FOX Puts Super Focus on Daytona 500

With more than 80 hours of programming from Daytona Speedweeks, FOX Sports constructs a high-energy, two-week opening to the 2014 NASCAR racing season into a distinctive crescendo of unbridled horsepower, culminating in live coverage of the 56th running of the DAYTONA 500 on FOX on Sunday, Feb. 23 at 1:00 PM ET.

“Nothing in motor sports is more important than the DAYTONA 500,” said Eric Shanks, FOX Sports President and COO. “This year is bigger and better than ever, and we can’t wait to hear the roar of the engines as Speedweeks kicks off the best two weeks in racing.”

For the 14th consecutive season, NASCAR Hall-of-Fame driver, and Emmy-nominated broadcaster Darrell Waltrip teams with host Mike Joy and analyst Larry McReynolds to call the race for FOX. Emmy Award-winner Chris Myers and two-time DAYTONA 500 champion Michael Waltrip report from the Hollywood Hotel, FOX Sports’ traveling pre-race studio, while former crew chief Jeff Hammond works the garage area and Krista Voda, Steve Byrnes and Matt Yocum keep fans updated from pit road.

“From a TV perspective, we have more thought-provoking storylines at our disposal this year than ever before,” Darrell Waltrip said. “Take the changing of the guard, for instance. All these talented rookies are coming up to challenge the veterans, so that will be interesting to follow throughout the year. It reminds me a bit of the Super Bowl. Young Russell Wilson went up against veteran Peyton Manning and Wilson’s team dominated. Can the rookies coming up this year capitalize, too? Folks are energized and fans are excited about what’s ahead this season, and we at FOX certainly have a lot to talk about.”

Using nearly 60 cameras to cover the DAYTONA 500, including two “super slow motion” cameras, an infrared camera, a pair of “X-MOs” – ultra-slow-motion Phantom camera systems — and the FOX Super Zoom 4K camera, as well as more than 150 microphones placed around the track, FOX Sports delivers an experience like no other.

And, for the first time ever, FOX Sports GO, the app that provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content, is set to offer live, streaming coverage of the DAYTONA 500. FOX Sports GO features two separate live streams, the customary FOX Sports broadcast in English and the FOX Deportes telecast, which returns to Daytona for the second consecutive year, in Spanish. In addition, all Daytona Speedweeks programming airing on FOX Sports 1 is available thru FOX Sports GO. Customers of participating video providers may access the live streams of the DAYTONA 500 through the FOX Sports GO app for iOS devices, as well as on desktops through FOXSportsGO.com.

FOXSports.com delivers a major re-design just in time for Daytona Speedweeks, with smoother navigation and expanded interaction for NASCAR fans through the “Big Board,” RaceTrax for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, Social Media interface through Connect Live and a new FOX Fantasy Racing game. In addition, FOXSports.com continues to be a leader in news and commentary from veteran reporters Tom Jensen and Lee Spencer, and inside information from multiple members of the NASCAR on FOX on-air team. For the lighter side of the sport, fans can visit the SHAKE & BAKE NASCAR on FOX Blog.

Coverage of the “Great American Race” begins with the popular pre-race show, NASCAR RACEDAY, at 11:00 AM ET on FOX Sports 1. Darrell Waltrip leads the crew of Joy, Myers, McReynolds, Yocum, Voda, Bob Dillner and funny man Rutledge Wood through the early pre-race activities as fans begin to make their moves from the crowded souvenir midway to their seats inside the “World Center of Racing.” At noon, the entire crew moves to FOX for the final hour leading up to the traditional flyover by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the highly anticipated waving of the green flag, including live coverage of the pre-race concert by country superstar Luke Bryan. The Honorary Starter for the 56th running of the DAYTONA 500 is decorated actor Gary Sinise.

And at 1:00 PM ET, more than 200,000 fans come to their feet in the stands, across the surrounding campgrounds and throughout the massive 180-acre infield. Fans watching at home, inch closer to the edge of their seats. FOX Sports camera crews and producers make final adjustments. On pit road, seatbelts are tightened, wives, girlfriends and boyfriends are kissed and 43 race car drivers, hoping to run the race of their lives, begin picturing themselves in Victory Lane with confetti flying, thousands cheering and the iconic Harley J. Earl Trophy held effortlessly high overhead … and at that moment, the call is made to “start your engines.”

For the next four hours, all hell breaks loose on the 2.5-mile, unpredictable superspeedway conceived and built in 1959 by the sport’s founder Bill France Sr., as one-name wonders like Danica and Junior mix it up with champions like Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth and Brad Keselowski. There will be drivers who have faced this moment dozens of times before, going bumper-to-bumper with racers taking on the “Great American Race” for the very first time.

Fox Sports PR