CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Poised for its 25th consecutive season of NASCAR coverage and its 22nd Daytona 500 broadcast, tying it for the most by any television network in NASCAR history, FOX Sports announces its broadcaster lineup for the 2025 Daytona Speedweeks and 2025 NASCAR season. (more…)
Mike Joy
NASCAR Cup Series News & Notes – Darlington Raceway
The NASCAR Cup Series is on a blast to the past this weekend at Darlington Raceway, as NASCAR legends of today and yesteryear come together to celebrate Throwback Weekend and the series competes in the 13th race of the 2023 season, the Goodyear 400 on Sunday, May 14 at 3 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Special One-Hour NASCAR Race Hub: 75 Years Of Racing Airs December 4 On Fox
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In celebration of NASCAR’s 75th anniversary season in 2023, FOX Sports presents a special edition of NASCAR RACE HUB airing Sunday, Dec. 4, on FOX (check local listings for airtime). The one-hour special, NASCAR RACE HUB: 75 YEARS OF RACING, features multiple roundtable interviews with past and present NASCAR champions and current superstars of the sport.
Rain Doesn’t Dampen Vintage Spirit During Historic Festival 40 Finale at Lime Rock Park
LAKEVILLE, CT (5 September 2022)- The uncertain forecast didn’t dampen the final day of the Historic Festival 40 presented by Corvette, as drivers braved the variable track conditions to put on a show for the faithful Lime Rock Park fans who endured the rain on Monday.
“The Spoiler” Ryan Blaney Steals Atlanta Win
FOX NASCAR Booth Featuring Mike Joy, Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer Ready for Daytona Debut
Jamie Little Makes Historic First Laps as ARCA RACING SERIES Play-By-Play Announcer
Three-Time NASCAR CUP SERIES Champion, Hall-of-Famer Tony Stewart Joins Adam Alexander and Bowyer in NASCAR XFINITY SERIES Booth
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Starting the engines on its 21st season of NASCAR coverage and its 18th as home to The Great American Race, FOX Sports sets its Daytona Speedweeks talent assignments. (more…)
FOX AND FOX DEPORTES PRIMED FOR FOUR CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF LIVE NASCAR ACTION BEGINNING WITH SUNDAY’S COCA-COLA 600
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – FOX NASCAR is live from Charlotte Motor Speedway for four consecutive days during Memorial Day Weekend beginning with the 61st running of the COCA-COLA 600, NASCAR’s longest race, on Sunday, May 24 (6:00 PM ET on FOX and FOX Deportes), followed by on-track action through Wednesday, May 27.
Continuing a tradition that started in 2009, FOX NASCAR honors American service members who have fallen in the past year with “FOX Sports Remembers” during Sunday’s COCA-COLA 600 broadcast. The tribute features a running scroll on-screen listing the name of every U.S. service member who lost his or her life at home or abroad since last year’s Memorial Day Weekend race.
Mike Joy, Jeff Gordon and Larry McReynolds call Sunday’s COCA-COLA 600 from the FOX Sports studios in Charlotte. Reporters Jamie Little and Regan Smith cover the action live from the track. FOX Deportes broadcasters, play-by-play announcer Tony Rivera and analyst Jessi Losada, are live from the FOX Deportes studios in Los Angeles. A special edition of NASCAR RACE HUB airs on Sunday (5:30 PM ET on FOX) immediately prior to the race, while FS1 airs qualifying for the Coca-Cola 600 live at 2:00 PM ET on Sunday.
For the first-ever scheduled NASCAR race on Memorial Day, Adam Alexander, Jamie McMurray and NASCAR CUP SERIES driver Clint Bowyer call Monday’s NASCAR XFINITY SERIES race from the Charlotte studio with at-track reporting by Matt Yocum. The race airs live on FS1 at 7:30 PM ET, preceded by NASCAR RACE HUB at 6:30 PM ET on FS1. Rivera and Losada are on the call for FOX Deportes from Los Angeles.
On Tuesday, May 26, at 8:00 PM ET on FS1, the NASCAR GANDER RV & OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES returns to action at Charlotte. Vince Welch, Phil Parsons and Michael Waltrip call the action from the Charlotte studio with Alan Cavanna reporting from pit road. Rivera and Losada have the call from the FOX Deportes studios.
