ESPN in Africa

“Gentlemen start your engines”. NASCAR fans will be waiting to hear those four words as the 2011 season gets off to an explosive start with the “Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing”, the DAYTONA 500, on Sunday 20 February. ESPN will air the 200-lap, 500-mile (804.7 km) race LIVE from the Daytona International Speedway in Florida, USA.

ESPN’s LIVE coverage of the 2011 NASCAR season launches with the traditional season-opener of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the Duel at Daytona – two 150-mile qualifying races that determine the starting lineup for the Daytona 500, one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule.

Defending champion, Jamie McMurray, will be hoping to keep Jimmie Johnson, winner of 3 consecutive titles from 2007 to 2009, from taking the chequered flag.

NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) was born from boot legging in the Appalachian Mountains during prohibition. Bootleggers needed fast cars to outrun the cops as they made their deliveries, so they started modifying their cars to increase speed and handling. Prohibition ended in 1933 but the thrill of driving modified cars at high speeds down twisting mountain roads stayed on and stock car racing was born.

Today the Daytona 500 is viewed on television by more people in the U.S. than even the traditional leader, the Indianapolis 500 (although not in terms of in-track attendance).

Don’t miss the new season LIVE on ESPN.

Thurs 17 February 2011

9:00 pm            NASCAR Sprint Cup: Duel at Daytona        Live  

Sat 19 February 2011

7:00 pm           NASCAR Countdown                                   Live

8:15 pm           NASCAR Nationwide Series at Daytona      Live  

Sun 20 February 2011

8:00 pm          Daytona 500                                             Live 

Watch ESPN on DStv channel 230.