NHRA Full Throttle Series 2012 TV Schedule Announced

(Photo by Brandon W. Mudd)

NHRA announced today that the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series will again be showcased on ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports television, in 2012.

The 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season celebrates Nitro Generation, a tribute to the many families who have made NHRA the world’s largest motorsports sanctioning body.  It is a celebration of the generations of racers who have produced raw emotion and drama while in pursuit of race victories and world championships. And, it is the fans who have across many generations shared their love of NHRA with their families and friends. ESPN’s coverage during each of the 23 races will highlight Nitro Generation, both in the pits and the grandstands, in search of answers to the question: Do you have the Nitro Gene?

The 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series television schedule features Sunday night prime-time slots on ESPN2 or ESPN for nearly every event.  All six of the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship playoff events are scheduled to offer eliminations coverage in prime time. The NHRA works with ESPN each year to provide qualifying and finals programming with the best possible air times.  The prestigious Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, Aug. 29 – Sept. 3, will again feature 11 hours of wall-to-wall coverage, including complete coverage of final eliminations on Monday, Sept. 3, from noon to 6 p.m. ET. 

In all, the network will dedicate more than 100 hours of original programming to the world’s quickest, fastest and most intense motorsport, with live or same-day coverage of qualifying on Saturday and eliminations on Sunday. All telecasts will be aired in high definition on ESPN2HD or ESPNHD.  ESPN2/ESP2NHD and ESPN/ESPNHD are available in nearly 100 million households nationwide.

The shows are developed by the production team at ESPN, which has been producing NHRA programming since 2001.  Paul Page returns to call the action as host, alongside former drag racer Mike Dunn, who will provide expert analysis and insight.  Each show will feature three pit reporters in 2012.  Dave Rieff and Gary Gerould will return as pit reporters at all 23 events. Veteran announcer John Kernan, who joined the NHRA telecast team in 2007, will split duties as the third pit reporter with Jamie Howe. A familiar face in the NHRA pit area, Howe served as a pit reporter on the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series telecasts on ESPN2 in 2011.

The telecasts will feature competition from all four classes in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series: Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle.

In addition to coverage on ESPN2 and ESPN, NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing will be aired and distributed internationally through ESPN International.   ESPN International is available to more than 35.6 million homes in 161 countries and territories around the world.   The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series also is broadcast in Canada on TSN.

In addition, U.S. troops and their families serving around the world in 175 countries and Navy vessels at sea can watch NHRA through the American Forces Network.

Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 23 national events featuring the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by ProCare Rx. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and the NHRA Drags: Street Legal Style presented by AAA. NHRA also offers the Jr. Drag Racing League for youth ages 8 to 17. In addition, NHRA owns and operates five racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Atlanta Dragway in Georgia; National Trail Raceway in Ohio; Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis; and Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Southern California. For more information, log on to NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Television Schedule

Event                                                                                     Air Time,  Date

O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals            Qualifying, 11 p.m.–1 a.m., Sat., Feb. 11

presented by Super Start Batteries                          Eliminations, 7–10:30 p.m., Sun., Feb. 12

Pomona, Calif.  

NHRA Arizona Nationals                                                Qualifying, 8 – 10 p.m., Sat., Feb. 18

Phoenix                                                                               Eliminations, 9 p.m. - Midnight, Sun., Feb. 19

Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals                         Qualifying, 4-5 a.m., Sun., March 11

Gainesville, Fla.                                                                 Qualifying re-air, 5 – 6 p.m., Sun., March 11

                                                                                                Eliminations, 6–9 p.m., Sun., March 11

SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals                        Qualifying, 7:30–9:30 p.m., Sat., March 31

Las Vegas                                                                            Eliminations, 7 – 10 p.m., Sun., April 1

               

NHRA Four-Wide Nationals                                         Qualifying, 5–7:30 p.m., Sat., April 14

Charlotte, N.C.                                                                  Eliminations, 7–10 p.m., Sun., April 15

