List of Daytona 500 broadcasters

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Green flag at the 2015 Daytona 500, aired live on Fox.

The following is a list of the American television networks and announcers who have broadcast NASCAR’s annual Daytona 500 throughout the years. Throughout its history, the Daytona 500 has been aired on all four major networks in the U.S., including ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox. In 1979, CBS covered the race live flag-to-flag for the first time. The unprecedented broadcast was considered risky by network executives, but was a rousing success when a snowstorm blanketed much of the east coast, prompting a huge viewing audience. An exciting and shocking finish capped off a telecast that was considered a ground-breaking moment in the history of NASCAR, and one of the defining moments that helped elevate the sport into the mainstream.

Currently, Fox holds exclusive rights to carry the Daytona 500 in the United States, under the terms of contract extensions that run through the 2024 NASCAR season.[1][2] As part of the package, Fox also holds the exclusive rights to support events held during Daytona 500 Speedweeks, including the Clash, Daytona 500 pole qualifying, the Duels, the Truck Series race, the Xfinity Series race, and the respective practice sessions. Some of the ancillary events are aired on Fox companion channels FS1 and FS2.

Early CBS and ABC’s Wide World of Sports era (1959–1978)[edit]

The first known telecast of a NASCAR race was the 1960 Daytona 500, parts of which was presented as part of CBS Sports Spectacular, with announcer Bud Palmer.[3]

From 1962 to 1978, the Daytona 500 was shown on ABC’s Wide World of Sports.[citation needed] During the 1960s and early 1970s, the race was filmed and an edited highlight package aired the following weekend. In 1974, ABC began the first semi-live coverage (joined-in-progress) of the Daytona 500. Coverage was normally timed to begin when the race was halfway over. Brief taped highlights of the start and early segments were shown, then ABC joined the race live already in progress, picking up approximately the last 90 minutes of the race. This format continued through 1978.

The 1976 race was held on the same day of the final day of competition in the Winter Olympics (also broadcast on ABC). ABC carried 30 minutes of live coverage of the start of the race, then switched to the Olympics for 90 minutes to carry taped coverage of the final two competitive events (a cross-country ski race and the final runs in the bobsled), held earlier that day. Then it was back to Daytona for about an hour-and-a-half for the finish.

During the period on Wide World of Sports, the booth announcers typically served as roving pit reporters during the running of the race, as well as interviewing in victory lane. The booth commentary was recorded in post-production.

CBS era (1979–2000)[edit]

In 1979, CBS instituted the live “flag-to-flag” coverage policy.[19][20] The ground-breaking 1979 broadcast ushered in the 22-year run of NASCAR on CBS. The 1987 broadcast won the Sports Emmy for “Outstanding Live Sports Special.” Ken Squier served as play-by-play announcer from 1979 to 1997. In 1998, former pit reporter Mike Joy was promoted to play-by-play, while Squier moved to the host position.

The 1995 race includes a two-hour rain delay that occurred near the midpoint. Some markets in the U.S. did not have the race, as CBS lost major market affiliates during the 1994-95 season.

During its entire run from 1979-2000, CBS also carried the Busch Clash (live), and in most years, carried the Twin 125s (tape-delayed). In the mid-1990s, CBS also picked up coverage of the Goody’s 300, while pole qualifying for the Daytona 500 was aired on ESPN during much of the 1990s.

Since 1996,[21][22] U.S. television ratings for the Daytona 500 have been the highest for any auto race of the year, surpassing the traditional leader, the Indianapolis 500. The 2006 Daytona 500 attracted the sixth largest average live global TV audience of any sporting event that year with 20 million viewers.[23]

Fox/NBC era (2001–2006)[edit]

From 2001 to 2006, the Daytona 500 broadcasting network alternated between Fox and NBC under the terms of a six-year, $2.48 billion, centralized NASCAR television contract. Previously, television rights deals for races were negotiated by the individual track owners. Beginning in 2001, the television contract would now be administered by the sanctioning body. Fox carried the Daytona 500 in odd-numbered years (2001, 2003, 2005), and NBC carried the Daytona 500 in even-numbered years (2002, 2004, 2006). The Pepsi 400 in July followed the opposite pattern, going to the network not airing the Daytona 500 in the respective season.

Rights to other support events held during Speedweeks followed the same general pattern, alternating between Fox/FX (odd years) and NBC/TNT (even years). Ancillary events included the Budweiser Shootout, Daytona 500 pole qualifying, the Gatorade 125s, as well as coverage of “Happy Hour” practice and other practice sessions. The Busch Series race followed the same pattern, however, the Truck Series race was aired by ESPN for two seasons as part of a different contract, before it switched to Speed Channel, who also aired the Goody’s Dash Series race in 2002-2004, taking over from FX in 2001 (although in 2004 the Dash Series was no longer sanctioned by NASCAR).

In 2001, after CBS lost the rights to the Daytona 500, Ken Squier left the network and joined Fox for a one-race arrangement as special contributor and studio host.

