As time passed, more Winston Cup races ended up on TV. ESPN broadcast its first race in 1981, from Rockingham Speedway (its first live race was later in the year at Atlanta International Raceway), and TNN followed in 1991. All Cup races were nationally televised by 1985; networks struck individual deals with track owners, and multiple channels carried racing action. Many races were shown taped and edited on Wide World of Sports and syndication services like Mizlou and SETN, but almost all races were live by 1989. By 2000, the last year of this arrangement, six networks televised at least one Cup series race: CBS, ABC, ESPN, TNN, TBS, and NBC.
Also, a growing number of races in the Busch Grand National Series and Craftsman Truck Series were made available for broadcast, and some track owners even threw in support races in lesser series. Likewise, Winston Cup qualifying aired on ESPN2 or regional sports network Prime Network.
NASCAR wanted to capitalize on its increased popularity even more, so they decided that future deals would be centralized; that is, the networks would negotiate directly with NASCAR for a regular schedule of telecasts.
List of races televised 1990 DateEventNetworkLap-by-lapColor commentator(s)2/15 (Shown 2/17)Twin 125's (Daytona) CBS Ken SquierChris Economaki and Ned Jarrett2/18 Daytona 500 CBS Ken SquierChris Economaki and Ned Jarrett2/25 Pontiac Excitement 400 (Richmond) TBSKen SquierChris Economaki3/4 Goodwrench 500 (Rockingham) ESPNBob JenkinsBenny Parsons and Ned Jarrett3/18 Motorcraft 500 (Atlanta) ABC Paul PageBenny Parsons and Bobby Unser 4/1 Transouth 500 (Darlington) ESPN Bob JenkinsBenny Parsons and Ned Jarrett4/8 Valleydale Meats 500 (Bristol) ESPNBob JenkinsBenny Parsons and Ned Jarrett4/22 First Union 400 (North Wilkesboro) ESPNBob JenkinsBenny Parsons and Ned Jarrett4/29 Hanes 500 (Martinsville) ESPN Bob Jenkins Benny Parsons and Ned Jarrett5/6 Winston 500 (Talladega) ESPNBob Jenkins Benny Parsons and Ned Jarrett5/20 The Winston (Charlotte) ABC Paul PageBenny Parsons and Bobby Unser5/27 Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte)TBSKen Squier Neil Bonnett and Lyn St. James6/3 Budweiser 500 (Dover)ESPNBob JenkinsBenny Parsons and Ned Jarrett6/10 Banquet Frozen Foods 300 (Sears Point) ESPN Bob JenkinsBenny Parsons and Ned Jarrett6/17 Miller Genuine Draft 500 (Pocono) PPV Dave DespainLyn St. James and Phil Parsons6/24 Miller Genuine Draft 400 (Michigan) CBS Ken SquierNed Jarrett and Chris Economaki7/7 Pepsi 400 (Daytona) ESPNBob JenkinsBenny Parsons and Ned Jarrett7/22 AC Spark Plug 500 (Pocono) ESPNBob Jenkins Benny Parsons and Ned Jarrett7/29 DieHard 500 (Talladega) CBS Ken SquierNed Jarrett and David Hobbs8/12 Bud at the Glen (Watkins Glen) ESPN Bob JenkinsBenny Parsons and Ned Jarrett8/19 Champion Spark Plug 400 (Michigan)ESPNBob JenkinsBenny Parsons and Ned Jarrett 8/25 Busch 500 (Bristol) ESPNBob JenkinsBenny Parsons and Ned Jarrett 9/2 Heinz Southern 500 (Darlington) ESPNBob JenkinsBenny Parsons and Ned Jarrett9/9 Miller Genuine Draft 400 (Richmond)TBS Ken SquierJohnny Hayes and Chris Economaki9/16 Peak 500 (Dover) ESPN Bob JenkinsBenny Parsons and Ned Jarrett9/23 Goody's 500 (Martinsville)ESPN Bob JenkinsBenny Parsons and Ned Jarrett 9/30 Tyson Holly Farms 400 (North Wilkesboro) ESPNBob JenkinsBenny Parsons and Ned Jarrett 10/7 Mello Yello 500 (Charlotte) TBS Ken SquierJohnny Hayes and Chris Economaki10/21 AC Delco 500 (Rockingham)ESPNBob JenkinsBenny Parsons and Ned Jarrett 11/4 Checker 500 (Phoenix) ESPN Bob JenkinsBenny Parsons and Ned Jarrett 11/18 Atlanta Journal 500 (Atlanta) ESPN Bob JenkinsBenny Parsons and Ned Jarrett
1991-1999