Rutledge Wood & Kelli Stavast Host Annual Awards Show from Wynn Las Vegas

Daytona 500 Champion Austin Dillon to Serve as NBCSN’s Red Carpet Reporter

Red Carpet Coverage Begins at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN with Special Edition of NASCAR America

 

STAMFORD, Conn. – November 27, 2018 – NBC Sports Group celebrates the conclusion of a thrilling 2018 NASCAR season, with exclusive live coverage of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Awards, this Thursday, November 29 at 9 p.m. ET on NBCSN. A special edition of NASCAR America kicks off the evening at 8 p.m. ET, with red carpet coverage from the Wynn Las Vegas, in Las Vegas, Nev.

 

NASCAR on NBC’s Rutledge Wood (@RutledgeWood) and Kelli Stavast (@kellistavast) host Thursday evening’s award ceremony honoring 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion, and driver of Team Penske’s No. 22 Ford, Joey Logano. In addition, the show will feature the announcement of the National Motorsports Press Association’s Most Popular Driver award, won by NASCAR icon and NASCAR on NBC analyst Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the past 15 years.

 

Carolyn Manno (@carolynmanno) will anchor Thursday’s red-carpet edition of NASCAR America and will be joined on set by NASCAR on NBC analysts Kyle Petty (@KylePetty) and Parker Kligerman (@pkligerman), from NBC Sports Group’s headquarters in Stamford, Conn. Veteran NASCAR on NBC pit reporter Marty Snider (@HeyMartySnider) will contribute on-site red carpet coverage from the Wynn Las Vegas, alongside special red carpet reporter and 2018 Daytona 500 Champion Austin Dillon. Highlighted by exclusive interviews with NASCAR Cup Series Playoff drivers, Thursday’s special red-carpet edition of NASCAR America will also include interviews with NASCAR legends and the many celebrities in attendance.

 

NASCAR ON NBC

 

The official home of the NASCAR Playoffs, NBC Sports Group presents the final 20 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races, final 19 NASCAR Xfinity Series races, and select NASCAR Regional & Touring Series events in 2018. NBC Sports Group’s NASCAR programming also includes NBCSN’s daily motorsports show NASCAR America, coverage of NASCAR’s Awards Ceremonies, the annual NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony, as well as original programming specials.

 

– NBC SPORTS GROUP –

NASCAR Championship Sunday on NBC Tops 4 Million Viewers for Fourth Consecutive Year; Peaks at Nearly 6 Million Viewers for Race’s Thrilling Finish

2018 NASCAR Season on NBC and NBCSN Averages 2.7 Million Viewers

NBCSN’s NASCAR Cup Series Races are Most-Watched Weekend Sports Event on Cable in 7 of 10 Weeks in Summer

NASCAR Cup Series Races Drive NBCSN to #1 Cable Time-Period Rating 10 Times This Season

STAMFORD, Conn – November 20, 2018 – Highlighted by a thrilling showdown between NASCAR’s Championship Four drivers, in which Joey Logano and the No. 22 Team Penske Ford held off Martin Truex Jr. to take the checkered flag and win the 2018 season title, NBC Sports coverage of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship posted a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of more than 4 million viewers across NBC, NBCSN and digital platforms, according to official national data released by Nielsen, and digital data from Adobe Analytics. Sunday’s championship race was the most watched NASCAR race in more than four months, since the on-air NASCAR debut of Dale Earnhardt Jr. at NBC’s Daytona race in July.

NBC Sports’ TAD of 4.2 million viewers for Sunday’s race marks the fourth consecutive season NBC Sports Group has topped more than 4 million viewers for the NASCAR Championship. Traditional live race coverage was presented on NBC, the NBC Sports App, and NBCSports.com, while NBCSN simulcast the race with hyper-focused “Hot Pass” coverage of the Championship Four drivers. The TAD of 4.2 million viewers for Sunday’s championship race was up 61% vs. NBC Sports Group’s 2018 NASCAR Playoffs average (2.6 million).

Viewership of Sunday’s Cup Series Championship peaked in the final quarter hour of the race with 5.8 million average viewers, the largest peak audience for NASCAR since FOX’s spring Talladega race (4/29/18; 6.3 million), and a 3.4 HH rating. The race delivered a 2.52 HH rating on NBC.

In total, viewership for NBC and NBCSN’s coverage of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season (excluding rain-impacted Indianapolis) averaged 2.7 million viewers.

Additional 2018 NASCAR on NBC season highlights include:

–           NASCAR Cup Series race telecasts on NBCSN were the most-watched sports event on cable during seven weekends of the NASCAR on NBC season.

–           NBCSN was the most-watched cable network in the time period, during 10 of 13 Cup Series race telecasts this season.

–           Two Cup Series races on NBC averaged more than 4 million viewers (Daytona and Homestead-Miami), and five races averaged more than 3 million viewers (Daytona, Homestead-Miami, Watkins Glen, Charlotte, and Talladega).

–           NBC’s presentation of this year’s NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race from Charlotte, which featured the debut of Charlotte Motor Speedway’s ROVAL course, averaged a TAD of 3.2 million viewers, up 13% vs. 2017, making it the most-watched fall Cup Series race from Charlotte since 2014.

–           NBCSN’s telecast of the 2018 NASCAR on NBC season debut from Chicagoland Speedway averaged a TAD of 2.6 million viewers, up 10% from last year’s race at Chicagoland.

