FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, September 13th, 2017

NBCSN PRESENTS THE FIRST RACE OF THE 2017 MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES PLAYOFFS – THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, AT 3 P.M. ET

 NBC Sports Group to Provide More Than 17 Hours of NASCAR Cup and XFINITY Series Coverage from Chicagoland Speedway This Weekend

 

NBCSN Presents the Final Regular Season XFINITY Series Race & Establishes the Playoff Field– Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET

 

First Time Cup Series Playoff Competitor Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Joins NASCAR on NBC’s Pre-Race Show Live on Sunday

 

Quotes from Steve Letarte, Jeff Burton & Dale Jarrett on Danica Patrick Leaving Stewart-Haas Racing at End of 2017 Season

 

NBCSN’s Motorsports Tripleheader also Features Live Coverage of IndyCar Season Finale at Sonoma and Formula One Singapore Grand Prix

 

STAMFORD, Conn.September 13, 2017 – NBC Sports Group surrounds the first race of the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, with more than 17 hours of trackside coverage from Chicagoland Speedway, in Joliet, Illinois. NBC Sports Group’s race coverage begins Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with XFINITY Series racing, and culminates Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series racing.

 

After Kyle Larson’s down-to-the-wire win last Saturday at Richmond Raceway, 16 drivers officially advanced to the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Going into the first race of the Playoffs, Martin Truex Jr. leads the field with 2053 points, followed by Larson (2033 points), Kyle Busch (2029 points), Brad Keselowski (2019 points), and Jimmie Johnson (2017 points).

 

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 CHICAGO – SUNDAY AT 3 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

 

NBCSN kicks off its Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series coverage from Chicagoland, this Friday at 12:30 p.m. ET, with first practice, followed by qualifying at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

 

Saturday’s coverage begins at 11:30 a.m. ET on CNBC, with second practice. A live on-site edition of NASCAR America begins at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN and leads into final practice 2 p.m. ET.

 

Sunday’s race day coverage begins at 1 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with NASCAR America, and leads into NBC Sports Group’s pre-race show, Countdown to Green, at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

 

Pre-race coverage includes interviews with all 16 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff drivers, in addition to a live on-set interview with Ricky Stenhouse Jr., as he readies to compete in his first Cup Series Playoffs. In addition, Rutledge Wood tours the “Windy City,” bringing viewers at home a glimpse of the best historic landmarks, deep dish pizza and hot dogs, the city has to offer.

 

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 alongside features reporter Rutledge Wood (@rutledgewood).

 

XFINITY SERIES COVERAGE FROM CHICAGOLAND – SATURDAY AT 3:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

 

NBC Sports Group’s coverage of the final XFINITY Series race of the regular season begins Friday, with practice at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN, followed by final practice at 4 p.m. ET available on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

 

Race day coverage begins Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with XFINITY Series qualifying. Pre-race Countdown to Green coverage starts at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, and race coverage begins at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. A live on-site post-race show wraps up the evening at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

 

STEVE LETARTE, JEFF BURTON & DALE JARRETT ON DANICA PATRICK LEAVING STEWART-HAAS RACING AT END OF 2017 SEASON

 

NASCAR on NBCSN analysts Steve Letarte, Jeff Burton and Dale Jarrett shared the following thoughts on Danica Patrick leaving Stewart-Haas Racing at the end of the 2017 season.

 

Letarte: “I think there is a larger chance that she won’t be in a car next year, than she will be, just because of the race teams available, and the seats available. The business model she has outside of the race car is very successful. In Richmond, her brand was her sponsor, so obviously (she is) very successful outside of the race car.”

 

Burton: “Danica has done unbelievable things for the sport. She has helped the sport immensely. Even though her success on-track has not been what everyone wanted it to be, she has still had a positive influence. Not many people can do that…As liked as she is, not having success over a period of time, diminishes what she can do. It ultimately is about performance.”

