ESPN 2 NHRA Broadcast Schedule

http://www.nhra.com/content/news/26489.htm


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.



NHRA Race Day presented by Lucas Oil (all times ET; on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD)
Start times for all 24 episodes will be 11 a.m. ET except NHRA Race Day
presented by Lucas Oil from the Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals in
Phoenix, which will air at 12:30 p.m.