Fresh off the inaugural Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, the family of FOX Sports Networks opens the 2005 NASCAR racing season with comprehensive coverage of Daytona Speed Weeks, highlighted by the 47th running of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 20 at 2:00pm/et (pre-race coverage begins at 1:00pm/et) on FOX. For the first time, FOX will broadcast this year’s coverage of the Great American Race in 720p high-definition pictures with Dolby 5.1 audio. FX takes to the track Feb. 17 at 1:00pm/et with live coverage of the Gatorade Duel at Daytona – a pair of 50-lap qualifying races used to set the Daytona 500 starting grid. “We’re looking forward to dropping the green flag on our fifth year covering NASCAR,” said FOX Sports Chairman David Hill. “Our coverage from Daytona is especially significant this year in that it begins the HD era for NASCAR on FOX. Every race on the network this season is being produced in 720p HD, the best HD format for sports, and the latest Dolby 5.1 digital audio.”
NASCAR racing legend Darrell Waltrip and former champion crew chief Larry McReynolds return to provide race analysis for all NASCAR on FOX Nextel Cup and Busch Series events, and Mike Joy returns as race announcer. Pre-race coverage is again hosted by Chris Myers with analyst Jeff Hammond, and returning to cover pit road for FOX are reporters Dick Berggren, Steve Byrnes, Matt Yocum and Jeanne Zelasko. Speed Channel, home to NASCAR TV, will offer fans nearly 70 hours of programming over 10 days from Daytona, highlighted by the night running of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race (Feb. 18, 8:00pm/et), the IROC race (Feb. 18, 6:00pm/et) and the debut of the much-anticipated NASCAR Nation on Feb. 21 at 7:00pm/et and PT.
A nightly, feature-driven magazine show, NASCAR Nation will take race fans into the lives of their favorite NASCAR personalities on and off the track (Speed Channel PR). See the Speed, FOX, FX schedule for Speedweeks on my TV Listings page.(1-26-2005)