For Wednesday’s 300-mile NASCAR CUP SERIES encore, Joy, Gordon and McReynolds are back in the studio for the call on FS1 (8:00 PM ET) with Welch reporting from the track. NASCAR RACE HUB airs on FS1 at 7:00 PM ET. FOX Deportes offers live coverage with Losada and Rivera calling the race.
Following Charlotte, NASCAR heads to Bristol Motor Speedway, followed by Atlanta Motor Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. Additional race date announcements are forthcoming.
DATE | RACE | SERIES | NETWORK | TIME (ET) | |
Saturday, May 30 | Bristol 1 | Xfinity | FS1/FOX Deportes | 3:30 PM | |
Sunday, May 31 | Bristol 1 | Cup | FS1/FOX Deportes | 3:30 PM | |
Saturday, June 06 | Atlanta | Trucks | FS1 | 1:00 PM | |
Saturday, June 06 | Atlanta | Xfinity | FOX | 4:30 PM | |
Sunday, June 07 | Atlanta | Cup | FOX/FOX Deportes | 3:00 PM | |
Wednesday, June 10 | Martinsville 1 | Cup | FS1/FOX Deportes | 7:00 PM | |
Saturday, June 13 | Miami | Trucks | FS1 | 12:30 PM | |
Saturday, June 13 | Miami | Xfinity | FOX | 3:30 PM | |
Sunday, June 14 | Miami | Xfinity | FS1 | 12:00 PM | |
Sunday, June 14 | Miami | Cup | FOX/FOX Deportes | 3:30 PM | |
Saturday, June 20 | Talladega | ARCA | FS1 | 2:00 PM | |
Saturday, June 20 | Talladega | Xfinity | FS1 | 5:30 PM | |
Sunday, June 21 | Talladega 1 | Cup | FOX/FOX Deportes | 3:00 PM |
About FOX Sports
FOX Sports is the umbrella entity representing FOX Corporation’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets. Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, the business has ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing relationships. FOX Sports includes the sports television arm of the FOX Network; FS1, FS2, FOX Soccer Plus and FOX Deportes. FOX Sports’ digital properties include FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports App, which provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content, instant scores, stats and alerts to iOS and Android devices. Additionally, FOX Sports and social broadcasting platform Caffeine jointly own Caffeine Studios which creates exclusive eSports, sports and live entertainment content. Also included in FOX Sports’ portfolio are FOX’s interests in joint-venture business Big Ten Network, a licensing and commercial relationship with The Stars Group that created the FOX Bet sports betting platform and the FOX Sports Super 6 free-to-play game, as well as a licensing agreement that established the FOX Sports Radio Network.
FOX NASCAR Resumes Live Action From Historic Darlington Raceway Sunday, May 17 on FOX
FOX Sports Honors Health Care Workers Across the Country with Special Grand Marshal Initiative to Kick off Sunday’s Race
Mike Joy, Jeff Gordon and Larry McReynolds Call Race from Charlotte Studio; Regan Smith Reports Live from Darlington
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – FOX NASCAR resumes its 20th consecutive season of coverage at historic Darlington Raceway on Sunday, May 17 (3:30 PM ET on FOX), with a live broadcast of the first NASCAR CUP SERIES race in 10 weeks. Sunday’s 400-mile event marks the first of seven races at two tracks across three series in the span of 10 days, all airing on the FOX family of networks and the FOX Sports app. The NASCAR XFINITY SERIES returns to Darlington on Tuesday, May 19 (8:00 PM ET on FS1 and FOX Deportes), followed by a second NASCAR CUP SERIES race, a midweek 300-miler, on Wednesday, May 20 (7:30 PM ET on FS1 and FOX Deportes).
To honor those who selflessly have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 battle, NASCAR, FOX Sports and its local affiliates have selected 36 health care workers from various markets across the country to serve as special grand marshals for Sunday’s return race at Darlington. These local heroes appear in an on-air mosaic to simultaneously give the command to start engines. NASCAR drivers, who have been paired with these local heroes, will be posting videos to their social channels to honor these individuals on Thursday, May 14, around 7:00 PM ET.
