The program aired during the winter months between November and January (during
NASCAR's offseason). The program began during the 1994–1995 winter and ran through the 1998–1999 winter. The races were held at the 3/8 mile
Tucson Raceway Park in Tucson, Arizona. TNN originally broadcast the races before ESPN took over. Broadcasters for TNN were
Mike Joy,
Buddy Baker,
Glenn Jarrett and
Ralph Sheheen. ESPN's broadcasts included
Benny Parsons,
Bob Jenkins, and
Bill Weber. During the 1998 broadcast,
Larry Rice,
Rick DeBruhl and
Ray Dunlap served as fill-ins for Parsons and Weber. There were six to eight races per winter. The first season of Winter Heat featured the then-brand new
SuperTruck Series (which ran
various exhibition races during the 1994–95 seasons), the
Winston West Series and the
NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Tour. In later years when ESPN covered the events, there generally were three
late model races (called the Winston Triple Crown), and a race or two from the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Tour and Winston West Series.
Ron Hornaday Jr. won the first ever Southwest Winter Heat race while Garrett Evans won the second. ==Late model champions==