FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, September 6th, 2017
NBCSN PRESENTS THE FINAL MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES RACE OF THE REGULAR SEASON – SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, AT 7:30 P.M. ET
NBCSN, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports App to Provide More Than 17 Hours of NASCAR Cup & XFINITY Series Trackside Coverage from Richmond Raceway
Pre-Race Coverage Includes Interviews with Clint Bowyer, Matt Kenseth and Jerry Nadeau
Austin Dillon Joins NASCAR America from NASCAR Hall of Fame – Tonight at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN
Furniture Row Racing’s No 78 Crew Chief Cole Pearn Joins Nate Ryan’s NASCAR on NBC Podcast
STAMFORD, Conn. – September 6, 2017 – NBC Sports Group surrounds the final race of the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series regular season, with over 17 hours of trackside coverage from Richmond Raceway, in Richmond, Virginia. NBC Sports Group’s race coverage begins Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with XFINITY Series racing, and culminates Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series racing.
Martin Truex Jr. holds the lead atop the Playoff standings (4 wins, 37 playoff-points), and is followed by Kyle Busch (1 win, 20 playoff-points), Kyle Larson (3 wins, 18 playoff-points) and Jimmie Johnson (3 wins, 16 playoff-points). With only one race left before the Playoffs begin, Chase Elliott, Matt Kenseth and Jamie McMurray currently hold the three remaining Playoff spots based on points, but have yet to secure a race win to guarantee their positions.
In addition to live television coverage on NBCSN, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs – will provide comprehensive streaming coverage of this weekend’s NASCAR action.
MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES RACING FROM RICHMOND – SATURDAY AT 7:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
NBCSN kicks off its Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series coverage from Richmond Raceway, this Friday at 10 a.m. ET, with first practice, followed by final practice at 12 p.m. ET. Qualifying wraps up the day at 5:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
Saturday’s race day coverage begins at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with NASCAR America, and leads into NBC Sports Group’s pre-race show, Countdown to Green, at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
Pre-race coverage includes a feature interview between Jeff Burton and driver of Stewart-Haas Racing’s No. 14 Ford, Clint Bowyer. The two former teammates discuss the pressure Bowyer feels going into the final regular season race, still needing a win to qualify for the Playoffs. Bowyer also shares how he balances the stress of the season, by spending time at home with his family. Pre-race coverage also includes a live on-set interview with Matt Kenseth, as he attempts to clinch one of the remaining three playoff spots this weekend.
In addition, pre-race coverage includes NBCSports.com’s lead motorsports writer, Nate Ryan’s in-depth interview with former stock car driver Jerry Nadeau. Fourteen years after surviving a devastating career-ending crash at Richmond Raceway, Nadeau discusses how his accident has helped improve the safety of the sport, and how he is using his heartbreaking experience to try and help the next generation of NASCAR hopefuls.
NASCAR Cup Series racing begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, and is followed by a live on-site NASCAR Cup Series post-race show. NBCSN wraps up coverage at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with Victory Lap, NBC Sports Group’s NASCAR post-race show, originating from Stamford, Conn.
NBC Sports Group’s lead race announcer Rick Allen (@Rickallenracing) will call this weekend’s Monster Energy and XFINITY Series action, alongside Daytona 500 winning crew chief Steve Letarte (@steveletarte), and “The Mayor” of NASCAR Jeff Burton (@Jeffburton).
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.
Features reporter Rutledge Wood (@rutledgewood) will serve as the honorary pace car driver ahead of Saturday’s race, and give viewers an inside look at the pre-race festivities.
XFINITY SERIES COVERAGE FROM RICHMOND – FRIDAY AT 7:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
NBC Sports Group’s XFINITY Series coverage from Richmond begins Friday, with practice at 8 a.m. ET, available on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. XFINITY Series qualifying begins at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Pre-race Countdown to Green coverage starts at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN, and race coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. A live on-site post-race show wraps up the evening at 10 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
AUSTIN DILLION JOINS NASCAR AMERICA FROM NASCAR HALL OF FAME – TONIGHT AT 5 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
Tonight at 5 p.m. ET on NASCAR America, Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Austin Dillon will join host Marty Snider, as well as analysts Jeff Burton and Dale Jarrett, from the Hall of Honor at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, in Charlotte, N.C.
