FOX NASCAR Ready for Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday and “Drivers Only” Broadcast on Saturday
NASCAR’s Longest Race, the COCA-COLA 600, Live on FOX Sunday; Third-Annual “Drivers Only (+Chad)” NASCAR XFINITY SERIES Race Live on FS1 Saturday
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – NASCAR stages its longest race of the season, the COCA-COLA 600, at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend, live Sunday, May 26, on FOX (6:00 PM ET).
In addition, FOX Sports takes its “Drivers Only” race broadcast to Charlotte on Saturday (1:00 PM ET on FS1), officially dubbing its third-annual star-studded lineup “Drivers Only + Chad,” reflecting the inclusion of seven-time championship crew chief Chad Knaus to this year’s lineup.
“DRIVERS ONLY + CHAD”:
On the heels of highly popular “Drivers Only” broadcasts at Pocono (2017) and Talladega (2018), FOX NASCAR puts its eight-driver team to the test at Charlotte on Saturday for the third-consecutive year – this time with a twist. Chad Knaus joins the FOX Sports lineup on Saturday for the “Drivers Only + Chad” NASCAR XFINITY SERIES race telecast, live on FS1 at 1:00 PM ET, joining all eight returning drivers from last season. For the third time, Kevin Harvick has the call alongside analysts Clint Bowyer and Joey Logano. Ryan Blaney, Erik Jones and Bubba Wallace cover pit road, while Brad Keselowski returns to host from FOX Sports’ virtual studio in Charlotte alongside analysts Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Knaus.
FOX SPORTS REMEMBERS:
Continuing a tradition begun in 2009, FOX NASCAR once again honors American service members who have fallen in the past year with “FOX Sports Remembers” during Sunday’s COCA-COLA 600 race broadcast. The tribute features a running scroll 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. The scroll runs throughout NASCAR RACEDAY, beginning at 5:30 PM ET on FOX, and is shown in its entirety at least once during the race broadcast.
FOX NASCAR BROADCASTERS’ 600 WINS:
The FOX NASCAR analyst pool owns a collective 14 COCA-COLA 600 wins. Three-time champ and NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip holds the record with five (1987, 1979, 1985, 1988, 1989). Four-time champ and Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon is tied for third-most with three wins (1994, 1997 and 1998). Jeff Hammond led Waltrip to three of his 600 victories (1985, 1988 and 1989), while Larry McReynolds led Davey Allison to Victory Lane in the 1991 edition. Bobby Labonte drove to the coveted win in 1995, while Andy Petree guided Dale Earnhardt to the checkered flag in 1993.
NASCAR RACEDAY PRERACE:
With COCA-COLA 600 prerace coverage beginning Sunday at 4:30 PM ET on FS1 and continuing at 5:30 PM ET on FOX, NASCAR RACEDAY offers:
• A poignant interview with Brad Keselowski and family members of fallen soldier Navy Petty Officer Second Class (Special Operations 2) Joseph Clark Schwedler, a member of Seal Team Four who fell to enemy fire in Iraq on April 6, 2007, while participating in an assault on a home occupied by terrorists. Petty Officer Schwedler studied at Michigan State University prior to enlisting, and his name was presented to Keselowski through a supporter of the driver’s Checkered Flag Foundation.
• Adam Alexander, Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Gordon live from Charlotte Motor Speedway
• The FOX Grid Walk with Michael Waltrip
Below are programming information, the weekend’s on-air broadcaster roster and quotes from FOX NASCAR play-by-play announcer Adam Alexander, analyst Darrell Waltrip and driver analyst Joey Logano on the weekend ahead:
MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
• Date/Time: Sunday, May 26 (6:00 PM ET)
• Network: FOX
• Announcers: Mike Joy, Hall of Famer and three-time champion Darrell Waltrip, Hall of Famer and four-time champ Jeff Gordon and two-time Daytona 500-winning crew chief Larry McReynolds
• Pit reporters: Jamie Little, Regan Smith, Vince Welch and Matt Yocum
• Prerace: NASCAR RACEDAY (5:30-6:00 PM ET on FOX), hosted by Shannon Spake with Larry McReynolds, Jamie McMurray and Bobby Labonte; Adam Alexander, Jeff Gordon and Darrell Waltrip at-track; Michael Waltrip reporting at-track
• NASCAR RACEDAY (4:30-5:30 PM ET on FS1), hosted by Spake with McReynolds, McMurray and Labonte; Alexander, Gordon and Darrell Waltrip at-track
• Charlotte studio hosts: Spake, McMurray and Labonte
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES “DRIVERS ONLY + CHAD” BROADCAST •
Date/Time: Saturday, May 25 (1:00 PM ET)
• Network: FS1
• Announcers: Kevin Harvick (play-by-play), Joey Logano (analyst) and Clint Bowyer (analyst)
• Pit reporters: Ryan Blaney, Erik Jones and Bubba Wallace
• Prerace: NASCAR RACEDAY-NXS (12:30 PM ET on FS1); co-hosted by Shannon Spake and “Drivers Only” host Brad Keselowski; “Drivers Only” analysts Chad Knaus and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.; reporters Jamie Little, Matt Yocum and Regan Smith
• Charlotte studio hosts: Brad Keselowski, Chad Knaus and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
FOX NASCAR QUOTES
On Saturday’s “Drivers Only + Chad” NASCAR XFINITY SERIES race telecast:
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER ADAM ALEXANDER SAYS THE “DRIVERS ONLY” DRIVER ANALYSTS HAVE QUICKLY GROWN INTO BROADCASTERS:
“All those guys have become naturals in their broadcasting roles and keenly aware of what is required, what works and what doesn’t. There’s power in numbers, so they also provide a bit of security and comfort to each other. The first year, I made sure I was in the booth really early and stayed glued to their sides in the booth for the entire race, but this year, I could take the afternoon off and no one would notice.”