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–

 

 

“The right car, the fastest car, Joey Logano absolutely proved he was the best, passing the No. 78 to go on to a championship.” – Steve Letarte on 2018 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Joey Logano

 

“It took him ten years to get it done. He had to learn how to win these races, he had to learn to stand up for himself.” – Jeff Burton on Logano

“I think the right car won, the right driver won. All weekend long it was Joey Logano who looked very, very strong.” – Rick Allen

 

“I know he is heartbroken, but they have to hang their heads high to finish second after the season they have been through.” – Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Martin Truex Jr.

 

HOMESTEAD, Fla. – November 18, 2018 – NBC Sports Group surrounded the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship with more than 20 hours of trackside coverage this week from Homestead-Miami Speedway, in Homestead, Fla. Coverage was highlighted by this afternoon’s race for the title, which featured the final showdown between 2018 Championship Four contenders Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch and Joey Logano.

 

After 267 laps of fierce competition, Joey Logano and the No. 22 Team Penske Ford held off Martin Truex Jr. to secure the checkered flag and win the 2018 Championship. The victory marks Logano’s first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship.

 

Lead NASCAR on NBC race announcer Rick Allen called today’s historic race, alongside Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte, from NBC Sports’ traditional broadcast booth above the start/finish line. NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt Jr. teamed with 21-time Cup Series race winner Jeff Burton, in NBC’s “Drivers Booth.”

 

Coverage began on NBCSN at 1 p.m. ET with NASCAR America, before shifting over to NBC at 1:30 p.m. ET with Countdown to Green. Krista Voda anchored pre-race coverage alongside analysts Kyle Petty and Dale Jarrett. Marty Snider, Kelli Stavast, Dave Burns and Parker Kligerman reported from pit road, alongside features reporter Rutledge Wood.

 

RACE RESULTS

 

Position	Driver	Car#
1	Joey Logano	22
2	Martin Truex Jr.	78
3	Kevin Harvick	4
4	Kyle Busch	18
5	Brad Keselowski	2

 

2018 MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

 

Position	Driver
1	Joey Logano
2	Martin Truex Jr.
3	Kevin Harvick
4	Kyle Busch

 

The following are highlights from this afternoon’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship coverage on NBC.

 

POST-RACE COVERAGE

 

Letarte on race winner Logano: “I think that is what we all wanted to see, a shootout. The right car, the fastest car, Joey Logano absolutely proved he was the best, passing the No. 78 to go on to a championship.”

 

Burton added: “It took him ten years to get it done. He had to learn how to win these races, he had to learn to stand up for himself.”

 

Allen on Logano: “I think the right car won, the right driver won. All weekend long it was Joey Logano who looked very, very strong.”

 

Earnhardt added: “Middletown Conn., better be celebrating Joey Logano!”

 

Earnhardt on runner-up Truex: “He said it. They made a superstar out of him. After the scandal at MWR, not many wanted to hire Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing was just looking for a driver. He went over there and his first year finished 24^th in points and struggled. This team didn’t catch fire right away. Him and Cole Pearn got together and they have been in the Playoffs ever since. I know he is heartbroken, but they have to hang their heads high to finish second, after the season they have been through.”

fth

STAGE 3

 

Allen on race winner Logano: “Joey Logano giving Roger Penske another championship.”

 

Burton as Logano led with six laps to go: “Many people wondered in Martinsville, ‘Why would Joey Logano do that?’ Here is why. That move in Martinsville, moving Martin Truex Jr. out of the way, moved Logano to the championship race and gave him a shot. Now he is trying to execute on it.”

 

Letarte on No. 18 team crew-chief Adam Stevens’ decision not to pit until the final caution flag: “I don’t think we can say enough about what Adam Stevens did. They absolutely got lucky with the yellow flag. But it wasn’t complete luck, it was strategy. The combination between Stevens and Kyle Busch has been magical since 2015. Kyle Busch breaks his leg in Daytona, gets back to health and then comes back together and wins a championship. And they have been on top ever sense. They have never missed the Championship Four.”

 

Letarte on the pit stop: “I know he was first in, first out. But think about what Coach Gibbs did. He said, ‘Denny Hamlin, I know you are the pole sitter, but we are going to give Kyle Busch the No. 1 pit stall.’ It hasn’t worked most of the day, but when it really mattered most they got great pit work.”

 

Letarte as Kyle Busch led with 29 laps to go: “I love this call by crew chief Adam Stevens. He was behind. He didn’t have a choice. Run as long as you can. You never know when a caution will save your chance.”

 

Letarte on crew chief strategy with 45 laps to go: “Math would say wait 13 or 14 more laps, kind of split it in the middle. But this isn’t just math, this isn’t science, this is emotion.”

 

STAGE 2

 

Burton on the competitive spirit needed to be a driver: “You really need a split personality. You can be a nice guy on the street on a Tuesday, but on a Sunday you have to be ugly and nasty and selfish. That is how you are going to win these races.”

 

Burton as Logano and Larson battled for the lead: “Risk vs. reward. That No. 42 car has nothing to lose. If he gets into the wall and damages his car, it is the end of the year. Everyone else is racing for a championship. I just don’t think that Joey Logano can afford to go up (by the wall) right now.”

 

Letarte on Kyle Busch’s slow pit stop: “In third and out ninth, sixth spots lost. They didn’t need perfect, they just needed solid. This is anything but solid.”

