NBC Sports is gearing up for a holiday weekend celebration for the ages, when the sights, sounds and style of the 1970s will be incorporated to commemorate NASCAR’s rich racing history at Darlington Raceway. The storied, egg-shaped track that has earned two nicknames over the years through tough, white-knuckle racing will be hosting a full slate of Labor Day Weekend action for the first time in 12 years as “The Race for the Chase” heats up. NBC presents its first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event since the memorable July fireworks show from Daytona this Sunday at 7 p.m. ET. On Saturday, NBC presents XFINITY Series Racing from Darlington Presented by K&N, at 3 p.m. ET.
Throughout the weekend, NBC Sports’ lead announce team of 21-time Sprint Cup winner Jeff Burton, Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte and announcer Rick Allen call the race action, while pre- and post-race festivities from Darlington are handled by host Krista Voda alongside analysts Kyle Petty and Dale Jarrett. Marty Snider, Mike Massaro, Kelli Stavast and Dave Burns contribute reports from pit road. NBCSports.com lead motorsports writer Nate Ryan and features reporter Rutledge Wood contribute to NBC and NBCSN’s coverage Friday through Sunday. In keeping with this weekend’s throwback theme, NBC Sports welcomes legendary NASCAR broadcasters Ken Squier and Ned Jarrett, who will be joining the broadcast team as special guests.
NBCSN’s NASCAR coverage from “The Lady in Black” begins Friday with Sprint Cup Series practice presented by DraftKings at 11 a.m. ET. NBCSN’s XFINIITY Series coverage begins with the first practice at 1 p.m. ET and final practice at 3 p.m. ET. Sprint Cup Series final practice kicks off at 4:30 p.m. ET before NASCAR coverage wraps up with NASCAR America at 6:30 p.m.
XFINITY Series qualifying kicks off Saturday at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. NASCAR America will recap qualifying and look ahead with a special 30-minute edition at 1 p.m. ET. Sprint Cup qualifying gets in motion at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN before throwing to the XFINITY Series Countdown to Green at 3 p.m. ET on NBC. XFINITY Series green flag racing from Darlington begins at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Sunday evening’s race coverage begins on NBCSN at 5 p.m. ET with NASCAR America Sunday presented by Draftkings followed by a special 6 p.m. Countdown to Green. NASCAR coverage shifts over to NBC at 7 p.m. with Sprint Cup Countdown to Green presented by Sonic. Green-flag racing from the track “Too Tough to Tame” begins at 7:20 p.m. ET. The weekend of NASCAR racing wraps up with a special on-site edition of NASCAR Victory Lap from Darlington Raceway at 11:15 p.m.
NBC SPORTS GROUP CELEBRATES DARLINGTON’S RETURN TO LABOR DAY WEEKEND FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2003
A long-time pillar of the NASCAR schedule, the Labor Day Weekend Darlington Sprint Cup race returns to its traditional weekend with a throwback to the 1970’s. Throughout the weekend NBC Sports Group’s broadcast features retro highlights to commemorate the tradition of NASCAR racing. Graphics will include the vintage “living color” NBC peacock, while booth and studio talent appear in authentic 1970s-era appeal.
Pre-race features throughout the weekend include a personal essay on Darlington Raceway written and voiced by Ken Squier. Kyle Petty visits Bill Elliott and his son Chase Elliott at Darlington Raceway to discuss the 30th anniversary of Bill’s Winston Million win. Also, Kyle Petty drives a lap around Darlington in the vintage Wood Brothers’ No. 21 car from 1971 while Jeff Burton takes a simultaneous lap in the 2015 NBC Sports’ Toyota Camry On Track Car.
Rutledge Wood showcases the unique events Darlington Raceway has in store for Labor Day Weekend. “The Lady in Black” hosts a Grand Funk Railroad pre-race concert, throwback paint schemes and legendary Hall of Famer appearances.
Date |
Program |
Time (ET) |
Network |
Fri., September 4 |
Sprint Cup Series First Practice – Darlington |
11 a.m. |
NBCSN |
XFINITY Series First Practice – Darlington |
1 p.m. |
NBCSN |
|
XFINITY Series Final Practice – Darlington |
3 p.m. |
NBCSN |
|
Sprint Cup Series Final Practice – Darlington |
4:30 p.m. |
NBCSN |
|
NASCAR America |
6:30 p.m. |
NBCSN |
|
Sprint Cup Series Final Practice – Darlington (Encore) |
9:30 p.m. |
NBCSN |
|
Sat., September 5 |
Sprint Cup Series Final Practice – Darlington (Encore) |
10 a.m. |
NBCSN |
XFINITY Series Qualifying – Darlington |
11:30 a.m. |
NBCSN |
|
NASCAR America |
1 p.m. |
NBCSN |
|
Sprint Cup Series Qualifying – Darlington |
1:30 p.m. |
NBCSN |
|
XFINITY Series Countdown to Green Pre-Race Show |
3 p.m. |
NBC |
|
XFINITY Series Race – Darlington |
3:30 p.m. |
NBC |
|
The States of NASCAR |
6 p.m. |
NBCSN |
|
Sprint Cup Series Qualifying – Darlington (Encore) |
11:30 p.m. |
NBCSN |
|
Sun., September 6 |
NASCAR America Sunday |
5 p.m. |
NBCSN |
Sprint Cup Countdown to GreenPre-Race Show |
6 p.m. |
NBCSN |
|
Sprint Cup Countdown to Green Pre-Race Show |
7 p.m. |
NBC |
|
Sprint Cup Series Race – Darlington |
7:20 p.m. |
NBC |
|
NASCAR Victory Lap |
11:15 p.m. |
NBCSN |
|
Mon., September 7 |
NASCAR America |
5 p.m. |
NBCSN |
NBC Sports PR