Mike Joy, Jeff Gordon and Larry McReynolds call Sunday’s race from the FOX Sports studios in Charlotte. Reporter Regan Smith covers the action live from Darlington. Race producer Barry Landis is based in Charlotte with the broadcast team, while director Artie Kempner is positioned at the track. FOX Deportes broadcasters, play-by-play announcer Tony Rivera and analyst Jessi Losada, are live from the FOX Deportes studios in Los Angeles. A special edition of NASCAR RACE HUB airs on Sunday (3:00 PM ET on FOX) immediately prior to the race.
“We are thrilled for the return of FOX NASCAR this weekend and are incredibly honored to use this time to acknowledge health care workers across the country as they help us kick off Sunday’s race from Darlington,” said Mark Silverman, President, National Networks, FOX Sports. “The health and safety of our employees and all involved remains paramount, and we will continue working in lockstep with our partners at NASCAR and the racetracks to follow all national, state and local health guidelines.”
Adam Alexander, Michael Waltrip and NASCAR CUP SERIES driver Clint Bowyer call Tuesday’s NASCAR XFINITY SERIES Darlington race from the Charlotte studio with at-track reporting by Smith. NASCAR RACE HUB airs at 7:00 PM ET on FS1 immediately preceding the Xfinity race. For Wednesday’s NASCAR CUP SERIES encore at Darlington, Joy, Gordon and McReynolds return to the studio for the call with reporter Matt Yocum live from the track, with a 6:30 PM ET edition of NASCAR RACE HUB airing immediately before on FS1.
Following Darlington, NASCAR heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway for a four-race run that kicks off with the 61st running of the COCA-COLA 600 on Sunday, May 24 (6:00 PM ET on FOX and FOX Deportes), its customary Memorial Day Weekend spot.
Below is the FOX NASCAR broadcast schedule for the current slate of the next seven races:
DATE | TRACK | SERIES | NETWORKS | START (ET) |
Sun., May 17 | Darlington | Cup | FOX/FOX Deportes | 3:30 PM |
Tue., May 19 | Darlington | Xfinity | FS1/FOX Deportes | 8:00 PM |
Wed., May 20 | Darlington | Cup | FS1/FOX Deportes | 7:30 PM |
Sun., May 24 | Charlotte | Cup (qualifying) | FS1 | 2:00 PM |
Sun., May 24 | Charlotte | Cup | FOX/FOX Deportes | 6:00 PM |
Mon., May 25 | Charlotte | Xfinity | FS1/FOX Deportes | 7:30 PM |
Tue., May 26 | Charlotte | Gander Trucks | FS1/FOX Deportes | 8:00 PM |
Wed., May 27 | Charlotte | Cup | FS1/ FOX Deportes | 8:00 PM |
About FOX Sports
FOX Sports is the umbrella entity representing FOX Corporation’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets. Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, the business has ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing relationships. FOX Sports includes the sports television arm of the FOX Network; FS1, FS2, FOX Soccer Plus and FOX Deportes. FOX Sports’ digital properties include FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports App, which provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content, instant scores, stats and alerts to iOS and Android devices. Additionally, FOX Sports and social broadcasting platform Caffeine jointly own Caffeine Studios which creates exclusive eSports, sports and live entertainment content. Also included in FOX Sports’ portfolio are FOX’s interests in joint-venture business Big Ten Network, a licensing and commercial relationship with The Stars Group that created the FOX Bet sports betting platform and the FOX Sports Super 6 free-to-play game, as well as a licensing agreement that established the FOX Sports Radio Network.
Talladega Invitational Advance – Daniel Suárez Taking CommScope Toyota to ‘Dega
Details: |
• Race: GEICO 70 (Round 5) • Series: eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series • Time/Date: 1 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 26 • Location: Virtual Talladega Superspeedway (2.66-mile oval) • Distance: 70 laps (186.2 miles)
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Where to Watch: |
• FOX network • Announcers: Jeff Gordon, Mike Joy and Larry McReynolds, with in-race commentary from Clint Bowyer. • FS1 (DIRECTV Channel 219 and Dish Channel 150) • FOX Sports Racing for fans in Canada
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DYK?: |
• We Need a Bigger Podium: Last Sunday’s eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race from virtual Richmond Raceway had 971,000 viewers tune in to the simulcast on FOX and FS1, making it the third-most watched esports event in U.S. television history. The March 29 eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race from virtual Texas Motor Speedway remains on the podium’s top step with 1.34 million viewers. The April 5 eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race from virtual Bristol Motor Speedway takes the second step with 1.179 million viewers. The first eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race March 22 at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway earned 903,000 viewers on FS1 alone. And while the Texas race dwarfed that number by 47 percent, the Homestead race was, for at least one week, the most watched esports event in U.S. television history, having bested the previous record of 770,000 viewers when Mortal Kombat aired on The CW in 2016.