 

STAGE 1

 

Earnhardt on the change in temperature of the track at Homestead-Miami Speedway: “The temperature of this track changes quickly from day to night. The driver whose fastest now, might not have that handle late, when the sun goes down and this thing cools off.”

 

Letarte added: “This race gets fun when the sun goes down.”

 

Burton on Harvick’s line early in the race: “Kevin Harvick is a race manager. He is very smart. He doesn’t want to be up by the wall anyway right now. He does this at Darlington, a race track where everybody runs right against the wall. Kevin Harvick gives himself a car length from the wall. He doesn’t want to make a mistake and have damage. That is Harvick’s strategy, it works well for him and he is going to stick to that today.”

 

PRE-RACE COVERAGE

 

Petty on the Championship Four drivers standing backstage before driver introductions: “This is like a championship heavyweight bout, and we are bringing everyone out of the same dressing room…It is unheard of in any other sport.”

 

Jarrett on the Championship Four team owners: “They haven’t all sat in the seat of a stock car and won a Championship, like Tony Stewart. I appreciate everything the other three have done. They have built great teams and won championships in all forms of motorsports, but Tony Stewart is the man that understands going out and winning this race more than anyone else.”

 

Petty added: “Owners are like parents. All you can do is give your children all the opportunities and all the tools that you can to success, and then turn them loose.”

 

Voda on Truex and the No. 78 team: “There is a scene in the movie ‘The Replacements,’ where Gene Hackman tells his players, ‘There is no tomorrow for you, and that makes you very dangerous.’ Is that what we are seeing with this No. 78 team?”

 

Petty: “In a lot of ways yes. I think that is an intangible. I think heart is an intangible. You can’t see it. We can talk speed, we can talk preparation, and we can talk guys who have led laps and won races, but we can’t see what these guys are feeling emotionally.”

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–

20 Trackside Hours Powered by 213 Production Personnel, 80 Cameras and 1 Ford Edge ST Pursuit

NBC and NBCSN Present the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Championship Race this Sunday, November 18 at 3 p.m. ET

 

STAMFORD, Conn. – November 16, 2018 – NBC Sports Group’s coverage of the 2018 NASCAR season culminates with the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship, from Homestead-Miami Speedway, this Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.

 

Sunday’s coverage will feature NASCAR’s 2018 Championship Four drivers Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano and Martin Truex Jr., as they put everything on the line to battle for this year’s Cup Series title.

 

Listed below are key metrics about NBC Sports Group’s Championship coverage from Homestead- Miami Speedway.

 

1          Ford Edge ST Pursuit camera used to capture the 100+ mph speeds around the track.

 

2          Television networks providing live coverage of Sunday’s Championship race. In addition to NBC’s traditional broadcast of the race, NBCSN’s Hot Pass telecast will offer simultaneous live coverage dedicated to each of the Championship Four drivers.

 

4          Cameras atop NBC Sports Group’s “Peacock Pit Box” on pit road.

 

6          In-car cameras showcasing NASCAR Championship Four drivers Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., and Joey Logano, as well as seven-time Champion Jimmie Johnson and Aric Almirola.

 

12        Members of NBC Sports’ NASCAR on-air team covering Championship Weekend.

 

20        Hours of trackside coverage from Homestead-Miami Speedway.

 

23        Sony HDC-4300 cameras with 4K capabilities.

 

80        Total cameras.

 

150      Microphones throughout the speedway.

 

213      Crew members on-site in Miami.

 

For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com.

 

– NBC SPORTS GROUP –

NBCSN’s NASCAR Hot Pass Telecast Complements NBC’s Broadcast of Championship Race with Spotlight Coverage of Championship Four Drivers

XFINITY Series Championship Race – Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN

Mike Tirico Interviews Dale Earnhardt Jr. In Latest Episode of “The Mike Tirico Podcast”

 

Transcript of NBC Sports 2018 NASCAR Championship Media Conference Call

 

STAMFORD, Conn. – November 15, 2018 – NBC Sports Group surrounds the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series Championships, with more than 20 hours of trackside coverage from Homestead-Miami Speedway, in Homestead, Fla. Race coverage from “The Sunshine State” begins Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with the Xfinity Series Championship, and culminates with Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.

 

Following a thrilling Cup Series Playoff performance by NASCAR’s “Big Three”, Kyle Busch, and the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, clinched a spot in the Championship Four last Sunday winning the checkered flag at ISM Raceway. In addition, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. secured the final two spots in the 2018 Championship Race, based on points.  They join Joey Logano in the Championship Four, who clinched his spot with a win at Martinsville Speedway on October 28.

 

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP RACE FROM MIAMI – SUNDAY AT 3 P.M. ET ON NBC

 

NBC Sports Group kicks off its Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship coverage from Homestead-Miami Speedway this Friday at 1 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with first practice, followed by qualifying at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

 

Saturday’s coverage begins at 11:30 a.m. ET on NBCSN with second practice, followed by NASCAR America at 1:30 p.m. ET. Final practice wraps up the day at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

 

Sunday’s race day coverage begins with NASCAR America at 1 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Coverage shifts over to NBC at 1:30 for NASCAR America, followed by Countdown to Green at 2 p.m. ET. Before the green flag falls, all four Championship contenders will join NBC Sports Group’s pre-race coverage for an interview before climbing into their cars.

 

Pre-race coverage includes a special feature on one of NASCAR’s all-time greats David Pearson, voiced by legendary radio and television broadcaster Ken Squier. Pearson passed away on Monday at the age 83. In addition pre-race coverage will also be highlighted by a preview of this week’s episode of “Coffee with Kyle,” which features a heartfelt conversation between auto racing icon Kyle Petty and his father “The King” Richard Petty, about the legacy of Jimmie Johnson and his crew chief Chad Knaus.

