PREMIERE

"NASCAR IN PRIMETIME," ABC NEWS DOCUMENTARY SERIES, PREMIERES WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15

Debut Features NASCAR Drivers Juan Pablo Montoya, Mark Martin and Johnny Sauter

***Please Note Time Change: Now Airs at 10:00 p.m.***

The first episode of "NASCAR in Primetime" takes viewers where they've never been before -- deep inside the fastest growing sport in the nation. NASCAR is already a way of life for millions, and this documentary series chronicles what it is about NASCAR that makes it such a phenomenon. "NASCAR in Primetime" premieres WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET) and will continue to air on the four subsequent Wednesdays through September 12 on the ABC Television Network.

For six months, ABC News delved deep into the lives of top drivers -- including Tony Stewart, Juan Pablo Montoya and Mark Martin -- to reveal what goes on behind the scenes in the high-speed world of stock car racing. This is the first time NASCAR has granted a news network unfettered access, giving ABC News cameras a unique view to the lives of some of the top drivers and the inner workings of the sport.

The series begins in Hampton, Georgia, at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, where fans fill over 100,000 seats to watch. Atlanta is known as one of the fastest and most dangerous tracks in the circuit, and hour one of ABC News' "NASCAR in Primetime" steers viewers through this unpredictable raceway. Interwoven through the tense moments and twists and turns are the lives of three Nextel Cup drivers � Johnny Sauter, Mark Martin and Juan Pablo Montoya.

Drivers Featured

� Mark Martin doesn't do anything halfway. A 25-year stock car racing veteran and consummate professional, Martin has devoted his entire existence to pursuing the NASCAR dream. He is a consistently strong performer and one of the best drivers in the league, but he has never gone the distance to win a championship. Coming into the Atlanta race, ABC News is with Martin as he's poised to have the best season of his life. He's the leader in points and a favorite to win the Nextel Cup Series -- the Super Bowl of NASCAR. It seems like nothing can break his stride. But Martin's years of working like a machine have taken their toll. He's given everything to racing and given up so much in the process. Martin cemented his place in the hearts of NASCAR fans long ago, and they don't want to let him go. But will he put the brakes on his own career and step away from the demanding world of racing?

� Juan Pablo Montoya walked away from a world championship career in Formula One racing to see if he could find similar success in stock car racing. In his rookie season with NASCAR, he's already stirred up some controversy, and NASCAR fans are reluctant to embrace a newcomer from a different series and a different nation. But Montoya remains unshaken by the NASCAR fans' lukewarm welcome. Racing isn't the only thing in Montoya's life. He's a family man, and his wife Connie is one of the secrets of his success. In the testosterone-fueled world of NASCAR, Connie gives a unique take on what it takes to get to the top � how a supportive family can be crucial in propelling a driver to the ranks of the victorious. His performance in Atlanta will have viewers and Connie biting their nails as it comes down to the final stretch.

� Johnny Sauter is one of NASCAR's loose cannons. He has a reputation as a renegade and a tendency to be very aggressive on the track. Sauter tells ABC News he likes being the underdog, but he clearly hopes for bigger things. With a family legacy of broken racing dreams, Sauter has a lot of NASCAR baggage weighing him down. In Atlanta he faces some unexpected hurdles that push him to the limit. Can Sauter get a grip on his temper and funnel his energy into becoming a first-class racer?

ABC News will also offer the full show the day after air on ABC News Now, in HD where available.

Michael Bicks is the executive producer of "NASCAR in Primetime." Rudy Bednar is the senior executive producer.