcome Ray back to the team and look forward to enhancing our coverage of NASCAR with the knowledge and expertise he brings to the table,” said Rich Feinberg, ESPN vice president, motorsports, production. “He’s a solid professional and a well-respected voice in the sport.” ESPN’s NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage begins with the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 29.(ESPN)(2-15-2012)

ESPN’s Dr. Jerry Punch at peace with Kurt Busch: Nearly an entire offseason has passed since Kurt Busch made headlines for his profanity-laced tirade toward ESPN personnel at Homestead-Miami Speedway. You would assume hard feelings might linger on the part of ESPN pit reporter Dr. Jerry Punch. You’d be wrong. “Kurt and I, we talked that next week and he sent me a lengthy email talking about how ashamed and embarrassed he was, and he knows that I’ve tried to be helpful, he knows he messed up. ... He sent me this email and said he wanted my cell phone,” Punch said in a phone interview Monday. “I called him the night before Thanksgiving and we talked for a little while, and we went over a lot of the things, and we had some very frank conversation. I said, ‘Look, you’ve apologized, I’ve accepted your apology, now let’s move on. I wish you nothing but success on and off the race track next year.’” Busch parted ways with Penske Racing at the end of last season and will compete this year for Phoenix Racing and team owner James Finch. For his part, Punch is looking forward rather than behind.(in part from SceneDaily / NASCAR Illustrated)(2-14-2012)

NASCAR This Week on ESPN: With the NASCAR season only days away, ESPNEWS will air a three-hour special from NASCAR Media Day at the Daytona 500 on Thursday, Feb. 16, at 12noon/et. Defending NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Daytona 500 rookie Danica Patrick are among those scheduled to appear during the program. The telecast will be co-hosted by Mike Massaro and Nicole Briscoe with analyst Ricky Craven.
ESPN2's daily NASCAR news and information program NASCAR Now returns for its sixth season this week and sirs Monday through Friday at 3 p.m. The program also can be seen on computers, smartphones and tablets with WatchESPN. A one-hour edition of the program will air on Sunday, Feb. 19, at 12noon/et with a review of the previous night's Bud Shootout from Daytona International Speedway and a look ahead to that day's pole qualifying for the Daytona 500. Mike Massaro hosts the program this week from ESPN's studios with analyst Ricky Craven. Nicole Briscoe will report from Daytona starting Thursday.
Fifteen years ago, Jeff Gordon, at age 25, became the youngest driver ever to win the Daytona 500. With the NASCAR season kickoff coming soon, ESPN Classic will recognize Gordon's accomplishment with an airing of the record-setting 1997 Daytona 500 at 5:30 pm/et on Thursday, Feb. 16. The race will be followed at 7:30 pm/et by an airing of SportsCentury: Jeff Gordon.(ESPN)(2-14-2012)

NASCAR Now returns; with the Dinger: ESPN2's daily NASCAR news and information program NASCAR Now returns for its sixth season on Monday, Feb. 13, at 3 pm/et, coinciding with the week activities begin for NASCAR's season-opening Daytona 500. NASCAR Now is scheduled to air Monday-Friday with half-hour episodes originating from ESPN's studios in Bristol, CT. A one-hour weekend edition is scheduled to air on the morning of each NASCAR Sprint Cup race and NASCAR Now will air a weekend wrap-up edition starting with the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. AJ Allmendinger, driver of the #22-Shell-Pennzoil Dodge for Penske Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, joins NASCAR Now this season as a guest reporter for the weekend edition programs. "The Daily Dinger" segment will feature Allmendinger in off-beat interviews around the racetracks with drivers, crew chiefs, fans and others or reporting on a unique aspect of that day's race.
Mike Massaro will continue as the primary host of NASCAR Now with ongoing hosts Allen Bestwick, Nicole Briscoe, Marty Reid and Shannon Spake. ESPN SportsCenter anchors Lindsay Czarniak, Michael Yam and Michelle Bonner also will fill in as occasional NASCAR Now hosts. Marty Smith will again be the lead reporter for the program while Briscoe, Massaro and Spake will also serve as reporters.
Former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie of the year Ricky Craven will continue as an analyst for NASCAR Now and other ESPN studio programs such as SportsCenter. ESPN NASCAR analysts Dale Jarrett, Rusty Wallace, Andy Petree, Tim Brewer and Brad Daugherty also will contribute to NASCAR Now as will ESPN pit reporters Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Dr. Jerry Punch and Vince Welch. NASCAR Now also will continue to have contributions from ESPN.com motorsports writers Ed Hinton, Terry Blount and David Newton along with ESPN the Magazine senior writer Ryan McGee and former NASCAR pit crew member D.J. Copp.
The program will originate from Daytona International Speedway for three shows surrounding the Daytona 500. In past years, NASCAR Now also has originated from remote locations including the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the White House, Chicago's Navy Pier and other racetracks. NASCAR Now and all of ESPN's NASCAR television content is also viewable digitally through WatchESPN and WatchESPN.com, the groundbreaking online-accessible authenticated version of ESPN. WatchESPN is available on computers, smartphones and tablets through WatchESPN.com and the free WatchESPN app, which are accessible to fans who receive their video service from an affiliated provider.(ESPN)(2-8/13-2012)

Craven re-signs with ESPN: Ricky Craven has signed a multiyear deal with ESPN to continue as an in-studio analyst for the TV show "NASCAR Now" and also handle prerace and postrace duties for the Sprint Cup series. He will also be a color analyst for five Nationwide Series races. The 45-year-old Craven, who notched two wins, 17 top-five finishes and 41 top-10s during his 278-race Sprint Cup career, has worked for ESPN since 2008. Craven didn't divulge the terms of his contract but said he was "extremely happy" with it.(Bangor Daily News)(2-11-2012)

NASCAR Now returns Feb 13th; with the Dinger: ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program NASCAR Now returns for its sixth season on Monday, Feb. 13, at 3 pm/et, coinciding with the week activities begin for NASCAR’s season-opening Daytona 500. NASCAR Now is scheduled to air Monday-Friday with half-hour episodes originating from ESPN’s studios in Bristol, CT. A one-hour weekend edition is scheduled to air on the morning of each NASCAR Sprint Cup race and NASCAR Now will air a weekend wrap-up edition starting with the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. AJ Allmendinger, driver of the #22-Shell-Pennzoil Dodge for Penske Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, joins NASCAR Now this season as a guest reporter for the weekend edition programs. “The Daily Dinger” segment will feature Allmendinger in off-beat interviews around the racetracks with drivers, crew chiefs, fans and others or reporting on a unique aspect of that day’s race.
Mike Massaro will continue as the primary host of NASCAR Now with ongoing hosts Allen Bestwick, Nicole Briscoe, Marty Reid and Shannon Spake. ESPN SportsCenter anchors Lindsay Czarniak, Michael Yam and Michelle Bonner also will fill in as occasional NASCAR Now hosts. Marty Smith will again be the lead reporter for the program while Briscoe, Massaro and Spake will also serve as reporters.
Former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie of the year Ricky Craven will continue as an analyst for NASCAR Now and other ESPN studio programs such as SportsCenter. ESPN NASCAR analysts Dale Jarrett, Rusty Wallace, Andy Petree, Tim Brewer and Brad Daugherty also will contribute to NASCAR Now as will ESPN pit reporters Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Dr. Jerry Punch and Vince Welch. NASCAR Now also will continue to have contributions from ESPN.com motorsports writers Ed Hinton, Terry Blount and David Newton along with ESPN the Magazine senior writer Ryan McGee and former NASCAR pit crew member D.J. Copp.
The program will originate from Daytona International Speedway for three shows surrounding the Daytona 500. In past years, NASCAR Now also has originated from remote locations including the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the White House, Chicago’s Navy Pier and other racetracks. NASCAR Now and all of ESPN’s NASCAR television content is also viewable digitally through WatchESPN and WatchESPN.com, the groundbreaking online-accessible authenticated version of ESPN. WatchESPN is available on computers, smartphones and tablets through WatchESPN.com and the free WatchESPN app, which are accessible to fans who receive their video service from an affiliated provider.(ESPN)(2-8-2012)

ESPN2 to Air NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series Season Reviews: With one of the most competitive NASCAR seasons in history now in the record books, ESPN2 will take a look back at the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series seasons in a pair of programs to air later this week.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, which ended with Tony Stewart winning his third championship in a hotly-contested battle that went to the final lap of the final race, will be reviewed on Friday, Dec. 9, at 3 pm/et.
The NASCAR Nationwide Series season, in which Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won his first NASCAR championship, will be reviewed on Thursday, Dec. 8, at 3 pm/et.
Both 30-minute programs, produced by the NASCAR Media Group, will feature highlights and interviews with drivers and other newsmakers who contributed to the competition in 2011. In 2012, ESPN networks will again televise the final 17 races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, including all 10 races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. In addition, ESPN networks will again be the home of the NASCAR Nationwide Series all season. NASCAR Now, ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program, will return in February. All NASCAR programming on ESPN and ESPN2 throughout 2012 will be available on computers, smartphones and tablets through WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app.(12-6-2011)

