FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 5th, 2019

SEASON TWO OF AUTOMOTIVE REALITY SERIES PROVING GROUNDS RETURNS TO NBCSN SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 AT 7:30 P.M. ET

NASCAR Driver and NBC Sports Analyst Parker Kligerman and Automotive Journalist Sam Smith Return to Host Hit NBCSN Motorsports Show with Sports Car Champion Driver Leh Keen 

30-Minute Show Tests a Variety of Cars from American-Made to Overseas Imports; Watch Season Two Preview 

Season Six of /DRIVE on NBCSN Airs Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET Following Proving Grounds 

NBC Sports Presents More Than 25 Hours of Mecum Auctions Coverage from Dallas This Week on NBCSN

STAMFORD, Conn. September 5, 2019Proving Grounds, a reality series featuring a fast-paced immersion into auto racing and testing, returns for Season Two this Sunday, September 8 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, immediately following Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wrap up show Victory Lap from Indianapolis.

The hit show will return for its second season featuring seven episodes that will test a variety of cars from American-built to European exotics on a custom-built track in Southern California. Proving Grounds is hosted by NASCAR driver and NBC Sports analyst Parker Kligerman and Road & Track editor Sam Smith, and features Sports Car Champion driver Leh Keen. A preview of Proving Grounds is available here.

“When we were given a Season Two of Proving Grounds, myself, Sam Smith, Leh Keen, and the entire production crew decided to get incredibly ambitious” said Kligerman. “We created the car show that we have always wanted to make. I hope the viewers have as much fun watching it as we did making it.”

Kligerman, Smith and Keen gauge speed, performance and fun across 20 different vehicles including Kligerman’s own No. 96 Toyota Camry Cup Car, a Porsche 911, a Hennessy Velociraptor and a Fiat 500 Abarth. Each vehicle is put through a variety of obstacles including speed bumps, wet pavement, a chicane and even a herd of fake deer.

Proving Grounds complements NBC Sports’ robust catalogue of motorsports properties that exceeds 1,500 programming hours in 2019, including NASCAR, INDYCAR, Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, Supercross and Mecum Auctions.

New episodes of Proving Grounds will air Sundays on NBCSN immediately following NBC Sports’ coverage of the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races in Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Richmond, Dover, Martinsville, Texas, and the championship in Homestead.

PROVING GROUNDS TELECAST SCHEDULE ON NBCSN:

Date Show Time (ET)
Sun., Sept. 8 Episode 1: It’s a Good Car 7:30 p.m.
Sun., Sept. 15 Episode 2: Faster and Louderer 11:30 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 21 Episode 3: The Under 40k Special 12 a.m.
Sun., Oct. 6 Episode 4: The Fast and the Ridiculous 7:30 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 27 Episode 5: Agile, Affluent, or Airborne 8:30 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 3 Episode 6: The RAD Episode 8:30 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 17 Episode 7: Eat Dirt 8 p.m.

In addition, the premiere of sixth season of /DRIVE on NBCSN airs Sunday at 8 p.m. ET following the Season Two premiere of Proving Grounds. /DRIVE on NBCSN goes beyond the boundaries of traditional car shows and investigates the cultural crossroads in automotive history. Hosts Mike Spinelli and Chris Harris are joined by a rotating cast of characters, including Alex Roy, Zack Klapman, and Kristen Lee. A preview for /DRIVE on NBCSN is available here.

/DRIVE ON NBCSN TELECAST SCHEDULE:

Date Title Time (ET)
Sun., Sept. 8 Episode 1: NYC 8 p.m.
Sun., Sept. 15 Episode 2: Dirty Motorsports 12 a.m.
Sat., Sept. 21 Episode 3: IMSA 3 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 6 Episode 4: Electric Mayhem 8 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 3 Episode 6: AMG 9 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 17 Episode 7: Morocco Road Trip 8:30 p.m.

NBC SPORTS PRESENTS MORE THAN 25 HOURS OF MECUM AUCTIONS COVERAGE FROM DALLAS THIS WEEK ON NBCSN

More than 1,000 vehicles will cross the auction block at this week’s Mecum Auctions event at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas, Tex. Among them is an array of Dodge models, including a 1971 Hemi Charger R/T and a 1969 Daytona, and vehicles from the Peter Swainson Collection. Prominent vehicles from the Tommy Cronk Collection will also be on display, as well as the Buick GS Quartet.

Coverage begins on Wednesday on NBCSN with live three-hour blocks of auction action from Dallas. Coverage continues Thursday at noon ET with a five-hour live window on NBCSN. NBCSN will present coverage from Dallas throughout the weekend.

Scott Hoke will host NBCSN’s Mecum Auctions coverage on-site in Dallas this week, alongside analysts John KramanStephen CoxBill Stephens, and Katie Osborne.

Following is NBC Sports’ Mecum Auctions: Dallas telecast schedule on NBCSN:

Date Coverage Time (ET)
Thur., Sept. 5 Mecum Auctions: Dallas 12 p.m.
Mecum Auctions: Dallas (Encore) 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 6 Mecum Auctions: Dallas* 9 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 7 Mecum Auctions: Dallas* 8 p.m.
Sun., Sept. 8 Mecum Auctions: Dallas* 8:30 p.m.

*delayed coverage     

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–