TNT to Introduce NASCAR “Next Generations” Feature Segment During Sunday’s Countdown to Green at Noon ET

2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series on TNT Begins Sunday at Pocono Raceway

Turner Sports will begin its 30^th consecutive year of NASCAR coverage with TNT’s presentation of the Pocono 400 on Sunday, June 10, from Pocono Raceway.  TNT’s coverage will begin with the Countdown to Green pre-race show at noon ET and the introduction of a new weekly feature segment titled “Next Generations.”  The segment will explore the history of NASCAR through the eyes of current and former champions – Jimmie Johnson, Ned Jarrett and Bill Elliott – along with TNT analysts Kyle Petty and Larry McReynolds. Click on the following link to view TNT’s NASCAR Production Plans.

 Hosted by Adam Alexander, who also provides play-by-play for NASCAR on TNT, the pre-race show will include a special guest appearance by NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin, a four-time winner at Pocono Raceway.

A few comments from this week’s “Next Generation” discussion:

TNT analyst Kyle Petty on his first race car and race: “My first race car was a Dodge Magnum. The thing was like a boat. My first race start in any race car on any race track ever…was Daytona.”

Five-time NASCAR Spring Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson on his first car and race: “I grew up on motorcycles, so all my early years were on two wheels. The first four-wheel vehicle I raced was a division in the Mickey Thompson Stadium series called a Superlite. You might remember the old Honda Odysseys? It was a version of that.”

NASCAR legend Bill Elliott on his first car: “I had an old ’57 Ford that I bought for $25 and I messed around on the dirt roads out back with it for a while.”

NASCAR legend Ned Jarrett on his first car that he raced in 1951: “I had an expensive race car, the first one I got. It cost $200. It was a 1939 Ford Coupe.”

Kyle Petty on his Father, Richard Petty, and his love of winning: “The King always used to say when I walk through my house there’s a lot of memories in the trophies. I don’t know where the money went. It wasn’t about the money. It was about the trophies.”

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Following Countdown to Green, TNT’s exclusive race coverage begins at 1 p.m. with Alexander providing play-by-play alongside analysts Petty and Wally Dallenbach. In addition, McReynolds will make frequent contributions from his customized, unique broadcast unit that will house his own studio, as well as his base location where he’ll provide analysis using a cut-away display car.

2012 TNT NASCAR Summer Series Schedule:

(All Times Eastern)

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