ESPN’s Coverage of NASCAR Sprint Cup Season Finale Expands with New Elements: ESPN’s coverage of the final weekend of the NASCAR season will include some new elements as one of the closest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship battles in history concludes Sunday at Florida’s Homestead-Miami Speedway. ESPN’s telecast of the Ford 400 begins with NASCAR Countdown at 2 pm/et on Sunday, Nov. 20, with the race’s green flag scheduled at 3:15 pm/et.
ESPN will use 72 cameras in the Ford 400 telecast, including two stationed high above the 1.5-mile superspeedway that will solely focus on championship contenders Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart, giving ESPN the ability to show viewers the two drivers at any time during the race. In addition, both will carry onboard cameras, and Stewart will be ESPN In-Race Reporter and will speak with ESPN analyst Dale Jarrett on the race’s pace laps and during caution periods, bringing viewers the perspective of a driver competing in the race.
ESPN also will have robotic cameras in the garage stalls of both contenders, permitting overhead views of the respective race teams at work during ESPN’s coverage of NASCAR Sprint Cup practice on Friday and views if one or both must go to the garage for repairs during Sunday’s race.
NASCAR Countdown will include a feature on Stewart and his relationship with legendary racer A.J. Foyt, who was the inspiration for Stewart to carry #14 when he started his own NASCAR Sprint Cup team three years ago. NASCAR Countdown also will include a feature on Edwards and his Roush Fenway team being “championship ready” and an orchestral salute to Jimmie Johnson, whose reign of five consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup titles ended this year. Actor Ron Perlman will appear in the opening segment, which was shot at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
ESPN news and information programs SportsCenter and NASCAR Now will have reporters Shannon Spake (Edwards) and Marty Smith (Stewart) following the two contenders in Miami on Thursday and at the track Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The newly-crowned champion will be interviewed by ESPN’s Dr. Jerry Punch after climbing from his car at the end of the race and Punch will serve as master of ceremonies for the NASCAR Sprint Cup trophy presentation. The champion will travel to ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Ct., for appearances on various ESPN platforms on Monday, Nov. 21. All NASCAR programming on ESPN and ESPN2 is also available on computers, smartphones and tablets with the WatchESPN app and WatchESPN.com.(ESPN)(11-16-2011)

Most chase races will be available online: UPDATES: NASCAR, ESPN and Turner Sports will announce plans Wednesday to air nine of the 10 Chase races live online, allowing fans to view the end of the Sprint Cup season in ways never before available. Fans can view the nine ESPN races via NASCAR.com's RaceBuddy and ESPN's WatchESPN.com platform and the free WatchESPN app, beginning with Sunday's Cup race from Chicagoland Speedway. The lone Cup race fans won't be able to view online will be the Oct. 15 event at Charlotte Motor Speedway. That race airs on ABC, which does not air events live online to protect its affiliate stations. Here's what fans can see online:
• NASCAR.com's RaceBuddy will feature two mosaics with a mix of eight in-car and stationary cameras positioned around the track. Team radio audio will be associated with each of the in-car cameras.
• ESPN's live broadcast can be viewed via computer, smartphone and tablet through ESPN's WatchESPN app and at WatchESPN.com.
Also, it will be announced that ESPN's daily NASCAR show "NASCAR Now'' will be available for the first time through WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app. Telecast of NASCAR Nationwide Series races on ESPN and ESPN2 also will be available on WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app.(Virginian-Pilot)(9-14-2011)
UPDATE: Heading into the start of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, NASCAR, ESPN and Turner Sports, which manages NASCAR.COM, announced details of a new partnership that will provide race fans with a never-before-seen digital viewing experience during the sport's postseason run. NASCAR.COM's RaceBuddy product will be available for the first time ever during the Chase while NASCAR content will appear for the first time ever in ESPN's WatchESPN.com platform and WatchESPN app. WatchESPN and WatchESPN.com, which give sports fans access to 24/7 live programming from ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3 and ESPNU, will, for the first time ever, exclusively feature the live ESPN telecasts of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. WatchESPN is available on computers, smartphones and tablets through WatchESPN.com and the free WatchESPN app, which are accessible to fans who receive their video service from an affiliated provider. Also, ESPN2's daily NASCAR news and information program, "NASCAR Now", will be available on multiple devices to NASCAR fans for the first time ever through WatchESPN and WatchESPN.com. Telecasts of NASCAR Nationwide Series races on ESPN and ESPN2 will also be available.(ESPN)(9-14-2011)
UPDATE 2: Here's a few more details:
• The agreement goes through the length of the TV contract, which is 2014. So, this will be not just a one-time thing.
• The agreement is for ALL ESPN Cup races, not just the Chase races, as is the case this year. ESPN is broadcasting 14 of the final 17 Cup races. So, provided that number stays the same, you will get to see a few more Cup races online next year. (Of course, the six TNT races are also on NASCAR.com's RaceBuddy, so that can mean about 20 races online next year).
• The agreement does NOT cover the ABC races. Those races aren't shown to protect the affiliate.
• The agreement covers practice sessions and qualifying sessions that ESPN broadcasts, along with the Nationwide races and "NASCAR Now'' and any other NASCAR content.
• As part of this agreement, you can watch the ESPN broadcast on WatchESPN.com or the WatchESPN app that allows you to view the race broadcast on your smartphone, computer or tablet. As of now, those with Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks and Verizon FiOS TV can get the WatchESPN feed.(Virginian-Pilot)(9-14-2011)

ESPN's NASCAR Sprint Cup Coverage Launches at Indianapolis: ESPN begins its coverage of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season with a live, flag-to-flag telecast of the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 31. ESPN's multimedia platforms will surround the race telecast on television, radio, online and on mobile devices and ESPN will be introducing several new television production elements into its NASCAR coverage.
The race telecast from Indianapolis is presented by Golden Corral and follows the one-hour NASCAR Countdown pre-race show at noon, with the race's green flag at 1:19 p.m. The Indianapolis race is the first of 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup events on ESPN networks to close out the 2011 NASCAR season, including all 10 races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Of the 17 races, 14 will air on ESPN and three on ABC.
ESPN's coverage from Indianapolis Motor Speedway also includes telecasts of NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying on Saturday, July 30, at 2 p.m. and practice earlier that day at 10 a.m., both on ESPN2. In addition, ESPN will air the NASCAR Nationwide Series race from nearby Lucas Oil Raceway on Saturday night, July 30, along with practice and qualifying sessions earlier in the day.
Four former Sprint Cup champions will be an integral part of ESPN's NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage team, including analyst Dale Jarrett, who will work with chief Andy Petree and Allen Bestwick in the booth. Tim Brewer will report from the ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage, while pit reporters will be Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Dr. Jerry Punch and Vince Welch.
NASCAR Countdown from the ESPN pit studio will feature analysis by Rusty Wallace with host Nicole Briscoe and analyst Brad Daugherty.
ESPN will introduce several new production advancements in its NASCAR Sprint Cup telecasts, including the first-ever use of dual path transmission for onboard cameras. The new technology, developed by ESPN and Broadcast Sports International, will allow ESPN to get high definition video from two onboard cameras in the same car simultaneously, where in the past only one of the three cameras mounted in each car could be used at a time. As an example, when a crash is being replayed, viewers will now be able to see two different onboard points of view of a car involved or near the crash, such as the view of the roof camera, face camera or bumper camera.
ESPN will use 76 high definition cameras in the Brickyard 400 telecast, including Bat Cam, a camera running on a cable over pit road and the frontstretch that can move at more than 80 mph. ESPN has worked with Sportvision on the race effects system to expand the use of pointers that help viewers identify cars when they are racing in a tight pack. With the advanced technology, the pointers can now appear on more camera shots, including aerials and trackside robotic cameras. This year, ESPN will have a helicopter camera for all 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup race telecasts for the first time.
ESPN also will introduce a modernized, progressive graphics package for improved readability, the first major graphics overhaul since ESPN returned to NASCAR coverage in 2007, as well as a new animation package.(ESPN)(7-26-2011)

Bestwick, Briscoe to Expand Roles in ESPN's NASCAR Coverage: Allen Bestwick and Nicole Briscoe, two veterans of ESPN's NASCAR coverage team, will have expanded roles as ESPN's telecasts of the final 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races of the season begin next week. Bestwick, who has filled a variety of positions since ESPN returned to live NASCAR event coverage in 2007, will move into the booth as the lap-by-lap announcer for all ESPN NASCAR Sprint Cup telecasts, including races, practices and qualifying. He will be joined by analysts Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree when ESPN starts its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series coverage with the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 31. Briscoe, who has been a host and reporter for ESPN2's daily NASCAR news and information program NASCAR Now since joining ESPN in 2008, and a fill-in host for the pre-race NASCAR Countdown show since 2010, will become the regular NASCAR Countdown host for all NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series telecasts on ESPN. Briscoe will work with analysts Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty in the ESPN Pit Studio at racetracks. Bestwick has been in the NASCAR Countdown host role since midway through the 2007 season. Marty Reid, who has been primary lap-by-lap announcer for ESPN's coverage of the NASCAR Nationwide Series since 2009, and for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series since 2010, will continue to call NASCAR Nationwide Series race telecasts on ESPN as well as practice and qualifying telecasts. In addition, Reid also will continue as lap-by-lap announcer for ESPN's coverage of five races in the IZOD IndyCar Series, including the Indianapolis 500, with the next event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Aug. 14.(ESPN PR)(7-20-2011)

