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.

CBS Sports President Neal Pilson and motor-sports editor Ken Squier believed that America would watch an entire stock car race live on television. On February 18, 1979, CBS presented the first flag-to-flag coverage of the Daytona 500. Richard Petty won NASCAR's crown-jewel race for the sixth time, but the big story was the post-race fight on the track's infield between Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison, who crashed together on the final lap while leading. The race drew incredible ratings, in part due to the compelling action both on and off the track, and in part because a major snowstorm on the East Coast kept millions of viewers indoors.

List of races televised 1970-1971 YearDateEventTrackNetworkCoverageLap-by-lapColor commentator(s)Reporters1970February 22Daytona 500 DaytonaABC Keith JacksonChris EconomakiApril 22Alabama 500TalladegaABC Bill FlemmingKeith JacksonBob MontgomeryApril 18Gwyn Staley 400North WilkesboroABCJim McKayChris EconomakiBob MontgomeryMay 9Rebel 400DarlingtonABCJim McKayNed JarrettBob MontgomeryMay 24World 600CharlotteABCKeith JacksonChris EconomakiBob MontgomeryJuly 4Firecracker 400DaytonaABC HighlightsJim McKayChris EconomakiBob MontgomeryJuly 25Nashville 420 FairgroundsABCJim McKay Chris EconomakiBob MontgomerySeptember 7Southern 500DarlingtonABCBill FlemmingChris EconomakiOctober 4Wilkes 400North WilkesboroABCJim McKayChris EconomakiOctober 11National 500CharlotteABCJim McKayChris Economaki1971February 11Twin 125'sDaytonaABC Keith JacksonChris Economaki February 14Daytona 500 DaytonaABCKeith JacksonChris Economaki April 4Atlanta 500 AtlantaABCBill FlemmingChris Economaki April 10Greenville 200Greenville-PickensABCLiveJim McKayChris EconomakiKen SquierMay 2Rebel 400DarlingtonABCKeith JacksonChris EconomakiMay 16Winston 500TalladegaABCBill FlemmingChris EconomakiJuly 4Firecracker 400DaytonaABCKeith JacksonChris EconomakiAugust 6Myers Brothers 250Bowman GrayABCJim McKayChris EconomakiSeptember 6Southern 500DarlingtonABCBill FlemmingChris Economaki October 10National 500CharlotteABCKeith JacksonChris 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.

During the period on Wide 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. In the event of a three person team only the pit reporter would be reporting while commentary was separately recording. The booth commentary was recorded in post-production.

1972 DateEventNetworkLap-by-lapColor commentator(s)Reporters2/17Daytona 125 ABC Keith JacksonChris Economaki2/20Daytona 500 ABCKeith JacksonChris Economaki 3/5Miller High Life 500 (Ontario) ABCJim McKayJackie StewartChris Economaki3/12 Carolina 500 (Rockingham) ABC Keith JacksonDonnie Allison Gary Campbell3/26Atlanta 500 ABCKeith JacksonChris EconomakiGary Campbell4/16Rebel 400 (Darlington) ABC Bill FlemmingDonnie Allison7/4Firecracker 400 (Daytona) ABC Keith JacksonChris Economaki9/4Southern 500 (Darlington) ABC Chris Economaki10/8National 500 (Charlotte) ABC Keith JacksonRoger PenskeChris Economaki

1973 DateEventNetworkLap-by-lapColor commentator(s)Reporters2/15Twin 125's (Daytona) ABCJim McKayJackie StewartChris Economaki2/18Daytona 500 ABC Jim McKayJackie StewartChris Economaki 4/1Atlanta 500 ABCKeith JacksonJackie StewartChris Economaki4/15Rebel 500 (Darlington)ABCBill FlemmingChris Economaki 7/4Firecracker 400 (Daytona) ABC Keith JacksonJackie StewartChris Economaki 8/12Talladega 500 (Talladega) ABCBill FlemmingJackie Stewart9/3Southern 500 (Darlington) ABC Bill FlemmingChris Economaki 10/7National 500 (Charlotte) ABCKeith JacksonRoger Penske

1974 DateEventNetworkLap-by-lapColor commentator(s)Reporters2/14Twin 125's ABCKeith JacksonJackie StewartChris Economaki2/17 Daytona 500 ABCKeith JacksonJackie StewartChris Economaki 3/24Atlanta 500 (Atlanta)ABCKeith JacksonJackie StewartChris Economaki 5/19Mason Dixon 500 (Dover) ABC Bill FlemmingChris Economaki7/4Firecracker 400 (Daytona) ABCKeith JacksonJackie StewartChris Economaki8/11Talladega 500 (Talladega) ABCBill FlemmingJackie Stewart9/2Southern 500 (Darlington) ABC Chris EconomakiJackie Stewart 10/6National 500 (Charlotte) ABCJim McKayChris Economaki

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.

