Motorsports This Week on ESPN and ABC

The Chase is On: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Live from Phoenix on ABC

The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup is down to only two races, and this weekend’s 500K race at Phoenix International Raceway moves drivers one step closer to the top honor in NASCAR. ESPN on ABC will have live, high definition coverage from Phoenix beginning with NASCAR Countdown at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 9.

ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will air live coverage of NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying from Phoenix on Friday, Nov. 7, at 5:30 p.m., along with practice on the 1-mile track earlier that day at 2 p.m. Coverage of final practice airs Saturday, Nov. 8, at 3 p.m. The race will re-air Monday, Nov. 9, at 8 a.m. on ESPN Classic.

Dr. Jerry Punch will be lead announcer, joined in the booth for analysis by 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Dale Jarrett and two-time champion crew chief Andy Petree. Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake will be pit reporters with two-time champion crew chief Tim Brewer in the ESPN Tech Center.

The pre-race NASCAR Countdown show from the ESPN pit studio will be hosted by Allen Bestwick, with 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Rusty Wallace, three-time champion crew chief Ray Evernham and analyst Brad Daugherty. The studio team will interact with the booth during the telecast of the race.

Also this weekend, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD air live coverage of the NASCAR Nationwide Series race from Phoenix on Saturday, Nov. 8, at 4 p.m. The telecast is presented by Craftsman.

Craven, LaJoie, Said on NASCAR Now Monday Roundtable Discussion

The Monday, Nov. 10, edition of NASCAR Now, ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information show, at 5 p.m. ET will feature host Allen Bestwick leading a roundtable discussion of the latest NASCAR news and races. Panel members will include ESPN NASCAR analysts Randy LaJoie and Boris Said and former NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Ricky Craven.

Episodes of NASCAR Now air Tuesday through Thursday of this week at 5 p.m. The one-hour weekend edition of NASCAR Now airs Sunday, Nov. 9, at 10 a.m. with a preview of that day’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Phoenix, and the weekend wrap-up edition airs that night at 10 p.m.

NASCAR Now is hosted by Ryan Burr, Nicole Manske and Bestwick and originates from ESPN’s high definition studios in Bristol, Conn. Contributors include NASCAR Insiders Marty Smith and Angelique Chengelis, analysts Ray Evernham, Tim Brewer, Brad Daugherty, Boris Said and Tim Cowlishaw, ESPN.com reporters Ed Hinton, Terry Blount and David Newton and D.J. Copp, a member of the Petty Enterprises NASCAR team.

NASCAR Now viewers also benefit from frequent contributions by the NASCAR on ESPN team including Rusty Wallace, Dale Jarrett, Dr. Jerry Punch, Andy Petree, Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake.

ESPN Classic Gets Fans Ready for Phoenix with 1990 Checker 500

With the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series headed to Phoenix International Raceway this weekend, ESPN Classic will help NASCAR fans get ready for action on the odd-shaped racetrack with an airing of highlights of the 1990 Checker 500 at Phoenix on Thursday, Nov. 6, at 1 p.m. ET.

En route to the 1990 NASCAR Winston Cup championship, Dale Earnhardt won the race. Ken Schrader finished second, followed by Morgan Shepherd, Darrell Waltrip and Bill Elliott.

ESPN Classic Hosts Marathon of Formula D Drifting

ESPN Classic will air seven hours of Formula D Drifting action in a marathon on Saturday, Nov. 8, at 1 p.m.

Seven different one-hour episodes of Formula D Drifting will highlight drifting competition from such locations as Long Beach and Sonoma, Calif., and Atlanta.