ESPN Going "NonStop" With NASCAR Commercial Format: ESPN's telecasts of the final 10 races of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season will have a new look with the introduction of "NASCAR NonStop," a commercial format designed to bring more racing action to viewers while also providing value to advertisers. The new format will be in effect for the races that make up the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship and will debut with the event at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday, Sept. 18, at 2:00pm/et. In NASCAR NonStop, ESPN's commercial breaks will feature a split-screen format showing the advertisement on the left side of the screen and a continuation of racing action on the right side. In addition, ESPN's scoring ticker will continue to move across the top of the screen, allowing NASCAR fans to follow the running order of the race during the breaks.
When going to break during NASCAR NonStop, ESPN will utilize a screen wipe tied to an advertiser, with that advertiser occupying the wipe for the rest of the race. NASCAR NonStop will take effect at or near the halfway point of the race, with the first half of the race presented in the traditional commercial break format. "Since we returned to NASCAR racing in 2007, one of the most common questions from our fans has been 'why don't you do the commercials side-by-side?'" said John Skipper, ESPN executive vice president, content. "We're very pleased to be able to do it now with NASCAR NonStop and showcase the advertiser while still showcasing the race. ESPN's mission is to serve sports fans and this is a way to give the fans more racing action during the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup."
Skipper said that ESPN worked with NASCAR to create the format for NASCAR NonStop. "NASCAR has the most dedicated and loyal fans in the world, and we are constantly trying to enhance how those fans consume this great sport," said Paul Brooks, president of NASCAR Media Group. "ESPN's 'NonStop' format will ensure our fans maximize their viewing experience during the most intense and thrilling time of the season – the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup."
The final 17 races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule will be televised on ESPN Networks, with 14 airing on ESPN and three Saturday night races airing on ABC. ESPN's NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage begins with the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 31, at 1:00pm/et.(ESPN)(5-17-2011)

ESPN at NASCAR’s Daytona Speedweeks: ESPN will provide two weeks of comprehensive coverage of Speedweeks and the start of the NASCAR season at Daytona International Speedway across its multimedia platforms. Television coverage, highlighted by a Daytona 500 origination for ESPN’s flagship program SportsCenter, an expanded schedule for ESPN2’s daily news program NASCAR Now, coverage of NASCAR Media Day on ESPNEWS, and NASCAR Nationwide Series practice and qualifying, will culminate with the NASCAR Nationwide Series 300-mile race on ESPN2 on Saturday, Feb. 19. Other TV highlights include NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series preview shows on ESPN2, the premiere of the original film Wendell Scott: A Race Story and the airing of multiple past Daytona 500 races on ESPN Classic.
SportsCenter at Daytona airs Saturday, Feb. 19, at 4:00pm/et on ESPN2, originating from the Fan Zone at Daytona International Speedway. In addition to the special program, ESPN’s reporters and analysts will appear on regular editions of SportsCenter throughout Daytona Speedweeks. Other ESPN platforms including ESPN.com, Jayski.com, ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Classic and ESPN Mobile Properties also will surround the NASCAR Nationwide Series race telecast and the Daytona 500 with NASCAR-related programming and coverage.
ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC will televise 33 of the 34 NASCAR Nationwide Series races this season. ESPN also will televise the final 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races of the season, with three airing on ABC.
Marty Reid will be the lead announcer for the Daytona race telecast, joined in the booth for analysis by 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Dale Jarrett and two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief Andy Petree. Pit reporters will be Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Dr. Jerry Punch and Vince Welch. Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief Tim Brewer will report from the ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage.
Prior to the 1:15 p.m. ET race telecast, Allen Bestwick will host NASCAR Countdown from the revamped ESPN pit studio at noon, with analysis by 1989 NASCAR Cup champion Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty, a team owner in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
ESPN2 also airs live coverage of NASCAR Nationwide Series qualifying on Friday, Feb. 18, at 4 p.m., as well as NASCAR Nationwide Series practice coverage on Thursday, Feb. 17, at 10 a.m.
NASCAR Now, ESPN2’s daily news and information show totally dedicated to NASCAR, originates from Daytona with one-hour episodes the week of the Daytona 500. The edition on the morning of the Feb. 20 Daytona 500 airs at 9 a.m. with Bestwick hosting and analysts Jarrett, Wallace and Ricky Craven. Another program airs that night at 8 p.m. to wrap up Daytona Speedweeks and will include an appearance by the Daytona 500 winner.
Mike Massaro and Nicole Briscoe will co-host ESPNEWS’ coverage of NASCAR Media Day on Thursday, Feb. 10, at noon, and conduct exclusive driver interviews from Daytona for the three-hour telecast. They’ll be joined for analysis by Craven.
ESPN2 airs season preview shows for both the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series on Tuesday, Feb. 15, starting at 2 p.m. ESPN Classic will have an airing of ESPN’s acclaimed original movie 3, based on the life and racing career of seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Dale Earnhardt, at 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 18.
ESPN’S MULTIMEDIA PLATFORMS SURROUND DAYTONA
SportsCenter at Daytona -- SportsCenter will present a one-hour special from Daytona International Speedway on ESPN2 at 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19, the eve of NASCAR’s Daytona 500. Hosted by Allen Bestwick, with analysts Rusty Wallace, Ricky Craven and Brad Daugherty, SportsCenter at Daytona will preview the Great American Race with analysis, opinion, and interviews. Also contributing will be reporters Marty Smith, Nicole Briscoe and Mike Massaro.
ESPN.com -- Extensive coverage will originate from Daytona. Award-winning motorsports journalists Ed Hinton, Terry Blount and David Newton and ESPN.com motorsports editors K. Lee Davis and Joe Breeze will lead the reporting team, with additional contributions from NASCAR Insider Marty Smith as well as ESPN The Magazine’s Ryan McGee. Hinton, Blount, Newton and other ESPN reporters and personalities maintain and regularly update blogs with their insights, perspectives and more within the ESPN Insider premium content section. ESPN.com, along with Jayski.com, will feature extensive video, audio and editorial coverage of the 2011 NASCAR season, as well as providing multiple ESPN Fantasy games and content distributed to other emerging platforms such as Apple’s iTunes Store and Microsoft’s X Box Live.
ESPN.com RaceCast, ESPN.com’s enhanced, live race-day applications features a live animated graphic display, track information, lap leaders, race leaders, driver information and live in-race chat with ESPN announcers and reporters. NASCAR fans looking for an online gathering during telecasts of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as well as the Nationwide Series opener at Daytona now have a place to go on ESPN.com. Racing Live! on ESPN.com is a live blog where fans can engage in debate and discussion with ESPN.com writers and editors during the races. Fans can join ESPN.com’s NASCAR experts in dissecting every aspect of the race live at http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/. As part of ESPN.com’s integration with Jayski.com, veteran racing voice Mark Garrow returns as a frequent contributor this year, producing podcasts and hosting regular chats on ESPN.com.
Jayski.com -- ESPN-owned Jayski.com is considered one of the most influential Web sites in the motorsports world. Jayski has gained a reputation for consistently breaking industry stories and serving as the ultimate resource and trackside companion for NASCAR fans. Jayski’s editorial content during Daytona Speedweeks will help NASCAR fans keep up with late-breaking news, including updating any on-track incidents and garage news. Jayski also helps NASCAR fans understand the qualifying procedure for the Daytona 500, and NASCAR’s Top 35 rule, with updates and scenarios. And Jayski’s popular paint scheme section helps fans stay abreast of the new looks for NASCAR race teams.
ESPNEWS – Coverage of NASCAR Media Day from noon - 3 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 10. Extensive reports and interviews during regular programming throughout Daytona Speed Weeks, including highlights from news conferences.
ESPN Radio – The Raceday program airs from 6 - 7 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 19, and Sunday, Feb. 20. Both programs will originate from Daytona with host Pat Patterson and include news, interviews and reports. In addition, ESPN Radio will have daily reports and interviews during other programming in the week leading up to the race.
ESPN International – ESPN International is one of the world’s leading syndicators of sports programming and its relationship with NASCAR is helping maximize coverage of NASCAR and providing a solid base of distribution. Through a combination of sales and network programming, the 38 NASCAR Sprint Cup races and 34 NASCAR Nationwide Series races are available to 112 countries and territories around the world. In addition, U.S. troops and their families serving around the world and Navy vessels at sea can watch the season through American Forces Network.
ESPN Classic – To help get NASCAR fans fired up for the opening of the season, ESPN Classic is running a marathon of NASCAR-related programming on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 18-19. Included are episodes of the ESPN Classic signature series SportsCentury featuring some of history’s greatest drivers such as Richard Petty, Tim Flock, Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart and 1967 Daytona 500 winner Mario Andretti. In addition, the lineup will include highlights of six past Daytona 500 races and the ESPN Original Movie 3.
ESPN Deportes -- ESPN’s 24-hour, Spanish-language sports network in the U.S. will carry the NASCAR Nationwide Series race on a tape-delayed basis beginning at 4 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 15. ESPN Deportes’ NASCAR commentator team will feature Andrés Agulla (play-by-play) and Alex Pombo (analysis). In addition to the telecast of the race, ESPN Deportes will have segments for its edition of SportsCenter.
ESPN Mobile Platforms -- ESPN’s multiple mobile platforms will give fans on-the-go access to all the racing action, news and developments. ESPN Mobile TV (available on MediaFLO and MobiTV and via Sprint) will deliver news, analysis and feature video programs. ESPN MVP on Verizon Wireless will feature race highlights from NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races throughout the season, as well as all the latest news and information, ESPN.com columnists and in-progress race leader boards. In addition, fans can find coverage on the ESPN mobile Web site -- the leading sports site on the wireless Web (and among the most-trafficked wireless Web sites in the world), with 12.4 million unique visitors a month – in a dedicated NASCAR section that includes special coverage around the biggest races, driver cards and more. Additionally, fans can access real-time results on the ESPN ScoreCenter mobile app and sign up to receive customizable alerts to follow their favorite drivers during the race.
ESPN Films -- In conjunction with Emmy Award-winning NASCAR Media Group and Max Siegel Inc., ESPN Films will document the story of Wendell Scott, the only black driver to win a NASCAR race, with the first airing of Wendell Scott: A Race Story on Sunday, Feb. 20, at 9 p.m. on ESPN. The 60-minute documentary will chronicle Scott’s only NASCAR victory, at Jacksonville Speedway in 1963, and his positive impact on the sport.(ESPN)(2-16-2011)

