NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 8 CUTOFF RACE Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock; Pre-Race Coverage Begins at 1:30 p.m. ET
Who Will Join Kyle Larson? Three Final Championship Positions Remain Open
Xfinity Series Championship 4 to be Decided Saturday at 5:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN; Green Flag at 6 p.m. ET
New Dale Jr. Download Features Former NASCAR Driver Shawna Robinson Tonight at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN
STAMFORD, Conn. – Oct. 28, 2021 – The Championship 4 in the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series will be decided at Martinsville Speedway this weekend with race coverage on NBC, NBCSN and Peacock. Countdown to Green pre-race coverage will be presented Sunday, Oct. 31, at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, leading into the green flag waving shortly after 2 p.m. ET. A half-hour NASCAR America will air immediately following the conclusion of the race on NBCSN. Three of the four positions in the Championship 4 remain up for grabs ahead of the season finale next weekend at Phoenix Raceway.
The Xfinity Series Playoffs Round of 8 cutoff race will be presented under the lights Saturday, Oct. 30, at 6 p.m. ET with a 30-minute edition of Countdown to Green getting underway at 5:30 p.m. ET from Martinsville on NBCSN. The race will mark the final opportunity for a playoff driver to secure a berth in the Championship 4 field with a victory after having failed to do so the past two weeks.
Kyle Larson registered his third consecutive Cup Series victory with his win Sunday at Kansas Speedway and is the only driver to secure a spot in the Championship 4, the first time in his career. On Saturday, Ty Gibbs won his fourth Xfinity Series race of the season at Kansas.
2021 NASCAR CUP SERIES PLAYOFF STANDINGS ROUND OF 8
| Drivers | Points |
| Kyle Larson | Advanced to Championship 4 |
| Chase Elliott | 4107 (+34) |
| Denny Hamlin | 4105 (+32) |
| Kyle Busch | 4074 (+1) |
| Ryan Blaney | 4073 (-1) |
| Martin Truex Jr. | 4071 (-3) |
| Brad Keselowski | 4068 (-6) |
| Joey Logano | 4048 (-26) |
One of the premier auto creators on social media with a following over three million, Forrest Jones stars in the latest iteration of the NBC Sports content series Up to Speed, promoting to this weekend’s Playoff Cup Series elimination race across his platforms.
NBC Sports’ lead NASCAR race announcer Rick Allen will call the Cup and Xfinity Series Playoff races this weekend from Martinsville alongside Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte, 21-time Cup Series race winner and “The Mayor” of NASCAR Jeff Burton, and two-time Daytona 500 Champion and NASCAR Hall of Fame selection Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Marty Snider, Dave Burns, Parker Kligerman, and Dillon Welch will contribute coverage from pit road during this weekend’s races. NBC Sports’ Rutledge Wood will provide reports, including celebrating Halloween, throughout Sunday’s race.
Marty Snider will anchor pre-race coverage this weekend alongside auto racing icon Kyle Petty and NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Dale Jarrett from pit road. Pre-race coverage on Sunday will feature an interview with motorsports star and current Nitro Rallycross driver Travis Pastrana and Rutledge Wood.
Petty and Jarrett will provide commentary during NASCAR America post-race coverage Saturday and Sunday on NBCSN.
NASCAR Pick ‘Em: NBC Sports’ free-to-play game, NASCAR Pick ‘Em, features a weekly contest for each NASCAR Cup Series race. NASCAR Pick ‘Em is available for download now on the NBC Sports Predictor app powered by PointsBet (available in the App Store and Google Play Store) and at nbcsports.com/predictor.
BROADCAST TEAM
- Play by Play: Rick Allen
- Analysts: Steve Letarte, Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- Pit Reporters: Marty Snider, Dave Burns, Parker Kligerman, Dillon Welch
- Specialty Reporter: Rutledge Wood
STUDIO TEAM
- Host: Marty Snider
- Analysts: Kyle Petty, Dale Jarrett
HOW TO WATCH
- TV – NBC, NBCSN
- Streaming – NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app, Peacock
| Date | Coverage | Network/Platform | Time (ET) |
| Sat., Oct. 30 | Countdown to Green – NASCAR Xfinity Series | NBCSN | 5:30 p.m. |
| NASCAR Xfinity Series Racing at Martinsville Speedway | NBCSN | 6 p.m. | |
| NASCAR America Post Race – NASCAR Xfinity Series | NBCSN | 8:30 p.m. | |
| Sun., Oct. 31 | Countdown to Green – NASCAR Cup Series | NBC, Peacock | 1:30 p.m. |
| NASCAR Cup Series Racing at Martinsville Speedway | NBC, Peacock | 2 p.m. | |
| NASCAR America Post Race – NASCAR Cup Series | NBCSN | 6 p.m. |
DALE JR. DOWNLOAD
Former NASCAR driver Shawna Robinson, who was the first woman to win a NASCAR-sanctioned event, is this week’s guest on the Dale Jr. Download episode that airs tonight at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
Produced on-site at Dirty Mo Media Studios in Mooresville, N.C., the Dale Jr. Download on NBCSN takes viewers couch-side for the taping of the motorsports icon’s weekly podcast, featuring unparalleled perspective, candid commentary, and insight that fans have come to expect from Dale Jr.
--NBC SPORTS--
