NASCAR Now
Encyclopedia
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
. ESPN2 also airs editions of the show on the day of all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, starting with the Daytona 500
. A race preview show airs at 10 A.M. ET
on race day, with a post-race edition running on ESPN2 on the evening following the event.
Unlike its predecessor, RPM 2Night
, NASCAR Now covers only NASCAR news and information and there are no highlight restrictions on the program; both video
and still photos
are available for its use. It is part of ESPN
's new television package with NASCAR, which gives them the opportunity to produce and air a daily show about the sanctioning body. Previously, Speed Channel
had the exclusive rights to produce daily NASCAR magazine shows.
On April 29, 2008, the show hosted a special one-hour edition of NASCAR Now to commemorate Dale Earnhardt
Day.
anchor Nicole Briscoe
. Mike Massaro
is another regular host, and Allen Bestwick
hosts a special "roundtable" edition of the show on Mondays as well as regular editions of the show on other days. In 2008, Marty Smith was named lead reporter for the program after being a "NASCAR Insider" for the show in 2007. NASCAR Insiders for the program include award-winning journalists Tim Cowlishaw
, Angelique Chengelis, Terry Blount and David Newton. The program also includes current drivers Stacy Compton
and Boris Said
.
Here is a list of all of the past and present personalities on NASCAR Now.
Analysts
Reporters
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...
news and analysis show that airs year round Monday through Friday as a thirty minute show at 5:00pm ET
North American Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
on 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,...
. NASCAR Now, that debuted on February 5, 2007, is broadcast in HD
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...
from Bristol, Connecticut
Bristol, Connecticut
Bristol is a suburban city located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States southwest of Hartford. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 61,353. Bristol is primarily known as the home of ESPN, whose central studios are in the city. Bristol is also home to...
and also has a daily segment on SportsCenter
SportsCenter
SportsCenter is a daily sports news television show, and the flagship program of American cable network ESPN since the network launched on September 7, 1979. Originally broadcast only daily, SportsCenter is now shown up to twelve times a day, replaying the day's scores and highlights from major...
. ESPN2 also airs editions of the show on the day of all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, starting with the Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
. A race preview show airs at 10 A.M. ET
North American Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
on race day, with a post-race edition running on ESPN2 on the evening following the event.
Unlike its predecessor, RPM 2Night
RPM 2Night
RPM2Night was an American nightly news program seen on ESPN2 that was devoted entirely to motorsports.The program aired six nights a week from 1995 to 2003...
, NASCAR Now covers only NASCAR news and information and there are no highlight restrictions on the program; both video
Videotape
A videotape is a recording of images and sounds on to magnetic tape as opposed to film stock or random access digital media. Videotapes are also used for storing scientific or medical data, such as the data produced by an electrocardiogram...
and still photos
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
are available for its use. It is part 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....
's new television package with NASCAR, which gives them the opportunity to produce and air a daily show about the sanctioning body. Previously, Speed Channel
SPEED Channel
Speed , is a cable and satellite television network broadcast to various parts of North America, but primarily the United States...
had the exclusive rights to produce daily NASCAR magazine shows.
On April 29, 2008, the show hosted a special one-hour edition of NASCAR Now to commemorate Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt
Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...
Day.
Personalities
The lead host of the show is former Speed ChannelSPEED Channel
Speed , is a cable and satellite television network broadcast to various parts of North America, but primarily the United States...
anchor Nicole Briscoe
Nicole Manske
Nicole Briscoe is an American sports reporter and former Miss Illinois Teen USA. She became nationally known in the United States when she assumed the co-host role on The Speed Report on Speed Channel as well as the host of the daily news show NASCAR Now on ESPN2 and the host of NASCAR Countdown...
. Mike Massaro
Mike Massaro
Mike Massaro is a racing analyst at ESPN for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. On October 12, 2006, ESPN announced that Massaro will be a pit reporter when NASCAR coverage returns to ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC in 2007....
is another regular host, and Allen Bestwick
Allen Bestwick
Allen 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...
hosts a special "roundtable" edition of the show on Mondays as well as regular editions of the show on other days. In 2008, Marty Smith was named lead reporter for the program after being a "NASCAR Insider" for the show in 2007. NASCAR Insiders for the program include award-winning journalists Tim Cowlishaw
Tim Cowlishaw
William Timothy Cowlishaw is an American sportswriter for The Dallas Morning News, a regular panelist on the ESPN sports talk show Around the Horn and formerly the lead reporter for the ESPN2 racing show NASCAR Now.Cowlishaw joined the Dallas Morning News in 1989...
, Angelique Chengelis, Terry Blount and David Newton. The program also includes current drivers Stacy Compton
Stacy Compton
Stacy Compton is a NASCAR team owner and former driver. He currently owns Turn One Racing. He is a former co-owner of Bobby Hamilton Racing-Virginia in the Craftsman Truck Series, and is a former racing analyst for ESPN full-time...
and Boris Said
Boris Said
Boris Said is an American race car driver from Carlsbad, California but considers his hometown to be Stamford, Connecticut. His father, Bob Said, was a Formula One race driver and US Olympic bobsled driver in 1968 and 1972. He drove the #26 Ford Fusion for Latitude 43 Motorsports in the NASCAR...