O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals            Qualifying, 6–8 p.m., Sat., April 28

presented by Super Start Batteries                          Eliminations, 7–10 p.m., Sun., April 29

Houston              

Summit Racing Equipment                                           Qualifying, 8-10 p.m., Sat., May 5

NHRA Southern Nationals                                            Eliminations, 7–10 p.m., Sun., May 6

Atlanta                                                                                

Dollar General NHRA Summernationals                 Qualifying, 5 - 7 p.m., Sat., May 19

Topeka, Kan.                                                                      Eliminations, 7 - 10 p.m., Sun., May 20

Toyota NHRA SuperNationals                                     Qualifying, 4:30-6 p.m., Sat., June 2 (ESPN)

Englishtown, N.J.                                                             Eliminations, 4:30–7 p.m., Sun., June 3

Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals                      Qualifying, 7:30 –9:30 p.m., Sat., June 16

presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers             Eliminations, 5 – 7 p.m., Sun., June 17 (ESPN)

Bristol, Tenn.

O’Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals      Qualifying, 6-7:30 p.m., Sat., June 30

presented by Super Start Batteries                          Qualifying, 3 – 4 a.m., Sun., July 1

Chicago                                                                                Qualifying, re-air, 11 a.m. – Noon, Sun., July 1

                                                                                                Eliminations, 6 - 9 p.m., Sun., July 1

Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals          Qualifying, 6 – 7:30 p.m., Sat., July 7

Norwalk, Ohio                                                                   Eliminations, 7 – 10 p.m., Sun., July 8

               

Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals                             Qualifying, 5 – 7 p.m., Sat., July 21

Denver                                                                                 Eliminations, 7 – 9 p.m., Sun., July 22

NHRA Sonoma Nationals                                              Qualifying, 7 – 9 p.m., Sat., July 28 (ESPN)

Sonoma, Calif.                                                                   Eliminations, 7 – 10 p.m., Sun., July 29

O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals  Qualifying, 10:30 p.m. – Midnight, Sat., Aug. 4

presented by Super Start Batteries                          Eliminations, 7 – 10 p.m., Sun., Aug. 5

Seattle 

Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals                                              Qualifying, 11 p.m.–1a.m., Sat., Aug. 18

Brainerd, Minn.                                                                Eliminations, 9 p.m. – Midnight, Sun., Aug. 19

Mac Tools U.S. Nationals                                              Qualifying, 11 a.m.–2 p.m., Sun., Sept. 2

Indianapolis                                                                        Qualifying, 5–7 p.m., Sun., Sept. 2

                                                                                                Eliminations, Noon–6 p.m., Mon., Sept. 3

               

O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals                         Qualifying, 10:30 p.m.–Midnight, Sat., Sept. 15

presented by Super Start Batteries                          Eliminations, 8:30–11:30 p.m., Sun., Sept. 16

Charlotte, N.C. 

AAA Texas NHRA Fall Nationals                                  Qualifying, 10:30 p.m.–Midnight, Sat., Sept. 22

Dallas                                                                                    Eliminations, 8:30 –11:30 p.m., Sun., Sept. 23

NHRA Midwest Nationals                                             Qualifying, 10:30 p.m. – Midnight, Sat., Sept. 29

St. Louis                                                                               Eliminations, 8 – 11 p.m., Sun., Sept. 30

Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals                                           Qualifying, 10:30 p.m.–Midnight, Sat., Oct. 6

Reading, Pa.                                                                       Eliminations, 7–10 p.m., Sun., Oct. 7

Big O Tires NHRA Nationals                                          Qualifying, 10:30 p.m.–Midnight, Sat., Oct. 27

Las Vegas                                                                            Eliminations, 8 – 11 p.m., Sun., Oct. 28

Automobile Club of Southern California                 Qualifying, 10:30 p.m.–Midnight, Sat., Nov. 10

NHRA Finals                                                                        Eliminations, 7–10 p.m., Sat., Nov. 11

Pomona, Calif.                                                                  

* All times Eastern. Schedule subject to change. Please check local listings.