ESPN and Richmond International Raceway Sign Agreement
4 August 1997
ESPN SIGNS NEW AGREEMENT WITH RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY RICHMOND, VA - ESPN and Richmond International Raceway have signed a multi-year agreement that calls for the network to continue televising the track's NASCAR Winston Cup events and the other races held there on the race weekends into the next century. The spring race at RIR is held in conjunction with a NASCAR Busch Series Grand National event while the fall race, held in primetime on a Saturday night, is preceded the night before by a NASCAR Busch Series Grand National race and by a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event on Thursday evening. ESPN's NASCAR Winston Cup programming also includes live pole qualifying on ESPN2 and coverage of "Happy Hour". "We've been tremendously pleased with ESPN's outstanding televised coverage of our NASCAR races," said Wayne C. Sawyer, vice president, administration of Richmond International Raceway. "We look forward to working with their talented announcers and gifted behind the scenes personnel into the new millennium." John Wildhack, ESPN senior vice president, programming, said, "We returned to Richmond International Raceway last year after a 13-year absence and found a first-class facility that provides typically exciting NASCAR action. We're thrilled to extend our new relationship with our old friends that helps to maintain our position as the leading motorsports television outlet." By Richmond International Raceway Public Relations