The stock car racing series, which has brought in names from several corners of the motorsport worlds, is set for its third season in 2023.
While Stewart himself won the inaugural title, it was Marco Andretti who claimed the championship this past year.
The races were broadcast on CBS for the first two seasons. In 2023, all six races will air on Thursday nights at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN. The network will bring back its 'Thursday Night Thunder' branding, which was once used to showcase lower levels of dirt and paved oval racing across the United States.
"Thursday Night Thunder is where guys like me, who were just starting our careers in USAC, got the chance to make a name for ourselves because of its presence on ESPN,” said Stewart, SRX Co-Founder and 2021 series champion. “It’s great to see Thursday Night Thunder return, but to also be a part of it all over again with SRX.”
“When we had the opportunity to pitch the concept of Thursday Night Thunder on ESPN, it was my firm belief this would be another disruptive and monumental moment in SRX and racing history - reuniting race fans with ESPN on short tracks with Superstar drivers all across the U.S. for years to come," said Don Hawk, Chief Executive Officer at SRX.
The series has showcased stars -- past and present -- from NASCAR, IndyCar, Formula 1, and various regional racing divisions.
“Thursday Night Thunder is where I met Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart. A relationship between SRX and ESPN seemed like the right fit at the perfect time, and I couldn’t be more excited for this summer."
Added ESPN President of Programming and Original Content Burke Magnus: “SRX has been an impressive property in its first two seasons and has produced competitive and exciting action. We look forward to bringing live racing back to summertime Thursday nights on ESPN with SRX.”
Tracks and the complete driver roster will be revealed at a later date. The season will begin on July 13th and end on August 17th.
