Whatever news or headlines emerge during the NASCAR invasion of Daytona, during which SPEED presents 11 consecutive days of programming for the first time ever, the network has it covered with nearly 100 hours of programming from the legendary track beginning Feb. 14 at 6 p.m. ET with a special two-hour edition of NASCAR Race Hub from Media Day.
The fan-voted-upon format for The Sprint Unlimited at Daytona (formerly the Budweiser Shootout) will be revealed Feb. 14 onHub. Sprint invites fans to design the non-points race’s format by voting on the number of laps in each segment, the pit stop following the first segment and the number of cars eliminated after the second segment. Steve Byrnes and John Roberts co-host NASCAR Race Hub from Media Day alongside analysts Larry McReynolds, Kyle Petty and Matt Clark with reporting from Rutledge Wood.
“The Daytona 500 is our Super Bowl, and just like everyone analyzed the Ravens and 49ers’ every move in the days leading up to the game, we’ll be closely watching every practice session and race en route to the Daytona 500,” said SPEED host Steve Byrnes, who also serves as a pit reporter for NASCAR on FOX. “I’m paying particularly close attention to the practice sessions — especially The Sprint Unlimited. The only way to ascertain exactly what has developed since the Daytona test is by examining those opening practice sessions. Teams still are searching for information about these new ‘Gen-6’ cars. Typically we’re focused on the drivers, and while that won’t change, this new car really takes center stage at SpeedWeeks, my 28th overall.”
A total of 25 SPEED on-air personalities present two weeks of on-track action to viewers beginning when Cup Series cars fire up Feb. 15 for the first The Sprint Unlimited practice session, carried live on SPEED at 5 p.m. ET.
NASCAR Race Hub returns to deliver all the days’ happenings Feb. 18-20 at 6 p.m. ET, with Danielle Trotta hosting from the SPEED Studios and Byrnes and Ray Dunlap on-site at Daytona. Also on the docket is a one-hour NASCAR Pole Day highlight special on Feb. 17 at 8 p.m. ET, depicting the highs and lows of setting the field for the front row of the Daytona 500.
SPEED is live from the Budweiser Duel at Daytona on Thursday, Feb. 21 at 2 p.m. ET as drivers battle for the final spots on the Daytona 500 starting grid. Krista Voda and Jeff Hammond host with the NASCAR on FOX team of Darrell Waltrip, Larry McReynolds and Mike Joy calling the action and Byrnes and Matt Yocum reporting from the pits.
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series opens its season under the lights Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. ET with NCWTS Setup with Krista Voda setting the stage for the green flag at 7:30 p.m. ET. Rick Allen hosts with Michael Waltrip and Phil Parsons providing analysis and Dunlap, Hermie Sadler and Bob Dillner reporting from the pits.
New to the SPEED docket from Daytona this year is live race coverage of three NASCAR Home Tracks races – NASCAR Whelen All-American Series (Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. ET), the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. ET) and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series (Feb. 19 at 8:30 p.m. ET). Bob Dillner hosts SPEED coverage of the NWAAS race with analysis from Sadler and reporting by Dunlap. Joy and McReynolds handle hosting duties for the NWMT race with Dillner and Dunlap reporting, while Allen and Parsons take over the TV booth for the NKNPS event with Dillner and Dunlap patrolling pit road.
Off the track, SPEED premieres a one-hour biography special titled A Racer’s Life: Richard Petty on Feb. 18 at 8:30 p.m. ET. The program offers a personal glimpse into the man behind the legendary cowboy hat and dark sunglasses. The special was produced at the request of Petty, who invited Byrnes to sit down to discuss a side of his life most never see.
SPEED also offers live coverage of the ARCA Racing Series season premiere Feb. 16 at 4:30 p.m. ET, with Allen and Parsons in the booth and Dunlap and Jim Tretow covering pit road.
NASCAR RaceDay Fueled by Sunoco returns for three pre-race editions from Daytona with Roberts hosting, Petty, Kenny Wallace, McReynolds and Clark providing analysis, complemented by Wendy Venturini and Wood reporting from the garage. NASCAR RaceDay offers pre-race coverage of the Sprint Unlimited, Budweiser Duel at Daytona and an expanded three-hour show Feb. 24 (9 a.m.-12 p.m. ET) leading into FOX Sports and FOX Deportes’ live coverage of the 55th running of the Daytona 500.
Trackside, the network’s longest-running NASCAR program, returns Feb. 22 at 5:30 p.m. ET for a live, 30-minute edition hosted by Voda, Petty, Wood and Kaitlyn Vincie. The gang hangs around the next day for another one-hour edition at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Live coverage of Cup and Truck Series practice and qualifying sessions, as well as up-to-the-minute updates from NASCAR Live! and SPEED Center (Sundays at 7 p.m. ET; other weekend times vary), hosted by Adam Alexander, round out the schedule, withWind Tunnel and Dave Despain hopping back in his chair for an 11th season Feb. 24 at 8 p.m. ET live. NASCAR Victory Lane, SPEED’s Cup Series post-race show, rolls into the famed Victory Lane at Daytona Feb. 21 and Feb. 24 at 5:30 p.m. ET live with hosts Roberts, Petty and Wallace and reporting by Dillner.
SPEED.com’s online coverage is anchored by Editor-In-Chief Tom Jensen and Senior NASCAR Editor Mike Hembree, who will provide daily breaking news stories, feature reports and analysis, contributing to SPEED’s vast video and photo offerings from Daytona.
