NBC will make a switch to its NASCAR coverage within the coming months. According to Sports Business Journal, the network intends to tab veteran commentator Leigh Diffey as its lead voice for NASCAR Cup Series races following its extended Olympics break.
SBJ’s Adam Stern reported the news on Wednesday morning.
“NBC Sports is planning a switch to its NASCAR booth for part of the 2024 season, with Leigh Diffey to take over as lead announcer for Cup races in the weeks after the Olympics break,” Stern said. Stern posted the news on X, the website formerly known as Twitter.
.@NBCSports is planning a switch to its @NASCAR booth for part of the 2024 season, with @LeighDiffey to take over as lead announcer for Cup races in the weeks after the @Olympics break, per sources.
đź—ž: https://t.co/uDDKv2SLIx pic.twitter.com/tbqrjdNv3Q
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) March 13, 2024
Diffey has been a longtime broadcaster for NBC for much of its racing coverage. His NBC Sports Press Box profile cites his extensive history, which includes calling IndyCar, MotoGP, Supercross, and the network’s Olympics coverage.
Rick Allen, meanwhile, has been the lead NBC NASCAR voice for ten years, generally working alongside color commentators Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte. Dale Earnhardt Jr. had worked with that booth as well from 2018-23 (and sometimes took Allen’s play-by-play role alongside Burton and Letarte), but left for the new TNT/Amazon package this offseason.
NBC’s IndyCar rights will expire at the end of this year. NBC and IndyCar came to an agreement back in 2019 and then agreed to an extension later that will expire. It’s yet to be seen if the network will retain or lose the rights to IndyCar. But, you wonder with this move to the booth for Diffey if it means that they’re willing to give him more because they expect to have less for him.
