TV Schedule June 30-July 3

Trevor Bayne became the youngest winner in Daytona 500 history
in February. Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR
NASCAR returns for its summer appearance at Daytona International Speedway. Get ready for some fireworks as the sport celebrates the 4th of July holiday and prepares to race one of the most unpredictable tracks on the circuit.

As wild as restrictor plate racing can be, one thing we can expect to see at Daytona are the two-by-two tandems. After the recent repave, which gave the 2.5-mile high-banked track more grip, drivers have found the fastest way around the superspeedway is to pair up, allowing the two cars to run away from field and gain as much as 10 mph. The new style of racing has been met with mixed reviews from fans and drivers alike, but it has resulted in some exciting finishes, including Trevor Bayne's Cinderella-style win at the Daytona 500.

The Sprint Cup Series and the Nationwide Series converge on Daytona this weekend. The Camping World Truck Series will return to action next weekend at Kentucky.

The most recent winners at Daytona are:

SPRINT CUP
Spring 2011: Trevor Bayne
Fall 2010: Kevin Harvick

NATIONWIDE
Spring 2011: Tony Stewart
Fall 2010: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The following is a handy guide of track events and television coverage this weekend at Daytona (all times are in Eastern Standard Time):

Thursday, June 30:
2:30 p.m. NNS Practice, SPEED
4 p.m. NSCS Practice, SPEED
5 p.m. NASCAR Now, ESPN2
5:30 p.m. NNS Practice, ESPN2
6:30 p.m. NSCS Final Practice, SPEED
8 p.m. The Day: 1984 Firecracker 400, SPEED
11 p.m. The Day: 1984 Firecracker 400, SPEED

Friday, July 1:
12 a.m. Speedmakers: Daytona Resurfacing, SPEED
1 a.m. NASCAR Now, ESPN2
8 a.m. The Day: 1984 Firecracker 400, SPEED
12 p.m.    NASCAR K&N Pro Series at Langley, SPEED
1 p.m. The Day: 1984 Firecracker 400, SPEED
2 p.m. NNS Coors Light Pole Qualifying, ESPN2
4 p.m. NSCS Qualifying, SPEED
5 p.m. NASCAR Now, ESPN2
7 p.m. NNS Countdown, ESPN
7:30 p.m. NNS: SUBWAY Jalapeño 250 Powered By Coca-Cola, ESPN
10 p.m. Trackside at Daytona, SPEED. Guest: Trevor Bayne.
11 p.m. NSCS Coors Light Pole Qualifying, SPEED

Saturday, July 2:
1:30 p.m. Trackside at Daytona, SPEED
3 a.m. NASCAR K&N Pro Series at Langley Speedway, SPEED
4 a.m. The Day: 1984 Firecracker 400, SPEED
4 a.m. NNS: SUBWAY Jalapeño 250 Powered By Coca-Cola, ESPN2
4 a.m. NNS: SUBWAY Jalapeño 250 Powered By Coca-Cola, ESPN Deportes
10:30 a.m. NASCAR Performance, SPEED
11 a.m. Trackside at Daytona, SPEED
12 p.m. NASCAR Now presented by 5-Hour Energy, ESPN2
3 p.m. NASCAR Performance, SPEED
4 p.m. SPEED Center NASCAR Edition, SPEED
4:30 p.m. NASCAR RaceDay, SPEED
6:30 p.m. NSCS Countdown to Green, TNT
7:30 p.m. NSCS: Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola, TNT

Sunday, July 3:
1 p.m. Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge: Road America, SPEED
3 p.m. The Day: 1984 Firecracker 400, SPEED
4 p.m. Speedmakers: Daytona Resurfacing, SPEED
8 p.m. NASCAR Victory Lane, SPEED (reruns at 12 a.m. and 9 a.m. Monday)
TV Schedule June 30-July 3 TV Schedule June 30-July 3 Reviewed by Rebecca Kivak on Thursday, June 30, 2011 Rating: 5