Country of origin United States Camera setup Multi-camera Final episode date 16 November 2003 Language English | Original language(s) English First episode date September 1995 Network ESPN2 Genres Sports, News broadcasting | |
 | ||
Directed by John Santagata (1999-2003) Starring John Kernan
Kenny Mayne
Rece Davis
Whit Watson
Benny Parsons
Jerry Punch
Bill Weber
Robin Miller
Jon Beekhuis
Matt Yocum
Mike Massaro
Marlo Klain
Sally Larvick
Tom Higgins Running time 30 minutes (22 minutes plus commercials) Similar ESPN SpeedWorld, NASCAR Now, NHL 2Night, NASCAR on ESPN, Saturday Night Thunder | ||
RPM 2Night is a former American nightly news program seen on ESPN2 that was devoted entirely to motorsports.
Programming history
The program aired six nights a week (except Saturday) from Labor Day weekend 1995 to November 16, 2003.
On weekends where ESPN or ABC covered a Cup Series race, the weekend host would fill in on Fridays, and Mondays (if the race was postponed until then).
All forms of racing were included, whether it was the big-league racing of NASCAR, IndyCars, or Formula One, or the local Saturday night short tracks. "Eat My Dust," a Tuesday-night package of highlights of sprint cars and other vehicles racing on non-pavement tracks, was a cult favorite, along with the segment Open-Wheel Wednesday.
On Sunday mornings. a version titled RPM 2Day aired as a pre-race show before major events. During the month of May in 2002-2003, the daily coverage of the Indianapolis 500 practice was billed RPM 2Night at Indy.
The Monday through Friday versions of the show originated from ESPN Regional Television studios in Charlotte, NC, while the weekend versions originated from ESPN's main headquarters in Bristol, CT.
RPM2Night hit a major snag in 2001, when ESPN lost NASCAR rights in a consolidated TV package. Shortly after the sale of the rights, ESPN was told that it could only show NASCAR highlights on two programs: SportsCenter and ESPNEWS. From that point forward, RPM 2Night could only show still photographs from the weekly Winston Cup Series race. Furthermore, ESPN's reporters had their track credentials pulled. Interviews with drivers and other principals took place either at the track's parking lots or at nearby commuter airports.
Media reports of the time suggested that NASCAR imposed the new procedures to give a benefit to Fox Sports Net, which was launching a similar NASCAR-only show, Totally NASCAR, at the time. NASCAR officials denied this and claimed that they merely wanted to give ESPN an incentive to provide NASCAR more exposure on SportsCenter, which had a higher viewership.
RPM 2Night signed off for the last time on November 16, 2003.
ESPN produces shows devoted to the NHRA and IndyCar Series that air on race days only. They can be said to be spin-offs of RPM 2Night.