FOX NASCAR at Sonoma Raceway & Gateway Motorsports Park Quotes & Programming Schedule
MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES Live on FS1 Sunday from Sonoma in Season Finale of FOX Sports’ 18th Consecutive Season
FS1 Also Features NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES Saturday & ARCA RACING SERIES Friday from Gateway
Fourth-Annual “Byrnsie Award,” Named in Honor of Late FOX NASCAR Broadcaster Steve Byrnes, to be Presented Sunday during NASCAR RACEDAY
CHARLOTTE, NC – To cap its 18th consecutive season of MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES coverage, FOX Sports telecasts its 16th and final Cup Series race of 2018 this weekend on FS1 (Sunday, June 24 at 3:00 PM ET), as well the NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES race from Gateway Motorsports Park (Saturday, June 23 at 8:30 PM ET). Additionally, FS2 offers live coverage of the ARCA RACING SERIES from Gateway Friday at 9:00 PM ET.
While FOX NASCAR’s 2018 MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES race coverage concludes this weekend, live coverage of the entire NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES schedule continues through the end of the season.
During the week, FS1’s NASCAR RACE HUB, NASCAR’s most-watched daily news and information program, continues throughout the season Mondays through Thursdays at 6:00 PM ET.
NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES PRODUCTION:
Saturday’s NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES race from Gateway marks the third of eight Truck Series races airing on FOX Sports this year that is remotely produced from the NASCAR Plaza or FOX Sports studios in Charlotte. For remotely produced events, FOX Sports’ booth announcers work from the Charlotte studio, while pit reporters are on-location at the track.
“THE BYRNSIE AWARD” TO BE PRESENTED DURING NASCAR RACEDAY FROM SONOMA:
During Sunday’s NASCAR RACEDAY pre-race coverage, FOX NASCAR will announce the recipient of the fourth-annual “The Byrnsie Award.” In honor of late FOX NASCAR broadcaster Steve Byrnes, nicknamed “Byrnsie,” the award was established in 2015 to honor an individual in the MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES who embodies principles Byrnes demonstrated daily in his personal and professional life — preparation, teamwork and family within the garage area. The winner was selected by the FOX NASCAR broadcast team, of which Byrnes was a member since the network’s first race broadcast in February 2001. Byrnes passed away in April 2015 following a courageous battle with cancer. His son, Bryson Byrnes, will introduce the award on-camera from the NASCAR RACE HUB studios in Charlotte, N.C.
LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON FOR ARCA RACING SERIES RACE TELECAST AT GATEWAY:
It’s all in the family for the FOX Sports broadcast team covering this weekend’s ARCA RACING SERIES race at Gateway Motorsports Park. FOX NASCAR play-by-play announcer Vince Welch will call the ARCA action on FS2, while his son, Dillon Welch, covers pit road. Although Dillon has begun to forge his own broadcasting path with appearances on FOX Sports and MRN, among other outlets, Gateway marks the first time the father/son duo has been on the same broadcast team for a race. Dillon, 24, also served as a FOX Sports pit reporter for the series’ season opener at Daytona in February.
QUOTES & PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE:
Below is programming information for the weekend ahead, as well as quotes from FOX NASCAR analysts Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Gordon, as well as Vince Welch, FOX NASCAR pit reporter/NCWTS play-by-play announcer, and FOX NASCAR pit reporters Jamie Little and Matt Yocum.
MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
- Date/Time: Sunday, June 24 (3:00 PM ET)
- Network: FS1
- Announcers: Mike Joy, Hall of Famer and three-time champion Darrell Waltrip, 2019 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee and four-time champ Jeff Gordon, and Larry McReynolds
- Pit reporters: Jamie Little, Matt Yocum and Regan Smith
- Pre-race: NASCAR RACEDAY (1:30 PM ET on FS1); hosted by Chris Myers with Michael Waltrip, Gordon and Darrell Waltrip
- Hosts: Myers and Michael Waltrip
- FOX NASCAR production staff: Barry Landis (race producer); Artie Kempner (race director); Richie Zyontz (coordinating producer); and Jake Jolivette (pre-race producer)
NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES (Gateway)
- Date/Time: Saturday, June 23 (8:30 PM ET)
- Network: FS1
- Announcers: Vince Welch, Todd Bodine and Phil Parsons
- Pit reporters: Hermie Sadler and Alan Cavanna
- Pre-race: NASCAR RACEDAY-NCWTS (8:00 PM ET on FS1); hosted by John Roberts with analyst Jeff Hammond; reporting by Sadler and Cavanna
- FOX NASCAR production staff: Mark Smith (race producer); Roger Vincent (race director); Pete Richards (coordinating producer)
ARCA RACING SERIES (Gateway)
- Date/Time: Friday, June 22 (9:00 PM ET)
- Network: FS2
- Announcers: Vince Welch and Phil Parsons
- Pit reporters: Jim Tretow and Dillon Welch
FOX NASCAR QUOTES
On the key to performing well at Sonoma:
“You must finesse a lap at Sonoma. You can’t overdrive the car or be overly aggressive.”
–Jeff Gordon
On the toughest part of the course at Sonoma:
“Turn 7 is the toughest turn on the course. There are no brake markers and it’s easy to lock up the tires or wheel hop the corner.”
–Jeff Gordon
On the physical demands on a driver at Sonoma:
“There’s no good place to rest, take a drink or breathe at Sonoma. Plus, it’s going to be very hot there this weekend. Although it’s a fairly short race, Sonoma is one of the most demanding races of the year for a driver.”
–Jeff Gordon
“You can never relax at Sonoma because the car is always doing something, more so than at Watkins Glen, which has nice straightaways. The driver is always fighting the car at Sonoma.”
–Darrell Waltrip
As FOX concludes its 2018 MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES season this weekend at Sonoma, what has been the biggest surprise for you?
“The biggest surprise has been Stewart-Haas Racing. I expected them to be improved over last year, but seven wins in the first half of the season? Wow. Even more impressive is the fact it could have been more.”
–Vince Welch
“The biggest surprise has been the lack of competitiveness of Hendrick Motorsports. Coming into the season, there was so much buzz about the new Camaro, and many thought they would be a major threat. That certainly has not been the case. It has been a bigger struggle for them than I could have imagined, especially for Jimmie Johnson.”
–Jamie Little
What has been the best moment of the season to-date?
“The best moment was the No. 3 returning to Victory Lane at Daytona. The last lap drama, the contact, the pass, the celebration, the history — all at the sport’s biggest race. It’s hard to top that emotion.”
–Vince Welch
“The best moment so far was the finish of the Daytona 500 and Austin Dillon getting the No. 3 back to Victory Lane there.”
–Jamie Little
“The best moment was Clint Bowyer walking up the front stretch at Martinsville after winning the race, and his son, Cash, running to him. That’s a once-in-a-lifetime family moment.”
—Matt Yocum
What has been the biggest story of the season?
“That’s a tough one. The ‘big 3’ – Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr. and Kevin Harvick – have made all the headlines, and their dominance probably is the biggest story. But the most impactful story has been the team roster limits and the new pit guns.”
<strong>–Matt Yocum
FOX NASCAR AT SONOMA RACEWAY & GATEWAY MOTORSPORTS PARK
PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE
(All times live/Eastern unless otherwise indicated & subject to change)
Friday, June 22
MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES practice (2:30-4:00 PM) (FS1)
MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES final practice (5:30-7:00 PM) (FS1)
NASCAR RACE HUB: WEEKEND EDITION (7:00-7:30 PM) (FS1)
NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES final practice (Gateway) (7:30-8:30 PM) (FS2)
ARCA RACING SERIES Racing (Gateway) (9:00-11:00 PM) (FS2)
Saturday, June 23
MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES qualifying (2:30-4:00 PM) (FS1)
NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES qualifying (Gateway) (7:00-8:00 PM) (FS1) (delayed)
NASCAR RACEDAY-NCWTS (Gateway) (8:00-8:30 PM) (FS1)
NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES Racing (Gateway) (8:30-11:00 PM) (FS1)
Sunday, June 24
NASCAR RACEDAY (1:30-3:00 PM) (FS1)
MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES Racing (3:00-6:30 PM) (FS1)