• iRacing’s Real-World Context: Last Sunday’s eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race from Richmond was the second-most watched sports event of the weekend. The most-watched sports event? Michael Jordan ‘The Last Dance’ documentary on ESPN.
• New Viewers Assimilate to Sim Racing: According to Nielsen, one million unique viewers who did not watch any of the four real-life NASCAR Cup Series races prior to the sports industry’s necessary hiatus to combat the spread of the coronavirus did tune in to one of the four eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series races held thus far.
• Kind of a Big Deal: A total of 5.4 million unique viewers have watched at least one eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race via FOX, FS1 and the FOX Sports app.
• Bet On It: The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series has been cleared and approved by the Nevada Gaming Control Board for wagering. Two types of bets are allowed for the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series: winner of the race and head-to-head winner between drivers. Provisions for licensing the event includes a posting of the official rules for the tournament organizer and that all bets must cease once a race has started. Additionally, each bookmaker is allowed to create its own odds.
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Daniel Suárez, Driver of the No. 96 CommScope Toyota Camry: |
“It’s our first race on a superspeedway after racing on the short tracks the last two weeks. I have no idea what to expect, to be honest. I don’t know if there’s anything different we can do to prepare for this one. The real races on the superspeedways are already unpredictable. I think you can say, for sure, that this one will be even more unpredictable after some of the crazy things we have seen happen on the short tracks the last few weeks. The key to winning on the superspeedway is always about being smart and patient, so that will need to happen this week, for sure. It would be great to have a really good finish with our CommScope Toyota.”
• This is Suárez’s fourth eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race.
• Suárez started sixth and finished 18th in the previous eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race – the Toyota Owners 150 at Richmond.
• In actual NASCAR Cup Series racing at Talladega, Suárez has six career starts with a best finish of 10th (April 2018).
• Outside of the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega, Suárez has three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts (best finish is seventh in April 2016) and one NASCAR Gander Outdoors & RV Truck Series start (finished 15th in October 2014).
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Background: |
• The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series is an exhibition esports series featuring a collection of past and present racecar drivers from the NASCAR Cup Series.
• The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series is a multi-week series emulating the original 2020 NASCAR Cup Series schedule.
• With the sports world on hiatus due to the coronavirus, the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series exists in place of actual NASCAR events.
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About Gaunt Brothers Racing: |
Gaunt Brothers Racing (GBR) fields the No. 96 Toyota Camry for driver Daniel Suárez in the NASCAR Cup Series. The Mooresville, North Carolina-based team is owned by Marty Gaunt, the CEO of Triad Racing Technologies. Gaunt founded GBR in 2010, with his eponymous team starting out in the Canada-based NASCAR Pinty’s Series and the U.S.-based NASCAR K&N Pro Series. Its first driver, Jason Bowles, scored GBR’s maiden victory in the 2011 Toyota All-Star Showdown at Irwindale Speedway in California, with the precursor to that win being the pole position in track-record time at the 2011 Streets of Toronto 100. After seven years competing in NASCAR’s development divisions, Gaunt stepped up to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2017, entering the Daytona 500 with driver D.J. Kennington. After running a part-time NASCAR Cup Series schedule in 2018 and 2019 where GBR made a total of 37 starts with a handful of drivers, GBR committed to a full schedule in 2020. For more information, please visit us online at www.GauntBrothersRacing.com, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ |
KYLE BUSCH eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Talladega Advance
Details: |
• Event: GEICO 70 (Round 5) • Series: eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series
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Where to Watch: |
• FOX network • Announcers: Jeff Gordon, Mike Joy and Larry McReynolds, with in-race commentary from Clint Bowyer. • FS1 (DIRECTV Channel 219 and Dish Channel 150) • FOX Sports Racing for fans in Canada
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DYK?: |
• We Need a Bigger Podium: Last Sunday’s eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race from virtual Richmond Raceway had 971,000 viewers tune in to the simulcast on FOX and FS1, making it the third-most watched esports event in U.S. television history. The March 29 eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race from virtual Texas Motor Speedway remains on the podium’s top step with 1.34 million viewers. The April 5 eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race from virtual Bristol Motor Speedway takes the second step with 1.179 million viewers. The first eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race March 22 at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway earned 903,000 viewers on FS1 alone. And while the Texas race dwarfed that number by 47 percent, the Homestead race was, for at least one week, the most watched esports event in U.S. television history, having bested the previous record of 770,000 viewers when Mortal Kombat aired on The CW in 2016.
