NASCAR Announces Start Times & Networks For 2022 Season

Photo: Mike Ehrmann, courtesy of NASCAR

NASCAR, along with FOX Sports and NBC Sports, announced the 2022 race start times and networks for the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series seasons.

Nineteen total NASCAR Cup Series races will air on FOX and NBC throughout the season. This marks the first time since 2009 where more Cup Series point events will air on broadcast than cable. Ten of those will air on FOX, including the Daytona 500, which airs Sunday, Feb. 20.

“Working with the broadcast partners, tracks, teams and industry stakeholders, we will be able to deliver the best racing in the world to an even broader audience in 2022,” says Brian Herbst, NASCAR SVP of Media and Productions. “Based on data and fan feedback from the past several years, shifting afternoon start times back allows more of our fans—whether at home or at the track—to take in NASCAR racing on Sundays. In addition, airing the most Cup Series races on broadcast in more than a decade is consistent with our strategy of distributing our content to as many fans as possible during key moments in the season.”

NASCAR has a new home at USA Network, who will air 26 NBC Sports cable races in the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2022. NASCAR will debut on USA, which is available in approximately five million more homes than NBCSN, when the Xfinity Series hits the track at Nashville Superspeedway on Saturday, June 25.

The Camping World Truck Series will race at the Superspeedway on June. 24 and will air on Fox Sports 1. The second annual Ally 400 Cup Series race at the Nashville Superspeedway is set of June, 26 and will again be aired on NBC.

Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway Kicks Off All American 400 Race Weekend

The Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway is set for a major Halloween weekend full of races and festivities, starting with the 2021 Hall of Fame Class Induction on Wednesday, Oct. 27. The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony serves as the official start of the 37th Running of the All American 400 Race Weekend in Memory of Jillian Brown.

“A tradition dating back for many years the traditional naming of inductees to the Hall of Fame at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway the week of the prestigious All American 400. The rich history of the storied speedway mixing history and racing tradition in a one-week timetable,” says HoF committee member Donnie Redd.

The induction ceremony, which will be held at the Fairgrounds, will honor Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway legends like Bennie Goodman & Mark Perish, Bobby Celsor, Fulton Stutts, Jame Buttrey and Wade Allen Battrey.

For the first time, the present day Hall of Fame committee has opened the induction ceremony to the public. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased online.

NASCAR and Fairgrounds Speedway Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip will be in attendance for the induction ceremony and Big Machine Label Group rising artists Danielle Bradbery and Abbey Cone will perform. Kid Rock has also been named the Grand Marshall for the weekend to say the most famous words in motorsports.

“We are excited to have Kid Rock serve as Grand Marshal for what is one of the greatest short track racing weekends in the country. Adding his support really speaks to the magnitude of the event. It’s amazing to bring in dignitaries like Kid Rock to stand next to some of the best short track drivers in the country,” says Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway Promoter Bob Sargent.

On Friday, Oct, 29 the speedway will host the ¼ mile championship featuring six divisions of racing. The day begins at 12 p.m. with Super & Pro Late Model practice around the ½ mile track. This is followed by local division practice and qualifying around the ¼ mile track. Then local division features begin at 6:30 p.m. with the Legends last chance race followed by the six features, Bandoleros, Street Stocks, Front Runner, Legends, Pure Stock, Limited Late Models.

Saturday, Oct. 30 will be packed full of racing activities with All American 400 qualifying, Vores Compact Touring Series Trunk or Treat for kids Presented by Team Construction, and give features of racing including: JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour PLM Showdown feature, Vores Compact Touring Series Showdown feature, Van Hoy Oil CRA Street Stocks Series Feature, Super Late Model All American Showdown Feature, and Vores Compact Touring Series Feature. Practice begins at 12 p.m., trunk or treat at 4:45 p.m., and All American 400 Qualifying at 5:30 p.m. with racing to follow. Fans will also be able to see NASCAR legends Kenny Wallace and Kenny Schrader run against each other on Saturday night for the VanHoy Oil CRA Street Stock series feature.

