RACING BROADCASTING (DAYTONA, FLA.) - ABC, ESPN And ESPN2 To Launch First Season With New Sponsor Nationwide

NASCAR today announced the 2008 broadcast schedule for the NASCAR Nationwide Series (see attached for entire 2008 broadcast schedule along with release).

The series, which welcomes new sponsor Nationwide Insurance, opens the season with television partners ABC, ESPN and ESPN2. ABC will televise four events; ESPN will televise three and ESPN2 will have 27. The Oct. 25 race at Memphis Motorsports Park has not yet been assigned.

ESPN2 begins its slate with the season-opening race at Daytona at 1:15 p.m. ET on Feb. 16. ABC will broadcast the events at Bristol Motor Speedway (March 15, 2:30 p.m. ET), Talladega Superspeedway (April 26, 3 p.m. ET), New Hampshire Motor Speedway (June 28, 3 p.m. ET) and Watkins Glen International (Aug. 9, 3 p.m. ET).

The NASCAR Nationwide Series will again race internationally this season – once at Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodriguez (ESPN, Apr. 20, 2 p.m. ET) and once at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (ESPN2, Aug. 2, 3:30 p.m. ET).

The season-finale Ford 300 on Nov. 15 at Homestead-Miami Speedway will be broadcast on ESPN2 at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Another highlight on the schedule is the first ever NASCAR “double-header” involving the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Both series will race on Feb. 23 at California Speedway – the NCTS race will be televised on FOX at 3 p.m. ET and the NNS race starts at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.