The time has come for the biggest names in the NASCAR Cup Series to test themselves in a different manner. FOX Sports has revealed the analysts and reporters for the annual “drivers-only” Xfinity Series broadcast.
FOX Sports provided the information during “NASCAR RaceDay” on May 20. Kevin Harvick will lead the booth as the play-by-play man while Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney will join him in the booth as analysts. The two Team Penske drivers have helped Adam Alexander call multiple Xfinity Series races in 2022, but they will now join forces with one of their competitors.
The race will feature two rising, young drivers as the pit reporters at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Tyler Reddick and Austin Cindric will both walk around with microphones, and they will strive to get scoops from crew chiefs and crew members throughout the 200-lap race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
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FOX Sports Will Bring Back the Drivers-Only Studio
GettyBrad Keselowski will lead the FOX Sports studio show at Charlotte.
FOX Sports embraces the drivers-only concept in multiple ways. The Cup Series stars take over the broadcast booth and pit road. They also head to the Charlotte studio to provide analysis about breaking news and the biggest storylines.
The 2012 Cup Series champion, Brad Keselowski, will spearhead the drivers-only studio segments. He will lead the broadcast as the studio host, and he will set up his analysts to discuss some important storylines.
There will be two drivers with strong performances at superspeedways. Aric Almirola, who has captured races at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, will serve as one of the in-studio analysts. Fellow Daytona and Talladega winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will also join as an analyst for the special broadcast.
FOX Sports Introduced the Unique Broadcast Several Years Ago
The 2022 season continues the history of putting active competitors in the booth for the drivers-only broadcast. It’s a normal part of the schedule now, but it certainly turned heads when FOX Sports originally introduced the idea.
Back in 2017, the broadcaster revealed that it would turn to active Cup Series drivers to lead the coverage of an Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway. This was an unprecedented move at the time, especially compared to other sports. FOX Sports also used the opportunity to make donations to the drivers’ favorite charities as a sign of gratitude.
The broadcast at Pocono in 2017 featured Harvick as the lead play-by-play man. Logano joined him in the booth to provide analysis, as did future FOX Sports employee Clint Bowyer. Blaney, Stenhouse, and Erik Jones provided updates as the pit road reporters. The studio featured Danica Patrick and Denny Hamlin as the co-hosts.
The Cup Series drivers spent time working with the FOX Sports regulars before heading to their respective roles for the afternoon. They then broadened their horizons while watching Keselowski lead 29 of the scheduled 100 laps and hold off Justin Allgaier for his first of two wins.
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FOX Sports Reveals ‘Drivers-Only’ Lineup for Charlotte