NBC Sports Surrounds Chicagoland Race With Fan Centric Elements and Pre-Race Features

NBC Sports surrounds its first race of the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series with fan-centric elements and pre-race features as part of the nearly 20 hours of trackside coverage from Chicagoland Speedway this weekend. Pre-race coverage from Chicago begins Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN with Countdown to Green, and will welcome race fans back to NBC Sports' NASCAR coverage with one-on-one interviews and long-form features ahead of the green flag on Sunday on NBCSN.

Sunday's pre-race coverage on NBCSN will include:

• Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s interviews Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson prior to the race on Sunday about the famous "Slide Job" finish to the 2018 Chicagoland race;
• The first installment of NASCAR America's "Behind the Driver" series will showcase an individual who has been instrumental in making Joey Logano a NASCAR Champion.
• NBC Sports' motorsports reporter Rutledge Wood and analyst Kyle Petty will doi their best "Blues Brothers" impersonation;

Additionally, NASCAR AMERICA Fan Fridays return this Friday at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN live from Chicagoland Speedway. The program will originate from the Peacock Pit Box amongst the fans at Chicagoland and will include numerous driver interviews.

TONIGHT'S EPISODE OF NASCAR AMERICA MOTORMOUTHS TO FEATURE GUEST TY DILLON

Tonight's episode of NASCAR AMERICA Motormouths at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN will feature special guest [what team?] Ty Dillon. Dillon, who matched a career best with a sixth-place finish in the Daytona 500 earlier this year, will join Marty Snider and Dale Jarrett on the NASCAR AMERICA set as fans call in to ask their questions ahead of this weekend's race at Chicagoland. Motormouths Wednesdays are all about the viewers, providing regular opportunities for fans to call in to NASCAR AMERICA and speak with hosts, analysts, and a rotation of current drivers live on NBCSN.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM NBC SPORTS' "ON HER TURF" INTERVIEW WITH NASCAR K&N DRIVER HAILIE DEEGAN

Today's episode of the "On Her Turf" podcast featured 17-year-old stock car driverHailie Deegan. Deegan grew up racing off-road and on dirt but transitioned to competing on asphalt in 2016 to pursue a career in stock car racing. She began her career in NASCAR in 2018 at the K&N Pro Series level and is the only female to have won races in the series, doing so in the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Deegan joined host Kathryn Tappen to discuss where she draws her confidence from, growing up in a racing household, her goals moving forward, Kevin Harvick's importance in her career, how she sees "frenemies" every day and keeps her priorities straight, and THE ONE thing that scares her in a race car. Click here to listen to the full interview. Following are highlights from the interview:

Deegan on her accomplishments at only 17 years old: "I try really not to focus on what I've accomplished, but what I need to do next, what I'm working towards. I'm never really just satisfied with where I'm at. I always just want to get better, improve more, learn as much as I can because obviously I have a lot to learn and a lot to get better at so it's all about improvement to me."

On finding success as a female in racing: "I've learned that you just have to be aggressive. A lot of people assume about being a girl that they're a little more laid back, they're not as aggressive, they're still trying to get to the same level as the guys, but I think that even if you ask some of the other guys, they can say that I am an aggressive driver just because I know what it's going to take to make it. I see why a lot of other girls haven't made it. I feel like I can depict why other girls aren't MAKING IT and I don't want to make the same mistakes."

Deegan: "There are so many different pieces of the puzzle and you have to be an aggressive personality. There's quite a few girls who just don't have the aggression in their personality. I feel like I grew up in a very aggressive family and my dad just being from motocross industry, it's an aggressive, very tough sport, so that's where I learned from him."

On where her confidence comes from: "I think it just comes from watching everyone at this high level in the racing community. Seeing how much room there is for a girl to take over (not take over a series) but be involved in NASCAR. I just see so much room for someone to be in there and I want to be that person, and I definitely want to be one of the first to accomplish things at the high levels of NASCAR."

On the best advice from her father: "Remember, go out there and have fun, but you're having the most fun when you're winning."

On her career goals: I just want to make it to the top levels of NASCAR, be able to win at the top levels - whether its Trucks, Xfinity or Cup, I just want to be able to go and perform at my best."

***

Following is this week's NASCAR programming on NBCSN:

DATE	COVERAGE	TIME (ET)
Wednesday, June 26	NASCAR America Motormouths	5 p.m.
Thursday, June 27	NASCAR America Motorsports Hour	5 p.m.
	K&N Pro West - Sonoma	6 p.m.
Friday, June 28	NASCAR Xfinity Series First Practice - Chicago	4 p.m.
	NASCAR America Fan Friday	6 p.m.
	NASCAR Xfinity Series Final Practice - Chicago	7 p.m.
Saturday, June 29	NASCAR Cup Series Practice - Chicago	11 a.m.
	NASCAR Xfinity Series Qualifying - Chicago	12 p.m.
	NASCAR America	1 p.m.
	NASCAR Cup Series Final Practice - Chicago	2 p.m.
	NASCAR Xfinity Series Countdown to Green	3 p.m.
	NASCAR Xfinity Series Race - Chicago	3:30 p.m.
	NASCAR Xfinity Series Post-Race Show	6 p.m.
	NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying - Chicago	6:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 30	NASCAR America	1 p.m.
	NASCAR Cup Series Countdown to Green	2:30 p.m.
	NASCAR Cup Series Race - Chicago	3 p.m.
	NASCAR Cup Series Post-Race Show	6 p.m.

NBC SPORTS' NASCAR COVERAGE

The official home of the NASCAR Playoffs, NBC Sports will present the final 20 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races, final 19 NASCAR Xfinity Series races, and select NASCAR Regional & Touring Series events in 2019. NBC Sports' NASCAR programming also includes NBCSN's daily motorsports show NASCAR America, coverage of NASCAR's Awards Ceremonies, the annual NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony, as well as original programming specials.

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