“Jeff
Burton was always the first person we would seek out when there was breaking
news or an issue that needed to be covered throughout our previous contract
with NASCAR, so he was the first person we called for this role,” said Flood.
“His insights, keen observations and many trophies have earned the respect of
everyone involved with the sport. He will be an outstanding analyst, and
has everyone here looking even more forward to getting started.”
Burton
will do double duty throughout the 2014 season, racing a schedule of select
Sprint Cup Series races with Michael Waltrip Racing while also contributing to
NASCAR programming on NBCSN. When NBC Sports Group’s exclusive coverage
of NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series racing begins in 2015, Burton will
serve as a full-time analyst on NBC and
NBCSN.
"This
is an exciting new challenge and I am thrilled to be joining the NBC Sports
family,” said Burton. “I will prepare for each race as if I were driving
in it, and I look forward to sharing my experience, views and insights with all
the dedicated and passionate NASCAR fans.”
In
November, Burton became just the sixth driver to earn his 1,000th NASCAR career
start. Named NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year in 1994, he has since
captured 21 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories. Burton broke into
NASCAR’s Nationwide Series in 1988, where he raced full-time until 1993 and on
a limited basis until 2009, winning 27 times along the way. Regarded as a
trusted advocate for the sport, Burton has worked closely with NASCAR on
numerous safety issues and programs, including the creation of safer seats,
track walls, cockpits, helmets, uniforms and HANS devices.
On
July 23, 2013, NASCAR and NBC Sports Group reached a comprehensive agreement
that grants NBC Universal exclusive rights to the final 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series races, final 19 NASCAR Nationwide Series events, select NASCAR Regional
& Touring Series events and other live content beginning in 2015.
With
this partnership, NBC’s 20 Sprint Cup race schedule includes a designation as
the exclusive home to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, when the elite
national series races through its final 10 events of the season. The
Chase culminates with the season-ending championship event, which returns to
network television in 2015 for the first time since 2009. Of NBC Sports Group’s
20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events, seven will be carried on NBC annually, with
13 airing on NBCSN. Four of NBC Sports Group’s 19 NASCAR Nationwide Series
races will air on NBC, with 15 airing on NBCSN.
In
addition to NASCAR’s Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series races, NBC also
obtained exclusive rights to practice and qualifying sessions for NBC’s national
series events during their portion of the season, as well as rights to
broadcast the NASCAR K&N Series, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR Toyota
(Mexico) Series, the NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony and NASCAR’s
season-ending banquets. Further, NBC is granted Spanish-language rights,
certain video-on-demand rights and exclusive TV Everywhere rights for its
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series events.
He will be a lot better than Rusty Wallace for sure
ReplyDeleteSo, I told Jimmie this news and he said he'd prefer brother, Ward Burton but then we'd have to have sub titles! -Ellen, JJ's grlfrnd
ReplyDelete