This is going to be a very interesting night in many different ways. The night race from Bristol is on ABC across the nation, but some key ABC local stations have opted to carry preseason NFL football.
Here is the list and the available options for viewers in those markets via ESPN:
The following markets will have alternate viewing options for ABC’s telecast of the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Bristol tonight (DT2 = Digital Tier 2):
Detroit (WXYZ) – will show 7:30 – 9 p.m. on its DT2 channel then switch to primary channel at 9 p.m. due to coverage of annual Woodward Dream Cruise
Houston (KTRK) – will show entire race on its DT2 channel due to coverage of Houston Texans preseason game.
Richmond, VA (WRIC) – will show entire race on WUPV-TV (CW station in market) due to coverage of Washington Redskins preseason game.
Weslaco, TX (KRGV) – will show entire race on its DT2 channel due to coverage of Dallas Cowboys preseason game.
Madison, WI (WKOW) – will show entire race on its DT2 channel due to coverage of Green bay Packers preseason game.
LaCrosse, WI (WXOW) – will show entire game on its DT2 channel and in-market on CW station due to coverage of Green Bay Packers preseason game.
Wausau, WI (WAOW) -- will show entire game on its DT2 channel and in-market on CW station due to coverage of Green Bay Packers preseason game.
NOTE: Joplin, MO (KODE) and St. Joseph, MO (KQTV) are both showing Kansas City Chiefs preseason games. Neither station has DT2 channel and due to limited alternate clearance options in the markets, race will not air in either market.
The NASCAR Countdown show will be hosted by Nicole Briscoe for thirty minutes at 7PM ET. Briscoe is filling-in for Allen Bestwick, who is attending to some family issues. Our best to Allen and his family.
Ray Evernham, Brad Daugherty and Rusty Wallace will join Briscoe in the Infield Studio. Actually, both the pit studio and Tim Brewer's Tech Garage are located outside of the track this weekend due to the small size of the BMS infield.
Briscoe has filled this role before with no problems, but Bristol offers an entirely new challenge of directing high-speed traffic and offering recaps and highlights during the race. She is in for a long night.
Marty Reid gets his first turn as the play-by-play announcer for this race. He is joined by Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree in the broadcast booth. These three called the Nationwide Series race on Saturday and learned some valuable lessons about sticking to the action on the track. There is no time for other discussions.
The director faces the biggest challenge of continually cutting cameras all night long as the 15 second laps tick off. BMS bit ESPN Saturday night several times when the director tried to use the in-car cameras live. Other action happened in a split second and it was over before the cameras even found it.
Tonight will hopefully feature the aerial shot, the high cameras on top of the race control tower and the low angle "speed shots" that let the cars zoom right by the camera within inches. Bristol can make great TV if you let it.
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