2012 NHRA TV schedule on ESPN2

2012 NHRA TV schedule for drag racing events on ESPN and ESPN2.

RELATED: NHRA schedule 2013 on ESPN2 and ESPN

RELATED: NHRA schedule 2013 on ESPN2 and ESPN

ESPN2 has complete coverage of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series beginning with this weekend’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Winternationals in Pomona Feb. 11-12. ESPN and ESPN2 will combine to present qualifying and eliminations from all 23 events this season. 2012 NHRA TV schedule on ESPN2 and press release below:

NHRA Drag Racing Season Kicks off on ESPN2

The 2012 season for the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series will kick off this weekend in Pomona, Calif., with the 12th season of exclusive coverage on ESPN networks. Qualifying and eliminations coverage from all 23 events in the series this season will air either ESPN or ESPN2 on a same-day basis, with 20 eliminations programs scheduled for prime time Sunday night airings.

All six eliminations programs in the NHRA’s “Countdown to the Championship” playoffs will have Sunday night prime time airings, and the prestigious Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis will once again feature 11 hours of expanded coverage, including six hours of eliminations on Monday, Sept. 3.

Qualifying coverage from this weekend’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Winternationals in Pomona will air Saturday, Feb. 11, at 11 p.m. ET with eliminations airing Sunday, Feb. 12, at 7:30 p.m., both on ESPN2.

ESPN2’s drag racing team returns in 2012 led by Paul Page, who became lead announcer in 2006. The award-winning Page has worked in motorsports broadcasting since 1974 and served as lap-by-lap announcer for the Indianapolis 500 on either radio or TV for more than 25 years.

Former drag racer Mike Dunn, a 22-time winner in NHRA competition and one of only three drivers to have scored more than 10 wins in both the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes, returns for his 11th season as ESPN’s drag racing analyst. Gary Gerould and Dave Rieff return as pit reporters for the full season, with John Kernan and Jamie Howe splitting duty as a third pit reporter all year.

The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series will be featured on ESPN through 2016 as part of a five-year, multimedia rights agreement extension forged between the NHRA and ESPN in 2009. The NHRA has appeared exclusively on the ESPN networks since 2001. By the end of the extended agreement, the partnership will have been in place for 16 years.

ESPN2 also will continue its coverage of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the premier sportsman series in drag racing and, for many aspiring racers, a stepping stone for the future stars of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

ESPN International is one of the world’s leading syndicators of sports programming and its relationship with the NHRA is helping maximize coverage and providing a solid base of distribution. Through a combination of sales and ESPN network programming, NHRA is available to more than 44.7 million homes in 169 countries and territories around the world. In addition, U.S. troops and their families serving around the world and Navy vessels at sea can watch NHRA through American Forces Network bringing total countries/territories to 207.

2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Schedule on ESPN

(all times Eastern)

Date Event Time Network

Feb. 11 Pomona Qualifying 11 p.m. ESPN2
Feb. 12 Pomona Eliminations 7:30 p.m. ESPN2
Feb. 18 Phoenix Qualifying 8 p.m. ESPN2
Feb. 19 Phoenix Eliminations 9 p.m. ESPN2
March 11 Gainesville Qualifying 4 a.m. ESPN2
March 11 Gainesville Qualifying (re-air) 5 p.m. ESPN2
March 11 Gainesville Eliminations 6 p.m. ESPN2
March 31 Las Vegas Qualifying 7:30 p.m. ESPN2
April 1 Las Vegas Eliminations 7 p.m. ESPN2
April 14 Charlotte Qualifying 5 p.m. ESPN2
April 15 Charlotte Eliminations 7 p.m. ESPN2
April 28 Houston Qualifying 6 p.m. ESPN2
April 29 Houston Eliminations 7 p.m. ESPN2
May 5 Atlanta Qualifying 8 p.m. ESPN2
May 6 Atlanta Eliminations 7 p.m. ESPN2
May 19 Topeka Qualifying 5 p.m. ESPN2
May 20 Topeka Eliminations 7 p.m. ESPN2
June 2 Englishtown Qualifying 4:30 p.m. ESPN
June 3 Englishtown Eliminations 4:30 p.m. ESPN2
June 16 Bristol Qualifying 7:30 p.m. ESPN2
June 17 Bristol Eliminations 5 p.m. ESPN
June 30 Chicago Qualifying 6 p.m. ESPN2
July 1 Chicago Qualifying 3 a.m. ESPN2
July 1 Chicago Eliminations 6 p.m. ESPN2
July 7 Norwalk Qualifying 6 p.m. ESPN2
July 8 Norwalk Eliminations 8 p.m. ESPN2
July 21 Denver Qualifying 5 p.m. ESPN2
July 22 Denver Eliminations 7 p.m. ESPN2
July 28 Sonoma Qualifying 7 p.m. ESPN
July 29 Sonoma Eliminations 7 p.m. ESPN2
Aug. 4 Seattle Qualifying 10:30 p.m. ESPN2
Aug. 5 Seattle Eliminations 7 p.m. ESPN2
Aug. 18 Brainerd Qualifying 11 p.m. ESPN2
Aug. 19 Brainerd Eliminations 9 p.m. ESPN2
Sept. 2 Indianapolis Qualifying 11 a.m. ESPN2
Sept. 2 Indianapolis Qualifying 5 p.m. ESPN2
Sept. 3 Indianapolis Eliminations Noon ESPN2
Sept. 15 Charlotte Qualifying 10:30 p.m. ESPN2
Sept. 16 Charlotte Eliminations 8:30 p.m. ESPN2
Sept. 22 Dallas Qualifying 10:30 p.m. ESPN2
Sept. 23 Dallas Eliminations 8:30 p.m. ESPN2
Sept. 29 St. Louis Qualifying 10:30 p.m. ESPN2
Sept. 30 St. Louis Eliminations 8 p.m. ESPN2
Oct. 6 Reading Qualifying 10:30 p.m. ESPN2
Oct. 7 Reading Eliminations 7 p.m. ESPN2
Oct. 27 Las Vegas Qualifying 10:30 p.m. ESPN2
Oct. 28 Las Vegas Eliminations 8 p.m. ESPN2
Nov. 10 Pomona Qualifying 10:30 p.m. ESPN2
Nov. 11 Pomona Eliminations 7 p.m. ESPN2