Then, on Sunday, Oct. 31, racing weekend will come to an end with the All American 400 Race. The pre-race ceremonies will begin at 12 p.m. and racing will start at 1. Two of the top divisions will face off as the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour All American 100 will go off first followed by the U.S. Tank All American Super Late Model 300 in Memory of Jillian Brown co- sanctioned by ARCA Midwest.

Jonathan Brown and U.S. Tank in Memory of Jillian Brown have boosted the purse for the U.S Tank All American Super Late Model 300 in Memory of Jillian Brown from $15,000 to win to $20,000 to win.

For more information about the celebratory weekend and tickets, visit the Nashville Fairground Speedway website.

Nashville Superspeedway To Host Tennessee Drift Halloween Event

Nashville Superspeedway (NSS) is hosting the Halloween Drift and Autocross Party, presented by Tennessee Drift and SlydeFactory.com, on Saturday, Oct. 30.

The event will feature drifting on the NSS road course, autocross racing on the paddock, a car show, Trunk or Treat, a costume contest and more. Gates open to general spectators starting at 10 a.m. and admission is $30 for adults. Kids 12 and under are free.

Participants and spectators are encouraged to attend dressed in their favorite Halloween costume, with a prize going to the best costume. Other prizes to be awarded include best in show and fan favorite for car show participants, and the top spots in the autocross and drift contest will also be recognized.

Spectators attending the event can also purchase the opportunity to ride along with those participants in the driving portion of the day, courtesy of the BFGoodrich Share the Ride program. Tickets for this added experience will be available for purchase near the NSS Infield Media Center.

A full schedule of events and information for participant registration can be found here or at NashvilleSuperspeedway.com.

Nashville Superspeedway Receives Honor At 2021 NASCAR Drive For Diversity Awards

Photo: courtesy of NASCAR Digital Media

The Nashville Superspeedway (NSS) was received the Track Award at the 2022 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Awards for its efforts to support diversity and inclusion, as well as its results in reaching new audiences for motorsports throughout Middle Tennessee.

The superspeedway hosted a triple-header weekend this year, which included the Camping World Truck Series, the Xfinity Series, and the NASCAR Cup Series for the first time in 10 years, selling out the inaugural Ally 400.

“We’re honored to receive this recognition from NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program,” says Nashville Superspeedway President Erik Moses, the first African-American track president in NASCAR history. “Building our fanbase and expanding our cultural footprint is not only a goal for NASCAR as an industry but for our track in Middle Tennessee as well. As we continue to build upon the foundation of our inaugural NASCAR Cup Series weekend, Nashville Superspeedway looks forward to working with more community groups and welcoming new fans to the sport and our campus.”

During its 2021 race weekend, Nashville Superspeedway hosted more than 120 alumni and guests from Tennessee State University (an HBCU located in Nashville) as part of a collaboration with the TSU Alumni Association, the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM), Slim and Husky’s Pizza Beeria, Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey and local transportation company Gray Line.

In partnership with Ally Financial, NSS contributed $25,000 to the Urban League of Middle Tennessee, a historic civil rights organization, and $25,000 to Box 55, which supports first responders in Nashville.

Along with the superspeedway, Nashville-based NASCAR team Trackhouse Racing received the Team Award. The team debuted in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2021 with Mexico native Daniel Suárez behind the wheel of the No. 99 Chevrolet Camaro.

Behind team owner and founder Justin Marks and partner Pitbull they aim to promote diversity and inclusion and introduce new fans to NASCAR. Throughout their inaugural season, Pitbull and Suárez have engaged in various ways with the Hispanic community.

