Television series
NASCAR on TBS Genre Auto racing telecasts Presented by Ken Squier Allen Bestwick Buddy Baker Dick Berggren See commentators section below Opening theme "Thunder Fist"[1] Composer Edd Kalehoff Country of origin United States Original language English Production location Various NASCAR venues Camera setup Multi-camera Running time 4 hours or until race ended (including commercials) Production company Turner Sports Original network Turner Sports Original release February 27, 1983 (1983-02-27 ) – October 8, 2000 (2000-10-08 ) Followed by NASCAR on TNT Website
NASCAR on TBS NASCAR races on the TBS cable network . Select NASCAR Winston Cup Series (now NASCAR Cup Series), Busch Series (now Xfinity Series), and Craftsman Truck Series (now Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series) races were aired on TBS from its debut in 1983 up to the 2000 season .[2]
Races were switched to TNT in 2001 as part of the then-new NASCAR TV deal, although the initial plans[3]
Coverage overview [ ] Before the existence of ESPN , live coverage of NASCAR Winston Cup races on television was limited. CBS covered the Daytona 500 , the June race at Michigan and the July race at Talladega . ABC usually did the Atlanta race in the spring.
TBS broadcast the Richmond spring race, held the week after Daytona Speedweeks , from 1983 to 1995, as well as the fall races at Rockingham (1985-1987), Atlanta (1983-1985) and Riverside (1982-1987).
For several years in the 1990s, the only Cup Series races aired on TBS were the two races from Charlotte Motor Speedway (Coca-Cola 600 from 1988-2000, UAW-GM Quality 500 from 1989-2000); TBS did not have rights to The Winston , which usually aired on TNN . Also, the channel aired the July race at Pocono Raceway from 1993 to 2000. TBS was also the home of the postseason exhibition races held at Suzuka Circuit and Twin Ring Motegi in Japan from 1996 –1998 .
The now defunct Prime Network meanwhile, was the first to televise NASCAR Winston Cup qualifying races on a regular basis. The telecasts were mainly for races that would be televised by TBS.
TBS aired side-by-side coverage during commercials during the 2000 UAW-GM Quality 500 in Charlotte .
TBS race schedule [ ] Winston Cup Series [ ] 1980s [ ] See also: NASCAR on television in the 1980s
1983 [ ]
Rnd
Date
Race Title
Track
Lead Commentators
Co-Commentators
2
February 27
Richmond 400
Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway , Richmond
Ken Squier
Cale Yarborough
29
November 6
Atlanta Journal 500
Atlanta International Raceway , Hampton
Ken Squier
Geoff Bodine
30
November 20
Winston Western 500
Riverside International Raceway , Riverside
Ken Squier
Cale Yarborough
1984 [ ]
Rnd
Date
Race Title
Track
Lead Commentators
Co-Commentators
2
February 26
Richmond 400
Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway , Richmond
Ken Squier
Buddy Baker
10
May 12
Coors 420
Nashville Speedway , Nashville
Ken Squier
Benny Parsons
29
November 11
Atlanta Journal 500
Atlanta International Raceway , Hampton
Ken Squier
Glenn Jarrett
30
November 18
Winston Western 500
Riverside International Raceway , Riverside
Ken Squier
Phil Parsons
1985 [ ] 1986 [ ] 1987 [ ] 1988 [ ] 1989 [ ] 1990s-2000 [ ] 1990 [ ] 1991 [ ] 1992 [ ] 1993 [ ] 1994 [ ] 1995 [ ]
Rnd
Date
Race Title
Track
Lead Commentators
Co-Commentators
3
March 5
Pontiac Excitement 400
Richmond International Raceway , Richmond
Ken Squier
Chuck Bown , Ernie Irvan
11
May 28
Coca-Cola 600
Charlotte Motor Speedway , Concord
Ken Squier
Ernie Irvan , Richard Petty
17
July 16
Miller Genuine Draft 500
Pocono International Raceway , Long Pond
Ken Squier
Dick Berggren , Chad Little
24
September 9
Miller Genuine Draft 400
Richmond International Raceway , Richmond
Ken Squier
Dick Berggren , Chad Little
28
October 8
UAW-GM Quality 500
Charlotte Motor Speedway , Concord
