Discovery Network is adding another themed week to its schedule: “Motor Mega Week.”
The channel, which will celebrate the 30th anniversary of “Shark Week” this year, is launching the new themed week starting Feb. 26.
It will feature three new series premieres — Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings, Twin Turbos and Shifting Gears With Aaron Kaufman — along with a four-part, “supersized” series, Street Outlaws vs. Fast N’ Loud: Build to Mega Race. The week also will feature four consecutive nights of programming focusing on epic car builds, culminating in the Mega Race finale as Fast N’ Loud’s Richard Rawlings and his Gas Monkey team take on the 405 crew from Street Outlaws.
“Motor Mega Week” launches with Kickoff to Mega Race at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Monday, Feb. 26, followed by Street Outlaws vs. Fast N’ Loud: Build to Mega Race Part 1. This is the first installment of the four-part Build to Mega Race series, which takes viewers inside the garages of some of the network’s top motor talent as they prep for the Mega Race showdown.
For the first time, Misfit Garage’s Tom Smith and Thomas Weeks, alongside their Fired Up Garage team, will compete against Street Outlaws’ Farmtruck and AZN. NASCAR driver Kyle Busch joins the Gas Monkey and 405 crews on the track to serve as race master and make sure neither team bends the rules as it competes for the largest cash prize in network history in the Mega Race finale, airing Monday, March. 5
Build to Mega Race continues with Part 2 on Tuesday, Feb. 27, before the premiere of Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings. In this new series, Outlaw veteran Chuck serves as race master in a new city on a new “no prep” track every week, with racers competing becoming the ultimate no prep winner.
New series Twin Turbos debuts Wednesday, Feb. 28. The show follows father-son duo Doug and Brad DeBerti as they push the boundaries on custom builds, creating outrageous, state-of-the-art vehicles like a truck modeled after a fighter jet and developing the first-ever drift racing truck.
On Thursday, March 1, American Chopper debuts a sneak peek of its upcoming season, with world-class motorcycle builders Paul Teutul Sr. and Paul Teutul Jr. returning to reclaim their place atop the high-pressure world of customized bike building. With clients including A-list celebrities, world famous athletes and Forbes 100 businesses, millions of dollars and their brands’ reputations are on the line with each signature build.
Meanwhile, the new series Shifting Gears With Aaron Kaufman debuts Monday, March 5. In the new show, Fast N’ Loud star Kaufman is back and, this time, he’s the boss. Redefining the custom car building space, Kaufman pushes his design abilities to the limit and focuses on custom vehicle builds propelled by passion, even risking the vehicles’ destruction in the process.
“Motor Mega Week” also continues on the multiplatform Discovery GO app, where viewers can watch midform series, including 16 Years of Motor Madness, premiering Feb. 16, which utilizes Discovery’s motor programming library and counts down some of the best crashes, first builds and celeb moments in the network’s auto history.
American Chopper: Behind the Bike premieres Feb. 22 and follows fan favorites the Teutuls and Mikey, as well as their longtime friends and builders Rick Petko and Vinnie DiMartino, as they revisit their favorite moments from the series, from bikes to celebrity guests to pranks.
Worst Car Ever, debuting Feb. 23, dissects five of the shoddiest cars ever put into production, with trusted Discovery talent picking apart the embarrassing details that made these models pariahs of the auto industry.
Throughout the week, Discovery’s top motor talent also will be going live every night on social platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Audiences can also watch all “Motor Mega Week” premieres on the Discovery GO app free with their paid TV subscription.
Street Outlaws, Fast N’ Loud, American Chopper, Shifting Gears With Aaron Kaufman, the four-part “build” series and the Mega Race finale are all produced by Craig Piligian’s Pilgrim Media Group. Twin Turbos is produced by Half Yard Productions.
Shark Week has been a major programming event for Discovery, drawing viewers every July to such programming as Phelps vs. Shark: Great Gold vs. Great White, in which Olympic gold-medal swimmer Michael Phelps “raced” a great white shark last year to see who was fastest (the shark won).
The full “Motor Mega Week” programming schedule follows (all times ET/PT).
Monday, Feb. 26
8 p.m. Kickoff to Mega Race
9 p.m. Street Outlaws vs. Fast N’ Loud: Build to Mega Race Part 1
10 p.m. Street Outlaws: Memphis (finale)
Tuesday, Feb. 27
9 p.m. Street Outlaws vs. Fast N’ Loud: Build to Mega Race Part 2
10 p.m. Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings (series premiere)
Wednesday, Feb. 28
9 p.m. Street Outlaws vs. Fast N’ Loud: Build to Mega Race Part 3
10 p.m. Twin Turbos Series Premiere
Thursday, March 1
9 p.m. Street Outlaws vs. Fast N’ Loud: Build to Mega Race Part 4
10 p.m. American Chopper (sneak peek)
Monday, March 5
8 p.m. Countdown to Mega Race
9 p.m. Street Outlaws Mega Race
10 p.m. Shifting Gears With Aaron Kaufman (series premiere)
Watch a promo for “Motor Mega Week” below.
