FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 17th, 2017
INDYCAR ABC SUPPLY 500 AT POCONO AND MECUM AUCTIONS: MONTEREY HIGHLIGHT THIS WEEK’S MOTORSPORTS ACTION ON NBCSN
IndyCar ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway – Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN; 2017 Verizon IndyCar Series on NBCSN Tied For its Most-Watched Season To Date
NBCSN Presents More Than 15 Hours of Mecum Auctions: Monterey Coverage Beginning Today at 2 p.m. ET
NBCSN Overdrive – Thursday Primetime Motorsports Block – Continues Tonight, Including American Flat Track Racing
Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Budds Creek National – Saturday on NBC and NBCSN
NBC Sports Group Presents NASCAR XFINITY and Cup Series Coverage from Bristol
STAMFORD, Conn. – August 17, 2017 – This weekend’s motorsports action on NBCSN is highlighted by live coverage of the Verizon IndyCar Series ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET, as well as more than 15 hours of Mecum Auctions coverage from its iconic Monterey auction, beginning today at 2 p.m. ET.
This week’s coverage also includes NBCSN Overdrive, the network’s Thursday night primetime motorsports block, highlighted by American Flat Track racing from Lexington, Ky., tonight at 10 p.m. ET, as well as the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Budds Creek National from Mechanicsville, Md., on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.
In addition, NBC Sports Group will provide comprehensive coverage of this weekend’s NASCAR XFINITY and Cup Series races from Bristol Motor Speedway.
INDYCAR ABC SUPPLY 500 AT POCONO RACEWAY – SUNDAY AT 2:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
The Verizon IndyCar Series rolls into Pocono Raceway this weekend, as multiple drivers jockey atop the championship standings with just four races remaining in the 2017 campaign. Josef Newgarden (Penske; 453 points) has won back-to-back races to take a narrow lead in the standings (453 points) ahead of Helio Castroneves (Penske; 446 points), Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi Racing; 445 points) and Simon Pagenaud (Penske; 436 points). Will Power (Penske; 401 points) won last year’s race at Pocono, while Newgarden finished in fourth place.
NBCSN will televise live qualifying on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET, followed by pre-race coverage on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET and race coverage at 2:30 p.m. ET.
Kevin Lee (play-by-play) will call the action alongside analysts Paul Tracy and Townsend Bell. Reporters Jon Beekhuis, Katie Hargitt, Robin Miller and Anders Krohn will report from the pits.
Through eight races, the 2017 Verizon IndyCar Series on NBCSN/CNBC has averaged 487,000 viewers, tied with last year’s viewership to date for NBC Sports Group’s most-watched IndyCar season on record (since 2009). Four of the last five races this season have averaged over 500,000 viewers.
NBCSN PRESENTS MORE THAN 15 HOURS OF MECUM AUCTIONS: MONTEREY COVERAGE BEGINNING TODAY AT 2 P.M. ET
Million-dollar exotics and classic muscle cars will cross the auction block this week on the Monterey Peninsula, as NBCSN presents more than 15 hours Mecum Auctions coverage from its annual event in Monterey, Calif. Sales at last year’s Mecum Auction in Monterey topped $50 million.
This year’s auction is highlighted nearly 40 collectible Ferraris, including a pair of Ferrari LaFerraris, each with under 600 original miles, that are estimated to sell above the $4 million mark, and a number of collectible vehicles from late rock star J. Geils’ collection of Italian exotics.
Coverage begins today at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN, and continues at 7 p.m. ET. Friday’s live coverage starts at 2 p.m. ET, followed by more auction action at 10 p.m. ET. NBCSN will televise live coverage on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET, followed by tape-delayed coverage Sunday at 12 a.m. ET and 6 p.m. ET.
Scott Hoke will host NBCSN’s Mecum Auctions coverage on-site from Monterey, alongside analysts John Kraman, Stephen Cox, Bill Stephens, and reporter Katie Osborne. NBC Sports’ F1 analyst and former race mechanic for the Benetton F1 team Steve Matchett will join coverage on Friday and Saturday. Mecum Auctions is led by Dana Mecum, Founder and President of Mecum Auctions for the past 29 years.
NBCSN OVERDRIVE THURSDAY MOTORSPORTS BLOCK CONTINUES THIS WEEK, INCLUDING AMERICAN FLAT TRACK RACING AT 10 P.M. ET
NBCSN Overdrive, the network’s Thursday night primetime motorsports block, continues this week, highlighted this week by American Flat Track racing from the Red Mile in Lexington, Ky., at 10 p.m. ET.
The weekly primetime block will include six unique series and more than 40 hours of premiere programming, featuring new seasons of Grudge Race and Journey to the Hammers. American Flat Track, widely regarded as the most prestigious and competitive form of dirt track motorcycle racing in the world, will be featured most Thursdays on Overdrive at 10 p.m. ET. Click here for more information.
LUCAS OIL PRO MOTOCROSS BUDDS CREEK NATIONAL – SATURDAY ON NBC AND NBCSN
The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship continues with the Budds Creek National from Mechanicsville, Md., this Saturday. NBC will present live coverage of the Moto 2s at 3 p.m. ET, followed by NBCSN’s coverage of the Moto 2s at 7 p.m. ET. Marvin Musquin swept last weekend’s event at Unadilla in the 450 Class, while Jeremy Martin won the 250 Class event.