• iRacing’s Real-World Context: Last Sunday’s eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race from Richmond was the second-most watched sports event of the weekend. The most-watched sports event? Michael Jordan ‘The Last Dance’ documentary on ESPN.
• New Viewers Assimilate to Sim Racing: According to Nielsen, one million unique viewers who did not watch any of the four real-life NASCAR Cup Series races prior to the sports industry’s necessary hiatus to combat the spread of the coronavirus did tune in to one of the four eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series races held thus far.
• Kind of a Big Deal: A total of 5.4 million unique viewers have watched at least one eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race via FOX, FS1 and the FOX Sports app.
• Bet On It: The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series has been cleared and approved by the Nevada Gaming Control Board for wagering. Two types of bets are allowed for the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series: winner of the race and head-to-head winner between drivers. Provisions for licensing the event includes a posting of the official rules for the tournament organizer and that all bets must cease once a race has started. Additionally, each bookmaker is allowed to create its own odds.
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KYLE BUSCH, Driver of the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry: |
What are you expecting at virtual Talladega this weekend?
“I got a chance to run in the Replacements race on Tuesday night, so that was my first taste of Talladega in iRacing. It had a lot of the same factors that you deal with running the real thing. You just have to try and stay out of trouble and put yourself in a position to have a shot toward the end of the race. The biggest difference is, obviously, there’s a lot less consequences and no torn-up equipment like the real thing. Looking forward to running our green Lightning Interstate Batteries scheme this weekend. Also want to give a shout out to everyone in the Interstate Batteries family who are keeping vehicles moving with everything going on right now in the world.”
Is there anything you’ve picked up on that may help you when you get back to the track for the regular races?
“Anything is a tool. You can use a tool any way you want. It’s no different than running in the sim rig that Toyota and TRD and the other manufacturers have to simulate the real thing. This can be used in the same respect. You just have to know how to use it and how that tool can work for you. Trying to figure out and remember what I am used to doing on the real racetrack and then coming to the iRacing sim and vice versa. It’s all about reps and doing something repetitive to get better. Someone told me recently that one of the racers for the Pro League for NASCAR spent 2,000 laps of practice at a particular track and getting better lap by lap and figuring it out. That’s unheard of. Even when we go do a test in our real life racecar – let’s use Bristol as an example as a short track: I might have run 300 to 350 laps – that’s all you do in real life. So when you hear someone talk about 2,000, that’s just an astronomical number in real life.”
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Busch Talladega Notes: |
• This will be Busch’s fifth-ever iRacing start in a virtual NASCAR Cup Series race.
• This is not Interstate Batteries first foray into the world of eNASCAR, as the company was the founding partner of Gibbs Gaming, in addition to being a founding partner of Joe Gibbs Racing back in 1992. For 2020, Interstate Batteries is a weekly sponsor on the No. 18 Toyota driven by Graham Bolin in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series.
• In addition to Interstate’s extensive involvement in iRacing, Busch’s Rowdy Energy Drink is a sponsor on the No. 51 Toyota driven by Malik Ray in the weekly eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series for JGR.
• William Hartman, Busch’s engineer on his regular No. 18 Toyota Camry Cup Series car, has been serving as crew chief for Busch each week. In addition to Hartman, Busch’s real-life spotter, Tony Hirschman, is spotting from his from his home in Pennsylvania.
• In actual NASCAR Cup Series racing at Talladega, Busch has one win, six top-five and eight top-10 finishes in 29 career starts.
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Pro Invitational Background |
• The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series is an exhibition esports series featuring a collection of past and present racecar drivers from the NASCAR Cup Series.
• The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series is a multi-week series emulating the original 2020 NASCAR Cup Series schedule.
• With the sports world on a necessary hiatus to combat the spread of the coronavirus, the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series exists in place of actual NASCAR events. |