ESPN SpeedWorld


ESPN SpeedWorld is a former television series broadcast on ESPN from 1979 to 2006. The program that was based primarily based around NASCAR, CART, IMSA, Formula One, NHRA, and IHRA. The theme music is based on the piano interlude from "18th Avenue " by Cat Stevens.

History

''ESPN Auto Racing'' (1979–1986)

When ESPN debuted in 1979, one of the first sporting events that they covered was auto racing. Initially the name of the show routinely changed to fit with the corresponding year at the time. Thus, when the program debuted, it was called Auto Racing '79, and then Auto Racing '80, Auto Racing '81 and so forth. This practice was dropped after 1986, when the name of the program was changed to SpeedWorld. The original commentators were primarily Bob Jenkins and Larry Nuber, who covered many diverse types of competition. Ultimately, by 1987, SpeedWorld's coverage encompassed not only Formula One, IndyCar, NASCAR Winston Cup, and IMSA Sportscar Racing, but also racing less familiar to the average person, such as NHRA drag racing, USAC sprints and midgets, rallying, motorcycle racing, monster trucks and more. So many types of racing that were vastly different meant that specialization in broadcasting teams was necessary, so while Jenkins and Nuber continued with Winston Cup coverage, newer faces such as Paul Page and Bob Varsha began to take their places for broadcasts of other racing.

Impact of NASCAR

ESPN began showing NASCAR races in 1981 with the first event being at North Carolina Motor Speedway, which brought NASCAR to huge popularity. The last of its 265 Cup telecasts was the 2000 Atlanta fall race. ESPN and ESPN2 continued to air Craftsman Truck Series races in 2001 and 2002.

''SpeedWorld'''s final years

After losing the rights to NASCAR Winston Cup broadcasts for the 2001 season, ESPN slowly began losing the remainder of their racing to other networks. For their 2002 season, CART signed a TV contract with Speed Channel and CBS, ending ESPN's partnership with CART that had begun 20 years before. NASCAR's Craftsman Truck Series left ESPN, also for Speed Channel, in 2003. For 2004 the International Race of Champions likewise moved to the Speed Channel. Since ESPN's reporters were no longer allowed to report from within the racetrack for RPM 2Night segments, the weeknight show eventually came to an end. However, ESPN was not completely without racing, as Indy Racing League, its Indy Pro Series development championship, and the NHRA were still on ESPN's lineup.
The SpeedWorld blanket title was discontinued in 2006; the final event aired under the branding was an NHRA championship event in Pomona Raceway. Sister network ABC maintained a package of IndyCar events produced by ESPN. NASCAR events would return to ESPN and ABC from 2007 to 2014, holding rights to the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series; these events were instead branded as NASCAR on ESPN. After the NHRA left ESPN for Fox after the 2015 season and the IndyCar Series left after 2018, the only motorsports coverage on the ESPN networks are Formula One races on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 and, for 2023, the Superstar Racing Experience series, which saw the revival of the Thursday Night Thunder name. Formula One's new broadcast contract with Apple TV+ starting in 2026, along with the collapse of SRX before the start of its 2024 season, will mark the end of motorsports programming on ESPN.

On-air staff

''This list does NOT include those who appeared on the air on ABC only, or were not a part of ESPN before 2007.''

Commentators">Play by play">Commentators

  • Griff Allen
  • Jack Arute
  • John Bisignano
  • Mike Chamberlin
  • Rick DeBruhl
  • Dave Despain
  • Ray Dunlap
  • Art Eckman
  • Chris Economaki
  • Bruce Flanders
  • Robbie Floyd
  • Gary Gerould
  • Eli Gold
  • Todd Harris
  • Elizabeth Hulette
  • Bob Jenkins
  • Mike Joy
  • Mike King
  • Brian Kreisky
  • Gary Lee
  • Larry Maiers
  • Dave McClelland
  • Chris McClure
  • Larry Nuber
  • Paul Page
  • Dr. Jerry Punch
  • Marty Reid
  • Mike Raymond
  • Ken Squier
  • Jackie Stewart
  • Simon Taylor
  • Bob Varsha
  • John Watson

    Expert analysts">Color commentator">Expert analysts (drivers and crew chiefs)

  • Bill Adam
  • David Bailey
  • Jon Beekhuis
  • Derek Bell
  • Robbie Buhl
  • Doc Bundy
  • Jeff Burton
  • Steve Chassey
  • Eddie Cheever
  • Peter Collins
  • Jeremy Dale
  • Derek Daly
  • Rob Dyson
  • Gil de Ferran
  • Ray Evernham
  • Chip Ganassi
  • Don Garlits
  • Tom Gloy
  • Scott Goodyear
  • Davey Hamilton
  • Bobby Hillin Jr.
  • David Hobbs
  • Innes Ireland
  • Ned Jarrett
  • Gordon Johncock
  • Parker Johnstone
  • Parnelli Jones
  • P. J. Jones
  • Bart Kendall
  • Tommy Kendall
  • Rick Mears
  • Gary Nelson
  • Benny Parsons
  • Phil Parsons
  • Dan Pastorini
  • Cruz Pedregon
  • Kyle Petty
  • Sam Posey
  • Jason Priestley
  • Scott Pruett
  • Bobby Rahal
  • Larry Rice
  • Nigel Roebuck
  • Johnny Rutherford
  • Elton Sawyer
  • Dorsey Schroeder
  • Scott Sharp
  • Mike Skinner
  • Tom Sneva
  • K. C. Spurlock
  • Denny Stephenson
  • Lyn St. James
  • Danny Sullivan
  • Ken Tyrrell
  • Rusty Wallace
  • Rodger Ward
  • Bill Werner
  • Frank Williams

    Pit reporters">Sideline reporter">Pit reporters and RPM 2Night contributors

  • James Allen
  • Jack Arute
  • Jon Beekhuis
  • Dick Berggren
  • John Bisignano
  • Ray Dunlap
  • Chris Economaki
  • Steve Evans
  • Bruce Flanders
  • Mike Gallaway
  • Gary Gerould
  • Jonathan Green
  • Todd Harris
  • Eddie Irvine
  • Gary Lee
  • Jamie Little
  • Larry Maiers
  • Andrew Marriott
  • Kenny Mayne
  • Chris McClure
  • Larry Nuber
  • Benny Parsons
  • Kyle Petty
  • Dr. Jerry Punch
  • Marty Reid
  • Leandra Reilly
  • Ralph Sheheen
  • Walt Stannard
  • Lyn St. James
  • Darrell Waltrip
  • Bill Weber
  • Vince Welch
  • Matt Yocum