Green flag at the 2015 Daytona 500, aired live onFox.
The following is a list of theAmericantelevision networks and announcers who have broadcastNASCAR's annualDaytona 500 throughout the years. Throughout its history, the Daytona 500 has been aired on all fourmajor networks in the U.S., includingABC,CBS,NBC, andFox. In1979,CBS covered the race liveflag-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 theDaytona 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 500Speedweeks, including theClash, Daytona 500pole qualifying, theDuels, theTruck Series race, theXfinity Series race, and the respective practice sessions. Some of the ancillary events are aired on Fox companion channelsFS1 andFS2.
Early CBS and ABC'sWide World of Sports era (1959–1978)
From 1962 to 1978, the Daytona 500 was shown onABC'sWide World of Sports.[citation needed] During the 1960s and early 1970s, the race was filmed and an edited highlight package aired the following weekend. In1974,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 through1978.
The1976 race was held on the same day of the final day of competition in theWinter Olympics (also broadcast onABC). ABC carried 30 minutes of live coverage of the start of the race, then switched to the Olympics for 90 minutes to carrytaped coverage of the final two competitive events (across-country ski race and the final runs in thebobsled), held earlier that day. Then it was back to Daytona for about an hour-and-a-half for the finish.
During the period onWide 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 inpost-production.
In1979,CBS instituted the live "flag-to-flag" coverage policy.[19][20] The ground-breaking 1979 broadcast ushered in the 22-year run ofNASCAR on CBS. The1987 broadcast won theSports Emmy for "Outstanding Live Sports Special."Ken Squier served as play-by-play announcer from 1979 to 1997. In 1998, former pit reporterMike Joy was promoted to play-by-play, while Squier moved to thehost position.
The1995 race includes a two-hour rain delay that occurred near the midpoint. Some markets in the U.S. did not have the race, asCBS lost major market affiliates during the 1994-95 season.
During its entire run from 1979-2000, CBS also carried theBusch Clash (live), and in most years, carried theTwin 125s (tape-delayed). In the mid-1990s, CBS also picked up coverage of theGoody's 300 from 1997, whilepole qualifying for the Daytona 500 was aired onESPN during much of the 1990s before it switched to CBS in 1999.
Since1996,[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, theIndianapolis 500. The2006 Daytona 500 attracted the sixth largest average live global TV audience of any sporting event that year with 20 million viewers.[23]
From2001 to2006, the Daytona 500 broadcasting network alternated betweenFox andNBC 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). ThePepsi 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 duringSpeedweeks followed the same general pattern, alternating betweenFox/FX (odd years) andNBC/TNT (even years). Ancillary events included theBudweiser Shootout, Daytona 500pole qualifying, theGatorade 125s, as well as coverage of "Happy Hour" practice and other practice sessions. TheBusch Series race followed the same pattern, however, theTruck Series race was aired by ESPN for two seasons as part of a different contract, before it switched toSpeed Channel, who also aired theGoody'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).
In2001, afterCBS lost the rights to the Daytona 500,Ken Squier left CBS and joinedFox for a one-race arrangement as special contributor and studio host.
Starting in2007, 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.[101]
Per the current broadcast agreements, the Daytona 500 will be televised by Fox through 2024.[111][112][113]
2010: Two delays totaling 150 minutes caused by track break up. Finished inprime-time.[114][115]
2012:John Roberts replacedChris 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 PMEST) and in prime-time (8 PMPST because of rain delays totaling 6 hours, 22 minutes.
2015: Race extended to 203 laps, 507.5 miles (816.7 km) due to agreen-white-checker finish, Race got underway after oil dumped on the track.
