FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 20th, 2014

NBC SPORTS PRESENTS “KURT BUSCH: 36” DOCU ON JUNE 8th

Emmy Award-Winning Production Team Collaborates with NASCAR Productions to Chronicle Busch’s Historic Bid to Win the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the Same Day

STAMFORD, Conn. — May 20, 2014 — NBC Sports announced today that it will present an all-access look into the intense preparation, 200+ MPH competition and extreme logistics surrounding Kurt Busch’s upcoming attempt to win IndyCar’s famed Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. The 30-minute special, featuring in-depth interviews, on-track footage, team communications and a seat right next to Busch throughout his races against drivers from two elite series, pulsating travel conditions and the limits of his own endurance, will debut on Sunday, June 8, at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC.  A 60-minute “director’s cut” of KURT BUSCH: 36 will air the following day, Monday, June 9, at 11 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

NBC Sports’ Emmy Award-winning NASCAR production team, led by Executive Producer Sam Flood, teams with the Emmy Award-winning NASCAR Productions to create KURT BUSCH: 36.  The program furthers NBCSN’s successful line of “:36” documentaries that chronicle the 36 hours that cover the lead-up, completion and aftermath of a major sporting event.  KURT BUSCH: 36 takes the series to another level as it encapsulates two races.

“This attempt at ‘The Double’ ranks among the most unique undertakings in all of sports, because it involves so many factors and storylines, each of which will play out over the course of two iconic races,” said Flood.  “We’re looking forward to chronicling the drama and excitement that will build throughout Kurt’s attempt at history.”

The special marks another NASCAR-related programming highlight for NBC Sports Group since reaching an agreement for NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series racing last July. NBCSN launched its daily 5:00 p.m. ET motorsports show, NASCAR AMERICA, in February following the 2014 DAYTONA 500 and coverage of the Sochi Olympics.

“Kurt Busch’s attempt at ‘The Double’ is a challenging endeavor that speaks to the highly competitive spirit of NASCAR drivers,” said Tally Hair, Managing Director, NASCAR Productions. “The special will provide fans with an exclusive, up-close-and-personal look into what will be a grueling but amazing story for Kurt Busch and the racing world.”

Busch, a 25-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winner, is currently training to become just the fourth driver to attempt “The Double” by racing in both IndyCar’s Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 in the same day.  This is a feat so grueling that only 3-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart has ever successfully completed all 1100 miles.  No driver attempting to race “The Double” has ever won either event on the day of the attempt.

Busch confirmed that he will drive a Dallara-Honda fielded by Andretti Autosport at Indy on May 25.  Upon completion of the Indianapolis 500, Busch then immediately flies approximately 430 miles to Charlotte, N.C. to fulfill his full-time job of driving the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet in NASCAR’s longest race of the year.

Background

On July 23, 2013, NASCAR and NBC Sports Group reached a comprehensive 10-year agreement that grants NBCUniversal exclusive rights to the final 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, final 19 NASCAR Nationwide Series events, NASCAR Regional & Touring Series events and other live content beginning in 2015.

With this partnership, NBC Sports becomes the exclusive home to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, when the elite national series races through its final 10 events of the season.  The Chase culminates with the season-ending championship event, which returns to network television in 2015 for the first time since 2009. Of NBC Sports Group’s 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events, seven will be carried on NBC annually, with 13 airing on NBCSN. Four of NBC Sports Group’s 19 NASCAR Nationwide Series races will air on NBC, with 15 airing on NBCSN.

In addition to NASCAR’s Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series races, NBC also obtained exclusive rights to practice and qualifying sessions for NBC’s national series events during their portion of the season, as well as rights to broadcast the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR Toyota (Mexico) Series, the NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony and NASCAR’s season-ending banquets. Further, NBC is granted Spanish-language rights, certain video-on-demand rights and exclusive TV Everywhere rights for its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series events.

— NBC SPORTS GROUP —