Judge dismisses charges against former ESPN producer: Public indecency and disorderly conduct charges against former ESPN senior motorsports producer Neil Goldberg have been dropped, according to Connecticut criminal online records. The charges stemmed from an arrest in October following a peeping incident outside a neighbor’s window. Goldberg appeared Thursday in Hartford Community Court. All charges were dismissed, Goldberg attorney Richard Brown said Friday. Goldberg, who lost his job at ESPN following the arrest, never admitted guilt and there was no finding of any criminal wrongdoing. Goldberg is considered one of the most accomplished TV producers in racing.(Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service)(2-8-2011)

ESPN2’s NASCAR Now Returns Feb. 7: ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program NASCAR Now returns for its fifth season on Monday, Feb. 7, at 5:00pm/et to coincide with the beginning of the 2011 NASCAR season. The program includes highlights, opinion, debate, analysis and the latest news from drivers, crew chiefs and insiders.
With hosts Allen Bestwick, Nicole Briscoe, Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake, NASCAR Now originates from ESPN’s high definition studios in Bristol, Conn., with reporters and analysts checking in from locations around the country wherever NASCAR news is happening. In addition to reports from races, NASCAR Now reporters also visit race shops and special events.
Monday’s show [Feb 7th] will include interviews with NASCAR president Mike Helton and five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion crew chief Chad Knaus as well as thoughts from ESPN NASCAR analyst Dale Jarrett.
NASCAR Now will originate from Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., site of the NASCAR season-opening Daytona 500, with special hour-long programs starting Sunday, Feb. 13 and including a Daytona wrap-up special on Sunday night, Feb. 20. Massaro will host the first week of episodes beginning Feb. 7 with reports from Daytona starting Feb. 10.
The first two weeks of programs will include new and exclusive interviews surrounding the 10th anniversary of the death of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt, who was killed in a last-lap crash in the 2001 Daytona 500. Among the elements:
* NASCAR Now lead reporter Marty Smith in a new, exclusive interview with Dale Earnhardt Jr.
* Dr. Alfred Alson, the first doctor to arrive on the scene of Earnhardt’s fatal crash, speaks on camera for the first time about that day.
* Jeff Gordon, Darrell Waltrip, Larry McReynolds and others reflect on what they remember from the day Earnhardt died.
* Personalities including NASCAR champion Ned Jarrett and Hall of Fame journalist Tom Higgins tell Earnhardt stories.
* A unique look at Earnhardt through the eyes of the man who regularly cut his hair and trimmed his iconic moustache.
Other NASCAR Now features leading to Daytona will include a look at the driver/crew chief changes at Hendrick Motorsports, with interviews with the drivers and their new crew chiefs together; defending Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray reviews last year’s race through his eyes; members of Jimmie Johnson’s team put Johnson’s fifth consecutive Sprint Cup championship into perspective; Danica Patrick discusses her first season in NASCAR and expectations for 2011; Brian Vickers talks to Smith about his return to racing this season; and ESPN Sports Science explores the repaving of Daytona and how it will affect the racing.
The first week of the program also will include segments of a roundtable discussion hosted by ESPN’s Dr. Jerry Punch with analysts Andy Petree and Ricky Craven and reporter Smith. Among the topics will be discussion of the resurgence of Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress Racing; Brad Keselowski and the changes at Team Penske; the new NASCAR rule requiring drivers to choose one series for points; drivers and teams under the radar; Carl Edwards and Roush Fenway Racing; and Denny Hamlin and Joe Gibbs Racing.
In addition to the Monday through Friday program, ESPN2 also airs an hour-long edition of NASCAR Now at on the morning of each NASCAR Sprint Cup race, and a weekend wrap-up edition will begin in September to coincide with the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The Monday edition of NASCAR Now expands to an hour and features a roundtable discussion of the latest NASCAR news with ESPN analysts and reporters as well as special guests.
The NASCAR Now team also includes Terry Blount, motorsports writer for ESPN.com; analyst Tim Brewer, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion crew chief; D.J. Copp, tire changer in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series; and analyst Brad Daugherty, five-time NBA All-Star and NASCAR team owner.
Others are Ed Hinton, motorsports writer for ESPN.com; Ryan McGee, motorsports writer for ESPN the Magazine; and David Newton, motorsports writer for ESPN.com. NASCAR Now viewers also will see analysis and reports from other members of the NASCAR on ESPN race coverage team including analyst Rusty Wallace and pit reporters Dave Burns, Jamie Little and Vince Welch.
Veteran NASCAR drivers Johnny Benson Jr. and Ken Schrader will be frequent guests on the Monday roundtable edition of NASCAR Now in 2011. The first roundtable, airing on Monday, Feb. 21, the day after the Daytona 500, will be moderated by Bestwick and include Jarrett, Wallace and the Daytona 500 winner.(ESPN PR)(2-5-2011)

ESPN Extends Contract of Rusty Wallace Through 2014: Champion NASCAR driver Rusty Wallace, ESPN’s lead studio analyst for auto racing, has reached a new contract extension to remain with ESPN through the 2014 season, it was announced by Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president, production. Wallace joined ESPN after retiring from driving following the 2005 NASCAR season. A 55-time winner in NASCAR’s top series and the 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, Wallace is lead analyst for ESPN’s NASCAR studio programs, including NASCAR Countdown and NASCAR Now. Wallace also contributes NASCAR analysis to SportsCenter, First Take and ESPNEWS and calls selected NASCAR Nationwide Series races from the booth. He spent the 2006 season as an analyst for ESPN’s coverage of the IndyCar Series before moving to NASCAR in 2007 as the stock car racing series returned to ESPN.(ESPN)(1-25-2011)

Craven's duties expand at ESPN: Ricky Craven recently learned that in addition to his in-studio duties for the weekly NASCAR Now series and providing post-race Sprint Cup coverage for ESPN NEWS and SportsCenter, he will be in the booth serving as the color analyst for seven Nationwide Series races this season after doing five last year. “And I’ll be down in Daytona (Fla.) for the whole week leading up to the Daytona 500 (Feb. 13-20). I was there just two days last year,” said the 44-year-old Craven. He began doing bits for SportsCenter in the second half of the season a year ago. ESPN and ABC, which owns ESPN, will televise the final 17 Sprint Cup races beginning with the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 31.(Bangor Daily News)(1-15-2011)

NASCAR Now To Originate from Homestead: ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program NASCAR Now will originate from Homestead-Miami Speedway and the NASCAR season finale for episodes airing Thursday through Sunday of this week. A half-hour program hosted by Allen Bestwick airs Thursday, Nov. 18, at 4:00 pm/et from the ESPN Pit Studio inside the speedway. Bestwick then hosts a program airing at 2:30 pm/et on Friday and another airing Saturday at 1:30 am/et (late Friday night).
NASCAR Now will surround Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Homestead with two episodes originating from the speedway. The one-hour weekend edition hosted by Nicole Briscoe airs at 9:00 am/et with a preview of that day’s race, while the weekend wrap-up edition hosted by Bestwick airs that night at 10:00pm/et. Briscoe, Mike Massaro and Marty Smith will be reporters at Homestead.(ESPN)(11-16-2010)