.
Here is a list of all of the past and present personalities on NASCAR Now.
Current
Hosts- 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...
: (host, 2007-present) - Mike MassaroMike MassaroMike Massaro is a racing analyst at ESPN for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. On October 12, 2006, ESPN announced that Massaro will be a pit reporter when NASCAR coverage returns to ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC in 2007....
: (host, 2009-present) (correspondent, 2007-present) - Nicole Briscoe: (host, 2008-present) (correspondent, 2008-present)
- Shannon SpakeShannon SpakeShannon Spake is a NASCAR correspondent for ESPN. Spake contributes to both NASCAR Countdown and NASCAR Now, and occasionally appears on SportsCenter to give pre and post-race reports...
: (host, 2010-present) (correspondent, 2007-present)
Analysts
- Tim BrewerTim BrewerTim Brewer is an American stock-car racing crew chief and television analyst.Brewer joined NASCAR on ESPN for the 2007 season. He is part of NASCAR Countdown, the pre-race show, with host Brent Musburger and fellow analyst Brad Daugherty. He is also a contributor to NASCAR Now, the daily NASCAR...
: (lead analyst, 2007-present) - Stacy ComptonStacy ComptonStacy Compton is a NASCAR team owner and former driver. He currently owns Turn One Racing. He is a former co-owner of Bobby Hamilton Racing-Virginia in the Craftsman Truck Series, and is a former racing analyst for ESPN full-time...
: (lead analyst, 2007) - Tim CowlishawTim CowlishawWilliam Timothy Cowlishaw is an American sportswriter for The Dallas Morning News, a regular panelist on the ESPN sports talk show Around the Horn and formerly the lead reporter for the ESPN2 racing show NASCAR Now.Cowlishaw joined the Dallas Morning News in 1989...
: (analyst, 2007-2009) - Brad Daugherty: (lead analyst, 2007-present)
- Boris SaidBoris SaidBoris Said is an American race car driver from Carlsbad, California but considers his hometown to be Stamford, Connecticut. His father, Bob Said, was a Formula One race driver and US Olympic bobsled driver in 1968 and 1972. He drove the #26 Ford Fusion for Latitude 43 Motorsports in the NASCAR...
: (analyst, 2007-present) - Rusty WallaceRusty WallaceRussell 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:...
: (analyst, 2007-present) - Ray EvernhamRay EvernhamRay Evernham is currently a consultant for Hendrick Companies. In 1999, Evernham won the NASCAR Winston Cup Illustrated “Person of the Year”.-Racer:...
: (analyst, 2008-2010) - Christopher HarrisChristopher Harris (American writer)Christopher Harris is an American fiction writer who also writes about fantasy sports for ESPN.com.Harris attended Cornell University and lives in Amherst, Massachusetts. He is fond of dogs. He has red hair.-Fiction Writing:...
: (fantasy analyst, 2007-present)
Reporters
- Marty Smith: (lead reporter, 2007-present)
- David Newton: (reporter, 2007-present)
- Terry Blount: (reporter, 2007-present)
- Angelique Chengelis: (reporter, 2007-present)
- Ryan McGeeRyan McGeeRyan McGee is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine and formerly a television producer with ESPN, Fox Sports Net, and NASCAR Media Group.He covers a variety of American sports, but is best known for his motorsports work, particularly NASCAR. Before joining ESPN The Magazine he was a columnist for...
: (reporter/analyst, 2009-present)
Former
- Doug BanksDoug BanksDoug Banks is an American radio personality and host of The Doug Banks Radio Show.-Career highlights:The Philadelphia-born, Detroit raised Banks began his radio career broadcasting on the high school radio station. Local station WDRQ took notice of his talent and offered him a spot as a temporary...
: (host, 2007) - 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...
: (host, 2007) - 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...
: (host, 2007) - Marty ReidMarty ReidMarty Reid is an American television sportscaster who has worked for ESPN since 1982.Reid is currently the lead television announcer for ESPN on ABC's coverage of the IndyCar Series, including the Indianapolis 500, and was the lead announcer for ESPN and ABC's NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage for the...
: (host, 2007) - Ryan BurrRyan BurrRyan Burr is a sports television journalist for ESPN. Burr works as an anchor on SportsCenter, and is a host for College Football Live & College Basketball Final.-Early life and career:...
: (host, 2007-2008)
Segments
NASCAR Now features numerous segments that appear both during the show and also during evening editions of SportsCenter. Some of the segments are listed below.- Pit Pass: This segment mostly appears during SportsCenter, when they run through the top stories in NASCAR with news, analysis and debate.
- Starting Grid: This is the opening segment of the program when they run through the top stories at the hour in the world of NASCAR.
- Under the Hood: This segment appears before every commercial break when the host runs through everything coming up on the show.
- Over the Wall: This segment appears every week when D.J. Copp goes over what to watch out for during pit stops on Sunday.