NASCAR on television is approaching a new age as NBC Sports and Fox Sports will team up once again to provide coverage of America’s most popular racing series.  While Fox is continuing their relationship with the sport, NBC is replacing ESPN as NASCAR’s other major rightsholder and making its return to the track after several years out of the sport.  In that regard, NBC has been working throughout the last year to craft their on-air crew.  One of the last major pieces to move to NBC is one of the faces of ESPN’s NASCAR coverage – Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett.

Jarrett will be joining Krista Voda and Kyle Petty for pre and post race coverage in the studio as well as calling races for the NASCAR XFINITY Series (that’s a lot of capital letters).  He’ll also make regular appearances on NASCAR America on NBCSN.  Details from the NBC announcement:

NBC Sports Group has reached an agreement with 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion and 2014 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Dale Jarrett, who will serve as a pre- and post-race analyst during live coverage of select NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR XFINITY Series racing on NBC and NBCSN. Jarrett, a three-time Daytona 500 winner, will be among the first to welcome fans to NBC Sports’ 10-year chapter as the home of NASCAR’s championship run when he, Krista Voda and Kyle Petty open up NBC’s live pre-race coverage from Daytona International Speedway this 4th of July weekend. In addition to handling pre- and post-race coverage, Jarrett will also serve as a booth analyst during select NASCAR XFINITY Series races and contribute to NASCAR AMERICA on NBCSN.

“We are excited to welcome Dale and his Hall of Fame credentials to our NASCAR broadcast team,” said Sam Flood, Executive Producer, NBC Sports and NBCSN. “As a former Champion, his experience and insights will help us set the stage and break down key races throughout the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.”

The appointment of Jarrett follows previous NBC Sports NASCAR on-air announcements for analysts Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and Kyle Petty, race announcer Rick Allen, pre- and post-race host Krista Voda, and reporters Marty Snider, Kelli Stavast, Mike Massaro, Dave Burns and Rutledge Wood.

“I’m very pleased and excited to be a part of NBC Sports and their NASCAR coverage,” said Jarrett. “NBC has assembled an All-Star crew for their coverage, and I’m honored to be a part of this group that will bring NASCAR fans inside the sport we all love.”

“I’m very pleased and excited to be a part of NBC Sports and their NASCAR coverage,” said Jarrett. “NBC has assembled an All-Star crew for their coverage, and I’m honored to be a part of this group that will bring NASCAR fans inside the sport we all love.”

Jarrett was one of the strongest assets for ESPN’s NASCAR coverage and it’s great to see him continue his television work with NBC.  The former champion is a natural in the broadcast booth or in studio because it’s in his blood – Dale’s father Ned was a longtime NASCAR analyst in the sport’s heyday.

It looks like NBC has brought together what looks like a great lineup for their NASCAR coverage featuring some steady veteran hands and some new voices as well.  It’ll be interesting to see how they begin their second lap with NASCAR this year.

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