NASCAR Countdown
Encyclopedia
NASCAR Countdown is a NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series prerace show that debuted on February 17, 2007. It is a live on-site pre-race show for all Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races televised on ESPN
, ESPN2
and ABC
. It comes as a result of ESPN
getting broadcast rights to NASCAR
races, including the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
The program is also available in high-definition
on either ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD or ABC HD
. Along with the press release of this program, ESPN
also announced plans for a daily show devoted to NASCAR
entitled NASCAR Now
. NASCAR Countdown is telecast from a new, state-of-the-art mobile pit studio, similar to NASCAR on Fox
s "Hollywood Hotel."
At Sprint Cup events, the program is always hosted by Nicole Briscoe. Joining Briscoe is five-time NBA
All-Star and former winning NASCAR
team owner Brad Daugherty and former Cup champion Rusty Wallace
. Andy Petree
also contributes to the program from the broadcast booth.
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series prerace show that debuted on February 17, 2007. It is a live on-site pre-race show for all Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races televised on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
and ABC
ESPN on ABC
ESPN on ABC is the brand used for sports programming on the ABC television network. Officially the broadcast network retains its own sports division; however, for all practical purposes, ABC's sports division has been merged with ESPN, a sports cable network majority-owned by ABC's parent, The...
. It comes as a result of ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
getting broadcast rights to NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
races, including the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
The program is also available in high-definition
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
on either ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD or ABC HD
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
. Along with the press release of this program, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
also announced plans for a daily show devoted to NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
entitled NASCAR Now
NASCAR Now
NASCAR Now is a NASCAR news and analysis show that airs year round Monday through Friday as a thirty minute show at 5:00pm ET on ESPN2. NASCAR Now, that debuted on February 5, 2007, is broadcast in HD from Bristol, Connecticut and also has a daily segment on SportsCenter...
. NASCAR Countdown is telecast from a new, state-of-the-art mobile pit studio, similar to NASCAR on Fox
NASCAR on Fox
NASCAR on Fox is the Emmy-winning branding used for Fox Sports's broadcasts of NASCAR races airing on the Fox network since 2001. The production has been in high-definition since 2005.-Background:...
s "Hollywood Hotel."
At Sprint Cup events, the program is always hosted by Nicole Briscoe. Joining Briscoe is five-time NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
All-Star and former winning NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
team owner Brad Daugherty and former Cup champion Rusty Wallace
Rusty Wallace
Russell William Wallace, Jr. is a past NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, currently a broadcaster on ESPN, car owner in the Nationwide Series, and a co-host of NASCAR Angels.-Early racing career:...
. Andy Petree
Andy Petree
Andy Petree , is a long-time fixture in NASCAR. After racing for years at local short track , Andy became part owner of the #32 Busch Series car for Dale Jarrett. By the age of 28, Andy was already a NASCAR Winston Cup crew chief on the Leo Jackson racing team...
also contributes to the program from the broadcast booth.
Variations
- On February 17, at the Orbitz 300 at Daytona International SpeedwayDaytona International SpeedwayDaytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
, Brent MusburgerBrent MusburgerBrent Woody Musburger is an American sportscaster for the ESPN and ABC television networks. Formerly with CBS Sports and one of the original members of their legendary program The NFL Today, Musburger has covered NASCAR, NBA, MLB, NCAA football and basketball games. Musburger has also served as a...
broadcast from a separate studio between turns 3 and 4, while Chris FowlerChris FowlerChris Fowler is a sports broadcaster for ESPN known best for his work on College GameDay for college football. Since 1989, Fowler has been the primary studio host for college football. Until 2006, he was also the lead studio host for men's college basketball on ESPN...
took his place in the pit studio alongside Daugherty and Tim Brewer. Both sets were used in the program. - On March 4, Fowler substituted for Musburger again, this time as the only host. ESPN did not explain Musburger's absence, but the race was held in Mexico CityMexico CityMexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
and it is possible that Musburger could not enter MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
due to a lack of a valid passportPassportA passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....
. (Since January 23, 2007, U.S. Immigration and Customs EnforcementU.S. Immigration and Customs EnforcementU.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Homeland Security , responsible for identifying, investigating, and dismantling vulnerabilities regarding the nation's border, economic, transportation, and infrastructure security...
, or ICE for short, has required all visitors from the U.S. to either Canada or Mexico to carry passports in those countries. The law took immediate effect for air travelers, such as those working the NASCAR on ESPN broadcasts.)http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-passport13mar13,1,738224.story?coll=la-headlines-business&ctrack=1&cset=true - On March 10, the first of the six races on broadcast sister ABC, the two-studio setup returned at Las Vegas Motor SpeedwayLas Vegas Motor SpeedwayLas Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada near Las Vegas, is a complex of multiple tracks for automobile racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:...
and Musburger and Fowler co-hosted once again. - In addition to Musburger and Fowler, Erik KuseliasErik KuseliasErik Kuselias is a television and radio host. He is the current co-host of Golf Channel's Morning Drive program and is the former host of NASCAR Now on ESPN2, andThe SportsBash on ESPN Radio...
and Allen BestwickAllen BestwickAllen Bestwick is the host of ESPN's NASCAR pre-race show NASCAR Countdown and play-by-play announcer for the Sprint Cup Series races for the same company. He took over that position in 2011 after serving as the countdown to green host from 2008-2010 and a pit reporter for the network in 2007...
have served as hosts. - Countdown was pre-empted in consecutive weeks on April 7 and 14 because women's tennis matches, the preceding programs on ESPN2, ran long both weeks. It was also pre-empted on October 13 because the Arizona-Southern California football game ran longer than anticipated that day.
- Musburger returned as the host for the June 30, 2007 Busch Series telecast from New Hampshire on ABC.