Exclusive Fox era (2007–present)[edit]

Starting in 2007, Fox became the exclusive home of the Daytona 500 under the terms of NASCAR’s new television package. Contract extensions signed in 2011 and 2012 extended the exclusive rights on Fox through the 2024 season.

Notes[edit]

  • 2007
    • Race finished in prime-time hour (7 PM EST).
    • Per the current broadcast agreements, the Daytona 500 will be televised by Fox through 2022.
  • 2010: Two delays totaling 150 minutes caused by track break up. Finished in prime-time.
  • 2012: John Roberts replaced Chris Myers, who was placed on bereavement leave after his son’s death during Speedweeks. Race delayed 30 hours by rain, then delayed a second time after a Lap 160 red flag caused by track issues following a jet fuel fire as a result of a crash. Race finished in late night hour (1 AM EST Tuesday / 10 PM PST Monday), after Fox typically signs off.
  • 2014: Race finished in late-night hour (11 PM EST) and in prime-time (8 PM PST because of rain delays totaling 6 hours, 22 minutes.
  • 2015: Race extended to 203 laps, 507.5 miles (816.7 km) due to a green-white-checker finish, Race got underway after oil dumped on the track.
  • 2016

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ “NASCAR rides hot rights market to increase with Fox”. Sports Business Journal. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  2. ^ “NASCAR, FOX extend, expand rights agreement”. NASCAR.com (Press release). August 1, 2013. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  3. ^ Ultimate NASCAR, ESPN Books, 2007, p. 42-43
  4. ^ a b c d “Daytona 500 numbers game”. Sports Media Watch. 2009-02-17. Retrieved 2009-07-09.
  5. ^ 1963 Daytona 500 (ABC Broadcast) on YouTube
  6. ^ 1963 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  7. ^ 1965 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  8. ^ 1966 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  9. ^ 1967 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  10. ^ 1968 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  11. ^ 1969 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  12. ^ 1970 DAYTONA 500 on YouTube
  13. ^ 1970 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  14. ^ 1971 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  15. ^ 1972 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  16. ^ 1974 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  17. ^ 1976 Daytona 500 – ABC Wide World of Sports coverage on YouTube
  18. ^ 1978 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  19. ^ Mark Aumann (January 23, 2003). “1979: Petty winds up in ‘fist’ place”. Turner Sports Interactive. Archived from the original on May 25, 2011. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
  20. ^ “1979 Daytona 500”. Amazon.com. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
  21. ^ Paulsen (May 30, 2012). “Indy 500: Rating Highest Since ’08; Race Still Loses to NASCAR”. Sports Media Watch. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
  22. ^ “Daytona 500 TV Ratings and Viewership (1979-Present)”. Sports Media Watch. February 28, 2012. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
  23. ^ “World’s most watched TV sports events: 2006 Rank & Trends report”. Initiative. 2007-01-19. Archived from the original on 2007-02-08. Retrieved 2007-01-30.
  24. ^ February 18, 1979 CBS Sports’ broadcasts the first live flag-to-flag NASCAR race during the Daytona 500. Richard Petty takes the checkered flag. Viewers are introduced to pictures from Race-Vision, the stationary camera mounted inside a car.
  25. ^ Full Race Replay: 1979 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  26. ^ 1980 DAYTONA 500 on YouTube
  27. ^ 1980 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  28. ^ 1981 Daytona 500 | Full Race on YouTube
  29. ^ 1981 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  30. ^ 1982 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  31. ^ 1983 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  32. ^ 1983 DAYTONA 500 on YouTube
  33. ^ 1984 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  34. ^ 1984 Daytona 500 (SPEED Channels NASCAR Classics) on YouTube
  35. ^ 1984 DAYTONA 500 on YouTube
  36. ^ 1985 Daytona 500 (Full Race) on YouTube
  37. ^ 1985 Daytona 500 (RAW SATELLITE FEED) on YouTube
  38. ^ February 17, 1985 – Daytona 500 at Daytona on YouTube
  39. ^ 1986 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  40. ^ 1987 Daytona 500 (CBS Broadcast) on YouTube
  41. ^ 1987 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  42. ^ 1988 DAYTONA 500 on YouTube
  43. ^ February 14, 1988 – Daytona 500 at Daytona on YouTube
  44. ^ 1988 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  45. ^ 1988 Daytona 500 (RAW SATELLITE FEED) on YouTube
  46. ^ 1989 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  47. ^ 1989 DAYTONA 500 on YouTube
