NASCAR heads to ISM Raceway in Phoenix this weekend for the fourth race of the MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES season on Sunday, March 10 (3:30 PM ET on FOX), preceded by the NASCAR XFINITY SERIES race (Saturday at 4:00 PM ET on FS1).
Below are programming information, the weekend’s on-air broadcaster roster and quotes from FOX NASCAR analysts Larry McReynolds, Jamie McMurray and Ricky Craven on the weekend ahead:
MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
- Date/Time: Sunday, March 10 (3:30 PM ET)
- Network: FOX
- Announcers: Mike Joy, Hall of Famer and three-time champion Darrell Waltrip, Hall of Famer and four-time champ Jeff Gordon and two-time Daytona 500-winning crew chief Larry McReynolds
- Pit reporters: Jamie Little, Vince Welch and Matt Yocum
- Prerace: NASCAR RACEDAY (3:00-3:30 PM ET on FOX); hosted by Adam Alexander with Darrell Waltrip and Gordon in Phoenix; Shannon Spake with McReynolds, Jamie McMurray and Michael Waltrip in Charlotte
- NASCAR RACEDAY (2:00-3:00 PM ET on FS1); hosted by Spake with McReynolds, McMurray and Michael Waltrip
- Hosts: Spake, McMurray and Michael Waltrip
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES
- Date/Time: Saturday, March 9 (4:00 PM ET)
- Network: FS1
- Announcers: Adam Alexander, Kevin Harvick and driver analyst Erik Jones
- Pit reporters: Matt Yocum and Regan Smith
- Prerace: NASCAR RACEDAY-XFINITY (3:30 PM ET on FS1); hosted by Shannon Spake and analysts Larry McReynolds, Jamie McMurray and Michael Waltrip
- Hosts: Spake, McReynolds and McMurray
FOX NASCAR QUOTES:
JAMIE MCMURRAY SAYS NEW AERO PACKAGE WASN’T INTENDED TO CREATE DRAFTING AT INTERMEDIATE TRACKS:
“This package wasn’t intended to create drafting at mile-and-a-half tracks. It was developed so the leader doesn’t have as big an advantage as last year, and we saw that with the No. 4 and the No. 42 at Atlanta and the No. 2 and 22 (at Las Vegas). When the second-place car ran down the first-place car and passed him, he got passed back, and we never would have seen that last year because clean air was so valuable.”
RICKY CRAVEN SAYS MISTAKES ARE MAGNIFIED THIS SEASON:
“It’s apparent how hard drivers, crew chiefs, spotters and teams are working to capitalize on the new rules package. The margin between teams has narrowed, and mistakes seem magnified. There’s a tremendous amount of pressure on the teams.”
MCMURRAY SAYS PERFORMANCE AT INTERMEDIATE TRACKS IS CRUCIAL:
“The mile-and-a-half tracks will make or break your season. If you’re good at those, you can struggle at the short tracks or road courses a bit, because we have so many of them. But if you’re bad at them, it’s really hard to make that up.”
MCMURRAY STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF DRIVER/SPOTTER COMMUNICATION WITH NEW AERO PACKAGE:
“This package — at the mile-and-a-half and bigger tracks — it’s not Daytona or Talladega, but the spotters are going to work that hard and they’re going to earn their money this year, because not only are they driving out of the front of the car, they’re driving out the back. They’re physically and mentally exhausted because there’s so much going on inside the car, and the spotters are working harder than ever.”
LARRY MCREYNOLDS DOESN’T THINK JOEY LOGANO HAS PEAKED IN HIS CAREER:
“He’s still climbing. I don’t think we have seen the full potential of Joey Logano.”
MCMURRAY SAYS KYLE BUSCH COULD HIT 200 NASCAR WINS BEFORE NASCAR HEADS BACK EAST AGAIN:
“Every time Kyle Busch is in a race, I think he’s the favorite to win. It doesn’t matter if it’s Trucks, Xfinity or in the Cup cars.”
FOX NASCAR AT ISM RACEWAY PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE
(All times live/Eastern unless otherwise indicated & subject to change)
Friday, March 8
MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES practice (1:30-2:30 PM) (NASCAR.com/live)
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES practice (3:00-4:00 PM) (FS1)
NASCAR RACE HUB: WEEKEND EDITION (4:00-5:00 PM) (FS1)
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES final practice (5:00-6:00 PM) (FS1)
MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES qualifying (6:00-7:00 PM) (FS1)
Saturday, March 9
MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES practice (11:30 AM-12:30 PM) (FS1)
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES qualifying (12:30-1:30 PM) (FS1)
NASCAR RACE HUB: WEEKEND EDITION (1:30-2:00 PM) (FS1)
MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES final practice (2:00-3:00 PM) (FS1)
NASCAR RACE HUB: WEEKEND EDITION (3:00-3:30 PM) (FS1)
NASCAR RACEDAY-XFINITY (3:30-4:00 PM) (FS1)
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES Racing (4:00-6:30 PM) (FS1)
Sunday, March 10
NASCAR RACEDAY (2:00-3:00 PM) (FS1)
NASCAR RACEDAY (3:00-3:30 PM) (FOX)
MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES Racing (3:30-7:00 PM) (FOX)
FOX Sports PR
