One of the earliest telecasts of a NASCAR race was the 1960 Daytona 500, parts of which was presented as part of CBS Sports Spectacular, with announcer Bud Palmer.
In the ensuing years, but before 1979, there were three main sources of NASCAR telecasts: ABC's Wide World of Sports, the sports anthology program, provided coverage of select NASCAR Winston Cup races in the 1970s. In 1971, it presented a 200-lap race at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in its entirety, the first such broadcast of a NASCAR race. Throughout the 1970s, ABC presented portions of the Daytona 500, Southern 500, and other important races. In the late 1970s, CBS Sports Spectacular aired some races; like Wide World of Sports, they were taped and edited. Car and Track, a weekly auto racing show hosted by Bud Lindemann, recapped all of NASCAR's top-series races in the 1960s and 1970s in a weekly 30-minute syndicated show.
List of races televised 1960 DateEventNetworkLap-by-lap2/12Twin 100's CBS Bud Palmer
In February 1960, CBS sent a "skeleton" production crew to Daytona Beach, Florida and the Daytona International Speedway to cover the Daytona 500's Twin 100 (now The Duel at Daytona) qualifying races on February 12, 1960. The production crew also stayed to broadcast portions of the Daytona 500 itself, two days later. The event was hosted by John S. Palmer. CBS would continue to broadcast portions of races for the next 18 years, along with ABC and NBC.
1961 DateEventNetworkLap-by-lapColor commentator(s)7/4 Firecracker 250 (Daytona) ABC Bill FlemmingChris Economaki
1962 DateEventNetworkLap-by-lapColor commentator(s)Reporters2/18Daytona 500 ABC Jim McKayStirling MossChris Economaki7/4Firecracker 250 (Daytona) ABC Bill FlemmingChris Economaki9/3Southern 500 (Darlington) ABC Jim McKayChris Economaki
From 1962 to 1978, the Daytona 500 was shown on ABC's Wide World of Sports. During the 1960s and early 1970s, the race was filmed and an edited highlight package aired the following weekend. In 1974, 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 through 1978.
1963 DateEventTrackNetworkLap-by-lapColor commentator(s)2/24 Daytona 500 DaytonaABCBill FlemmingChris Economaki7/4 Firecracker 400DaytonaABC Bill FlemmingChris Economaki
1964 DateEventNetworkLap-by-lapColor commentator(s)Reporters2/23 Daytona 500 ABC Bill FlemmingStirling MossChris Economaki4/5Atlanta 500 CBS5/24 World 600 NBC 10/18National 400 (Charlotte) ABC Jim McKayChris Economaki
1965 DateEventNetworkLap-by-lapColor commentator(s)Reporters2/14Daytona 500 ABC Bill FlemmingDan Gurney 5/8Rebel 300 (Darlington) ABC Jim McKayChris Economaki7/4Firecracker 400 (Daytona) ABC Bill FlemmingChris Economaki9/6Southern 500 (Darlington) ABC Jim McKayRodger WardChris Economaki10/17National 400 (Charlotte) ABC Bill FlemmingRodger WardChris Economaki
1966 DateEventNetworkLap-by-lapColor commentator(s)Reporters2/27 Daytona 500 ABCCurt GowdyRodger WardChris Economaki 4/30Rebel 400 (Darlington) ABC Jim McKayBill France 7/4Firecracker 400 (Daytona) ABC Jim McKayRodger WardChris Economaki9/5Southern 500 (Darlington) ABC Bill FlemmingRodger WardChris Economaki10/16National 500 (Charlotte) ABC Jim McKayRodger WardChris Economaki
1967-69 YearDateEventTrackNetworkCoverageLap-by-lapColor commentator(s)Pit Reporters1967February 24Twin 100 RacesDaytonaABC Jim McKayChris EconomakiFebruary 26Daytona 500 DaytonaABCJim McKayChris EconomakiMay 13Rebel 400DarlingtonABC Chris EconomakiFred LorenzenJuly 4Firecracker 400DaytonaABC Jim McKayFred LorenzenChris EconomakiSeptember 4Southern 500DarlingtonABC Bill FlemmingFred LorenzenChris EconomakiOctober 20National 400CharlotteABC Keith JacksonNed Jarrett1968February 25Daytona 500DaytonaABCBill FlemmingChris EconomakiMay 11Rebel 400DarlingtonABCBill FlemmingFred LorenzenJuly 4Firecracker 400DaytonaABC September 2Southern 500DarlingtonABC Bill FlemmingChris EconomakiOctober 20National 500CharlotteABC Jim McKayFred LorenzenChris Economaki1969February 23Daytona 500DaytonaABCBill FlemmingChris EconomakiMarch 30Atlanta 500 AtlantaABC Bill FlemmingChris EconomakiMay 10 Rebel 400DarlingtonABC Jim McKayChris Economaki July 4Firecracker 400DaytonaABC Jim McKayChris EconomakiSeptember 1Southern 500DarlingtonABC Bill FlemmingChris Economaki October 12National 500CharlotteABC Jim McKayChris Economaki
See also List of Daytona 500 broadcasters List of Wide World of Sports (American TV series) announcers List of events broadcast on Wide World of Sports (American TV program) NASCAR on television in the 1970s NASCAR on television in the 1980s NASCAR on television in the 1990s NASCAR on television in the 2000s NASCAR on television in the 2010s NASCAR on television in the 2020s
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