FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, August 8th, 2018

NBCSN PRESENTS MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES RACING FROM “THE GREAT LAKES STATE” THIS SUNDAY, AUGUST 12 AT 2:30 P.M. ET

Brendan Gaughan to Serve as Special In-Car Analyst During Race Coverage From Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

Aric Almirola Joins NASCAR America “Wednesdays with Dale Jr.” Tonight at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN

STAMFORD, Conn. – August 8, 2018 – NBC Sports Group steps on the gas for its seventh week of live 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series racing, with more than 16 hours of trackside coverage from Michigan International Speedway, in Brooklyn, Mich., and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, in Lexington, Ohio. NBC Sports Group’s race coverage begins Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with Xfinity Series racing from Mid-Ohio, and culminates Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with NASCAR Cup Series racing from the Irish Hills of Southeastern Michigan.

 

Chase Elliott’s first career Cup Series victory last weekend at Watkins Glen broke the “Big Three’s” dominating streak and guaranteed him a spot in the 2018 Playoff field. With six wins and 35 playoff points, Kyle Busch continues to lead the field and is followed by Kevin Harvick (6 wins, 33 playoff points), Martin Truex Jr. (4 wins, 27 playoff points), Clint Bowyer (2 wins, 10 playoff points), Chase Elliott (1 win, 8 playoff points), Joey Logano (1 win, 7 playoff points), Erik Jones (1 win, 5 playoff points) and Austin Dillon (1 win, 5 playoff points).

 

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES RACING FROM MICHIGAN – SUNDAY AT 2:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

 

NBCSN kicks off its Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series coverage from Michigan this Friday at noon ET, with first practice, followed by qualifying at 5 p.m. ET. An on-site edition of NASCAR America wraps up the day at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN. A special “fans edition” of NASCAR America will include surprise appearances and special guests Chase Elliott, Erik Jones and Ty Dillon.

 

Saturday’s coverage begins with second practice at 8:30 a.m. ET on CNBC, followed by final practice at 11:30 a.m. ET on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

 

Sunday’s race day coverage begins at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with NASCAR America, and leads into NBC Sports Group’s pre-race show, Countdown to Green, at 2 p.m. ET. Pre-race coverage includes a special “Driver to Driver” interview between NASCAR on NBC analyst and Hall of Fame driver Dale Jarrett (@DaleJarrett), and driver of the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevy, Kyle Larson.

 

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series racing begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, and is followed by a live on-site NASCAR Cup Series post-race show. NBCSN wraps up coverage at 6 p.m. ET, with Victory Lap, NBC Sports Group’s NASCAR post-race show originating from Stamford, Conn.

 

NASCAR on NBC’s lead race announcer Rick Allen (@Rickallenracing) will call the action alongside Daytona 500 winning crew chief Steve Letarte (@steveletarte) from NBC Sports’ traditional broadcast booth above the start/finish line. In NBCSN’s “Drivers Booth,” motorsports icon and NASCAR on NBC analyst Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) will be teamed with 21-time Cup Series race winner Jeff Burton (@Jeffburton) to complete the lineup.

 

Krista Voda (@KristaVoda) will host pre- and post-race coverage alongside auto racing icon Kyle Petty (@Kylepetty). Marty Snider (@HeyMartysnider), Kelli Stavast (@Kellistavast) and Dave Burns (@tvdaveburns) will report from pit road.

 

XFINITY SERIES COVERAGE FROM MID-OHIO – SATURDAY AT 3 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

 

Dave Burns will call Saturday’s Xfinity race alongside Jarrett. Brendan Gaughan, a veteran of 490 NASCAR national series starts, will serve as NASCAR on NBC’s special in-car analyst as he competes in Richard Childress Racing’s No. 3 Chevy. Gaughan previously served as a special pit road analyst during NBCSN’s coverage from Iowa Speedway. Parker Kligerman (@Pkligerman) and Kevin Lee (@KevinLee23) will contribute coverage from pit road.