 

Coverage of the 2018 Championship race begins at 3 p.m. ET on NBC. Live on-site post-race coverage celebrates the 2018 Champion on NBC. NBCSN wraps up coverage at 7 p.m. ET with an extended on-site post-race show.

 

Lead NASCAR on NBC race announcer Rick Allen (@Rickallenracing) will call this weekend’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series action, alongside Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte (@steveletarte), from NBC Sports’ traditional broadcast booth above the start/finish line. NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) will be teamed with 21-time Cup Series race winner Jeff Burton (@Jeffburton) in NBC’s “Drivers Booth.”

 

Krista Voda (@KristaVoda) will host pre-race coverage alongside Kyle Petty (@KylePetty), and Hall of Fame driver Dale Jarrett (@DaleJarrett). Marty Snider (@HeyMartysnider), Kelli Stavast (@KelliStavast), Dave Burns (@tvdaveburns) and Parker Kligerman (@pkligerman) will report from pit road alongside features reporter Rutledge Wood (@RutledgeWood).

NBCSN’S NASCAR HOT PASS PRESENTS SPOTLIGHT SIMULCAST COVERAGE OF THE 2018 MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP FOUR CONTENDERS

NBC Sports Group will once again deliver multi-network coverage of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship, this Sunday, November 18 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC, NBCSN, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

 

As a complement to NBC’s primary broadcast of the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race from Homestead-Miami Speedway, NBCSN’s NASCAR Hot Pass telecast will offer simultaneous live coverage dedicated to each of the Championship Four drivers.

 

The full release is available here.

 

XFINITY SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP COVERAGE FROM HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY – SATURDAY AT 3:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

 

Xfinity Series coverage from Miami begins Friday at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with first practice followed by final practice at 5 p.m. ET.

 

Saturday’s race day coverage kicks off with Xfinity Series qualifying at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, followed by pre-race Countdown to Green coverage at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Live race coverage begins at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

 

NBC SPORTS NAMES 2018 “PIT CREW ALL-STAR TEAM”

 

NBC Sports will honor its 2018 “Pit Crew All-Star Team” this Sunday in advance of the Cup race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Led by Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte, “Pit Crew All-Stars” recognizes crew members who have made a significant difference in their driver’s season-to-date success. This year’s 10 honorees come from various race teams, and each hold different roles that are crucial to their driver and team’s success.

 

MIKE TIRICO INTERVIEWS DALE EARNHARDT JR. IN LATEST EPISODE OF “THE MIKE TIRICO PODCAST”

 

As part of this week’s episode of the The Mike Tirico Podcast, host Mike Tirico interviews NASCAR on NBC’s newest analyst Dale Earnhardt Jr. about his rookie season in the broadcast booth, being a part of the media, and the 2018 on-track action.

 

Following are highlights from this week’s episode:

 

Earnhardt on his early broadcast aspirations: “I dreamed about it when I was a little kid when I was racing Matchbox cars on the floor. I imagined I would broadcast my races, me and my friends would broadcast what we would hear on the radio and TV from the announcers. I never dreamed that I’d be able to do what I do.”

 

Earnhardt on being critical of his former peers: “When you see a friend or another driver do something that you know you have to call straight down the middle, know you have to be critical or say that this guy has made a mistake, you run into a giant roadblock. That’s not who I am, I don’t call people out, I don’t go out of my way to speak negatively about someone, but you have viewers of the race that depend on you to be honest and they themselves have an opinion on what they saw. They know when you are skirting the truth, or dancing around the bush, or avoiding the truth. So that’s a real challenge.”

 

The Mike Tirico Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher and podcasting apps.

NASCAR ON NBC ANALYSTS JEFF BURTON, STEVE LETARTE AND DALE EARNHARDT JR. PREVIEW SUNDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP RACE

 

Burton: “We’ve seen incredible racing in every one of these finales, and with the four guys that we have in each of the series, I don’t see that changing. In the Cup Series you have three former champions and Joey Logano trying to get his first championship. That’s really the four heavyweights from the whole year. When you look at laps led, you look at number of times in the top 5, you have the wins, all those stats, these are the four guys that deserve to be here. So it’s going to be a great battle. The races that we’ve seen here in the finale have been phenomenal, and I expect nothing different come Saturday and Sunday.”

 

Letarte: “I’m expecting great things at Miami, and I think the biggest reason is the type of racing we’ve had. We’ve been very blessed to have great, great racing all season. Whether it was that great finish between Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch at Chicago, whether it was the baffling finish at the Roval, which was an unbelievable points battle and battle for the win, or Joey Logano moving Martin Truex at Martinsville. None of us could have predicted how some of these races were going to go, and that’s what makes Saturday and Sunday’s race even more exciting. I don’t think it’s possible at all to predict which one is a favorite, which one has momentum. I think we have without a doubt the four biggest heavyweights when you look at their stats, you look at the momentum, look at the playoffs, the regular season. You could even go back the last four years, these guys have won almost 50 percent of the races in the last four seasons, and I think they’re very deserving. I think it’s going to be an exciting weekend.”

