ESPN will air 66 hours of NASCAR this week, in advance of the network’s first NEXTEL Cup telecast in seven years.
As part of “ESPN Ultimate NASCAR Week”, NASCAR Now will take over the 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM timeslot on ESPN each day this week, bumping Around the Horn and Pardon the Interruption. This was done in February as well, in advance of the Daytona 500.
ESPN will also air NASCAR specials in primetime each night this week, pre-empting Monday Night Baseball and Wednesday Night Baseball, both of which will be moved to ESPN2. Monday Night Baseball, which tonight features Barry Bonds‘ chase of the home run record, is being replaced by “ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: The Explosion”, which documents “the growth of stock car racing into a national phenomenon.”
ESPN NASCAR programming this week:
Monday, July 23
5:00 PM: NASCAR Now (ESPN)
5:00 PM: SportsCentury: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (ESPN Classic)
6:00 PM: NASCAR Now (ESPN2)
8:00 PM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: The Explosion (ESPN)
Tuesday, July 24
3:00 AM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: Greatest Drivers (ESPN)
4:00 AM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: Hottest Rivalries (ESPN)
1:00 PM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: Hottest Rivalries (ESPN)
5:00 PM: NASCAR Now (ESPN)
5:00 PM: SportsCentury: Jeff Gordon (ESPN Classic)
6:30 PM: NASCAR Now (ESPN2)
8:00 PM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: Greatest Drivers (ESPN)
9:00 PM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: The Dirt (ESPN)
Wednesday, July 25
1:00 AM: NASCAR Now (ESPN2)
1:00 PM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: Biggest Races (ESPN)
5:00 PM: NASCAR Now (ESPN)
5:00 PM: SportsCentury: Tony Stewart (ESPN Classic)
6:00 PM: NASCAR Now (ESPN2)
8:00 PM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: Hottest Rivalries (ESPN)
9:00 PM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: The Cars (ESPN)
Thursday, July 26
Midnight: NASCAR Now (ESPN2)
3:00 AM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: The Explosion (ESPN)
1:00 PM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: Greatest Drivers (ESPN)
5:00 PM: NASCAR Now (ESPN)
5:00 PM: SportsCentury: Richard Petty (ESPN Classic)
6:00 PM: NASCAR Now (ESPN2)
8:00 PM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: Biggest Races (ESPN)
9:00 PM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: Speed & Danger (ESPN)
Friday, July 27
Midnight: NASCAR Now (ESPN2)
3:00 AM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: Biggest Races (ESPN)
4:00 AM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: The Dirt (ESPN)
5:00 PM: SportsCentury: Dale Earnhardt (ESPN Classic)
6:00 PM: NASCAR Now (ESPN2)
8:00 PM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: The Families (ESPN)
Saturday, July 28
3:00 AM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: The Cars (ESPN)
4:00 AM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: Speed & Danger (ESPN)
10:00 AM: NASCAR NEXTEL Cup qualifying (ESPN2 )
12:30 PM: NASCAR Busch Series practice (ESPN2)
2:30 PM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: Hottest Rivalries (ESPN)
3:30 PM: NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Happy Hour (ESPN2)
4:30 PM: NASCAR Busch Series qualifying (ESPN2)
7:30 PM: NASCAR Busch Series race (ESPN2)
10:00 PM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: Greatest Drivers (ESPN Classic)
11:00 PM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: Hottest Rivalries (ESPN Classic)
Sunday, July 29
Midnight: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: Biggest Races (ESPN Classic)
1:00 AM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: The Explosion (ESPN Classic)
2:00 AM: NASCAR Busch Series race (re-air; ESPN2)
3:00 AM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: The Families (ESPN)
3:00 AM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: The Dirt (ESPN Classic)
4:00 AM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: The Cars (ESPN Classic)
4:00 AM: NEXTEL Cup Happy Hour (re-air; ESPN2)
5:00 AM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: Speed & Danger (ESPN Classic)
10:00 AM: NASCAR Now (ESPN2)
10:00 AM: ESPN Ultimate NASCAR: The Families (ESPN Classic)
1:00 PM: Allstate 400 at the Brickyard (ESPN)