Tim Richmond Featured in Tuesday Night ESPN ’30 for 30’ Film: Former NASCAR driver Tim Richmond, a star of the sport before his death from AIDS in 1989, will be the subject of a documentary airing on Tuesday, Oct. 19, at 8:00 pm/et on ESPN as part of ESPN Films’ critically acclaimed film series 30 for 30 Presented by Cadillac.
Tim Richmond: To the Limit, produced for ESPN by the NASCAR Media Group and directed by Emmy-winning filmmaker Rory Karpf, tells the story of Richmond with the words of many who knew him well and some who competed against him on the track. Former NASCAR drivers Darrell Waltrip and Richard and Kyle Petty, champion team owner Rick Hendrick, movie director Hal Needham, famed racing promoter H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler, ESPN reporters Dr. Jerry Punch and Ed Hinton, Richmond’s sister Sandy Welsh and friends from his hometown of Ashland, Ohio, are among those appearing in the film.
In the 1980s, Richmond lived his life the way he raced cars – wide open. Born into a wealthy family, Richmond was the antithesis of the Southern, blue-collar racers who dominated NASCAR. He also was a flamboyant showman who basked in the attention of the media and fans – especially the attention of female admirers. Nevertheless, it was Richmond’s on-track performances that ended up drawing comparisons to racing legends. And in 1986, when he won seven NASCAR races and finished third in the Winston Cup series points race, some believed he was on the verge of stardom. But soon his freewheeling lifestyle caught up to him. He unexpectedly withdrew from the NASCAR racing circuit, reportedly suffering from double pneumonia. In reality, the diagnosis was much more dire: he had AIDS. Richmond returned to the track in 1987, winning at Pocono in his comeback race, but he was gone from the sport by the next year as his health deteriorated. He spent his final days as a recluse, dying on August 13, 1989, at the age of 34.
The film takes viewers back to the time of Richmond’s illness and death, an era when AIDS created near-hysteria around the world, and those who had the disease were shunned. Former Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis, who was diagnosed with AIDS in 1988, speaks in the film about the time and Punch, a physician, relates that in the medical world, there was still much to be learned about AIDS. Select films from the series are available for purchase on iTunes the day following air. Additional films are available for purchase at www.amazon.com/30for30.(10-18-2010)

ESPN Motorsports Producer Arrested UPDATE 2: Neil Goldberg, 52, a producer for ESPN's motorsports coverage, was arrested on a warrant charging him with public indecency, simple trespass, disorderly conduct and breach of peace, police said. He lives in the complex where the incident happened, they said. The incident that led to the charges happened last month in the complex where he lives, Lt. Marshall Porter said Wednesday. He posted $1,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in Superior Court in Hartford, CT later this month. Goldberg is coordinating producer for ESPN's motorsports coverage, which includes NASCAR telecasts.(full story at the Hartford Courant)(10-6-2010)
UPDATE: ESPN issued a statement Wednesday that "We are in the process of looking into it,'' in regard to the Goldberg case. ESPN did confirm that Goldberg will not be calling the shots for this weekend's Nationwide and Cup races at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. Jill Frederickson, senior coordinating producer for motorsports coverage, will produce this weekend's two broadcasts.(Virginian Pilot)(10-8-2010)
UPDATE 2: An ESPN producer who was charged with public indecency after a peeping Tom complaint at a Connecticut apartment complex has left the network. ESPN spokesman Mike Soltys confirmed Monday that 52-year-old Neil Goldberg no longer works for the company. Goldberg had been the coordinating producer of motorsports coverage for Bristol-based ESPN. A message seeking comment was left at a phone listing for Goldberg.(Associated Press)(10-12-2010)

ESPN looking into factors that are impacting Chase ratings: Despite an on-track product that many feel is better than in recent years, the first two Chase For The Sprint Cup races saw startling drops in television ratings. The New Hampshire rating dropped 28% from 3.2 to 2.3 while the Dover rating fell 23% from 3.1 to 2.4. While the 2009 Chase races were on ABC, a switch to ESPN was not the reason for the drop, said ESPN Vice President of Programming & Acquisitions Julie Sobieski. “It’s concerning to us,” Sobieski said in a phone interview Friday. “We’re looking at every single factor that we can possibly look at. There’s so many things that are potentially at play. The rating declines that we’ve seen are not from broadcast-only homes. We know it’s not from the drop of broadcast to cable. Last year, ESPN outdelivered ABC. We don’t think it’s attributed to that.”
The network will research whether it is possible the 1:00pm/et start times had something to do with the drop. NASCAR went to consistent start times this year, and the 1:00pm/et start for all East and Central time zone races allowed races to end earlier but it also coincided with the start time for NFL games. With three hours representing a typical race telecast, the NASCAR events have ended around the same time as 1:00pm/et NFL games. ESPN preferred to have its races start at 2:00pm/et during the Chase when the races were on ABC [fans preferred 12:00noon/et].
“While during the rest of the year that may not be a factor, it is something we are paying attention to in conjunction with the start of the NFL season,” Sobieski said. “Whereas when it was at 2 o’clock, we were ending that race at the beginning of the 4 o’clock [NFL game] window. We’re now concluding those races right up against the 1 o’clock windows. That’s just one factor we’re trying to looking into. We need some more research. The first two weeks isn’t enough to tell us that.”
NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston agreed that it's too early to determine if the Chase races would draw better ratings with a 2:00pm/et start. "NASCAR and our partners worked really diligently with the tracks to get everybody on a very well-coordinated schedule for the earlier and 1 o'clock start times," Poston said. "Any time you have change, that is tough on your fan base. We'd obviously be open to anything that makes sense, but at this stage we'd want to give this a little more time before we made a quick decision."
Last year, while ESPN’s six races leading into the Chase saw a ratings increase of 2%, ABC saw a drop of 8% for its 11 races last year. None of the 10 Chase races showed ratings improvement from 2008 to 2009. Sobieski said she did not believe it was a problem with the Chase. “I think there is strong competition [on TV] this time of year,” Sobieski said. “That’s much more the case likely than anything specific to the Chase. The fans continue to give more positive feedback and more positive understanding of the Chase itself. It is a good race this year. It is a tight points race.” Compared to 2008, the ratings for 2010 were down 39% for New Hampshire and 27% for Dover.(in part from SceneDaily), imagine if ESPN used their online properties a little more and promoted them [ESPN.com. Racecast, the Guru in Fantasy & Jayski.com], would help the promotion of their TV coverage.(10-3-2010)

Tim Richmond Documentary to Air on ESPN in October: Former NASCAR driver Tim Richmond will be the subject of a new film airing on ESPN on Tuesday, Oct. 19, at 8:00 pm/et. ESPN Films has announced the fall schedule for its critically acclaimed film series 30 for 30 Presented by Cadillac. The series’ remaining films will begin airing Tuesday, Aug. 24, at 8:00 pm on ESPN/ESPN HD, and will air Tuesday nights throughout the fall.
Tim Richmond: To the Limit (Rory Karpf) Natural. Rock star. Outsider. In the 1980s, race car driver Tim Richmond lived his life the way he raced cars – wide open. Born into a wealthy family, Richmond was the antithesis of the Southern, blue-collar racers who dominated NASCAR. He also was a flamboyant showman who basked in the attention of the media and fans – especially the attention of female admirers. Nevertheless, it was Richmond’s on-track performances that ended up drawing comparisons to racing legends. And in 1986, when he won seven NASCAR races and finished third in the Winston Cup series points race, some believed he was on the verge of stardom. But soon his freewheeling lifestyle caught up to him. He unexpectedly withdrew from the NASCAR racing circuit, reportedly suffering from double pneumonia. In reality, the diagnosis was much more dire: He had AIDS. Richmond returned to the track in 1987, but he was gone from the sport by the next year as his health deteriorated. He spent his final days as a recluse, dying on August 13, 1989, at the age of 34. Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Rory Karpf will examine the life and tragic death of one of NASCAR’s shooting stars.
Films added to the fall lineup include Little Big Men (Al Szymanski and Peter Franchella), Unmatched (Directors: Lisa Lax and Nancy Stern Winters; Producer: Hannah Storm), Four Days in October (Major League Baseball Productions) and Pony Excess (Thaddeus D. Matula). These films join the previously announced Jordan Rides the Bus, One Night in Vegas, The House of Steinbrenner, Marion Jones: Press Pause, Steve Bartman: Catching Hell, Once Brothers, Into The Wind and The Best That Never Was.
The schedule:
* Tuesday, Aug. 24, 8 p.m. – Jordan Rides the Bus (Ron Shelton)
* Tuesday, Aug. 31, 8 p.m. – Little Big Men (Al Szymanski and Peter Franchella)
* Tuesday, Sept. 7, 8 p.m. – One Night in Vegas (Reggie Bythewood)
* Tuesday, Sept. 14, 8 p.m. – Unmatched (Directors: Lisa Lax and Nancy Stern Winters; Producer: Hannah Storm)
* Tuesday, Sept. 21, 8 p.m. – The House of Steinbrenner (Barbara Kopple)
* Tuesday, Sept. 28, 8 p.m. – Into The Wind (Steve Nash)
* Tuesday, Oct. 5, 8 p.m. – Four Days in October (Major League Baseball Productions)
* Tuesday, Oct. 12, 8 pm. – Once Brothers (NBA Entertainment)
* Tuesday, Oct. 19, 8 p.m. – Tim Richmond: To the Limit (Rory Karpf )
* Tuesday, Oct. 26, 8 p.m. – Steve Bartman: Catching Hell (Alex Gibney)
* Tuesday, Nov. 2, 8 p.m. – Marion Jones: Press Pause (John Singleton)
* Tuesday, Nov. 9, 8 p.m. – Pony Excess (Thaddeus D. Matula)
*Saturday, Dec. 11, 9 p.m. – The Best That Never Was (Jonathan Hock) * two hours
The series “30 for 30” is an unprecedented documentary series featuring 30 films from some of today’s finest storytellers. Each filmmaker brings their passion and personal point of view to their film detailing the issues, trends, athletes, teams, rivalries, games and events that transformed the sports landscape from 1979 to 2009. Crossing the barriers of sports, the films reflect on the impact these events had across the pop culture spectrum.
Select films from the series are available for purchase on iTunes the day following air. Additional films are available for purchase at www.amazon.com/30for30.(ESPN)(7-29-2010)