Ken Squier
Dick Berggren , Ernie Irvan
1996 [ ]
Rnd
Date
Race Title
Track
Lead Commentators
Co-Commentators
11
May 26
Coca-Cola 600
Charlotte Motor Speedway , Concord
Ken Squier
Buddy Baker , Dick Berggren
17
July 21
Miller 500
Pocono Raceway , Long Pond
Ken Squier
Buddy Baker , Chad Little
28
October 6
UAW-GM Quality 500
Charlotte Motor Speedway , Concord
Ken Squier
Buddy Baker , Mike Wallace
Exhibition
November 24
NASCAR Suzuka Thunder Special
Suzuka Circuit , Suzuka, Japan
Ken Squier
Buddy Baker
1997 [ ]
Rnd
Date
Race Title
Track
Lead Commentators
Co-Commentators
11
May 25
Coca-Cola 600
Charlotte Motor Speedway , Concord
Ken Squier
Buddy Baker , Dick Berggren
18
July 20
Pennsylvania 500
Pocono Raceway , Long Pond
Ken Squier
Buddy Baker , Greg Sacks
28
October 5
UAW-GM Quality 500
Charlotte Motor Speedway , Concord
Ken Squier
Buddy Baker
Exhibition
November 23
NASCAR Suzuka Thunder Special
Suzuka Circuit , Suzuka, Japan
Ken Squier
Buddy Baker
1998 [ ]
Rnd
Date
Race Title
Track
Lead Commentators
Co-Commentators
11
May 24
Coca-Cola 600
Charlotte Motor Speedway , Concord
Ken Squier
Buddy Baker , Dick Berggren
18
July 26
Pennsylvania 500
Pocono Raceway , Long Pond
Ken Squier
Buddy Baker , Dick Berggren
28
October 4
UAW-GM Quality 500
Charlotte Motor Speedway , Concord
Ken Squier
Buddy Baker , Dick Berggren
Exhibition
November 22
Coca-Cola 500
Twin Ring Motegi , Motegi, Japan
Ken Squier
Buddy Baker , Dick Berggren
1999 [ ]
Rnd
Date
Race Title
Track
Host
Lead Commentators
Co-Commentators
12
May 30
Coca-Cola 600
Lowe's Motor Speedway , Concord
Allen Bestwick
Ken Squier
Buddy Baker , Dick Berggren
19
July 25
Pennsylvania 500
Pocono Raceway , Long Pond
Allen Bestwick
Ken Squier
Buddy Baker , Dick Berggren
29
October 8
UAW-GM Quality 500
Lowe's Motor Speedway , Concord
Ken Squier
Allen Bestwick
Buddy Baker , Dick Berggren
2000 [ ]
Rnd
Date
Race Title
Track
Host
Lead Commentators
Co-Commentators
12
May 28
Coca-Cola 600
Lowe's Motor Speedway , Concord
Ken Squier
Allen Bestwick
Buddy Baker , Dick Berggren
19
July 23
Pennsylvania 500
Pocono Raceway , Long Pond
Ken Squier
Allen Bestwick
Buddy Baker , Dick Berggren
29
October 8
UAW-GM Quality 500
Lowe's Motor Speedway , Concord
Ken Squier
Allen Bestwick
Buddy Baker , Dick Berggren
Craftsman Truck Series [ ] 1996 [ ]
Rnd
Date
Race Title
Track
Lead Commentators
Co-Commentators
3
May 4
Craftsman 200
Portland Speedway , Portland
Ken Squier
Dick Berggren
4
May 11
Jerr-Dan/Nelson Truck 200
Evergreen Speedway , Monroe
Ken Squier
Dick Berggren , Larry McReynolds
23
October 26
GM Goodwrench/AC Delco 300
Phoenix International Raceway , Phoenix
Ken Squier
Larry McReynolds , Darrell Waltrip
1997 [ ]
Rnd
Date
Race Title
Track
Lead Commentators
Co-Commentators
5
May 3
Craftsman 200
Portland Speedway , Portland
Ken Squier
Dick Berggren
6
May 10
NAPACARD 200
Evergreen Speedway , Monroe
Ken Squier
Dick Berggren
[ ] Booth announcers/analysts included Ken Squier , Buddy Baker , and Dick Berggren . After TBS made a host/booth switch, Allen Bestwick became the lap-by-lap announcer with Baker and Berggren in the booth for TBS' 2000 coverage at Lowe's and Pocono .
Lap-by-lap [ ] [ ] Buddy Baker Dick Berggren Geoff Bodine Neil Bonnett Chuck Bown Dick Brooks Chris Economaki Ernie Irvan Glenn Jarrett Dave Marcis Chad Little Benny Parsons Phil Parsons Richard Petty Greg Sacks Lyn St. James Ken Stabler Kenny Wallace Cale Yarborough Pit road reporters [ ] Studio hosts [ ] Late 1980s broadcasts were known for an infield broadcasting "host" set called "STP Race Central."
References [ ] External links [ ] show Turner Sports broadcast properties (including TNT , TBS , TruTV and WPCH-TV )
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See also : United States sports broadcasting lists Turner Broadcasting System
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