ALEXANDER IS IMPRESSED WITH THE DRIVERS’ QUICK TRANSITION FROM RACE CAR TO BROADCAST AFTER CUP SERIES PRACTICE:
“Those guys don’t get enough credit for the transition they make for the ‘Drivers Only’ broadcast, because 90-percent of the time, they are jumping out of their Cup car after final practice and running like their hair is on fire to the booth, pit road or the host desk for the start of the Xfinity race. Other than during the Cup race, that’s as intense a part of their weekend as they will experience. They’re still sweating when they step into the booth. To be able to turn off that intensity behind the wheel and turn on a smiling face, add charm and personality and get focused on calling a race, is simply amazing to me.”
ALEXANDER SAYS HIS ROLE IN “DRIVERS ONLY” BROADCAST HAS GOTTEN EASIER EACH YEAR:
“We’ve kept the same group of guys in the booth the entire time, and they have gotten better and better – almost to the point you’d think they do this every week. Prior to the first ‘Drivers Only’ broadcast at Pocono, I went to Kevin Harvick’s house and spent a lot of time explaining my prep process and relaying what is and isn’t important for his database. Now, he has called so many races that he doesn’t need that. Joey Logano also has spent so much time in the FOX Sports booth and on NASCAR RACE HUB that he doesn’t need much coaching. And Clint Bowyer, well, I’ve never seen someone call a race, leave the booth, forget everything we taught him, return the next time, and in five or 10 laps, be right where he needs to be. He’s a natural.”
On the Coca-Cola 600:
FOX NASCAR DRIVER ANALYST JOEY LOGANO SAYS KYLE LARSON PROBABLY FEELS SOME RELIEF AFTER WINNING THE ALL-STAR RACE:
“Everybody goes through this at some point in your career when you have those down moments, and that’s where you learn the most about yourself. If you can dig out of that, you’re stronger. If you can dig out. Larson did a great job of positioning himself to win $1 million the other night and get that win. That’s the great part. The bad part is he still gets to the Coca-Cola 600 this week with the same number of points and without that win and not being locked into the Playoffs. This is a good momentum piece that proves he can do it because he’s had some struggles this year, he’s had a teammate running really good, which is good and bad. That momentum he built by winning the All-Star Race is huge. It will be interesting to see if that continues for the next few races when the races really count. Those points sometimes are worth way more than $1 million.”
FOX NASCAR ANALYST DARRELL WALTRIP SAYS THE COMPLEXION OF THE COCA-COLA 600 HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS:
“When I was racing, if you made it to 600 miles without something breaking on your car, you knew you were living right. There was always a huge chance something would blow up, fall off or wear out long before the driver did. The equipment wasn’t bulletproof like it tends to be today. You couldn’t ask for 100-percent out of the car because you simply wouldn’t get it. To avoid being in the garage early, you had to pace yourself, have a game plan and go about it slow and steady until later in the race.”
FOX NASCAR AT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE
(All times live/Eastern unless otherwise indicated & subject to change)
Thursday, May 23
MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES practice (3:00-4:00 PM) (FS1) (delayed)
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES practice (4:00-5:00 PM) (FS1)
NASCAR RACE HUB: WEEKEND EDITION (5:00-6:00 PM) (FS1)
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES final practice (6:00-7:00 PM) (FS1)
MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES qualifying (7:00-8:00 PM) (FS1)
NASCAR RACE HUB: WEEKEND EDITION (8:00-9:00 PM) (FS1)
ARCA RACING SERIES race (9:00-11:00 PM) (FS1)
Saturday, May 25
MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES practice (8:30-9:30 AM) (FS1)
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES qualifying (9:30-10:30 AM) (FS1)
NASCAR RACE HUB: WEEKEND EDITION (10:30-11:00 AM) (FS1)
MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES final practice (11:00 AM-12:00 PM) (FS1)
NASCAR RACE HUB: WEEKEND EDITION: American Pride (12:00-12:30 PM) (FS1) (delayed)
NASCAR RACEDAY-XFINITY (12:30-1:00 PM) (FS1)
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES racing (1:00-4:00 PM) (FS1)
Sunday, May 26
NASCAR RACEDAY (4:30-5:30 PM) (FS1)
NASCAR RACEDAY (5:30-6:00 PM) (FOX)
COCA-COLA 600 (6:00-10:30 PM) (FOX)