 

Earnhardt: “The drivers have really stepped up and gave us everything they’ve had. I feel like we have really whittled this down to the best four teams, the best four drivers for this season, and there’s not really an underdog in this group. But there’s not a favorite either. All these guys sort of measure up, and I can see either one of them winning this Championship. That has me extremely impatient to get to Sunday and see what happens when the green flag finally drops.”

 

NBC SPORTS GROUP’S NASCAR CHAMPIONSHIP PROGRAMMING

 

DATE	COVERAGE	TIME (ET)	NETWORK
Thursday, Nov. 15	NASCAR America	5 p.m.	NBCSN
	Dale Jr. Download	7 p.m.	NBCSN
Friday, Nov. 16	Dale Jr. Download (Encore)	12 p.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR Cup Series First Practice – Miami	1 p.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR Xfinity Series First Practice – Miami	2:30 p.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR Xfinity Series Final Practice – Miami	5 p.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying – Miami	6 p.m.	NBCSN
Saturday, Nov. 17	Proving Grounds	6 a.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR Cup Series First Practice – Miami (Encore)	6:30 a.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR Xfinity Series First Practice – Miami (Encore)	8 a.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR Xfinity Series Final Practice – Miami (Encore)	9 a.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying – Miami (Encore)	10 a.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR Cup Series Second Practice – Miami	11:30 a.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR Xfinity Series Qualifying – Miami	12:30 p.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR America	1:30 p.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR Cup Series Final Practice – Miami	2 p.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR Xfinity Series Countdown to Green	3 p.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR Xfinity Series Race – Miami	3:30 p.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR Xfinity Series Post-Race Show	6:30 p.m.	NBCSN
Sunday, Nov. 18	NASCAR America	1 p.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR America	1:30 p.m.	NBC
	NASCAR Cup Series Countdown to Green	2 p.m.	NBC
	NASCAR Cup Series Race – Miami	3 p.m.	NBC
	NASCAR Cup Series Hot Pass	3 p.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR Cup Series Post-Race Show	7 p.m.	NBCSN
	Proving Grounds	8 p.m.	NBCSN
	/DRIVE	8:30 p.m.	NBCSN

 

For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com.

 

— NBC SPORTS GROUP —

NBC’s TODAY with Kathie Lee and Hoda to Broadcast Live from Miami Beach with NASCAR Championship Four

Championship Four Drivers Appear on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Manifest’s Josh Dallas Serves as Grand Marshal Ahead of Sunday’s Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway

STAMFORD, Conn. – November 14, 2018 – NBC Sports Group is surrounding the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship with a multi-platform promotional campaign featuring this year’s Championship Four contenders, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., and Joey Logano. Throughout the week, NASCAR’s Championship Four will make appearances across NBCUniversal’s television and digital platforms, as NBC Sports counts down to the Championship race this Sunday, November 18 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.

 

NBC’s TODAY LIVE FROM MIAMI TOMORROW, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15

 

NBC’s TODAY with Kathie Lee and Hoda will broadcast live from Miami Beach tomorrow morning, Thursday, November 13, ahead of Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

 

TODAY anchors Kathie Lee Gifford and Sheinelle Jones will be joined on Miami Beach by Championship contenders Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., and Joey Logano, to preview Sunday’s big race. The hour-long show will feature the sights and sounds of Miami Beach, interspersed with the high-octane adrenaline of NASCAR Championship racing. Jones will take a few laps around Homestead-Miami Speedway, work on a NASCAR pit crew, and do a Championship caliber celebration burn out.

 

CHAMPIONSHIP FOUR DRIVERS RACE AGAINST JIMMY FALLON ON THE TONIGHT SHOW

 

To get set for Sunday’s Championship race, Busch, Harvick, Truex Jr. and Logano appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday evening and raced remote control race cars against host Jimmy Fallon. Studio 6B’s NASCAR Championship R.C. Pro-Am, featuring a mock ice rink, scenic New York skyline and narrow tunnel, brought out the competitive edge in Fallon and the drivers.

 

To watch the Tonight Show R.C. Pro-Am race with the Championship Four, click here.

 

MANIFEST’S JOSH DALLAS SERVES AS GRAND MARSHAL AT HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY

 

Actor Josh Dallas, from NBC’s new fall show Manifest, will serve as the Grand Marshal ahead of Sunday’s Championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Dallas will kick off the race by reciting the most famous words in motorsports, “Drivers, start your engines!” right before the green flag waves to signal the start of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship race.

 

NASCAR ON NBC PROMO PLANES FLY ABOVE MIAMI WITH AERIAL ADVERTISING

 

NBC Sports takes to the skies this week, with aerial advertising banners for the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship race, flying high above the beaches of Miami. The promotion, which will run on race day, will allow beachgoers who are away from their televisions to “Text “NBC to 66866” to live stream NBC Sports’ NASCAR coverage.

 

NBC SPORTS FUELS CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND WITH SNAPCHAT CURATED STORIES

 

As part of NBC Sports’ Championship weekend in Miami, NBC Sports Group’s social media team will utilize Snapchat’s new partner curation tool to fuel the excitement and coverage surrounding Sunday’s race. Compiling curated on-site content, mixed with user generated content from Snapchat users, the NBC Sports Snapchat account will take fans behind the scenes of Homestead-Miami Speedway for NBC’s “Our Story.”

 

In addition to Snapchat, NBC Sports Group’s social platforms will deliver exclusive NASCAR on NBC content across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, to help bring fans to the track all weekend long.

