FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, October 28th, 2015

NASCAR SPRINT CUP PLAYOFF RACING HEATS UP MARTINSVILLE THIS SUNDAY ON NBCSN

NBCSN Presents the First Round of Eight Race Sunday at 1:15 p.m. ET

Over 10 Hours of Live Trackside Sprint Cup Coverage

Martinsville Marks the First of Four Final 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Races

STAMFORD, Conn. – October 28, 2015 – NBCSN presents the first race of the Round of Eight this Sunday at 1:15 p.m. ET as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Playoffs roll into Martinsville Speedway. With only four races remaining in the 2015 season, Martinsville provides the final eight drivers in contention their first opportunity to guarantee a coveted shot at the Sprint Cup Championship. On the heels of last week’s controversial and charged finish at Talladega, it’s a safe bet that fans are in store for a hard weekend of racing from Ridgeway, Virginia.

Pre-race coverage takes an in-depth look at the individual stories of each of the eight remaining Chase drivers. From Joey Logano, to Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch, each of these athletes have navigated a different path to this point, where the 2015 Championship trophy is within sight.

Before the green flag falls, Countdown to Green takes a look back at Jeff Gordon’s eight wins at Martinsville’s half-mile track. The shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series has historically been one of Gordon’s strongest. All fingers point to Martinsville as the track for Gordon to clinch his first 2015 win.

Pre-race coverage also features a segment entitled “Father Time,” which profiles the five Chase drivers who are dads. A sport rich with traditions, NASCAR’s family dynamic enables fathers to celebrate alongside their children as they attempt to win the historic Grandfather clock in Martinsville’s victory lane.

NBCSN PRESENTS NASCAR SPRINT CUP RACING FROM MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY

Rick Allen calls this weekend’s Sprint Cup action from “The Old Dominion State” alongside Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte and 21-time Sprint Cup winner Jeff Burton. Krista Voda, Kyle Petty and NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Dale Jarrett host pre- and post- race trackside coverage. Features reporter Rutledge Wood ventures around the track known for getting fans closer to the action. NBCSports.com lead motorsports writer Nate Ryan contributes breaking news, with up-to-the-minute reports as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Playoff picture continues to sharpen.

NBCSN’s coverage from Martinsville kicks off Friday with the first practice at 11:30 p.m. ET. Due to NBCSN’s afternoon coverage of the Breeders Cup, NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying airs on NBC Sports Live Extra at 4 p.m. ET with an encore airing at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN. NASCAR coverage takes over CNBC on Saturday with the second Sprint Cup practice at 9 a.m. ET followed by final practice at 12 p.m. ET.

Coverage of Sunday’s main event begins at 11 a.m. ET on NBCSN with 90-minute edition of NASCAR America Sunday presented by DraftKings, followed by Countdown to Green Served by Sonic pre-race show at 12:30 p.m. ET. Coverage includes Burton’s lap around the 55-feet-wide track from behind the wheel of NBC Sports’ Toyota Camry On Track Car. NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing from Martinsville Presented by Castrol GTX Magnatec goes green at 1:15 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Coverage wraps up with the post-race show at 5 p.m. ET followed by NASCAR Victory Lap at 6 p.m. ET.

Date Program Time (ET) Network
Thur., October 29 NASCAR America 5 p.m. NBCSN
Fri., October 30 Sprint Cup Series First Practice – Martinsville 11:30 a.m. NBCSN
F1 Mexican Grand Prix – Practice 1 p.m. NBCSN
Sprint Cup Series Qualifying – Martinsville 4 p.m. Live Extra
Sprint Cup Series Qualifying – Martinsville* 6 p.m. NBCSN
F1 Mexican Grand Prix – Practice (Encore) 11:30 p.m. NBCSN
Sat., October 31 Sprint Cup Series Second Practice – Martinsville 9 a.m. CNBC
Sprint Cup Series Final Practice – Martinsville 12 p.m. CNBC
F1 Mexican Grand Prix – Qualifying 2 p.m. CNBC
Sun., November 1 F1 Mexican Grand Prix – Qualifying (Encore) 1 a.m. NBCSN
NASCAR America Sunday 11 a.m. NBCSN
Sprint Cup Countdown to Green Pre-Race Show 12:30 p.m. NBCSN
Sprint Cup Series Race – Martinsville 1:15 p.m. NBCSN
F1 Mexican Grand Prix – Pre Race 1:30 p.m. NBC
F1 Mexican Grand Prix 2 p.m. NBC
The Post Race Show 5 p.m. NBCSN
Victory Lap 6 p.m. NBCSN
F1 Mexican Grand Prix (Encore) 7 p.m. NBCSN

*Same Day Delay

NBC SPORTS GROUP CELEBRATES THE NASCAR PLAYOFFS WITH QUICKEN LOANS’ WEEKLY PLAYOFF GRID CHALLENGE

Fans still have a chance to win big throughout the NASCAR Playoffs including a chance to have their mortgage paid for a year by Quicken Loans in the Weekly Playoff Grid Challenge. As the NASCAR Playoff field narrows, fans can enter before each race who they think will be the top three finishers each week.  By filling out their predictions, fans are entered to win weekly prizes including a Roku streaming player and NBC Sports prize packs. Each correct top three prediction earns an entrant a point, and at the end of the 10 races the fan with the most points will receive mortgage payments for an entire year from Quicken Loans.

MOTORSPORTS ON NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA

NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs – will stream this week’s NASCAR coverage via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to for their subscription service, and making high quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. The NBC Sports Live Extra app is available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play and Windows Store, Roku Channel Store and Apple TV.

NASCAR COVERAGE ON NBCSPORTS.com and NASCARTALK

NBCSports.com brings racing fans up-to-the-minute news, video and information. The site also serves as the destination for all news, analysis and video from NBC and NBCSN productions of NASCAR, including contributions from on-air commentators.

To explore the site, please visit NBCSports.com/NASCAR and NASCARTalk.NBCSports.com/

@NBCSportsPR: Publicity group Twitter account for NBC Sports, NBC Olympics, NBCSN, Golf Channel, 11 NBC Sports Regionals, NBC Sports Radio & all NBC Sports digital properties.

@NASCARonNBC: The official Twitter account of NASCAR coverage on NBC and NBCSN provides exclusive access to drivers, NBC Sports NASCAR experts and behind-the-scenes content, as well up-to-the-minute news and highlights, including video and articles from MotorSportsTalk on NBCSports.com.

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 –