 

NBC Sports Group’s Xfinity Series coverage from Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course begins this Friday, with first practice at 1:30 p.m. ET, followed by final practice at 4 p.m. ET. Coverage of both practice sessions will be available on NBCsports.com and the NBC Sports app. The action on the track continues Saturday, with Xfinity Series qualifying at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBCsports.com and the NBC Sports app. Pre-race Countdown to Green coverage starts at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, followed by race coverage beginning at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

 

XFINITY’S TWITTER HANDLE TO PROVIDE EXCLUSIVE LIVESTREAM OF NASCAR ON NBC MID-OHIO VIEWING PARTY

 

The NASCAR Xfinity Series may have a standalone race at Mid-Ohio this weekend, but that won’t stop the NBC Sports crew from an opportunity to get in on the action. Fans will be able to tune in to exclusive content via a livestream on the @Xfinity Twitter handle, where Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte, Rick Allen and the NASCAR on NBC team will watch the road-course action at Mid-Ohio, while in Michigan.

 

Viewers will have the opportunity to listen in on conversation among the broadcasters as they step away from formal commentary and enjoy the race from the perspective of fans watching at home. The livestream will kick off at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 11 – all via the @Xfinity Twitter handle.

 

ARIC ALMIROLA JOINS NASCAR AMERICA TONIGHT AT 5 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

 

NASCAR America “Wednesdays with Dale Jr.,” NBCSN’s weekly motorsports show featuring Dale Earnhardt Jr., welcomes Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, as a guest tonight at 5 p.m. ET.

 

Live from the “Big Oak Table” at NBC Sports’ NASCAR office in Charlotte, N.C., Almirola joins Steve Letarte and Earnhardt for an in-depth discussion and free-flowing conversation.

 

NBC SPORTS GROUP’S UPCOMING NASCAR PROGRAMMING

 

DATE COVERAGE TIME (ET) NETWORK
Wednesday, Aug. 8 NASCAR America 5 p.m. NBCSN
NASCAR K&N Series – Watkins Glen 6 p.m. NBCSN
Thursday, Aug. 9 NASCAR America 5 p.m. NBCSN
Dale Jr. Download 5:30 p.m. NBCSN
Friday, Aug. 10 NASCAR Cup Series First Practice – Michigan 12 p.m. NBCSN
Dale Jr. Download 1 p.m. NBCSN
NASCAR Xfinity Series First Practice – Mid Ohio 1:30 p.m. NBC Sports app, NBCSports.com
NASCAR Xfinity Series Final Practice – Mid Ohio 4 p.m. NBC Sports app, NBCSports.com
NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying – Michigan 5 p.m. NBCSN
NASCAR America 6 p.m. NBCSN
Saturday, Aug. 11 NASCAR Cup Series Second Practice – Michigan 8:30 a.m. CNBC
NASCAR Cup Series Final Practice – Michigan 11:30 a.m. NBC Sports app, NBCSports.com
NASCAR Xfinity Series Qualifying – Mid Ohio 11:30 a.m. NBC Sports app, NBCSports.com
NASCAR Xfinity Series Countdown to Green 2:30 p.m. NBCSN
NASCAR Xfinity Series Race – Mid Ohio 3 p.m. NBCSN
Sunday, Aug. 12 NASCAR America 1:30 p.m. NBCSN
NASCAR Cup Series Countdown to Green 2 p.m. NBCSN
NASCAR Cup Series Race – Michigan 2:30 p.m. NBCSN
NASCAR Cup Series Post-Race Show 5:30 p.m. NBCSN
Victory Lap 6 p.m. NBCSN
Racing Roots 7 p.m. NBCSN

 

NASCAR ON NBC

 

The official home of the NASCAR Playoffs, NBC Sports Group will present the final 20 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races, final 19 NASCAR Xfinity Series races, and select NASCAR Regional & Touring Series events in 2018. 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.

 

ABOUT COMCAST

 

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company with two primary businesses, Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal.  Comcast Cable is one of the nation’s largest video, high-speed internet, and phone providers to residential customers under the Xfinity brand, and also provides these services to businesses.  It also provides wireless and security and automation services to residential customers under the Xfinity brand.  NBCUniversal operates news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures and Universal Parks and Resorts. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

 

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 —