1975 DateEventNetworkLap-by-lapColor commentator(s)Reporters2/13Twin 125's (Daytona) ABC Chris EconomakiJackie Stewart2/16Daytona 500 ABC Keith JacksonJackie StewartChris Economaki3/23Atlanta 500 (Atlanta)ABC Jim McKayJackie StewartChris Economaki4/19Rebel 500 (Darlington)ABC Bill FlemmingJackie Stewart 5/4Winston 500 (Talladega) CBS Ken Squier 5/25 World 600 (Charlotte) CBS Ken Squier 7/4Firecracker 400 (Daytona) ABC Keith JacksonJackie StewartChris Economaki8/24Champion Spark Plug 400 (Michigan) CBS Ken SquierJohnny Rutherford 9/1Southern 500 (Darlington) ABC Keith JacksonDarel Dieringer10/5National 500 (Charlotte) ABC Jim McKayJackie StewartChris Economaki11/9Dixie 500 (Atlanta) CBS Ken SquierJohnny Rutherford

1976 DateEventNetworkLap-by-lapColor commentator(s)Reporters2/15Daytona 500ABC Bill FlemmingJackie StewartChris Economaki3/21Atlanta 500 ABC Bill FlemmingJackie StewartChris Economaki 4/11 Rebel 500 (Darlington) ABC5/2Winston 500 (Talladega) CBS Ken SquierLee PettyNed Jarrett 5/30World 600 (Charlotte) CBSKen Squier6/13Riverside 400 CBS Ken SquierRichard Petty7/4Firecracker 400 (Daytona)ABC Bill FlemmingSam PoseyChris Economaki8/8Talladega 500 CBS Ken SquierLee Petty8/22 Champion Spark Plug 400 (Michigan) CBS Ken SquierDonnie AllisonNed Jarrett 9/6 Southern 500 (Darlington) ABC Bill FlemmingJackie Stewart 10/10National 500 (Charlotte)ABC Keith JacksonChris Economaki 11/7Dixie 500 (Atlanta) CBS Ken Squier11/21Los Angeles Times 500 (Ontario) ABC Jim McKayChris Economaki

The 1976 Daytona 500 was held on the same day of the final day of competition in the Winter Olympics (also broadcast on ABC). ABC carried 30 minutes of live coverage of the start of the race, then switched to the Olympics for 90 minutes to carry taped coverage of the final two competitive events (a cross-country ski race and the final runs in the bobsled), held earlier that day. Then it was back to Daytona for about an hour-and-a-half for the finish.

1977-1979 Year Date Event Track Network Coverage Commentary Pit Reporters Lap-by-lap Color 1977 February 17 Twin 125's Daytona ABC Jim McKay Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki February 20 Daytona 500 Daytona ABC Jim McKay Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki March 20 Atlanta 500 Atlanta ABC Keith Jackson Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki April 3 Rebel 500 Darlington ABC Keith Jackson Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki May 29 World 600 Charlotte CBS Ken Squier David Hobbs Brock Yates July 4 Firecracker 400 Daytona ABC Bill Flemming Chris Economaki August 7 Talladega 500 Talladega CBS Ken Squier Lee Petty September 5 Southern 500 Darlington ABC Bill Flemming Jackie Stewart October 8 National 500 Charlotte ABC Al Michaels Chris Economaki November 20 Los Angeles Times 500 Ontario CBS Ken Squier David Hobbs Brock Yates 1978 February 16 Twin 125's Daytona ABC Jim McKay Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki February 19 Daytona 500 Daytona ABC Jim McKay Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki March 19 Atlanta 500 Atlanta ABC Al Michaels Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki April 8 Rebel 500 Darlington ABC Jim McKay Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki May 28 World 600 Charlotte CBS Ken Squier David Hobbs Brock Yates June 18 Gabriel 400 Michigan ABC Al Michaels Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki July 4 Firecracker 400 Daytona ABC Jim McKay Chris Economaki August 6 Talladega 500 Talladega CBS Ken Squier Lee Petty September 4 Southern 500 Darlington ABC Keith Jackson Chris Economaki October 8 National 500 Charlotte ABC Jim McKay Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki November 19 Los Angeles Times 500 Ontario CBS Ken Squier David Hobbs Brock Yates 1979 February 11 Busch Clash Daytona CBS Live Ken Squier David Hobbs Brock Yates February 15 Twin 125's Daytona CBS Ken Squier David Hobbs Ned Jarrett Brock Yates February 18 Daytona 500 Daytona CBS Live Ken Squier David Hobbs Ned Jarrett Brock Yates March 18 Atlanta 500 Atlanta ABC Al Michaels Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki April 3 Rebel 500 Darlington ABC Jim McKay Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki April 22 Virginia 500 Martinsville MRN TV Jack Arute Ned Jarrett April 29 Winston 500 Talladega MRN TV Jack Arute Ned Jarrett May 27 World 600 Charlotte CBS Ken Squier David Hobbs Ned Jarrett Brock Yates June 17 Gabriel 400 Michigan ABC Al Michaels Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki July 4 Firecracker 400 Daytona ABC Keith Jackson Sam Posey Chris Economaki August 5 Talladega 500 Talladega CBS Ken Squier Lee Petty Ned Jarrett Brock Yates September 3 Southern 500 Darlington ABC Bill Flemming Jackie Stewart October 7 National 500 Charlotte NBC Paul Page Johnny Rutherford November 18 Los Angeles Times 500 Ontario CBS Ken Squier David Hobbs Brock Yates

In 1979, CBS instituted the live "flag-to-flag" coverage policy. The ground-breaking 1979 broadcast ushered in the 22-year run of NASCAR on CBS.

During its entire run from 1979 to 2000, CBS also carried the Busch Clash (live), and in most years, carried the Twin 125s (tape-delayed).

See also NASCAR on television in the 1960s 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 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)

References