Motorsports This Week on ESPN
ESPN Classic Airing Classic Daytona 500 Races
On Monday, Jan. 21, ESPN Classic will air the 1990 Daytona 500.
ESPN.com's NASCAR page features a poll where viewers can log on to choose their favorite Daytona 500 from the six. Then, on Saturday night, Feb. 16, the night before the 2008 version of NASCAR’s biggest race, ESPN Classic will show the top five races as chosen by the fans in their order of preference, starting at 10 p.m.
Dale Earnhardt was all but the 500 winner in 1990 when his car blew a tire in turn 3 of the last lap, leading to an unlikely Daytona 500 victory for Derrike Cope. Cope cruised by Earnhardt to win the 500, his first career NASCAR win, and one of only two in his career, the other coming later that season.
Rusty Wallace’s 1988 Win in Final Race at Riverside on ESPN Classic
ESPN Classic will give NASCAR fans a chance to see the final NASCAR race at historic Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway with an airing of highlights of the 1988 Budweiser 400 Friday, Jan. 18, at 3 a.m. ET.
Rusty Wallace, now ESPN’s lead auto racing analyst, was always a threat to win on road courses during his driving career and Wallace drove his Kodiak Pontiac to victory over Terry Labonte in the 400-kilometer race on the 2.62-mile circuit located east of Los Angeles. Ricky Rudd, Dale Earnhardt and Phil Parsons completed the top five in the race that was run June 12, 1988.
Riverside held races for NASCAR’s top series from the early 1960s until 1988. The track closed in 1989 and a shopping mall now sits on part of the land.
Tony Stewart SportsCentury Program Airing Tuesday on ESPN Classic
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star Tony Stewart is the focus of an episode of SportsCentury airing Tuesday, Jan. 15, at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN Classic.
ESPN Classic’s Emmy and Peabody Award-winning signature series, SportsCentury, airs weekday mornings at 9 a.m.
NHRA Fans Can Relive Events from 2005 on ESPN Classic
Fans of the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series will have opportunities all week to relive some of the great events of the 2005 season as ESPN Classic opens the archives and brings the events back to life on TV. The programs air at 11 a.m. ET each day.
On Tuesday, Jan. 15, fans can watch the action of the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals, while Wednesday’s program features the Mac Tools NHRA Nationals. The Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals air Thursday with the Ameriquest NHRA Nationals on the air Friday.
The nostalgia continues Monday, Jan. 21, with the 2005 O’Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals airing at 11 a.m. on ESPN Classic.
ESPN2 is the home for the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series and the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.
ESPN2 and ESPN Classic Highlight Classic Car Auction Programs
ESPN2 and ESPN Classic are the home for lovers of classic car auction programs, and multiple episodes of three series will air this week. The programs are Russo and Steel Car Auction, On the Block and RM Classic Car Auctions.
The schedule (all times Eastern):
| Jan. 15 | 9 p.m. | Russo and Steele Car Auction | ESPN Classic |
| Jan. 15 | 10 p.m. | On the Block | ESPN Classic |
| Jan. 16 | 9 p.m. | On the Block | ESPN Classic |
| Jan. 17 | 10 p.m. | On the Block | ESPN Classic |
| Jan. 18 | 10 p.m. | On the Block | ESPN Classic |
| Jan. 19 | 9 a.m. | On the Block | ESPN Classic |
| Jan. 19 | 10 a.m. | Russo and Steele Car Auction | ESPN2 |
| Jan. 20 | 10 a.m. | RM Classic Car Auctions | ESPN2 |
| Jan. 20 | 11 a.m. | On the Block | ESPN Classic |