 

13 Comments

  1. Soooo sick of NHRA on schedule & last minute reschedule to lumberjacking or tennis?!!!!
    Argh!! This is on SHAW in Western Canada & they tell me it is not them but TSN!!!! What gives with the fools there or on ESPN?!! This is the best sport ever! I want names of these execs so i can email them
    personally!!!

  2. ESPN sux at their coverage on the track ! Back your cameras off, I know what the front of these cars look like and I also know what the back end of these cars look like ! I want to see them come down the track ! Not after the race is over !

  3. I am absolutely sick of ESPN 2 putting every other program ahead of NHRA drag racing! Not only has it become second rate but I can’t count how many times the schedule says it will air for example at 2pm so I wait to watch it and it never comes on because it either aired a couple hours before under a different title or it comes on several hours later also under a different tittle! At least put the correct tittle on it so my dvr will recognize it and record it. I am experiencing this issue right now. It’s sept 22nd and the on screen tittle shows its NHRA drag racing from 12am to 1:30am at Dallas for qualifying and guess what….. It’s 12:38 and I have been watching Sports center because for whatever reason drag racing has been pushed to the side. ESPN you need to get your scheduling right or let another network be the lead channel!!! I feel sorry for the sponsors who are paying millions and are getting screwed by ESPN. Shape up or ship out is all I can say!!! Fellow drag racer/fan

  4. Could anyone tell me when poker became a sport?And why NHRA an American tradition can get second fiddle to little league games from BFE?The next thing you guys will televising will be jock strap stretching.C’mon ESPN-get your priorities straight!!

  5. nhra needs its own network. espn2 is a joke tennis, volley ball, softball! i want to see cars doing real racing at300 plus in under4 seconds!!!

  6. Said it before u can’t please everyone but u always short change drag racing I can count the times on one hand Nhra started on time or wasn’t on at 3:00 am just as many People watch drag racing as NASCAR but they don’t race every weekend and don’t get national advertisement as NASCAR. It is truly sad the fastest motor sport gets stuck on back burner and almost impossible to find view times for rescheduled events. We all know this will never change 8/12 year ball games tennis beach volly ball etc more important than drag racing thanks for listening bob stull

  7. l agree with Mr Halford totally & would also add programming in the middle of the nightis unacceptable. To try and record a race you have to record two or three shows following it…………. NHRA deserves better.

  8. Love watching it but it just not the same as feeling it when your @ the track LOVE DRAG RACING

  9. I have had the same problems with the late starting races by softball? They do not give credit to the Best show anywhere. NHRA is very under rated, even in our knoxville newspaper you dont see much coverage. Sad, I love this sport.

  10. I am sorry but why do the all NHRA announcers seem to think that there is only one team to talk about? John Force IS NOT the only person at these races. I was sure that you people were going to interview the BABY even if it could not talk. PLEASE-PLEASE look around there are other teams to talk about, and they are not loud and obnoxious BORES.

  11. What really torques my bolts is the way ESPN2 has all this HYPE for the NASCAR boys and nothing for the real motor sport , Drag Racing. Then , after I’ve waited all week to see the DragRacing, they pre-empt it with girls softball. I’m getting upset just thinking about it .I’ve got to go now and take my heart medicine.

  12. The very first time espn aired nhra, it was twenty minutes late. They have continued this practice ever since. ESPN to me, has come to be known as “every sport preempts NHRA. No respect for time, or people who don’t give a damn about stick and ball Games. A true sport, is one you pay to participate in, and hope you might get some form of return, or respect, with no guarantee of either.

Comments are closed.

About Ryan Berenz 2166 Articles
Member of the Television Critics Association. Charter member of the Ancient and Mystic Society of No Homers. Squire of the Ancient & Benevolent Order of the Lynx, Lodge 49, Long Beach, Calif. Costco Wholesale Gold Star Member since 2011.