FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, October 17th, 2018

NBC SPORTS PRESENTS 2018 NASCAR PLAYOFF ROUND OF 12 ELIMINATION RACE FROM KANSAS SPEEDWAY THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21 AT 2:30 P.M. ET

More Than 18 Trackside Hours of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series Coverage

NBC Sports Celebrates a Kansas City Doubleheader this Sunday with NASCAR Cup Series Racing from Kansas Speedway Followed Sunday Night Football’s Bengals-Chiefs Game at Arrowhead Stadium

Michele Tafoya to Take Laps Around Kansas Speedway with Jeff Burton in NBC Sports On-Track Car

 

NBCSN Launches New Automotive Reality Series – Proving Grounds – Debuting this Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET

 

STAMFORD, Conn.October 17, 2018 – NBC Sports Group’s coverage of the 2018 NASCAR Playoffs heats up this week with more than 18 hours of trackside coverage from Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan. Race coverage from “America’s Heartland” begins Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on NBC, with the first race in the Xfinity Series Round of 8, and is highlighted by Sunday’s pivotal Cup Series Round of 12 elimination race at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

 

Entering Sunday’s Cup Series elimination race, Chase Elliott and Aric Almirola have both secured spots in the Round of 8, by virtue of a win. Kevin Havick (3,128 points), Kyle Busch (3,111 points), Joey Logano (3,104 points), Kurt Busch (3,095 points), Clint Bowyer (3,086 points) and Martin Truex Jr. (3,083 points) occupy the final six transfer spots, but have yet to officially lock in a position. Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson and Alex Bowman currently stand below the cut line and face possible Playoff elimination this weekend.

 

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES RACING FROM KANSAS SPEEDWAY THIS SUNDAY AT 2:30 P.M. ET ON NBC

 

NBC Sports kicks off its Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series coverage from Kansas Speedway this Friday at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with first practice, followed by the 1,000th episode of NASCAR America at 6 p.m. ET. Qualifying wraps up the evening at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

 

Saturday’s coverage begins with second practice at 10:30 a.m. ET on CNBC. NBCSN presents a special 30-minute edition of NASCAR America at 12:30 p.m. ET, followed by final practice at 1 p.m. ET. Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series coverage wraps up at 2 p.m. ET with a second on-site edition of NASCAR America.

 

Sunday’s race day coverage begins at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBC with NASCAR America, followed by Countdown to Green at 2 p.m. ET. NASCAR Cup Series racing begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, and is followed 90-minutes of post-race coverage including Victory Lap, NBC Sports Group’s NASCAR post-race show originating from Stamford, Conn.

 

NBC Sports’ lead race announcer Rick Allen (@Rickallenracing) will call the action alongside 21-time Cup Series race winner Jeff Burton (@Jeffburton). Motorsports icon and NASCAR on NBC analyst Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) and Daytona 500 winning crew chief Steve Letarte (@steveletarte) will provide additional insight from NBCSN’s second broadcast booth.

 

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.

 

NBC SPORTS PRESENTS XFINITY SERIES RACING FROM KANSAS SPEEDWAY SATURDAY AT 3 P.M. ET ON NBC

 

NBCSN’s Xfinity Series coverage from Kansas Speedway begins Friday at 3 p.m. ET with first practice, followed by final practice at 5 p.m. ET.  Saturday’s race day coverage kicks off with qualifying at 11:30 a.m. ET on CNBC, followed by pre-race Countdown to Green coverage at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Live race coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.

 

MICHELE TAFOYA JOINS NASCAR ON NBC FOR THE RIDE OF HER LIFE IN THE NBC SPORTS ON-TRACK CAR

 

Emmy award–winning Sunday Night Football sideline reporter Michele Tafoya will join NASCAR on NBC’s Jeff Burton this Saturday, for a few laps around Kansas Speedway in the NBC Sports Toyota on-track car. Tafoya will suit up in an NBC Sports fire suit and helmet to ride shotgun as Burton gives her a tour at 100+ mph around the 1.5 mile track. The segment will appear as part of both NBC Sports’ NASCAR and NFL coverage this weekend.