 

NASCAR ON NBC

 

The official home of the NASCAR Playoffs, NBC Sports Group will present the final 20 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races, final 19 NASCAR Xfinity Series races, and select NASCAR Regional & Touring Series events in 2018. NBC Sports Group’s NASCAR programming also includes NBCSN’s daily motorsports show NASCAR America, coverage of NASCAR’s Awards Ceremonies, the annual NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony, as well as original programming specials.

 

— NBC SPORTS GROUP —

 

Leigh Diffey and Dale Jarrett Host NASCAR Hot Pass Telecast this Sunday, November 18 at 3 p.m. ET

Hot Pass Complements NBC’s Primary Broadcast Presentation of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race

STAMFORD, Conn. – November 13, 2018 – NBC Sports Group will once again deliver multi-network coverage of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship, this Sunday, November 18 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC, NBCSN, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. As a complement to NBC’s primary broadcast of the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race from Homestead-Miami Speedway, NBCSN’s NASCAR Hot Pass telecast will offer simultaneous live coverage dedicated to each of the Championship Four drivers.

 

From the green flag to the checkered, NBCSN’s multi-window telecast will provide viewers with an isolated in-depth look at Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch as they battle for the 2018 Monster Energy Cup Series title. In addition to isolated cameras dedicated to each of the Championship Four drivers, NBCSN’s Hot Pass coverage will feature continuous team radio communication from each of the four contenders, on-air graphics highlighting point differentials and field changes between the drivers, as well an independent pane of race facts and figures to give viewers up to the minute statistics about the race.

 

NBC Sports Group veteran motorsports announcer Leigh Diffey (@leighdiffey) will call the race on NBCSN, alongside NASCAR on NBC analyst and Hall of Fame driver Dale Jarrett (@DaleJarrett).

 

In addition to live television coverage, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will provide live streaming coverage of NBC’s broadcast and NBCSN’s Hot Pass presentation.

 

NBC Sports Group surrounds the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series Championships with more than 20 hours of trackside coverage from Homestead-Miami Speedway, in Homestead, Fla. Race coverage from “The Sunshine State” begins Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with the Xfinity Series Championship, and culminates with Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.

 

For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com.

 

– NBC SPORTS GROUP –

 

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and Executive Producer Sam Flood Preview 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race

Dial 877-260-1479 to Participate

 

STAMFORD, Conn. – November 12, 2018 – NASCAR on NBC analyst and motorsports icon Dale Earnhardt Jr., 21-time Cup Series winner Jeff Burton, Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte, as well as NBC Sports Group Executive Producer Sam Flood will preview the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship on a media conference call this Wednesday, November 14 at Noon ET.

 

Media interested in attending should call 877-260-1479; meeting ID 6133681.

 

• WHAT: 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship Media Conference Call
• WHO: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and Sam Flood
• WHEN: Wednesday, November 14th at Noon ET
• NUMBER: 877-260-1479
• MEETING ID: 6133681

 

NBC Sports Group surrounds the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series Championships, with more than 20 hours of trackside coverage from Homestead-Miami Speedway, in Homestead, Fla. Race coverage from “The Sunshine State” begins Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with the Xfinity Series Championship, and culminates with Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.

 

For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com.

 

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–

“We are going to Miami with four heavyweights.” – Steve Letarte on the Championship Four

 

“The ‘Big Three’ have become the ‘Big Four.’” – Dale Earnhardt Jr.

 

“You either love him or hate him, but there is no question he is one of the most talented drivers NASCAR has ever seen.” – Rick Allen on race winner Kyle Busch

 

AVONDALE, Ariz. – November 11, 2018 – NBC Sports Group surrounded the penultimate races of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series Playoffs, with more than 15 hours of trackside coverage this weekend from ISM Raceway, in Avondale, Ariz. Coverage was highlighted by this afternoon’s Cup Series Playoff race on NBC, which saw Kyle Busch and the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota take the checkered flag. The win secured Busch a position in the Championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway next Sunday, November 18 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.

 

With their respective 4th and 14th place finishes in today’s race, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. secured the final two spots in the 2018 Championship Race, based on points. Busch, Harvick, and Truex Jr. join Joey Logano as the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship Four, and will compete for the Championship next weekend.

 

Lead NASCAR on NBC race announcer Rick Allen called this weekend’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series action, alongside Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte, from NBC Sports’ traditional broadcast booth above the start/finish line. NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt Jr. teamed with 21-time Cup Series race winner Jeff Burton in NBC’s “Drivers Booth.”

 

Coverage began on NBC at 1:30 p.m. ET with NASCAR America. Krista Voda anchored pre-race coverage alongside analysts Kyle Petty and Dale Jarrett. Marty Snider, Kelli Stavast, Dave Burns and Parker Kligerman reported from pit road alongside features reporter Rutledge Wood.

 

RACE RESULTS

 

Position	Driver	Car#
1	Kyle Busch	18
2	Brad Keselowski	2
3	Kyle Larson	42
4	Aric Almirola	10
5	Kevin Harvick	4

 

2018 MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP FOUR DRIVERS

Martin Truex Jr.

Kyle Busch

Joey Logano

Kevin Harvick

 

The following are highlights from this afternoon’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series coverage on NBC.

 

POST-RACE COVERAGE

 

Letarte on the Championship Four: “We are going (to Miami) with four heavyweights. We are going with a guy that won in the final round, Joey Logano, and then the ‘Big Three’ all year long who continued to dominate.”

 

Earnhardt added: “The ‘Big Three’ have become the ‘Big Four.’”

