Last year FOX Sports enlisted the help of a few drivers from the Monster Energy Cup Series and join the broadcast booth during the Xfinity Series races. During one of those races, FOX Sports turned the broadcast booth over to the drivers for one Xfinity Series race broadcast.
This season FOX Sports is again letting the drivers join in on the broadcast duties. FOX Sports President and Executive Producer John Entz noted, “as long as no one sets fire to the FOX Sports booth or pulls the plug that knocks us off the air, the drivers have free rein.”
This year Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, Erik Jones, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Brad Keselowski, and Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr will take over all of the broadcasting and pit road duties for the April 28 race at Talladega Superspeedway.
Harvick, Bowyer, and Logano will run things from the broadcast booth; while Blaney, Jones, and Wallace will take over the pit road reporting duties. Keselowski will run things from the Hollywood Hotel with Stenhouse.
Talladega is the sport’s longest track at 2.66 miles around and is often the scene of some wild races and big wrecks.
FOX Sports is also bringing back the driver guest announcer role during the Xfinity races. Brad Keselowski kicked the season off in Daytona with the PowerShares QQQ 300 on February 17.
The Camping World Truck Series is also getting in on the game with Kevin Harvick joining the broadcast team for the races at Eldora and Talladega.
While the guest broadcasting role from the Monster Energy Cup Series drivers is an unpaid position, FOX Sports does make contributions to the driver’s charities and offers the drivers an opportunity to speak about those charities.
Guest driver broadcasting appearances for the 2018 Xfinity Series racing season:
Chase Elliott will join the broadcast crew at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Brad Keselowski will join the broadcast crew at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Auto Club Speedway.
Ryan Blaney will join the broadcast crew at Phoenix International Raceway.
Clint Bowyer will join the broadcast crew at Texas Motor Speedway.
Joey Logano will join the broadcast crew at Bristol Motor Speedway and Michigan International Speedway.
Kevin Harvick will join the broadcast crew at Richmond International Raceway.
Austin Dillon will join the broadcast crew at Dover International Speedway.
Erik Jones will join the broadcast crew at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Jamie McMurray will join the broadcast crew at Pcoono Raceway.
And new FOX pit reporter Regan Smith will join the broadcast crew at Iowa Speedway.