 

NBC SPORTS LAUNCHES FIRST EVER SNAPCHAT CURATED STORY

 

As part of NBC Sports’ big Kansas weekend, NBC Sports Group’s social media team will utilize Snapchat’s new partner curation tool for the first time. Compiling curated on-site content, mixed with user generated content from Snapchat users, the NBC Sports Snapchat account will take fans behind the scenes of Kansas Speedway and Arrowhead Stadium for NBC’s first-ever “Our Story.”

 

NASCAR AMERICA CELEBRATES 1,000TH EPISODE THIS FRIDAY AT 6 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

 

NASCAR America, NBCSN’s daily motorsports show, will air its 1,000th episode this Friday, October 19 at 6 p.m. ET. The historic and celebratory episode will include special appearances by seven-time Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson as well as Cup Series Playoff contender and Kansas native Clint Bowyer, live from NBC Sports Group’s “Peacock Pit Box” located on pit road at Kansas Speedway.

 

For more information click here.

 

NBC SPORTS DIGITAL’S “ON THE ROAD” SERIES HIGHLIGHTS THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS FROM TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY

NBC Sports Digital’s new series “On the Road” brings viewers trackside for last weekend’s race at iconic Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama. NBC Sports producers Marisa Marcellino and Annie Koeblitz interview race fans in attendance from across the world to understand their passion for racing, pre-race traditions and what keeps them coming back to the world famous superspeedway.

 

The entire “On The Road” series can be found here.

 

NBCSN LAUNCHES NEW AUTOMOTIVE REALITY SERIES – PROVING GROUNDS – DEBUTING THIS SUNDAY AT 7:30 P.M. ET

 

Proving Grounds, a new reality series featuring a fast-paced immersion into auto racing and testing, debuts this Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, immediately following Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series coverage from Kansas Speedway.

 

The first season features five episodes that test a variety of cars from American muscle and European exotics, to everyday pickup trucks and minivans, on a custom built track in Southern California. Proving Grounds is hosted by NASCAR driver and NBC Sports analyst Parker Kligerman and automotive journalist Sam Smith, and features Sports Car Champion driver Leh Keen.

 

A preview of Proving Grounds is available here.

 

For more information click here.

 

UPCOMING NBC SPORTS GROUP NASCAR PROGRAMMING

 

DATE COVERAGE TIME (ET) NETWORK
Wednesday, Oct. 17 NASCAR America 5 p.m. NBCSN
Thursday, Oct. 18 NASCAR America 5 p.m. NBCSN
Dale Jr. Download 5:30 p.m. NBCSN
NASCAR K&N Series – All American 6 p.m. NBCSN
NASCAR Whelen Modified – Thompson 7 p.m. NBCSN
Friday, Oct. 19 NASCAR K&N Series – All American (Encore) 12 p.m. NBCSN
NASCAR Whelen Modified – Thompson (Encore) 1 p.m. NBCSN
NASCAR Cup Series First Practice – Kansas 2 p.m. NBCSN
NASCAR Xfinity Series First Practice – Kansas 3 p.m. NBCSN
Dale Jr. Download(Encore) 4 p.m. NBCSN
Racing Roots (Encore) 4:30 p.m. NBCSN
NASCAR Xfinity Series Final Practice – Kansas 5 p.m. NBCSN
NASCAR America – 1,000th Episode 6 p.m. NBCSN
NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying – Kansas 7 p.m. NBCSN
Saturday, Oct. 20 NASCAR Cup Series Second Practice – Kansas 10:30 a.m. CNBC
NASCAR Xfinity Series Qualifying – Kansas 11:30 a.m. CNBC
NASCAR America 12:30 p.m. NBCSN
NASCAR Cup Series Final Practice – Kansas 1 p.m. NBCSN
NASCAR America 2 p.m. NBCSN
NASCAR Xfinity Series Countdown to Green 2:30 p.m. NBC
NASCAR Xfinity Series Race – Kansas 3 p.m. NBC
Sunday, Oct. 21 NASCAR America 1:30 p.m. NBC
NASCAR Cup Series Countdown to Green 2 p.m. NBC
NASCAR Cup Series Race – Kansas 2:30 p.m. NBC
NASCAR Cup Series Post-Race Show 6 p.m. NBCSN
Victory Lap 6:30 p.m. NBCSN
Proving Grounds 7:30 p.m. NBCSN
/DRIVE 8 p.m. NBCSN

 

For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com.

 

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