 

Burton added: “These four have had the best race cars, they have been the fastest, and they’re willing to do things others aren’t.”

 

STAGE 3

 

Allen on race winner Kyle Busch: “You either love him or hate him, but there is no question he is one of the most talented drivers NASCAR has ever seen.”

 

Earnhardt with 13 laps to go: “I’m nervous. I feel like I’m in one of these cars getting ready to restart.”

 

Letarte on the last 30 laps: “The morals of these Championship contenders are going to be tested. If I’m Kyle Busch, I don’t want to see Kevin Harvick competing against me for a Championship in Miami.”

 

STAGE 2

 

Letarte on Kurt Busch being penalized for passing the pace car: “This is something that all the drivers were reminded of this morning in the drivers meeting. It’s very simple, you cannot pass the pace car on pit entry. Sometimes it can be difficult to see in the corner, but Busch clearly accelerates ahead of the pace car as he comes to pit road. You can’t do it. They were just reminded this morning. This penalty could be a big, big, issue late in this race.”

 

Burton added: “That penalty on the No. 41 is a huge break for Harvick and the No. 4 team. That completely changes their day and game plan for others in this race.”

 

Burton on Harvick with 36 laps to go: “A major difference that this race has from the other Playoff races is the length of the race. Harvick had a problem at the end of Stage 1, but he doesn’t have that long to get back to the front. He can’t just methodically take his time to get to the front. With less than 200 laps to go, it’s going to be hard to pass. He has to have a sense of urgency, because this race is so short.”

 

STAGE 1

 

Letarte on Harvick’s flat tire with 2 laps to go: “This is double trouble. You see the damage to the car, but you also know the trouble this will cause for the team. The damage to the car and loss of points could remove the No. 4 from being a contender in the Championship, but there is still a lot of racing to take place here today. Unless the car has major damage, I expect Harvick to still be competing late in this race.”

Letarte on Truex Jr. racing outside the top four late in the stage: “Missing points this early in the race could be very costly to Truex and the No. 78 team’s Championship hopes. This is not what the 78 team needs to be doing at this point in the race.”

 

PRE-RACE COVERAGE

 

Jarrett on Harvick and the Round of 8 drivers: “The Round of 8 drivers all know that Kevin Harvick is the man to beat. If they don’t beat themselves first, then it will be hard for any of the non-Championship contenders to cause them major problems. The thing to keep in mind is the restarts here. It is going to get crazy late in the race. If we get one really late, then the question becomes, ‘How desperate is somebody going to be to force things to make something happen?’”

 

Petty on the Round of 8: “There are seven guys left looking for a spot in Miami, but there are a million different agendas out there. Teams have agendas, crew chiefs have agendas, and drivers have agendas. It’s going to be tight throughout this race.”

 

Petty on NASCAR’s “Big Three”: “You look at Martin Truex Jr., you look at Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick, and what they have done all year long. I don’t see anything changing here today. I don’t see anything coming between them and making it to Homestead- Miami.”

 

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–

“Kevin Harvick is mentally tough, he is the type of guy that likes being in the pressure, he jumped from no pressure to a ton of it, and is built for that.” – Jeff Burton following today’s L1 penalty issued by NASCAR

 

Jake Owen, Star of USA Network’s New Show Real Country, Joins Rutledge Wood During NBC Sports Pre-Race Coverage From ISM Raceway

 

NBC Sports’ New Web Series “Coffee With Kyle” Features Interview with Three-Time NASCAR Cup Series Champion and Stewart-Haas Racing Co-Owner Tony Stewart

 

STAMFORD, Conn. – November 7, 2018 – NBC Sports Group surrounds the penultimate races of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series Playoffs, with more than 15 hours of trackside coverage from ISM Raceway, in Avondale, Ariz. Race coverage from “The Grand Canyon State” begins Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC, with Xfinity Series racing, and culminates with Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

 

Following the news of Kevin Harvick and the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford’s post-race penalty this past weekend in Texas, Joey Logano remains the only driver officially locked in to compete in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Kyle Busch leads the remainder of Playoff field with 4,128 points, followed by Martin Truex Jr. (4,125 points), and Harvick (4,103 points). Kurt Busch (4,100 points), Chase Elliott (4,086 points), Aric Almirola (4,068 points) and Clint Bowyer (4,052 points) all currently fall below the Championship Four cut line, heading into Sunday’s pivotal race to determine the final three spots in the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series Championship race.

 

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES RACING FROM ISM RACEWAY – SUNDAY AT 2:30 P.M. ET ON NBC

 

NBC Sports Group kicks off its Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series coverage from IMS Raceway this Friday at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with first practice. Coverage on NBCSN continues at 7 p.m. ET with qualifying. Saturday’s coverage begins at 11:30 a.m. ET on CNBC with second practice, followed by NASCAR America at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Final practice wraps up the day at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

 

Sunday’s race day coverage begins with NASCAR America at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBC, followed by Countdown to Green at 2 p.m. ET. Pre-race coverage features an interview with all Round of 8 drivers including Kevin Harvick, to discuss his penalty in Texas which carried major championship implications. Coverage also includes an interview with platinum-selling singer-songwriter Jake Owen, and star of USA Network’s new show Real Country. Owen, Sunday’s honorary MC, will chat with NBC’s features reporter Rutledge Wood about Sunday’s NASCAR race and his friendship with Harvick. NASCAR Cup Series racing begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

 

Live on-site post-race coverage will follow the conclusion of Sunday’s race. NBCSN wraps up coverage at 6:30 p.m. ET, with Victory Lap, NBC Sports Group’s NASCAR post-race show originating from Stamford, Conn.