Special Episode of SportsCenter Airs from Indianapolis: ESPN’s flagship program SportsCenter will present a half-hour special from Indianapolis Motor Speedway on ESPN at 7:00pm/et on Saturday, July 24, the eve of ESPN’s live telecast of NASCAR’s Brickyard 400 at the famed track. SportsCenter at the Brickyard will be hosted by Allen Bestwick with analysts Dale Jarrett and Ray Evernham. SportsCenter at the Brickyard will preview Sunday’s race with analysis, features and interviews and will lead into ESPN’s live telecast of that night’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race from O’Reilly Raceway Park near Indianapolis.(7-24-2010)

ESPN Debuts NASCAR-Themed Branding Campaign: During this week’s lead-up to the July 25 Brickyard 400, ESPN will launch the next phase of its new brand campaign which will feature the haulers used to transport NASCAR Sprint Cup teams from track-to-track. “It’s Not Crazy, It’s Sports” debuted July 12 with a baseball-themed spot. ESPN’s first brand campaign since 2005 demonstrates ESPN’s shared passion for sports and celebrates the idiosyncrasies and unique stories that are the social currency of passionate sports fans.
The NASCAR-themed ads, the third phase of the campaign, show that the competitive nature of NASCAR drivers also extends to the drivers of their team haulers. The second phase looked back at the Apollo 14 mission where astronauts Edgar Mitchell and Alan Shepard took a few golf swings on the surface of the moon. Future spots for the campaign will roll out in the coming months. W+K New York served as the creative agency.
ESPN also has two new promotional spots airing in support of the launch of its NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage this week at the Brickyard 400. Click HERE to view 60 and 30-second versions of the NASCAR haulers spot as well as the Brickyard 400 and Sprint cup spots.(ESPN)(7-23-2010)

NASCAR Now Goes Live from Indianapolis: ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program NASCAR Now will originate from Indianapolis Motor Speedway for four episodes this week surrounding the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race of the season on ESPN.
A one-hour episode of NASCAR Now hosted by Allen Bestwick airs from Indianapolis on Thursday, July 22, at 5:00pm/et with a preview of the weekend’s NASCAR action. Bestwick also hosts a half-hour show on Friday, July 23, at 6:30 pm/et with reports on the day’s activities at Indy as well as other NASCAR news.
Two one-hour episodes will sandwich ESPN’s live telecast of Sunday’s Brickyard 400. NASCAR Now hosted by Nicole Briscoe airs at 10:00 am/et with a preview of the race, including driver interviews and features, while a weekend wrap-up edition airs at 10:00 pm/et hosted by Bestwick. The weekend wrap-up edition of NASCAR Now will be a part of ESPN’s coverage of the final 17 weeks of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule. NASCAR on ESPN analysts Dale Jarrett, Andy Petree, Brad Daugherty, Rusty Wallace and Ray Evernham, NASCAR Now co-host and reporter Mike Massaro and lead reporter Marty Smith also will contribute to the on-site Indianapolis coverage.(7-22-2010)

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Returns to ESPN from Indianapolis: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns to ESPN with a live, flag-to-flag telecast of the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 25. The telecast is presented by Golden Corral. The NASCAR Countdown pre-race show kicks off the day at noon ET with the race telecast starting at 1:00pmn/et and the race’s green flag is scheduled for 1:19 pm. The Indianapolis race is the first of 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup events to be produced by ESPN to close out the 2010 NASCAR season, including all 10 races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Of the 17 races, 14 will air on ESPN and three on ABC. ESPN’s coverage from Indianapolis Motor Speedway includes a live telecast of NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying on Saturday, July 24, at 10:00am/et, and telecasts of two practice sessions for the NASCAR Sprint Cup cars on the famed 2.5-mile track, all on ESPN2. The first practice session airs Friday, July 23, at 2:00pm/et, while final practice airs Saturday at 3:30pm/et. All programming airs in high definition.
Five former NASCAR Sprint Cup champions will be an integral part of ESPN’s coverage team at the Brickyard, including analyst Dale Jarrett, the 1999 driving champion, who will work with two-time champion crew chief Andy Petree and lap-by-lap announcer Marty Reid in the booth. Two-time champion crew chief Tim Brewer will report from the ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage, while pit reporters will be Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Dr. Jerry Punch and Vince Welch.
NASCAR Countdown from the ESPN pit studio will feature analysis by 1989 champion driver Rusty Wallace and three-time champion crew chief Ray Evernham, with host Allen Bestwick and analyst Brad Daugherty. The studio team will interact with the booth during the telecast of the race. Following the race, additional reports, analysis and interviews from Indianapolis will air on ESPN’s flagship program SportsCenter as will be the case for all 14 races airing on ESPN.(7-21-2010)

Dale Jr. Featured on SportsCenter My Wish July 19: #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently brightened the day of an ill 15-year-old Maine boy through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and highlights of the boy’s day with Earnhardt will air Monday, July 19, on the 6 p.m. edition of ESPN’s flagship news and information program SportsCenter as part of the SportsCenter “My Wish” series. Jeffrey Buzzell of Hermon, Maine, who has Alport syndrome, wished to meet Earnhardt and learn about the inner workings of a NASCAR team. The wish was granted May 20-22 around the NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Buzzell and his family were given a tour of JR Motorsports, a 66,000-square-foot facility that serves as the nucleus of Earnhardt’s racing operation and business interests. Afterwards, they went to Earnhardt’s home and raced on his private go-kart track. Before the All-Star race, Buzzell took a tour of the garage and pit area, took part in driver introductions and then watched Earnhardt and the other NASCAR drivers battle it out from a private suite at the speedway.
Buzzell on his wish with Dale Earnhardt Jr.: “A few seconds after getting out of the limo, I saw Dale come out of his garage and walk towards me. I didn’t know what to do or think. All I remember was putting one hand on my chest and shaking his with the other. I had the time of my life and I will never forget my amazing trip or the amazing people I met.”
The 2010 edition of the critically acclaimed SportsCenter “My Wish” series in collaboration with the Make-A-Wish Foundation will debut Sunday, July 18, during the 10 a.m. SportsCenter. The series will continue Monday through Thursday with a new wish each day during the 6 p.m. edition. In addition to Earnhardt, Wishes include the three-time Super Bowl champion Oakland Raiders (Sunday, July 18), three-time National League MVP Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals (Tuesday, July 20), supercross and motocross athlete Travis Pastrana (Wednesday, July 21), and New York Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson (Thursday, July 22). Emmy Award-winning reporter Chris Connelly will host for the fifth straight year as ESPN chronicles sports-themed wishes granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation to children with life-threatening medical conditions.
ESPN starts its coverage of the final 17 races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 25.(ESPN)(7-17-2010)

Analyst LaJoie suspended indefinitely: NASCAR and ESPN have each suspended racing analyst and former driver Randy LaJoie indefinitely for violating its substance-abuse policy. In an interview Tuesday on SIRIUS XM Radio, LaJoie said he smoked marijuana once in May. LaJoie was tested by NASCAR because he wanted to become a spotter for one of Joe Gibbs Racing's Nationwide Series teams. He has not competed at any of NASCAR's top three national levels since 2006 and has been an analyst for NASCAR the past several years. "I take full responsibility for my actions and respect NASCAR's decision," LaJoie said in a statement. "I wish to apologize to my wife and family first, to NASCAR, to my fans and to the various media companies which I work including ESPN, Sirius Radio, Speed Channel and Performance Racing Network. I have this day sought to enroll in a substance abuse program. My use of marijuana was an isolated incident following the Coca Cola 600. "I plan to follow the recommendations of the substance abuse counselor and suggestions of NASCAR and hope that someday I can prove to NASCAR and all the people with whom I associate that I have taken such steps to see that instances such as this do not reoccur." LaJoie raced in 44 races over 12 years in NASCAR's elite Cup Series. His success was in the Nationwide Series, where he won 15 races over 19 seasons and two Nationwide Series championships.(ESPN). See more on my Nationwise Series page.(6-22-2010)

ESPN Motor Sports Coverage Earns Five Sports Emmy Nominations: ESPN’s coverage of motor sports earned five Sports Emmy Award nominations, among an industry-leading 54 nominations earned by ESPN, Inc., it was announced today by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. For the ninth time in 10 years, ESPN earned the most nominations of any submitting company. The winners will be announced Monday, April 26. The five nominations in motor sports included both NASCAR and the Indianapolis 500.
Outstanding Live Sports Special: The Indy 500
Outstanding Technical Team Remote: NASCAR on ESPN
Outstanding Technical Team Studio: ESPN Pit Studio and ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage
Outstanding Production Design/Art Direction: The Indy 500
Outstanding Editing: NASCAR Sprint Cup Season in Review (produced by NASCAR Media Group for ESPN2)
In addition, ESPN’s marketing department received a nomination for Outstanding Sports Promotional Announcement: NASCAR on ESPN - Feel Your Heart Race.(ESPN)(3-19-2010)