2021 Drive for Diversity Award Recipients:

Crew Member Award: Brian Eastland
Developmental Series Driver Award: Rajah Caruth and Toni Breidinger
Sam Belvanis Industry Ambassador Award: Bernard Pollard
Institution Award: Boys & Girls Clubs of America
National Series Driver Award: Bubba Wallace
Outstanding Intern Award: Korn Supatrabutra and Iris Wright
Partner Award: RISE
Team Award: Trackhouse Racing
Young Racer Award: Regina Sirvent

Big Machine Racing Partners With Richard Childress Racing For 2022

Pictured (L-R): Scott Borchetta and Richard Childress. Photo: Harold Hinson Photography

Big Machine Racing is partnering with NASCAR giant Richard Childress Racing ahead of their sophomore season in 2022.

Returning next season is driver Jade Buford, who picked up a top 10 finish at Michigan International Speedway earlier this year and has 14 top-20 finishes in his rookie season. Crew chief Patrick Donahue, a 28-year veteran of the sport, will also be back next season.

“To be able to join Richard Childress and the iconic RCR means we just put a turbocharger on our Big Machine Racing program,” says team owner and founder of Big Machine Label Group Scott Borchetta. “As a racer and fan, I’ve always looked up to Richard, all of his accomplishments, and his organization. He’s a winner in the truest sense and I look forward to the day that we can share our first victory together.”

RCR will provide Big Machine Racing with chassis and engineering support, along with other key assets. The team has already been receiving horsepower from ECR Engines, which will continue in 2022.While Big Machine Racing will remain an independent operation, the team will relocate from Mooresville, North Carolina, to be closer to RCR’s main campus in Welcome, North Carolina.

“Scott Borchetta and everyone at Big Machine Racing have built a great program and we look forward to not only continuing our relationship in 2022, but to enhancing it with additional technical and engineering support,” says Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “Our team partnership model is proven, and we know that this partnership will be beneficial for Big Machine Racing, RCR, ECR and Chevrolet.”

RCR’s NXS program has produced countless wins and multiple championships, most recently with Tyler Reddick in 2019. After a successful inaugural season, Big Machine Racing is looking to build its program to have similar results.

“I’m over-the-top excited for the future of Big Machine Racing,” says Buford. “An alliance with an organization like RCR will give us a huge advantage in improving our racing program and add another level of consistency that will help us achieve better results across the entire season.”

Nashville Superspeedway, ASM Global Partner To Bring Concerts & More To Venue

The Nashville Superspeedway is partnering with ASM Global to bring new content to Middle Tennessee and the surrounding region. Through this agreement, Nashville Superspeedway will be the first auto-racing venue in ASM’s global network.

“We are thrilled to partner with a global industry leader like ASM Global to continue the work we began a year ago to reopen, revitalize and reposition the Nashville Superspeedway as a beloved racetrack on the NASCAR circuit and a leading venue in Middle Tennessee for a diverse assortment of live events,” says Erik Moses, President, Nashville Superspeedway. “The enthusiastic response to our first NASCAR tripleheader race weekend, including the sold-out inaugural Ally 400 NASCAR Cup Series race on Father’s Day 2021, and the support we’ve seen for the other events hosted here in the last year has strengthened our confidence in our ability to curate, attract and host top-quality sports and entertainment events at the Nashville Superspeedway. We look forward to working with ASM Global to bring exciting entertainment to the residents, visitors and guests of Middle Tennessee.”

ASM will use its experience in creating and delivering major live sports and music experiences, including concerts, festivals, and drive-thru and walk-thru exhibits, in the Lebanon, Tennessee, speedway complex. Nashville Superspeedway currently hosts events in NASCAR’s top three series: the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The non-exclusive agreement began Sept. 28, 2021.

“As the world’s leading provider of live-event experiences, ASM Global is uniquely positioned to provide world-class entertainment opportunities for music and sports fans in Middle Tennessee and throughout the region,” says Chuck Steedman, ASM Global Executive Vice President for Strategy and Development. “We are tremendously excited to work with Erik Moses and the team at the Nashville Superspeedway and to have the Superspeedway as our first auto-racing venue. The team is very active in the desire to bring a multitude of events to the Superspeedway.”