 

Lead NASCAR on NBC race announcer Rick Allen (@Rickallenracing) will call this weekend’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series action, alongside Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte (@steveletarte), from NBC Sports’ traditional broadcast booth above the start/finish line. NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) will be teamed with 21-time Cup Series race winner Jeff Burton (@Jeffburton) in NBC’s “Drivers Booth.”

 

Krista Voda (@KristaVoda) will host pre- and post-race coverage alongside auto racing icon Kyle Petty (@KylePetty), and Hall of Fame driver Dale Jarrett (@DaleJarrett). Marty Snider (@HeyMartysnider), Kelli Stavast (@KelliStavast), Dave Burns (@tvdaveburns) and Parker Kligerman (@pkligerman) will report from pit road alongside Rutledge Wood (@RutledgeWood).

 

XFINITY SERIES COVERAGE FROM ISM RACEWAY– SATURDAY AT 3:30 P.M. ET ON NBC

 

Xfinity Series coverage from Phoenix begins Friday at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with first practice, followed by final practice at 4:30 p.m. ET. Saturday’s race day coverage kicks off with qualifying at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, followed by pre-race Countdown to Green coverage at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.

 

Pre-race coverage will include a feature on driver of Richard Childress Racing’s No. 21 Chevy, Daniel Hemric, and how he met his wife racing Legends cars. Live race coverage begins at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

 

Entering this Saturday’s Round of 8 elimination race, Cole Custer, driver of Stewart-Haas Racing’s No. 00 Ford, is the only driver locked in to compete in the Xfinity Championship race. Custer is followed by Tyler Reddick (3,105 points), Elliott Sadler (3,098 points) and Daniel Hemric (3,097 points). Justin Allgaier, Matt Tifft, Christopher Bell and Austin Cindric currently fall below the cut line and face elimination this weekend in Phoenix.

 

JEFF BURTON ON KEVIN HARVICK’S PENALTY IN TEXAS

 

Jeff Burton: “Going to perhaps his best race track is a great way to rebound. They have been in this position before. Kevin Harvick is mentally tough, he is the type of guy that likes being in the pressure, he jumped from no pressure to a ton of it, and is built for that. He loves these moments. I think going to Phoenix they will use that.”

 

NBC SPORTS DEBUTS NEW WEB SERIES “COFFEE WITH KYLE”

 

In advance of next weekend’s Championship races at Homestead-Miami Speedway, NBC Sports launches a new web series, “Coffee with Kyle,” hosted by auto racing icon Kyle Petty. The series debuted Monday across NBC Sports’ digital platforms, and features an interview with three-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion and Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner Tony Stewart.

 

In the two part interview, Stewart discusses his emotional connection to the sport, how his strong feelings sometime transpired into outbursts on the track, and how is passion for racing now continues outside the car as a team owner.

 

STEVE LETARTE JOINS PRO FOOTBALL TALK WITH MIKE FLORIO THIS FRIDAY, NOV. 9 AT 8:20 A.M. ET

 

In advance of this weekend’s pivotal elimination race in Phoenix, NASCAR on NBC analyst and enthusiastic Patriots fan Steve Letarte joins Pro Football Talk with Mike Florio, this Friday, Nov. 9 at 8:20 a.m. ET on NBCSN.

 

UPCOMING NBC SPORTS GROUP NASCAR PROGRAMMING

 

DATE	COVERAGE	TIME (ET)	NETWORK
Wednesday, Nov. 7	NASCAR America	5 p.m.	NBCSN
Thursday, Nov. 8	NASCAR America	5 p.m.	NBCSN
Friday, Nov. 9	Proving Grounds (Encore)	12 p.m.	NBCSN
	Proving Grounds (Encore)	12:30 p.m.	NBCSN
	Proving Grounds (Encore)	1 p.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR Cup Series First Practice – ISM	1:30 p.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR Xfinity Series First Practice – ISM	2:30 p.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR Xfinity Series Final Practice – ISM	4:30 p.m.	NBCSN
	Proving Grounds (Encore)	5:30 p.m.	NBCSN
	Proving Grounds (Encore)	6 p.m.	NBCSN
	Proving Grounds (Encore)	6:30 p.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying – ISM	7 p.m.	NBCSN
Saturday, Nov. 10	NASCAR Cup Series Second Practice – ISM	11:30 a.m.	CNBC
	NASCAR Xfinity Series Qualifying – ISM	12:30 p.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR America	1:30 p.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR Cup Series Final Practice – ISM	2 p.m.	NBCSN
	NASCAR Xfinity Series Countdown to Green	3 p.m.	NBC
	NASCAR Xfinity Series Race – ISM	3:30 p.m.	NBC
Sunday, Nov. 11	NASCAR America	1:30 p.m.	NBC
	NASCAR Cup Series Countdown to Green	2 p.m.	NBC
	NASCAR Cup Series Race – ISM	2:30 p.m.	NBC
	NASCAR Cup Series Post-Race Show	6 p.m.	NBCSN
	Victory Lap	6:30 p.m.	NBCSN
	Proving Grounds	7:30 p.m.	NBCSN
	/DRIVE	8 p.m.	NBCSN
	/DRIVE	8:30 p.m.	NBCSN

 

For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com.

 

— NBC SPORTS GROUP —