Viewer's Guide: Bristol

The COT is on FOX.

The Car of Tomorrow makes its official debut Sunday at Bristol, and FOX will be there to help phase it in.

Sunday's NASCAR on FOX pre-race show offers fans a thorough analysis of the Car of Tomorrow with a breakdown of safety features, aerodynamics and key differences.

"As an analyst, I've got to realize that it's not going away so why condemn it? I want to learn as much as I can so I can educate fans about why NASCAR did it." Larry McReynolds said. "We probably won't have all of the answers after Bristol, Martinsville, Phoenix or Richmond. It will take several races."

Other segments on the pre-race show include Photo Finish with Juan Montoya and a live interview with Kurt Busch.

Live coverage begins at 1:30 p.m. ET.

At 2:07 p.m. ET, a skydiver will descend with the American flag as Bristol honors the country with the singing of God Bless America. That will be followed by the presentation of colors by the Air Force Combat Climatology Center and the invocation by Mike Rife of the Vansant (Va.) Church of Christ. Billy Currington will perform the national anthem with a fly-over by the VFMA-312 Checkerboards of the USMC based in Beaufort, S.C.

At 2:19 p.m. ET, Junior Johnson will give the starting command and at 2:25 p.m. the green waves to begin the 500-lap Food City 500, with Darrell Waltrip present in the flag stand.

The Busch Series Sharpie Mini 300 is on ABC, beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET with NASCAR Countdown.

At 3:06 p.m. ET, the Cherokee High School NJROTC and the Tennessee High School Army JROTC will honor America with the presentation of colors, to be followed by the invocation from Rev. Kenneth Conner of the Sentinnary United Methodist Church in Morristown, Tenn. The Blue Highway Band will perform the national anthem with a fly-over by the VFMA-312 Checkerboards.

At 3:14 p.m. ET, Wayne Beacham will give the starting command, and the green flag for the 300-lap race is scheduled to wave at 3:20 p.m.

ESPN2 has all other Busch Series coverage leading up to the race, including final practice (2:30 p.m. ET Friday) and qualifying (11 a.m. ET Saturday).

SPEED will air Nextel Cup action with Friday qualifying (3:30 p.m. ET) and two Saturday practices (10 a.m. ET and 12:30 p.m. ET).

WEEKEND PROGRAMMING

Show: NASCAR Live!
Network: SPEED
Time: 5 p.m. ET Friday
Host: Steve Byrnes

Show: Trackside
Network: SPEED
Time: 7 p.m. ET Friday; Re-airs: 10 p.m. ET Friday; 1 a.m. ET Saturday
Host: Steve Byrnes
Analysts: Larry McReynolds, Jeff Hammond, Elliott Sadler

• NASCAR on SPEED

Show: NASCAR Performance
Network: SPEED
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday; Re-airs 2:30 a.m. ET Sunday; 8 a.m. ET Sunday
Host: Larry McReynolds
Analysts: Chad Knaus, Bootie Barker

Show: NASCAR Now
Network: ESPN2
Time: 10 a.m. ET Sunday (New shows air weekdays at 6:30 p.m. ET; Re-airs midnight ET)
Hosts: Erik Kuselias, Doug Banks
Analysts: Tim Brewer, Stacy Compton, Brad Daughtery
Reporters: Tim Cowlishaw, Mike Massaro, Marty Smith, Angelique Chengelis, Shannon Spake, D.J. Copp

Show: Tradin' Paint
Network: SPEED
Time: 11 a.m. ET Sunday
Host: John Roberts
Analyst: Michael Waltrip

Show: NASCAR RaceDay
Network: SPEED
Time: 11:30 a.m. ET Sunday
Host: John Roberts
Analysts: Jimmy Spencer, Kenny Wallace
Reporters: Wendy Venturini, Bob Dillner

Show: NASCAR Victory Lane
Network: SPEED
Time: 8 p.m. ET Sunday; Re-airs: 4 a.m. ET Monday; 9 a.m. ET Monday
Host: John Roberts
Analysts: Jimmy Spencer, Kenny Wallace
Reporter: Wendy Venturini

RACE COVERAGE

• BUSCH SERIES

Event: Sharpie Mini 300 final practice
Network: ESPN2
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET Friday
Hosts: Brent Musburger, Chris Fowler
Lead Announcer: Jerry Punch
Analysts: Rusty Wallace, Andy Petree
Pit Reporters: Allen Bestwick, Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro

Event: Sharpie Mini 300 qualifying
Network: ESPN2
Time: 11 a.m. ET Saturday
Hosts: Brent Musburger, Chris Fowler
Lead Announcer: Jerry Punch
Analysts: Rusty Wallace, Andy Petree
Pit Reporters: Allen Bestwick, Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro

Event: NASCAR Countdown
Network: ABC
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday
Hosts: Brent Musburger, Chris Fowler
Analysts: Tim Brewer, Brad Daugherty
Reporter: Shannon Spake

Event: Sharpie Mini 300
Network: ABC
Time: 3 p.m. ET Saturday
Green Flag: 3:20 p.m. ET Saturday
Lead Announcer: Jerry Punch
Analysts: Rusty Wallace, Andy Petree
Pit Reporters: Allen Bestwick, Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro

• NEXTEL CUP SERIES

Event: Food City 500 qualifying
Network: SPEED
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET Friday; Re-airs: 8 p.m. ET Friday; 11 p.m. ET Friday
Hosts: Dave Despain, Jeff Hammond
Lead Announcer: Mike Joy
Analysts: Larry McReynolds, Darrell Waltrip
Pit Reporters: Dick Berggren, Steve Byrnes, Matt Yocum, Krista Voda

Event: Food City 500 practice
Network: SPEED
Time: 10 a.m. ET Saturday
Hosts: Dave Despain, Jeff Hammond
Lead Announcer: Mike Joy
Analysts: Larry McReynolds, Darrell Waltrip
Pit Reporters: Dick Berggren, Steve Byrnes, Matt Yocum, Krista Voda

Event: Food City 500 Happy Hour
Network: SPEED
Time: 12:30 p.m. ET Saturday
Hosts: Dave Despain, Jeff Hammond
Lead Announcer: Mike Joy
Analysts: Larry McReynolds, Darrell Waltrip
Pit Reporters: Dick Berggren, Steve Byrnes, Matt Yocum, Krista Voda

Event: Hollywood Hotel
Network: FOX
Time: 1:30 p.m. ET Sunday
Hosts: Chris Myers, Jeff Hammond
Analysts: Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds, Darrell Waltrip
Pit Reporters: Dick Berggren, Steve Byrnes, Matt Yocum, Krista Voda

Event: Food City 500
Network: FOX
Time: 2 p.m. ET Sunday
Green Flag: 2:25 p.m. ET Sunday
Hosts: Chris Myers, Jeff Hammond
Lead Announcer: Mike Joy
Analysts: Larry McReynolds, Darrell Waltrip
Pit Reporters: Dick Berggren, Steve Byrnes, Matt Yocum, Krista Voda