Veteran play-by-play voice Jason Weigandt, analyst and two-time AMA Pro Motocross Champion Grant Langston, and pit reporter Georgia Lindsay will call this weekend’s action.
NBC SPORTS GROUP PRESENTS NASCAR XFINITY AND CUP SERIES COVERAGE FROM BRISTOL
NBC Sports Group gears up for live 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and XFINITY Series racing this weekend from Bristol Motor Speedway. NBCSN will televise the XFINITY Series race on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by NBC’s coverage on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. Click here for more information.
Following is this week’s motorsports coverage schedule:
| Date | Program | Time (ET) | Network |
| Thur., August 17 | NASCAR K&N Pro Series – Evergreen Speedway | 1 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Mecum Auctions: Monterey | 2 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| NASCAR America | 5 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| NASCAR Whelen Series – Thompson Speedway | 6 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| Mecum Auctions: Monterey** | 7 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| Grudge Race (Encore) | 8 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| Grudge Race (Encore) | 8:30 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| Grudge Race (Premiere) | 9 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| Grudge Race (Encore) | 9:30 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| American Flat Track – Red Mile | 10 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| Journey to the Hammers (Premiere) | 11 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| Fri., August 18 | NASCAR XFINITY Series First Practice – Bristol | 10 a.m. | Streaming* |
| NASCAR XFINITY Series Final Practice – Bristol | 12:30 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| Mecum Auctions: Monterey | 2 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| NASCAR XFINITY Series Qualifying – Bristol | 3:30 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| NASCAR America | 5 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying – Bristol | 5:30 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| NASCAR XFINITY Series Countdown to Green | 7 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| NASCAR XFINITY Series Race – Bristol | 7:30 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| Mecum Auctions: Monterey** | 10 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| Sat., August 19 | Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Budds Creek – Qualifiers | 10:05 a.m. | NBC Sports Gold |
| IndyCar ABC Supply 500 at Pocono – Qualifying | 1 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Budds Creek – 250 Moto 1s | 1 p.m. | NBC Sports Gold | |
| Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Budds Creek – 450 Moto 1s | 2 p.m. | NBC Sports Gold | |
| Mecum Auctions: Monterey | 2:30 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Budds Creek – 250 Moto 2s | 3 p.m. | NBC | |
| Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Budds Creek – 450 Moto 2s | 4 p.m. | NBC Sports Gold | |
| NASCAR America Saturday | 5:30 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| NASCAR Cup Series Race – Bristol | 7 p.m. | NBC | |
| Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Budds Creel – Moto 2s | 7 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| NASCAR Cup Series Post-Race | 11 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| Sun., August 20 | Mecum Auctions: Monterey** | 12 a.m. | NBCSN |
| IndyCar Countdown | 2 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| IndyCar ABC Supply 500 at Pocono | 2:30 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| IndyCar Post-Race | 5:30 p.m. | NBCSN | |
| Mecum Auctions: Monterey** | 6 p.m. | NBCSN |
*NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app
**delayed coverage
NBC Sports Gold — NBC Sports Digital’s direct-to-consumer live streaming product — is launching a “Pro Motocross Pass,” giving fans access to the entire 2017 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship season. The direct-to-consumer pass, powered by Playmaker Media, will offer fans commercial-free coverage, live and on-demand, online, on mobile, tablets and connected TV devices.
NBC Sports Gold’s “Pro Motocross Pass” features every race in the 2017 season, including Qualifiers, Moto 1s and Moto 2s. In addition to the 2017 season, fans can access full event replays of the 2016 and 2015 seasons. Click here for more information.
NBC SPORTS GROUP STREAMING, DIGITAL AND SOCIAL CONTENT
NBC Sports Group will provide comprehensive streaming and digital coverage surrounding its motorsports properties via NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – and NASCAR Talk and MotorSportsTalk, NBC Sports Group’s digital home for the latest motorsports news.
NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will provide season-long live streaming coverage of all Formula One practices, qualifying sessions and Grands Prix, including exclusive coverage of practices that will not air on NBC or NBCSN. NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will stream NASCAR and IndyCar content that will air on NBC and NBCSN (race coverage and some practice and qualifying), as well as the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, Red Bull Global RallyCross series, and Red Bull Air Race.
MOTORSPORTSTALK: MotorSportsTalk (@MotorSportsTalk) on NBCSports.com brings racing fans up-to-the-minute news, video and information on Formula One, the Verizon IndyCar Series, and other open-wheel and off-road racing from around the world. The site also serves as the destination for all news, analysis and video from NBC and NBCSN productions of IndyCar and F1, including contributions from on-air commentators.
SOCIAL: NBC Sports Group will continue to provide comprehensive motorsports social coverage across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. On Twitter, fans can follow @MotorsportsTalk for all-encompassing content across NBC Sports Group’s motorsports properties. @NASCARonNBC and@NASCARTalkNBC share the latest NASCAR content, @F1onNBCSports provides the latest news in Formula One, and @IndyCaronNBCSN delivers up-to-the-minute information on the Verizon IndyCar Series.
In addition, the NASCAR on NBC Facebook page will provide users with videos, interactive content and much more. Fans should also “like” NBC Sports on Facebook for the most up-to-date news, videos and commentary about NBC Sports Group’s motorsports properties.
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 –
