NHRA 2004 Television schedule

ESPN to televise more than 100 hours of the 23-race NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series in 2004.

GLENDORA, Calif. (Feb. 2, 2004) - NHRA and ESPN, Inc., will continue their partnership in presenting the fast-paced excitement of the world's most sensory-filled motorsports experience to millions of viewers in 2004.

ESPN and ESPN2 will dedicate more than 100 hours of original programming to feature the NHRA's marquee 23-event nationwide circuit, the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

It is the fourth year of an exclusive five-year agreement between ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports, and NHRA, the world's largest motorsports sanctioning organization.

"We are pleased with our ongoing relationship with ESPN and ESPN2," said Tom Compton, president of NHRA. "They have played an important role in the growth of NHRA POWERade Drag Racing by delivering high quality programming to our current and ever-expanding fan base around the country."

The NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series telecasts will be highlighted by more than 10 hours of coverage dedicated to the historic 50th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, Sept. 1-6. Each POWERade Series event will include at least four hours of coverage.

All NHRA POWERade Series races will be telecast on a live or same-day basis, mostly on ESPN2. Four of the 23 races will feature some qualifying or elimination coverage on ESPN.

The on-air talent will continue their in-depth reporting of the action on the drag strip to the newsworthy events in the pit area. Veteran motorsports announcer Marty Reid will continue to anchor the NHRA POWERade Series telecasts and will be joined in the booth by former Funny Car and Top Fuel racer Mike Dunn, who is entering his third consecutive season as co-host. Bill Stephens, Dave Rieff and Parker Johnstone will continue to report all of the action from the pits.

NHRA POWERade Series coverage will be complimented by 41 half-hour episodes of NHRA 2Day, NHRA's weekly news magazine show, hosted by Stephens, that will air each Sunday on ESPN2. NHRA 2Day will kick-off its 2004 season on Feb. 15 and continue a weekly schedule until the final episode of the season on Nov. 21.

<pre> NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series 2004 Television Schedule* (original air dates/times)

EVENT                                   NETWORK         TIME/ AIR DATE
K&N Filters Winernationals              ESPN2           Qualifying, 10 p.m. - midnight (ET), Feb. 21
Pomona, Calif.                          ESPN2           Eliminations, 10 p.m.-midnight (ET), Feb. 22

Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals  ESPN2           Qualifying, 11 p.m. - 1 a.m. (ET), March 6
Phoenix                                 ESPN2           Eliminations, 7-10 p.m. (ET), March 7

Mac Tools NHRA Gatornationals           ESPN2           Qualifying, 2:30-4:30 a.m. (ET), March 21
Gainesville, Fla.                       ESPN2           Eliminations, 11:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. (ET), March 21

NHRA Summitracing.com Nationals         ESPN2           Qualifying, 10 p.m.-midnight (ET), April 3
Las Vegas                               ESPN2           Eliminations, 11 p.m.-1 a.m. (ET), April 4

O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals          ESPN2           Qualifying, 10 p.m.-midnight (ET), April 17
Houston                                 ESPN2           Eliminations, 5-7 p.m. (ET), April 18

O'Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals       ESPN2           Qualifying, 7:30-9 p.m. (ET), May 1
Bristol, Tenn.                          ESPN2           Eliminations, 4-7 p.m. (ET), May 2

Summit Racing Equipment Nationals       ESPN2           Qualifying, 7-9 p.m. (ET), May 15
Atlanta                                 ESPN2           Eliminations, 7-10 p.m. (ET), May 16

Route 66 NHRA Nationals                 ESPN2           Qualifying, 7-9 p.m. (ET), May 22
Chicago                                 ESPN2           Eliminations, 7-10 p.m. (ET), May 23

O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals          ESPN2           Qualifying, 8-10 p.m. (ET), May 29
Topeka, Kan.                            ESPN2           Eliminations, 4-6 p.m. (ET), May 30

Pontiac Excitement NHRA Nationals       ESPN2           Qualifying, 6-7 p.m. (ET), June 12
Columbus, Ohio                          ESPN2           Eliminations, 3-6 p.m. (ET), June 13

K&N Filters SuperNationals              ESPN2           Qualifying, 6-8 p.m. (ET), June 19
Englishtown, N.J.                       ESPN            Eliminations, 5-7 p.m. (ET). June 20
Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals          ESPN2           Qualifying, 10-11 p.m. (ET), June 26
St. Louis                               ESPN2           Eliminations, 9-11:30 p.m. (ET), June 27

Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals          ESPN2           Qualifying, 8-10 p.m. (ET), July 17
Denver                                  ESPN2           Eliminations, 9 -11:30 p.m. (ET), July 18

CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals      ESPN            Qualifying, 8-10 p.m. (ET), July 24
Seattle                                 ESPN2           Eliminations, 7-10 p.m. (ET), July 25

FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals            ESPN2           Qualifying, 7-9 p.m. (ET), July 31
Sonoma, Calif.                          ESPN2           Eliminations, 7-10 p.m. (ET), Aug. 1

Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals                ESPN2           Qualifying, 10:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. (ET),  Aug. 14
Brainerd, Minn.                         ESPN2           Eliminations, 7-10 p.m. (ET), Aug. 15

O'Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals       ESPN2           Qualifying, 10 p.m.-midnight (ET), Aug. 21
Memphis, Tenn.                          ESPN2           Eliminations, 10 p.m.- midnight (ET), Aug. 22

Mac Tools U.S. Nationals                ESPN2           Qualifying, 8-9 p.m. (ET), Sept. 4
Indianapolis                            ESPN            Qualifying, 1-3 p.m. (ET), Sept. 5
                                        ESPN2           Qualifying, 5-8 p.m. (ET), Sept. 5
                                        ESPN2           Eliminations, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (ET), Sept. 6
                                        ESPN2           Eliminations, 7-10 p.m. (ET), Sept. 6

Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals                ESPN2           Qualifying, 4-6 p.m. (ET), Sept. 18
Reading, Pa.                            ESPN2           Eliminations, 4-7 p.m. (ET), Sept. 19

O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals            ESPN            Qualifying, 4-6 p.m. (ET), Sept. 25
Dallas                                  ESPN2           Eliminations, 11 p.m. - 1 a.m. (ET), Sept. 26

CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals      ESPN2           Qualifying, 4-5 p.m. (ET), Oct. 2
Chicago                                 ESPN            Eliminations, 2-3 p.m. (ET), Oct. 3
                                        ESPN2           Eliminations, 8-10 p.m. (ET), Oct. 3

ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals        ESPN2           Qualifying, 8-9 p.m. (ET), Oct. 30
Las Vegas                               ESPN2           Eliminations, 7-10 p.m. (ET), Oct. 31

Auto Club NHRA Finals                   ESPN2           Qualifying, 8-9 p.m. (ET), Nov. 13
Pomona, Calif.                          ESPN2           Eliminations, 6-9 p.m. (ET), Nov. 14

*times subject to change/check local listings

-nhra-