NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Returns to ESPN2 in 2015

The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, NHRA’s popular Sportsman level racing series, will be featured in 16 one-hour shows on ESPN2HD in 2015, it was announced today.

The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series coverage from select national events will air on ESPN2HD on a tape-delay basis as part of NHRA’s relationship with ESPN, in its second decade as the exclusive home of NHRA drag racing. All 16 telecasts will air on Saturday or Sunday. The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series has a long-standing tradition of serving as a highly competitive developmental arena for the future stars of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

Returning as anchor of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series telecasts will be long-time NHRA announcer Dave Rieff. Rieff has been involved for many years with NHRA coverage on ESPN and ESPN2HD. The color analyst role for the shows will be filled by Alan Reinhart whose announcing career spans more than two decades. Reinhart has been the lead public address announcer of Lucas Oil Series racing at national events and brings extensive knowledge of the series and its competitors.

The popular NHRA Sportsman Spotlight segments, focusing on NHRA’s Member Track network and sportsman racing programs, will be showcased as part of the race-coverage telecasts once again in 2015. Lewis Bloom, currently involved in the NHRA Mello Yello telecasts on ESPN and best known as the “Stat Guy," will split duties with Reinhart, as they return for their third year with these segments. They will visit the member tracks and share their reports with viewers during the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series telecasts on ESPN2.

2015 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Television Schedule

Event Air Date, Time Location
Circle K NHRA Winternationals Sunday, Feb. 15; 11 a.m.-Noon Pomona, Calif.
Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals Sat. March 28; 10-11 a.m. Gainesville, Fla.
NHRA Four-Wide Nationals Sun. April 5; 11 a.m.-Noon Concord, N.C.
SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals Sun. April 19; Noon.-1 p.m. Las Vegas
O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA SpringNationals Sun. May 3; 11 a.m.-Noon Houston
NHRA Kansas Nationals Sun. May 31; 11 a.m.-Noon Topeka, Kan.
Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals Sun. July 12; 1-2 p.m. Norwalk, Ohio
NHRA Route 66 Nationals Sun. July 19; 2-3 p.m. Joliet, Ill.
NHRA Northwest Nationals Sun. Aug. 15; 10-11 a.m. Kent, Wash.
Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals Sat. Aug. 30; Noon-1p.m. Brainerd, Minn.
Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals Sun. Sept. 13; 7-8 a.m. Indianapolis
NHRA Carolina Nationals Sat. Sept. 26; 7:30-8:30 a.m. Concord, N.C.
NHRA Keystone Nationals Sun. Oct. 11; 6-7 p.m. Mohnton, Pa.
AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals Sat. Oct. 24; 7-8 a.m. Ennis, Texas
NHRA Toyota Nationals Sun. Nov. 8; 1-2 p.m. Las Vegas
Auto Club NHRA Finals Sun. Nov. 22; 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Pomona, Calif.