The Superspeedway recently welcomed back NASCAR to Nashville and Middle Tennessee in 2021 with a triple-header weekend which finished with the sold out Ally 400 Cup Series race. It was recently announced that NASCAR will return to the Speedway in June 2022 for another triple-header weekend.

2021 IndyCar Season Is Most-Watched In NBC History

NBC Sports’ coverage of the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series’ season was the most-watched IndyCar season on record, and had the best combined broadcast/cable viewership for the series in five years. Included in the coverage window are the 15 races across NBC, NBCSN and NBC Sports digital platforms.

Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 1.223 million viewers–the best in NBC Sports history– was up 19% from last season’s (1.027 million), up 10% from 2019 (1.108 million), and the most-watched season for the IndyCar Series since 2016 (1.310 million, ABC/NBCSN).

NBCSN averaged 632,000 viewers this season–the best in the network’s history–up 46% from 2020 (432,000 viewers) and up 49% from 2019 (423,000). NBCSN delivered two of its top four most-watched races on record in 2021, headlined by the inaugural Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in Nashville. The Nashville Grand Prix averaged a TAD of 1.212 million viewers, ranking as the network’s most-watched IndyCar Series race ever and believed to be the most-watched cable race for the series in 23 years.

The 105th running of the Indianapolis 500 powered the NBC broadcast network to a substantial viewership increase this season. The “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” averaged 5.581 Million viewers, up 51% from 2020 and up 2% from 2019.

For NBC’s eight races this season, the network averaged a TAD of 1.722 million viewers, up 16% as compared to 2020 (1.484 million).

In July, IndyCar and NBC Sports announced a multi-year extension to their media rights agreement, continuing NBC Sports as the exclusive home of the NTT IndyCar Series.

Locally, Indianapolis led all markets with a 4.4 household rating. Nashville came in at fifth with a rating of 1.68. Following are the Top 10 markets for the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series season.

1. Indianapolis – 4.40
2. Knoxville – 1.85
3. Dayton – 1.80
4. Louisville – 1.69
5. Nashville – 1.68
6. Columbus, Ohio – 1.63
7. Cincinnati – 1.59
8. Ft. Myers – 1.54
9. Greenville – 1.41
10. Sacramento – 1.23

Nashville Superspeedway To Host 2022 Rackley Roofing 200, Tennessee Lottery 250

NASCAR released its schedules for the Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series, and with it the return to the Nashville Superspeedway on June 24-25, 2022.

The Rackley Roofing 200 and Tennessee Lottery 250 will join the previously announced Ally 400 NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, June 26, for a three-race summer showcase in Nashville. The Tennessee Lottery 250 will be the 23rd NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Nashville Superspeedway, while the Rackley Roofing 200 will be the 15th Truck Series event at the 1.33-mile concrete track.

“We are looking forward to again hosting the NASCAR racing community for three exciting days of racing next summer,” says Erik Moses, Nashville Superspeedway’s president.

“The NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series have storied pasts at this track. We’re excited to welcome them back to Nashville Superspeedway, along with our loyal fans and dedicated partners in the Tennessee Lottery and Rackley Roofing.”

Nashville Superspeedway ticket holders from 2021 will have the opportunity to renew their seat locations starting Wednesday, Oct. 6. Fans eligible for this option will be contacted directly by the track via email with instructions on how to do so online.

Fans attending the June 24-26, 2022 race weekend can expect to see an expanded FanZone, enhanced fan amenities, more concessions options and points-of-sale, and improved traffic flow leading into the property. No parking fees will be collected on-site, which will aid in easing the ingress into Speedway parking lots. Instead, fans will see the addition of a $5 per ticket parking surcharge as is done at other tracks around the country.