 

Jarrett: “She is a name that everyone associates with the sport. She has made the commitment to the sport, and has worked as hard as she possibly could to become as good as she could be.”

 

2017 DAYTONA 500 CHAMPION KURT BUSCH JOINS NASCAR AMERICA LIVE AT NASCAR HALL OF FAME – TODAY AT 5 P.M. ET

 

Today at 5 p.m. ET, Busch will join NASCAR America host Marty Snider, auto racing icon Kyle Petty, and Hall of Fame driver Dale Jarrett, live from the Hall of Honor, at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C.

 

Busch will discuss his momentous year, winning his first Daytona 500, and getting married this past January. Entering the Playoffs on a hot streak, with three consecutive top-five finishes (Bristol, Darlington and Richmond), Busch will also weigh in on which tracks he is looking forward to, and where he expects the most success.

 

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.

 

DENNY HAMLIN JOINS NASCAR AMERICA TOMORROW

Amid preparations for Sunday’s race at Chicagoland Speedway, Denny Hamlin will stop by NBC Sports Group’s headquarters in Stamford, Conn., tomorrow, Thursday September 14, for a live in-studio interview on NASCAR America. In addition, Hamlin will take over NASCAR on NBC’s social accounts, and participate in interviews with NBCSports.com, NBC Sports Radio and select NBC affiliates.

 

NATE RYAN’S NASCAR ON NBC PODCAST CELEBRATES 100TH EPISODE

NBCSports.com’s lead motorsports writer, Nate Ryan (@nateryan), celebrates his 100th NASCAR on NBC podcast with a special Playoff episode, highlighting conversations with all 16 Playoff drivers. 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.

 

NBCSN’S MOTORSPORTS TRIPLEHEADER ALSO INCLUDES LIVE COVERAGE OF INDYCAR SEASON FINALE AT SONOMA AND FORMULA ONE SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX

 The 2017 Verizon IndyCar Series championship will be decided this weekend on NBCSN at the IndyCar GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma this Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET, as Josef Newgarden (Penske) looks to win his first-ever title and hold off a wide array of challengers in the tightest points battle atop the standings in a decade.

 

Sunday’s motorsports tripleheader begins with the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix at 7:30 a.m. ET, as Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) continue their pursuit of the 2017 F1 drivers’ championship, currently separated by just three points in the standings.

 

UPCOMING NBC SPORTS GROUP NASCAR PROGRAMMING

 

DATE COVERAGE TIME (ET) NETWORK
Wednesday, September 13 NASCAR America 5:00 PM NBCSN
Thursday, September 14 NASCAR America 5:00 PM NBCSN
NASCAR The Decades 6:00 PM NBCSN
Friday, September 15 NASCAR America (Encore) 12:00 PM NBCSN
NASCAR Cup Series First Practice – Chicago 12:30 PM NBCSN
NASCAR XFINITY Series First Practice – Chicago 2:00 PM NBCSN
NASCAR XFINITY Series Final Practice – Chicago 4:00 PM NBC Sports app, NBCSports.com
NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying – Chicago 6:30 PM NBCSN
Saturday, September 16 NASCAR Cup Series Second Practice – Chicago 11:30 AM CNBC
NASCAR XFINITY Series Qualifying – Chicago 12:30 PM NBCSN
NASCAR America 1:30 PM NBCSN
NASCAR Cup Series Final Practice – Chicago 2:00 PM NBCSN
NASCAR XFINITY Series Countdown to Green 3:00 PM NBCSN
NASCAR XFINITY Series Racing – Chicago 3:30 PM NBCSN
NASCAR XFINITY Series Post-Race Show 6:00 PM NBCSN
Sunday, September 17 NASCAR America 1:00 PM NBCSN
NASCAR Cup Series Countdown to Green 2:30 PM NBCSN
NASCAR Cup Series Racing – Chicago 3:00 PM NBCSN
NASCAR Cup Series Post-Race Show 6:00 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.

 

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 —