NASCAR on FOX at Texas Motor Speedway
NASCAR on FOX at Texas Motor Speedway
Gordon, Darrell Waltrip, McReynolds, Joy & Alexander Weigh in on Latest Headlines
FOX Sports offers 17 hours of live, primetime NASCAR programming this weekend from Texas Motor Speedway, including FS1’s live NASCAR XFINITY SERIES race coverage on Friday, April 8, (8:30 PM ET), and culminating with NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES race coverage on FOX on Saturday, April 9 (7:30 PM ET).
On Saturday, April 9 (7:30 PM ET), Mike Joy leads the FOX NASCAR booth from the Fort Worth track, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, with analysis from NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip, four-time champ Jeff Gordon and former crew chief Larry McReynolds. Jamie Little, Vince Welch and Matt Yocum cover pit road. Chris Myers hosts the network’s pre-race coverage (7:00 PM ET), alongside analysts Michael Waltrip, Gordon and Darrell Waltrip.
For the Cup Series race at Texas, FOX NASCAR Fan View individual driver channels -- complete with graphics and team radio audio -- return this weekend through FOX Sports GO.
After two consecutive weeks off, the NASCAR XFINITY SERIES returns to action Friday night live on FS1 with NASCAR RACEDAY-XFINITY (8:00 PM ET) providing pre-race coverage. Adam Alexander has the call alongside Michael Waltrip and driver analyst Carl Edwards. Edwards is one of six NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES drivers announced as part of a rotation in the FOX and FS1 booth for FOX Sports’ coverage of the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY SERIES season. Also scheduled as guest analysts are 2014 champion Kevin Harvick, 2012 champ Brad Keselowski, Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano and Danica Patrick. Reporting from the XFINITY Series pits at Texas are Chris Neville, Welch and Yocum. Danielle Trotta hosts NASCAR RACEDAY-XFINITY with analysts McReynolds and Kenny Wallace.
Below are quotes from FOX NASCAR’s Gordon, Joy, McReynolds, Darrell Waltrip and Adam Alexander on the week’s headlines and the race ahead, as well as the full FOX NASCAR programming schedule from Texas Motor Speedway:
On Kyle Busch’s sweep of Martinsville Speedway last weekend:
“He amazes me. With everything he did last year to accomplish that championship, coming through adversity, becoming a new dad, he’s a whole new type of race car driver who has a lot more patience than I’ve ever seen him before, and boy did it pay off at Martinsville. A great win. That win means a lot to him. He has battled hard at that place (Martinsville), and this is going to be one of the most meaningful wins of his career up to this point.”
--Jeff Gordon
On how many wins Kyle Busch could attain before retirement:
“Kyle Busch continues to prove himself as versatile a driver as there is in the garage area, and he’s closing in on having a win at every track on the Sprint Cup circuit. What gets overlooked oftentimes is Kyle is only 30 years old – he’s still a kid. Barring any major career-ending injury, he could easily race for another decade, and we all know he will. So, there’s no way to predict how many wins he will have in all three series combined if he keeps winning at this rate.”
--Larry McReynolds
“Kyle Busch likely could reach 70 to 75 Cup Series wins, which would put him in pretty rare company. I discount the importance of ‘total’ wins across the three major series, though. When you win a Cup race, you’ve beaten NASCAR’s best. No other stock car series measures up to that.”
--Mike Joy
On the dominance of NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES drivers thus far in the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY SERIES season:
“The NASCAR XFINITY Series is known as the series ‘where names are made,’ but that’s been difficult lately because Kyle Busch is the only one making a name for himself. The good news, though, is NASCAR recognizes the issue. But teams will tell you the bigger dilemma is they have to put a Cup Series driver in their car somewhere during the year in order to sell sponsorships. I understand this, so I don’t have a problem with Cup drivers running the XFINITY Series races – it’s the fact so many of the top XFINITY owners are Cup owners. Unfortunately, there is no easy solution, but I’m glad NASCAR is looking at it.”
--Larry McReynolds
“I’d like to see a graduated limitation of Cup drivers in the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series. Perhaps drivers in the Chase for the Sprint Cup might be allowed to run only eight or 10 XFINITY or Truck Series races the following year, while other full-time Cup drivers might be allowed 16 to 20. I understand promoters and team owners need some Cup drivers to boost ticket sales and sponsorships, but it’s hard to make heroes out of series regulars when the stand-alone races are their best chance to shine.”
--Mike Joy
“I like Cup drivers running the lower series. However, their starts should be limited, particularly in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, because its identity has been lost a bit due to their dominance. Competing against Cup drivers helps younger drivers learn from the best, but for the health of the series, regulars need to win more.”
--Adam Alexander
On the performance of Richard Childress Racing in 2016:
“For the first time in a while, Richard Childress Racing is smelling victory. That organization hasn’t been to Victory Lane since the end of 2013 when Kevin Harvick won at Phoenix, but they are getting very close. It’s coming.”
--Larry McReynolds
On Cup Series rookie Chase Elliott:
“I love the way Bill and Cindy Elliott have brought him into racing at such a young age and given him the experience as well as the knowledge of a past champion … such a great talent in Bill Elliott transferring that down to his son. This kid has a bright, bright future.”
--Jeff Gordon
On Cup Series rookie Ryan Blaney:
“He’s got that look. He’s focused. He has the lowest-spoken voice but pays such close attention. What better team to be on – he’s a family guy who comes from a racing family, and he’s driving for the family-owned Wood Brothers.”
--Darrell Waltrip
FOX NASCAR AT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE
*All times live/Eastern unless otherwise indicated & subject to change
Thursday, April 7
NASCAR XFINITY Series practice (5:00-5:30 PM ET) (FS1)
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice (5:30-7:00 PM ET) (FS1)
NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice (7:00-8:00 PM ET) (FS1)
Friday, April 8
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying (2:30-4:00 PM) (FS1)
NASCAR RACE HUB (4:00-4:30 PM ET) (FS1)
NASCAR XFINITY Series qualifying (4:30-6:00 PM ET) (FS1)
NASCAR RACE HUB (6:00-6:30 PM ET) (FS1)
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series final practice (6:30-8:00 PM ET) (FS1)
NASCAR RACEDAY-NXS (8:00-8:30 PM ET) (FS1)
NASCAR XFINITY Series Racing (8:30-11:00 PM ET) (FS1)
Saturday, April 9
NASCAR RACEDAY (6:00-7:00 PM) (FS2)
FOX NASCAR pre-race show (7:00-7:30 PM ET) (FOX)
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Racing (7:30-11:30 PM) (FOX)
NASCAR VICTORY LANE (12:30-1:00 AM ET) (FS1)