“It has given us some of the most crazy, exciting, chaotic races and finishes that we’ll remember forever, so if something bizarre or historic happens on Championship Weekend, I won’t be surprised.” – Leigh Diffey on the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs
“This was probably the best Round of 8, so you knew going forward that whatever four came out of this were going to be an outstanding Championship 4, and that’s exactly what we have.” – Dale Jarrett on the Championship 4 drivers
Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, and William Byron to Race for 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock; Pre-Race Coverage Begins at 2 p.m. ET
STAMFORD, Conn. – Nov. 6, 2024 – With the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series championship race from Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Ariz., this Sunday, Nov. 10, at 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, it’s time to check in with our NBC Sports NASCAR commentators to hear what storylines and moments they’re most excited for this weekend.
Through nine races across NBC and USA Network, NBC Sports’ NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs viewership is averaging a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 2.3 million viewers, up 6% from 2023. Last Sunday’s Xfinity 500 from Martinsville Speedway delivered a TAD of 2.5 million viewers, up 14% from last year’s Martinsville playoff race. It’s the fifth consecutive race and seventh of eight races up year-over-year from 2023.
A champion will be crowned on Sunday, and with it, another action-packed season of NASCAR will conclude. Below is a taste of what our commentators are most looking forward to:
Leigh Diffey, Play-by-Play
On the Championship: “Nothing beats Championship Weekend. While the season kicks off with the Super Bowl of the sport, the Daytona 500, this is what everybody races for. Everybody races to be a champion, and the level of competition that exists now in the NASCAR Cup Series is immense. For these four drivers to be there, it’s simply incredible.”
On the Championship 4 drivers: “I think the blend of this four is really good. We have two drivers in Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney who are trying to become multi-time champions and Tyler Reddick and William Byron who are trying to become first-time champions. That gives the whole weekend a really good feel and gives people something to look for.”
On the 2024 playoffs: “It has given us some of the most crazy, exciting, chaotic races and finishes that we’ll remember forever, so if something bizarre or historic happens on Championship Weekend, I won’t be surprised, because the nature of the playoffs this year has indicated that that’s more than likely to happen.”
Jeff Burton, Analyst
On Championship 4 weekend: “I love this weekend. We have four championship caliber driver and teams and it’s going to be fun to see how everyone handles the moment. This is an incredible race – the more pressure that is on the drivers and the teams, the more that they all have to step up and take their game to the next level.”
On handicapping the Championship 4 Cup series drivers: “Team Penske has proven to me that they are hard to beat at this time of year. We’ve seen it the past two years with Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney winning and now both of them making their way back to the Championship race. They know how to step up in the Playoffs so I wouldn’t bet against them, but given the talent of both William Byron and Tyler Reddick, I wouldn’t be surprised of either of those two came away with the trophy either.”
Steve Letarte, Analyst
On the intensity of the Championship: “Most championship games have two teams that can win, but when you come to racing, you have 32 teams that are now eliminated from contention and four teams with a chance to win a championship. The contrasting appearance is really what strikes me. You can clearly see the nerves on the four teams because you see the opposite on the other 32 teams that are trying to finish up their season.”
On the keys to winning the Championship: “What we’ve learned is this race, even with it being on the shorter side, you have to make it to that final pit stop. That’s when the championship is won. Whether it’s a great pit stop, a great re-start, or just a great handling car to the finish, I do believe that of the four drivers, they need to think it’s going to take a race win to get it done.”
On Phoenix Raceway: “Phoenix Raceway has continued to sell out this race and that’s what makes it special for me. It has a ‘big event’ feel. The crowd is there and the camping is enormous. Ever since they remodeled that racetrack, it suits the championship race very well.”
Dale Jarrett, Analyst
On the Championship 4 drivers: “This was probably the best Round of 8, as far as the drivers all being competitive all year long, so you knew going forward that whatever four came out of this were going to be an outstanding Championship 4, and that’s exactly what we have.”
On Phoenix Raceway: “This track lends itself to a number of different swings throughout the race. Track position is going to be key…You’re going to have to stay away from making mistakes to have a chance because I think it’s much more difficult to make your way back against the other three competitors if you put yourself behind quickly.”
On Joey Logano: “He could become the 10th driver in this sport to have three or more championships and that is just such a huge thing as a driver to have. When you put yourself in select company like that – he’s already going to be a Hall of Famer when he retires – it’s pretty incredible. I know that he has incentive every time he gets behind the wheel, but I think he’s a little more motivated this weekend.”
Brad Daugherty, Analyst
On the Championship: “At the beginning of the season, I didn’t think I would come close in predicting a championship race without Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin or Chase Elliott. But here we are -- gritty grind it out drivers in Blaney and Logano, Byron, and maybe the most talented driver in NASCAR in Reddick, going for it all.”
--NBC SPORTS--