Craven joining ESPN Nationwide broadcast at Nashville: After two years as a studio analyst at ESPN, former Sprint Cup Series regular and Maine native Ricky Craven is readying to take the next step in his NASCAR broadcasting career. Ricky Craven will leave the cozy confines of the studio behind on April 3 and make his first foray into race coverage when he joins the ESPN broadcast booth for the NASCAR Nationwide Series Nashville 300 from Nashville Superspeedway. Craven, a Newburgh, Me. native former K&N Pro Series East champion, will join Dale Jarrett and Marty Reid in the booth for ESPN's Nationwide Series telecast from Nashville. Its expected to be the first of a few appearances for Craven calling events this year for ESPN. Craven, who retired from full-time racing in the Sprint Cup Series after the 2004 season, will be filling in for regular ESPN Nationwide Series analyst Andy Petree for the Nashville event.(Hartford Courant)(3-14-2010)

ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage goes on tour: Craftsman and ESPN are giving race fans a VIP NASCAR racing experience right in their own back yard with special events held in eight markets across the country. Fans will get a behind-the-scenes look at the ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage, the Sports Emmy Award-winning traveling television studio used throughout the network’s multi-platform NASCAR race coverage. Fans can experience “pit row” with complimentary vehicle inspections by a Sears Auto Center Mechanic, and have the chance to get up close and personal with the tools trusted by NASCAR. The events will take place at Sears store locations from March through September, kicking off in Atlanta on March 6. Inside the Tech Garage, fans can check out all the props, demos and Craftsman tools used during race telecasts to help fans better understand the technical and mechanical aspects of NASCAR racing. Tech Garage host and NASCAR analyst Tim Brewer, a two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion crew chief, will be at each of the eight events to meet fans and give tours.
Fans can also have their car inspected and diagnosed by a Sears Auto Center Mechanic, checking vitals such as windshield wipers and oil levels, tire pressure and tire tread wear. Sears Auto Center is a leading provider of automotive maintenance and repair services, tires, parts and accessories. Other activities include NASCAR®-themed games and prizes, including a tire change and jack challenge where participants can test their pit crew skills. The first 200 attendees to arrive at each event will receive a Craftsman game card that can be redeemed for a gift card worth up to $100. The events are free to attend.
Demonstration stations will allow attendees to try out some of the newest tool innovations from the Craftsman brand, including the Craftsman Dog Bone and Craftsman Universal Wrench. Craftsman tools are trusted week in and week out to get the job done on the race track, but car owners don’t need to be pros to tackle at-home auto maintenance, especially in today’s economy where DIY car care is a great way to save money. The Craftsman brand offers mechanics tools, cordless drill/drivers, garage storage and more to get the job done. Most Craftsman hand tools have a lifetime warranty, so you can trust they will always be available to help get the job done.
The event tour schedule is as follows. All events are from noon to 4 p.m. local time outside the Sears store location.
* March 6: Atlanta, Gwinnett Place Mall (Duluth, Ga.)
* April 10: Phoenix, Paradise Valley Mall (Phoenix)
* April 18: Dallas, Town East Mall (Mesquite, Texas)
* May 23: Charlotte, N.C., Carolina Mall (Concord, N.C.)
* July 11: Chicago, Chicago Ridge Mall (Chicago Ridge, Ill.)
* July 18: Indianapolis, Castleton Square (Indianapolis)
* Aug. 28: Nashville, Tenn., Cool Springs Galleria (Franklin, Tenn.)
* Sept. 12: Richmond, Va., Chesterfield Towne Center (Richmond, Va.)
Fans can visit www.craftsman.com/officialtools for more information about the events, event locations and official game card rules. On the Web site, fans can also follow the Tech Garage as it travels from city to city, watch video and look at photos from event location and check out special Craftsman brand promotions.(ESPN)(3-5-2010)

ESPN2’s Daytona Nationwide Series Telecast sets Cable Viewership Record: With an average of more than 4.2 million people watching, ESPN2’s live telecast of the NASCAR Nationwide Series season-opening race from Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 13 has set a record as the most-viewed Nationwide Series race ever on cable. The race telecast, which featured the NASCAR debut of open wheel racing star Danica Patrick, earned a fast national household coverage rating of 3.2, averaging 4,271,365 viewers in 3,170,109 households. The viewership numbers eclipse the previous Nationwide Series cable records of 3,954,798 viewers and 2,946,951 households set by TNT for its telecast of the 2006 Daytona race. Data shows that viewers stayed with the telecast even after Patrick was eliminated in a multi-car crash just past the halfway point of the race. ESPN2 peaked with a 3.5 household coverage rating for the last 20 minutes of the race as Tony Stewart held off a pack of drivers to take victory. ESPN2’s 3.2 rating for Daytona was up 33% from the 2.4 rating for last year’s Daytona race and 28% higher than the 2.5 rating for the 2008 race, previously the network’s highest rating ever for a NASCAR Nationwide Series race. ESPN2 is the home of the NASCAR Nationwide Series all season, with select races airing on ESPN and ABC. The next race is at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 20, with the ESPN2 telecast beginning at 5:00pm/et.(ESPN)(2-17-2010)

Too much Danica on TV coverage? NASCAR on ESPN analysts Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree, lap-by-lap announcer Marty Reid and ESPN vice president, motorsports, Rich Feinberg participated in a news conference Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway. Live coverage of the NASCAR Nationwide Series season-opening race at Daytona airs Saturday, Feb. 13, beginning at noon ET with NASCAR Countdown.
How do you balance the telecast on Saturday to not have too much Danica?
Rich Feinberg – “We actually talked about that in our staff meeting this morning. First of all, I watched the ARCA race, and I thought SPEED’s presentation was very balanced. I enjoyed it. There was a lot of Danica, but the reality is that was why I personally turned on the race, so it gave me what I was looking for. As big a story as that is, there are a lot of other stories here. First and foremost, it’s about racing in Daytona. It’s the biggest race for a lot of people. You win at Daytona and things change for you. And that’s going to be our primary thing. After that, the next biggest story, and quite frankly opportunity for all of us, is Danica. It’s our strong belief that there will be people that turn on Saturday’s Nationwide telecast that perhaps don’t watch a lot of Nationwide races or NASCAR at all, because of the interest in her. We want to serve that curiosity. We want to serve that interest because our belief is if they like what they see, and we provide them what they’re interested in, they may come back next week, and next week, and watch Fox’ Daytona 500 coverage, and read more stories. The more people that watch, the more successful the entire sport is. It’s a balance thing but we also view it as an opportunity.”(ESPN), see full transcript at espnmediazone.com.(2-11-2010)

Nine of Ten Chase races on ESPN: Nine of the 10 races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and 14 total races in all will air on ESPN next season, the network announced Wednesday. ABC, which aired 11 races last year, will air three NASCAR races in 2010 -- all on Saturday nights. ESPN will handle the other 14 races to end the season, starting with the Brickyard 400 on July 25 and concluding with the final race of the season Nov. 21 at Miami-Homestead. All of the East Coast races will begin at 1:00pm/et. West Coast races will begin at 3:00pm/et (other than the Sept. 5 race at Atlanta, which is a 7:30pm/et start). The three Saturday night races on ABC will be at Bristol (Aug. 21); Richmond (Sept. 11); and Charlotte (Oct. 16), with the Charlotte race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. All are scheduled to begin at 7:30pm/et. "Last year's performance showed us that ESPN provides the best home for NASCAR," said John Skipper, ESPN executive vice president, content, in a statement.
"This is exciting news for NASCAR and our fans," said NASCAR Media Group President Paul Brooks, in a statement. "The ESPN subscriber base is larger than ever at nearly 100 million, and the network has the proven ability to attract younger viewers. As the premier network during the most competitive time of the year for sports, having more NASCAR races on ESPN will create more exposure." Starting on Aug. 28, ABC will show 16 straight weeks of sports on Saturday nights, including the Little League World Series, three NASCAR races and 12 college football games.(ESPN)(1-13-2010)

Marty Reid Will Call ESPN’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Races in 2010: Marty Reid, whose 28-year career with ESPN has touched all forms of motorsports the network has covered, will expand his role and join analysts Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree in the booth as lap-by-lap announcer for ESPN’s full season of NASCAR coverage in 2010. Reid will call the action for all 17 of ESPN’s NASCAR Sprint Cup races as well as many of the network’s NASCAR Nationwide Series telecasts. He was lap-by-lap announcer for ESPN’s IndyCar Series coverage and selected NASCAR Nationwide Series races in 2009.
Returning to a role he helped define for ESPN for more than 20 years, Dr. Jerry Punch will join ESPN’s team of pit reporters for 2010, working both Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races. Punch was lap-by-lap announcer for ESPN’s Sprint Cup coverage the past three years. “This group gives us the most versatile and comprehensive team in motorsports, and strengthens us in the booth,” said Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president, studio and event production. “We play to the strengths of our announcers, and Marty’s strength is calling the tactical aspects of the race while deferring to the analysts. And from the early days of our NASCAR coverage, Jerry helped evolve the significant role that reporting from the pits plays,” Williamson said. “He will bolster our already-strong stable of pit reporters.”
All other members of the NASCAR on ESPN race coverage team will return in 2010, including analysts Rusty Wallace, Brad Daugherty, Tim Brewer and Ray Evernham, NASCAR Countdown host Allen Bestwick and pit reporters Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro, Shannon Spake and Vince Welch. Specific assignments and schedules will be announced later.
In addition to his expanded role with NASCAR, Reid will continue as the lap-by-lap announcer for ESPN’s five-race IndyCar Series schedule, including the Indianapolis 500. ESPN’s 2010 NASCAR season begins with live, flag-to-flag coverage of the NASCAR Nationwide Series opener at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, Feb. 13. The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race on ESPN’s schedule is at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 25.(ESPN)(12-16-2009)

NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion to appear on Multiple ESPN Platforms Monday: As has become a tradition, the newly-crowned NASCAR Sprint Cup champion will appear on multiple ESPN platforms Monday, November 23, 2009 during a visit to ESPN’s campus in Bristol, CT.
ESPN First Take will host the champion for an interview at 11:40am/et on ESPN2, followed by a live chat on ESPN.com at 12:30pm/et. ESPN’s flagship news and information program SportsCenter will welcome the champion for a live interview at 1:10pm/et.
A live appearance on ESPNEWS at 2:10pm/et will precede an interview on the Scott Van Pelt program on ESPN Radio at 2:25pm/et. The final live interview will be on ESPN’s Outside the Lines at 2:40pm/et.
Before departing Miami, the champion will start his day with an 8:10am/et phone interview on the popular Mike and Mike In the Morning program on ESPN Radio (simulcast on ESPN2). A recorded interview will air on the evening SportsCenter on ESPN Deportes.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Season Finale Live on ABC: The 2009 season finale for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is this weekend at Florida’s Homestead-Miami Speedway as the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup ends with the crowning of the champion. ESPN’s live, flag-to-flag coverage of the Ford 400 airs Sunday, Nov. 22, on ABC and ABC HD beginning with NASCAR Countdown at 2:30pm/et. The race’s green flag is scheduled for 3:30pm/et. Also from Homestead, ESPN2 airs coverage of NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying on Friday, Nov. 20, at 3:00pm/et, as well as coverage of final practice on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 3:00pm/et.
Dr. Jerry Punch will be lap-by-lap announcer for ESPN’s coverage, with analysis by 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Dale Jarrett and two-time NASCAR champion crew chief Andy Petree. Reporting from the pits will be Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Shannon Spake and Vince Welch, with two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief Tim Brewer in the ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage.
Allen Bestwick will host the pre-race NASCAR Countdown program with analysis by 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Rusty Wallace, Brad Daugherty, co-owner of a winning team in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, and three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion crew chief Ray Evernham in the ESPN pit studio.

SportsCenter Special Originates from Homestead on Championship Day: ESPN’s flagship program SportsCenter will present a 90-minute special from Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, Nov. 22, at 1:00pm/et, following NFL Countdown on ESPN. The telecast will lead up to NASCAR Countdown on ABC at 2:30pm/et. SportsCenter presented by AutoZone at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship will be hosted by Allen Bestwick and will give NASCAR fans the opportunity to see things that go on prior to a race that they normally don’t get to see. Mike Rowe, host of Dirty Jobs on the Discovery Channel, will be a special on-site reporter for ESPN and look at some of the dirty jobs of NASCAR. Rowe’s voice has been heard by NASCAR fans as the narrator of segments during ESPN’s coverage of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup this season.
ESPN’s Dave Burns will spend the program shadowing the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet of Jimmie Johnson, taking viewers behind-the-scenes as the car goes through final race preparation and NASCAR inspection. And ESPN’s Marty Smith will shadow Johnson himself in the hours before he attempts to make history as the first driver to win four consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup championships.
The program also will include a heartwarming story of how the building of Homestead-Miami Speedway in 1994 and 1995 helped bring the Homestead area back from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Andrew, one of the worst natural disasters in history, on Aug. 24, 1992. Joining Bestwick in the ESPN Pit Studio will be analysts Rusty Wallace, Brad Daugherty and Ray Evernham. Several NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers also are expected to stop by the studio during the course of the program.

ESPN Classic Returns to North Wilkesboro Speedway: With long-dormant North Wilkesboro (NC) Speedway scheduled to re-open late in 2010, ESPN Classic will bring NASCAR fans back to the 0.625-mile short track with a look at the 1989 Holly Farms 400, a NASCAR Winston Cup race. A one-hour highlights program airs Monday, Nov. 23, at 12noon/et.

NASCAR Now Originates from Homestead for Season Finale: NASCAR Now, ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program, will close out its 2009 season with four shows originating from Homestead-Miami Speedway, site of this weekend’s final races of the NASCAR season. Allen Bestwick will host the programs with analysts including Rusty Wallace, Brad Daugherty, Ray Evernham and Dale Jarrett, and reporters Mike Massaro, Nicole Manske and Marty Smith.
The first program from Homestead airs Friday, Nov. 20, at 12:30am/et (late Thursday night), with another airing Saturday, Nov. 21, at 12:30am/et (late Friday night). The one-hour weekend edition airs Sunday, Nov. 22, at 10:am/et with a preview of that day’s NASCAR Sprint Cup finale at Homestead, with the final NASCAR Now of the season airing at 10:00pm/et Sunday. Massaro hosts half-hour editions of NASCAR Now from ESPN’s high definition studios in Bristol, Ct., on Wednesday, Nov. 17, at 1:30am/et (late Tuesday night), and Wednesday at 6:00pm/et. Smith will report from Miami for both programs.

NASCAR Now Previews Chase in Expanded Episode: ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program NASCAR Now will report from Chase Media Day in New York and from historic Fenway Park in Boston in an expanded one-hour episode on Thursday, Sept. 17, at 5:30pm/et. Host Mike Massaro will preview the Chase with driver interviews from New York, while members of the Roush Fenway Racing team and some guests from the Boston Red Sox will be interviewed from Boston during the hour as well.

ESPN College Football Announcers Take 200 mph NASCAR Rides: With three big sporting events on the ESPN networks originating from Atlanta this weekend, ESPN college football announcers Brent Musburger and Lisa Salters took a 200 mph look at one of the sports Friday [Sept. 4th] at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Musburger, who will call ESPN on ABC's telecast of the Virginia Tech-Alabama game Saturday night from the Georgia Dome, and sideline reporter Salters went for high-speed rides around the 1.5-mile superspeedway in a special two-seater stock car with NASCAR Sprint Cup driver #11-Denny Hamlin at the wheel. Hamlin will compete in Sunday night's 500-mile race that will air live on ESPN. In addition, ESPN2 will have live coverage of Saturday night's NASCAR Nationwide Series race at AMS. Musburger, who hosted ESPN's NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage in 2007, had been for a ride around Daytona International Speedway with former NASCAR champion Darrell Waltrip more than 20 years ago, but after emerging from the two-seater race car today said "he (Waltrip) wasn't cranking on it like Denny did today. "They asked me if I wanted to go down to the speedway and go for a little ride, and I said sure that sounds like fun, but little did I know that they'd be putting the pedal down to the metal like that. I rode with the Blue Angels once and I knew not to eat a big lunch today."
Musburger said his biggest feeling of uneasiness came when Hamlin brought the car to the top of the speedway's 24-degree banking, only inches from the retaining wall, the normal racing line at AMS. "He told me one thing I needed to know about this track was that they're always looking for something 'up top' to go faster, and when we were out there it was like 'Whoa! We're up top!'"
Salters, also a reporter for ESPN's E:60 newsmagazine, climbed from her car smiling and said she had a similar feeling during her three-lap ride when Hamlin came close to the wall. "It was exciting and scary," she said. "I was thinking that I have no control over what happens. I couldn't imagine doing that if there were other cars on the track." Previously a correspondent for ABC News, Salters was asked to compare the fear she felt during her ride to other experiences in her career. "I've been in war zones, and I've been in some bad neighborhoods in the United States," she said. "I'd have to say this is near the top." Musburger, who while a student sold tickets at the first Daytona 500 in 1959, said he keeps up with the sport and expects the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship to be a battle between Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson. "One thing I've always said about NASCAR drivers is that they are so close to their fans and sponsors, they do the best job of any athlete that I'm aware of," he said. "When you get to the end of an exciting NASCAR race, there's nothing like it in sports."(ESPN)(9-5-2009)

ESPN supportive of consistent race start times: Julie Sobieski, ESPN vice president, programming and acquisitions, was asked about consistent starting times for NASCAR Sprint Cup races during a media conference call Tuesday:
JULIE SOBIESKI: "There's definitely been a lot of dialogue about start times, and a lot has been written. With ratings being down, there's lots of factors that are contributing to that. Can consistent start times make a difference? Certainly that's possible. We'd be supportive of consistent start times with ESPN and we know that's also been a priority for NASCAR to try and look at, so if it's good for the fans, and we think it's going to benefit ratings, then certainly we're onboard with that concept. It's ultimately NASCAR's call when it comes to the schedule of their races, and certainly the tracks as well. All we can do is have the open dialogue and support ultimately where NASCAR and the tracks feel (the starting time) is best to serve the fans. Nothing is set for next year, so I think that dialogue is ongoing and continuing, and we'll see where that ends up. NASCAR is going to need to make the decision that they feel is best for all their constituents involved."(ESPN PR)(7-22-2009)

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