ESPN Classic Drops Checkered Flag on NASCAR Season

ESPN Classic will provide live coverage of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ annual awards banquet from the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City on Friday, Dec. 5 at 9 p.m. ET.

The telecast will put a bow on the network’s 2008 coverage of the nation’s most popular spectator sport, officially crowing Jimmie Johnson (left) as the series champion for the third consecutive year.

Along with Johnson, who drove the Hendricks Motorsports' No. 48 car to a runaway victory in the series’ season-ending, 10-race playoff, the event will feature the rest of the Top 10 NASCAR drivers this season.

Dr. Jerry Punch, lead announcer for ESPN’s NASCAR racing coverage, will be the onstage master of ceremonies.

The banquet telecast will re-air on Monday, Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN2, network officials said.