  48. ^ February 18, 1990 – Daytona 500 at Daytona on YouTube
  49. ^ 1990 Daytona 500 (RAW SATELLITE FEED) on YouTube
  50. ^ 1990 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  51. ^ February 17, 1991 – Daytona 500 at Daytona on YouTube
  52. ^ 1991 Daytona 500 (RAW SATELLITE FEED) on YouTube
  53. ^ 1991 Daytona 500 ESPN Classic on YouTube
  54. ^ 1992 Daytona 500 satellite feed complete on YouTube
  55. ^ 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Daytona 500 (Satellite Feed) on YouTube
  56. ^ 1992 DAYTONA 500 on YouTube
  57. ^ 1993 Daytona 500 (RAW SATELLITE FEED) on YouTube
  58. ^ February 14, 1993 – Daytona 500 at Daytona on YouTube
  59. ^ 1993 DAYTONA 500 on YouTube
  60. ^ 1993 Daytona 500 – PART 1/21 (Intro) on YouTube
  61. ^ 1994 Daytona 500 (RAW SATELLITE FEED) on YouTube
  62. ^ February 20, 1994 – Daytona 500 at Daytona on YouTube
  63. ^ 1994 Daytona 500 – Part 1 of 20 on YouTube
  64. ^ 1995 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  65. ^ 1995 DAYTONA 500 on YouTube
  66. ^ 1995 Daytona 500 – Part 1 of 10 (Intro and Starting Grid) on YouTube
  67. ^ February 19, 1995 – Daytona 500 at Daytona on YouTube
  68. ^ 1996 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  69. ^ February 18, 1996 – Daytona 500 at Daytona on YouTube
  70. ^ 1996 Daytona 500 (RAW SATELLITE FEED) on YouTube
  71. ^ 1996 Daytona 500 Part 1 of 2 on YouTube
  72. ^ 1997 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  73. ^ 1997 DAYTONA 500 on YouTube
  74. ^ NWC 1998 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  75. ^ 1998 DAYTONA 500 on YouTube
  76. ^ 1998 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  77. ^ 1999 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  78. ^ February 14, 1999 – Daytona 500 at Daytona on YouTube
  79. ^ 1999 Daytona 500 (RAW SATELLITE FEED) on YouTube
  80. ^ 1999 Daytona 500 Part 1 of 16 (Intro) on YouTube
  81. ^ February 20, 2000 – Daytona 500 at Daytona on YouTube
  82. ^ Daytona 500 | NASCAR Winston Cup | Daytona International Speedway | 02/20/2000 on YouTube
  83. ^ 2000 Daytona 500 – Part 1 of 10 (Intro and Starting Grid) on YouTube
  84. ^ 2001 Daytona 500 (February 18th, 2001) (Dale Earnhardt’s final race, with commercials) on YouTube
  85. ^ 2001 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  86. ^ 2001 – Daytona 500 on YouTube
  87. ^ 2001 Daytona 500 Part 1 on YouTube
  88. ^ 2002 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  89. ^ 44th Daytona 500 on YouTube
  90. ^ “NBC airs its first Daytona 500”. NBC Sports History Page.
  91. ^ 2003 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  92. ^ 45th Annual Daytona 500 on YouTube
  93. ^ 2004 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  94. ^ 2004 Daytona 500 (FULL RACE) on YouTube
  95. ^ 2004 Daytona 500 – Part 1 of 21 on YouTube
  96. ^ 2005 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  97. ^ February 20, 2005 – Daytona 500 at Daytona on YouTube
  98. ^ 2006 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  99. ^ February 19, 2006 – Daytona 500 at Daytona on YouTube
  100. ^ 2006 Daytona 500 – Part 1 of 21 on YouTube
  101. ^ a b “Daytona 500 Ratings History (1979-present) – Sports Media Watch”. Sports Media Watch. Retrieved 2018-07-09.
  102. ^ February 18, 2007 – Daytona 500 at Daytona on YouTube
  103. ^ 2007 Daytona 500 (Full Race) on YouTube
  104. ^ 2007 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  105. ^ February 17, 2008 – Daytona 500 at Daytona on YouTube
  106. ^ 2008 Daytona 500 – Part 1 of 20 (INTRO / COMMAND / STARTING GRID) on YouTube
  107. ^ 2008 DAYTONA 500 on YouTube
  108. ^ February 15, 2009 – Daytona 500 at Daytona on YouTube
  109. ^ 2009 Daytona 500 Part 1 of 4 HD on YouTube
  110. ^ 2010 DAYTONA 500 on YouTube
  111. ^ NSC 2010 Daytona 500 (Full Race) on YouTube
  112. ^ 2011 DAYTONA 500 on YouTube
  113. ^ NSC.2011 Round01.Daytona.500.Race.Part.1.FOXHD. on YouTube
  114. ^ 2012 DAYTONA 500 on YouTube
  115. ^ 2013 NSCS DAYTONA 500 on YouTube
  116. ^ 2014 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series [HD] on YouTube
  117. ^ NSC 2014 Daytona 500 Full Race on YouTube
  118. ^ NASCAR Sprint Cup Series – Full Race – Daytona 500 on YouTube
  119. ^ February 22, 2015 – Daytona 500 at Daytona on YouTube
  120. ^ NASCAR Sprint Cup Series – Full Race – 2016 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  121. ^ Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series- Full Race – 2017 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  122. ^ Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series- Full Race – 2018 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  123. ^ Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series – Full Race Replay – 2019 Daytona 500 on YouTube
  124. ^ Spangler, Todd. “Fox Sports Inks 5-Year Virtual Reality Pact With NextVR”. Retrieved 17 March 2016.

Sources[edit]