There are five NASCAR-related nominations for this year’s 16th annual ESPY Awards. #18-Kyle Busch is involved in three of the five. At last summer’s Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway, #26-Jamie McMurray edged Busch for the victory by a margin of only .005-seconds, the second-closest margin since NASCAR instituted electronic scoring in 1993. That spectacular under-the-lights ending has been nominated in the “Best Finish” category. Busch also is nominated in the “Best Breakthrough Athlete” category and in the “Best Driver” category. Two-time defending Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and Dario Franchitti also are nominated for Best Driver. Franchitti’s nomination was based primarily on his splendid 2007 season in open-wheel racing, when he won the Indianapolis 500 and the IndyCar Series championship. The “2008 ESPYs” will be held July 16 at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles. This marks the first time for the show at the Nokia Theatre, following a six-year run at the Kodak Theatre. The show – hosted annually by ESPN – will be televised on Sunday, July 20 at 9pm/et on ESPN and ESPN HD, hosted by Justin Timberlake. All awards are determined by an online fan vote. Fans can vote on-line for their favorites in all ESPY categories by going to:promo.espn.go.com.(NASCAR PR)(7-3-2008)
