The NASCAR Xfinity Series and Cup Series return to action on June 25-26 at Nashville Superspeedway. NBC Sports will take over coverage with some changes to the pit reporter lineup.
NBC Sports announced its broadcast lineup for the 2022 season on June 16. According to a press release, Rick Allen will return as the play-by-play man for the back half of the season. Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Steve Letarte will join him in the booth, marking the fifth consecutive season that this group spearheads the coverage.
The studio show will feature Marty Snider as the host for both pre-race and post-race coverage. He will continue to work with Kyle Petty, Hall of Fame driver Dale Jarrett, and JTG Daugherty Racing co-owner Brad Daugherty. The group will provide coverage from the Peacock Pit Box.
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A New Reporter Joins the Lineup for 2022
GettyKim Coon (left) will join NBC Sports for select 2022 races.
The NBC Sports release confirmed the return of some key pit reporters that will provide updates throughout the 39-race schedule (20 Cup Series, 19 Xfinity Series). This includes Parker Kligerman, Marty Snider, Kelli Stavast, Dave Burns, and Dillon Welch. There will also be a newcomer to the group.
Kim Coon has agreed to join NBC Sports’ NASCAR coverage as a pit reporter. She will provide updates at select races on the schedule, starting with the race weekend at Road America in Wisconsin. NBC Sports did not reveal the other tracks where she will work as a pit reporter.
Coon has been a prominent member of the motorsports industry. She has spent eight years covering races across the three national series with MRN, and she has hosted live events for NASCAR. Coon also co-hosted the “Glass Case of Emotion” podcast with Ryan Blaney and Chuck Bush. Now she will further showcase her talents while working with NBC Sports.
Another Reporter Will Take on a New Role for 2022
GettyRutledge Wood will take on a new role during the 2022 NASCAR season.
With Coon joining the stacked list of reporters, there are now questions about another personality. Will Rutledge Wood roam the campgrounds and tracks while providing updates for NBC Sports? He has been a mainstay at the track over the years while interviewing fans, getting candy from Scott Speed, jogging with Michael Waltrip, and trying to throw Tony Stewart in a child’s pool.
The answer is complicated. Wood will still be part of NBC Sports’ NASCAR coverage, but he won’t be in locations that the fans would expect. Wood will actually have a new role for the 2022 season. He will be the “CityView” reporter for the races on the NBC Sports schedule. Essentially, he will conduct interviews with people from the city and host area each weekend.
This new role will begin in Tennessee. The drivers will compete at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn., but Wood will be 35 miles away. He will set up shop at Tootsies Orchid Lounge down on Broadway, which is an iconic Nashville location. NBC Sports has not revealed any of the other locations where Wood will spend time and interview everyday people.
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NBC Sports Announces Coverage Team for Xfinity & Cup Series