The driver of Richard Childress Racing’s No. 3 Chevrolet will discuss his team’s preparation for the upcoming Playoffs, after securing his first Cup Series win this past May at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
As part of NBCSN’s comprehensive coverage of the 2017 NASCAR season, NASCAR America will present a live show each week from the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Each live episode will include an in-depth interview with an active driver, and highlight their journey to professional racing.
COLE PEARN JOINS NATE RYAN’S NASCAR ON NBC PODCAST
Crew chief for Furniture Row Racing’s No 78 Toyota, Cole Pearn, joins Nate Ryan (@nateryan), on this week’s NASCAR on NBC podcast. Pearn discusses the team’s dominant run this year, earning four Cup Series wins and the regular-season championship. Pearn also shares his thoughts on why being based in Denver is such an advantage for the team and how its unorthodox approach works (with everything from nontraditional uniforms to hierarchical structure). The NASCAR on NBC podcast is available on NASCAR Talk, Apple Podcasts, AudioBoom, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher and podcasting apps. For more info click here.
UPCOMING NBC SPORTS GROUP NASCAR PROGRAMMING
| DATE | COVERAGE | TIME (ET) | NETWORK |
| Wednesday, September 6 | NASCAR America | 5:00 PM | NBCSN |
| Thursday, September 7 | NASCAR America | 5:00 PM | NBCSN |
| NASCAR Whelen Series – Oswego | 6:00 PM | NBCSN | |
| NASCAR K&N Series – Langley | 7:00 PM | NBCSN | |
| Friday, September 8 | NASCAR XFINITY Series Practice – Richmond | 8:00 AM | NBC Sports app, NBCSports.com |
| NASCAR Cup Series First Practice – Richmond | 10:00 AM | NBCSN | |
| NASCAR Whelen Series – Oswego (Encore) | 11:00 AM | NBCSN | |
| NASCAR Cup Series Final Practice – Richmond | 12:00 PM | NBCSN | |
| NASCAR XFINITY Series Qualifying – Richmond | 4:00 PM | NBCSN | |
| NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying – Richmond | 5:30 PM | NBCSN | |
| NASCAR XFINITY Series Countdown to Green | 7:00 PM | NBCSN | |
| NASCAR XFINITY Series Racing – Richmond | 7:30 PM | NBCSN | |
| NASCAR XFINITY Series Post-Race Show | 10:00 PM | NBCSN | |
| Saturday, September 9 | NASCAR America | 5:00 PM | NBCSN |
| NASCAR Cup Series Countdown to Green | 7:00 PM | NBCSN | |
| NASCAR Cup Series Racing – Richmond | 7:30 PM | NBCSN | |
| NASCAR Cup Series Post-Race Show | 11:00 PM | NBCSN | |
| Victory Lap | 11:30 PM | NBCSN |
NASCAR ON NBC
In 2017, NBC Sports Group will present the final 20 NASCAR Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races, final 19 NASCAR XFINITY Series events and select NASCAR Regional & Touring Series events.
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 concluded the 2016 NASCAR season presenting more hours of trackside coverage and programming than ever before.
In 2016, NBC Sports Group continued to innovate and entertain race fans with 630 hours of NASCAR programming, including interactive watch parties, documentary specials and new shoulder programming, in addition to its 366 live trackside hours from 22 different states. In 2016, overall consumption of NASCAR content on NBC Sports’ Digital properties was up 50% vs. 2015, and NASCAR on NBC’s social platforms generated a triple-digit increase in video views, as well as double-digit increase in fan base and impressions compared to the 2015 season.
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 —
