NHRA NEWS: NHRA POWERADE SERIES TO BE SHOWCASED WITH MORE THAN 100 HOURS ON ESPN2 AND ESPN2HD IN 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: NHRA Communications, (626) 914-4761 NHRA Media Center Online: http://media.nhra.com NHRA POWERADE SERIES TO BE SHOWCASED WITH MORE THAN 100 HOURS OF ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING ON ESPN2 AND ESPN2 HD IN 2007 Debut of NHRA Race Day presented by Lucas Oil Sunday morning on ESPN2; The sport's first true "pre-race" show GLENDORA, Calif. (Jan. 24, 2007) - The 2007 season kicks off in just a few weeks in Pomona, but the television presentation of the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series is well underway. The NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, the premier drag racing series in the world, will be featured on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD in 2007 with more than 100 hours of original programming from the 23-race season. The 23-event, $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series will again feature live or same-day coverage on ESPN2, which is now available in more than 91 million households. In addition, NHRA announced the debut of NHRA Race Day presented by Lucas Oil on ESPN2, which will replace NHRA 2Day. NHRA Race Day, which primarily will air immediately following NASCAR NOW on each Sunday morning of the 23 NHRA POWERade Series event weekends, will serve as a true "pre-race" show. NHRA Race Day will set up the day for fans at home with must-see match-ups, interviews with the stars of the sport, driver features, news and analysis, a review of qualifying and what to look for during the all-important Sunday action. With a state-of-the-art stage, NHRA Race Day will originate from NHRA's Nitro Alley, allowing fans attending the Sunday race a chance to watch - and participate - in the show. In addition, a special presentation of NHRA Race Day will air the Sunday prior to the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals in the Fall. The special edition of NHRA Race Day, which will air Oct. 21 at 11 a.m. (ET), will set the stage for the final two races in the inaugural NHRA POWERade Countdown to the Championship, a playoff-style format to determine the NHRA POWERade Series world champions in all four professional categories. Among the highlights of the national event shows include coverage of both qualifying and eliminations, including consistent time slots on Sunday evening for the final elimination rounds, and more than 10 hours of coverage from the world's most prestigious drag race, the 53rd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at historic O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis. Currently, eight NHRA qualifying shows in 2007 are scheduled to air immediately following coverage of the NASCAR Busch Series on ESPN2. The television coverage will include several new features in 2007. Led by the production team at ESPN Regional Television, which has been producing NHRA programming since 2001, the shows will include a new animation package and graphics, including a screen crawl containing information on what drivers are coming up as well as other notes to help inform the viewers at home. "When fans tune in for the first show, it's going to look, sound and feel new," said Shawn Murphy, senior coordinating producer at ESPN. Paul Page, who anchored selected NHRA telecasts in 2006, will be the lead announcer for all 23 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series events in 2007, with David Reiff, long-time NHRA announcer, as host of NHRA Race Day. In addition, Reiff will serve as lead announcer for the 16 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series shows, NHRA's premier sportsman series, also airing on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD in 2007. Page will be joined in the booth by former drag racer Mike Dunn, who will provide expert analysis and insight for the world's fastest, most powerful racing machines. Reiff and Gary Gerould will return as pit reporters. In addition to coverage on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD, NHRA POWERade Drag Racing will be aired on a tape-delay basis on ESPN Deportes and distributed internationally through ESPN International. ESPN, Inc. is the world's leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring a portfolio of over 50 multimedia sports assets. The company is comprised of seven domestic television networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPNU, ESPN Today), ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD simulcast services, ESPN Regional Television, ESPN International (networks, syndication, radio, web sites), ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, SportsTicker, ESPN Enterprises, ESPN Zones (sports-themed restaurants), and other growing new businesses including ESPN360 (Broadband), Mobile ESPN, ESPN on Demand, ESPN Interactive and ESPN PPV. Based in Bristol, Ct., ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN. Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., the NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. It presents 23 national events through its NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. The NHRA has 80,000 members and 140 member tracks. The NHRA-sanctioned sportsman and bracket racing series' provide competition opportunities for drivers of all levels. The NHRA develops the stars of tomorrow by offering the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series, NHRA Summit Racing Series, and the NHRA Street Legal Drags presented by AAA. The NHRA also offers the O'Reilly Auto Parts Jr. Drag Racing League for youths ages 8 to 17. 2007 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Television Schedule Event Air Date/Time CARQUEST Winternationals Qualifying, 10 p.m. - Midnight, Feb. 10 Pomona, Calif. Eliminations, 8 - 11 p.m., Feb. 11 Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals Qualifying, Midnight - 1 a.m., Feb. 24 Phoenix Eliminations, 7 -10 p.m., Feb. 25 ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals Qualifying, 1:30 - 3:30 a.m., Mar. 18 Gainesville, Fla. Eliminations, 5 - 7 p.m., Mar. 18 O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals Qualifying, 7 - 9 p.m., March 31 Houston Eliminations, 4 - 7 p.m., April 1 NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals Qualifying, 6 - 8 p.m., April 14 Las Vegas Eliminations, 7 - 10 p.m., April 15 Summit Racing NHRA Southern Nationals Qualifying, 7 - 8 p.m., April 28 Commerce, Ga. Eliminations, 7 - 10 p.m., April 29 O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals Qualifying, 5 - 6:30 p.m., May 5 St. Louis Eliminations, 7 - 10 p.m., May 6 O'Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Qualifying, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., May 19 Bristol, Tenn. Eliminations, 8 - 11 p.m., May 20 O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals Qualifying, 6 - 8 p.m., June 2 Topeka, Kan. Eliminations, 4 p.m. - 7 p.m., June 3 NHRA Route 66 Nationals Qualifying, 5 - 6:30 p.m., June 9 Chicago Eliminations, 4 - 7 p.m., June 10 NHRA SuperNationals Qualifying, 11 p.m. - 1 a.m., June 23 Englishtown, N.J. Eliminations, 10 p.m. - 1 a.m., June 24 Summit Racing NHRA Nationals Qualifying, 8 - 10 p.m., June 30 Norwalk, Ohio Eliminations, 8 - 11 p.m., July 1 Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals Qualifying, 10 p.m. - Midnight, July 14 Denver Eliminations, 9 p.m. - Midnight, July 15 Schuck's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals Qualifying, 11:30 p.m. - 1:30 a.m., July 21 Seattle Eliminations, 7 - 10 p.m., July 22 FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals Qualifying, 6 - 7:30 p.m., July 28 Sonoma, Calif. Eliminations, 7 - 10 p.m., July 29 Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals Qualifying, 12:30 - 1:30 a.m., Aug. 11 Brainerd, Minn. Eliminations, 7 - 10 p.m., Aug. 12 Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals Qualifying, 6 - 8 p.m., Aug. 18 Reading, Pa. Eliminations, 10 p.m. - 1 a.m., Aug. 19 Mac Tools U.S. Nationals Qualifying, 12:30 - 1:30 a.m., Sept. 2 Indianapolis Qualifying, Noon - 2 p.m., Sept. 2 Qualifying, 11 p.m. - 1 a.m., Sept. 2 Eliminations, Noon - 3 p.m., Sept. 3 Eliminations, 7 - 10 p.m., Sept. 3 O'Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals Qualifying, 10 p.m. - Midnight, Sept. 15 Memphis, Tenn. Eliminations, 7 - 10 p.m., Sept. 16 O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals Qualifying, 10 p.m. - Midnight, Sept. 22 Dallas Eliminations, 7 - 10 p.m., Sept. 23 Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals Qualifying, 10 p.m. - Midnight, Oct. 6 Richmond, Va. Eliminations, 7 - 10 p.m., Oct. 7 ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals Qualifying, 10 p.m. - Midnight, Oct. 27 Las Vegas Eliminations, 7 - 10 p.m., Oct. 28 Automobile Club NHRA Finals Qualifying, 10 p.m. - Midnight, Nov. 3 Pomona, Calif. Eliminations, 7 - 10 p.m., Nov. 4 * All times Eastern. Schedule subject to change. Please check local listings. NHRA Race Day (all times ET and on ESPN2) Start times for all 24 episodes will be 11 a.m. (ET) except NHRA Race Day from the NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, which will start at 11:30 a.m. -30-