NHRA is going prime time

[tugboater]

As a show of its strengthening commitment to the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, ESPN2/ESPN2HD will present 21 of the 24 races during the 2008 season in the coveted 7-11 p.m. ET prime-time viewing window.

This year marks the eighth consecutive year of NHRA's exclusive broadcasting partnership with ESPN. The season begins with the 48th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals from Auto Club Raceway at Pomona Feb. 7-10.

Outside of races in Houston, Topeka, and Chicago, which are scheduled to air late Sunday afternoon, every NHRA POWERade Series race during the 2008 season will begin or end between 7 and 11 p.m. ET. During the last half of the season, NHRA will be featured in the same time slot, 7-10 p.m., for 10 of the final 14 races.

Additionally, the popular pre-race show that debuted in 2007, NHRA Race Day presented by Lucas Oil, will be back in 2008, once again being produced on-site to allow fans attending the Sunday race a chance to watch – and participate in – the show. It will air on Sunday race days at 11 a.m. ET on ESPN2/ESPN2HD.

In all, the network will dedicate more than 120 hours of original programming to the world's fastest, most powerful motorsport with live or same-day coverage of qualifying and the race on Sunday.

Among the highlights of NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series coverage on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD is consistent time slots on Sunday evening for the final elimination rounds, with a majority in the coveted Sunday night prime-time slot. In addition, the network will dedicate 10 hours of coverage to the world's most prestigious drag race, the 54th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at historic O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis Labor Day weekend, Aug. 27-Sept. 1.

The shows are developed by the production team at ESPN Regional Television, which has been producing NHRA programming since 2001. Paul Page returns to the broadcast booth alongside former drag racer Mike Dunn, who will provide expert analysis and insight on the racing action. Dave Rieff and Gary Gerould will return as pit reporters. Joining them at select races throughout the year will be veteran announcer John Kernan, who joined the NHRA broadcast team in 2007.

NHRA Race Day presented by Lucas Oil will be hosted again by Rieff and Dunn and originate from NHRA's Nitro Alley. NHRA Race Day presented by Lucas Oil sets up the day for fans at home with must-see matchups, interviews with the stars of the sport, racer features, news and analysis, a review of qualifying, and what to look for during the all-important Sunday action.

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. ESPN2 is now available in more than 96 million households.



2008 NHRA POWERADE DRAG RACING SERIES TELEVISION SCHEDULE

Event Time/Airdate
CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals Qualifying, 8-10 p.m., Feb. 9
Pomona, Calif. Eliminations, 7:30-11 p.m., Feb. 10

Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals Qualifying, 2-3:30 a.m., Feb. 24
Phoenix Qualifying (re-air), 11 p.m.-12:30 a.m., Feb. 24
Eliminations, 7-10 p.m., Feb. 24

ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals Qualifying, 1-3 a.m., March 16
Gainesville, Fla. Eliminations, 6-9 p.m., March 16

O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals Qualifying, 4:30-5 p.m., March 29
Houston Qualifying, 10-11 p.m., March 29
Eliminations, 4:30-7 p.m., March 30

NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals Qualifying, 8-10 p.m., April 12
Las Vegas Eliminations, 8-11 p.m., April 13

Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals Qualifying, 6-8 p.m., April 26
Atlanta Eliminations, 7-10 p.m., April 27

O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals Qualifying, 9-11 p.m., May 3
Madison, Ill. Eliminations, 7-10 p.m., May 4

O'Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Qualifying, 6:30-8:30 p.m., May 17
Bristol, Tenn. Eliminations, 6:30-10 p.m., May 18

O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals Qualifying, 5:30-7:30 p.m., May 31
Topeka, Kan. Eliminations, 4-7 p.m., June 1

Torco Racing Fuels Route 66 NHRA Nationals Qualifying, 5-7 p.m., June 7
Chicago Eliminations, 5-7 p.m., June 8

NHRA SuperNationals Qualifying, 11:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m., June 21
Englishtown, N.J. Eliminations, 7-10 p.m., June 22

Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals Qualifying, 10 p.m.-midnight, June 28
Norwalk, Ohio Eliminations, 7-10 p.m., June 29

Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals Qualifying, 10 p.m.-midnight, July 12
Denver Eliminations, 8-11 p.m., July 13

Schuck's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals Qualifying, 8-9 p.m., July 19
Seattle Eliminations, 9-midnight, July 20

Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals Qualifying, 6-7:30 p.m., July 26
Sonoma, Calif. Eliminations, 7-10 p.m., July 27

Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals Qualifying, 8:30-10:30 p.m., Aug. 9
Brainerd, Minn. Eliminations, 7-10 p.m., Aug. 10

Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals Qualifying, 6-8 p.m., Aug. 16
Reading, Pa. Eliminations, 10 p.m.-1 a.m., Aug. 17

Mac Tools U.S. Nationals Qualifying, 12:30-1:30 a.m., Aug. 31
Indianapolis Qualifying, Noon-3 p.m., Aug. 31
Qualifying, 6-7 p.m., Aug. 31
Eliminations, Noon-2 p.m., Sept. 1
Eliminations, 7-10 p.m., Sept. 1

NHRA Carolinas Nationals Qualifying, 10 p.m.-midnight, Sept. 13
Charlotte, N.C. Eliminations, 7-10 p.m., Sept. 14

O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals Qualifying, 10 p.m.-midnight, Sept. 20
Dallas Eliminations, 7-10 p.m., Sept. 21

O'Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals Qualifying, 10 p.m.-midnight, Sept. 27
Memphis, Tenn. Eliminations, 7-10 p.m., Sept. 28

Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals Qualifying, Midnight-1 a.m., Oct. 11
Richmond, Va. Eliminations, 7-10 p.m., Oct. 12

ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals Qualifying, 10 p.m.-midnight, Nov. 1
Las Vegas Eliminations, 7-10 p.m., Nov. 2

Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals Qualifying, 10:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m., Nov. 15
Pomona, Calif. Eliminations, 8-11 p.m., Nov. 16

* All times Eastern. Schedule subject to change. Please check local listings

[nachomama]

I HATED when eliminations came on at 10.

I loves me some NHRA!

[AndyMarquisLIVE]

NHRA=NASCAR.

I like IHRA better, at least they let the tracks have a say in some things.

[AndyMarquisLIVE]

That's right, folks. The NHRA doesn't have a tire/track problem.

http://www.mysticspeed.com/NHRAjan26...lides/5011.jpg

Because, you know, all super gas cars are supposed to do that.

Thanks for the post Andy.

[AndyMarquisLIVE]

NHRA is going prime time 02-01-2008 05:35 PM you really are a #### simple little pussy

Look who's talking.