NBCSN to Air INDYCAR Grand Prix of Alabama This Sunday

NBCSN's coverage of the 2016 Verizon INDYCAR SERIES rolls on this weekend with comprehensive live coverage of the Grand Prix of Alabama, as the green flag drops at Barber Motorsports Park this Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET. Coverage from Alabama begins tomorrow on NBCSN at noon ET with practice, followed by live qualifying on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. ET.

NBC Sports Live Extra - NBC Sports Group's live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs - will provide streaming coverage of practice, qualifying and the Grand Prix of Alabama via "TV Everywhere."

Simon Pagenaud (Penske) enters this weekend's race as the hottest driver on the circuit, following his first-ever Grand Prix of Long Beach victory last weekend. Pagenaud began his season with a pair of second-place finishes at St. Petersburg and Phoenix before winning at Long Beach last week. Last year's INDYCAR champion Scott Dixon (Target Chip Ganassi) finished second at Long Beach, following his win at Phoenix on April 2. Josef Newgarden (Ed Carpenter Racing) earned his first-ever INDYCAR win at Barber last year, and has two Top 10s in three races this season.

This weekend's coverage on NBCSN will include a feature on Pagenaud and his strong start to 2016 after a difficult first season with Penske last year, as well as a feature with pit reporter Katie Hargitt and driversConor Daly and Alexander Rossi as they attend Space Camp in nearby Huntsville, Ala.

Rick Allen, who serves as NBC Sports Group's lead NASCAR play-by-play announcer, will handle the play-by-play duties for this week's Grand Prix of Long Beach, filling in for lead INDYCAR and F1 announcer Leigh Diffey.

Allen will be joined by 2003 CART champion and analyst Paul Tracy, as well as driver and analystTownsend Bell, who recently announced he will be driving in this year's 100th Indianapolis 500 with Andretti Autosport. Marty Snider, Robin Miller, Kevin Lee, and Katie Hargitt will handle coverage in the pits in Long Beach.

In addition, NBCSN will showcase the Indy Lights developmental series with a presentation of the Legacy Indy Lights 100 race from Alabama on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET, leading into race coverage. Kevin Lee, Anders Krohn, and Katie Hargitt will have the call.

LAST SUNDAY'S GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH ON NBCSN IS MOST-WATCHED SINCE 2012

Last Sunday's Grand Prix of Long Beach on NBCSN (4:41-6:38 p.m. ET) averaged 402,000 viewers to rank as the most-watched INDYCAR Grand Prix of Long Beach since 2012. Viewership of this year's race was up 17% vs. 2015 (344,000). Through two races on NBCSN to-date (Phoenix and Long Beach), INDYCAR has averaged 382,000 viewers, up 11% vs. 2015 (343,000).

NBCSN is coming off its most-watched INDYCAR season ever, averaging more than 500,000 viewers across 11 races in 2015, up 34% vs. 2014 viewership. The season finale at Sonoma averaged 841,000 viewers to become the most-watched INDYCAR race on NBCSN since rights were acquired in 2009, and the most-watched INDYCAR race on cable in seven years.

Click here for more information on NBCSN's record INDYCAR viewership in 2015.

Following is this week's motorsports coverage schedule on NBCSN:

Date	Program	Network	Time (ET)
Fri., April 22	NASCAR K&N Pro Series East - Bristol	NBCSN	1 a.m.
	IndyCar Grand Prix of Alabama - Practice	NBCSN	12 p.m.
	Mecum Auctions - Kissimmee (Encore)	NBCSN	1:30 p.m.
Sat., April 23	IndyCar Grand Prix of Alabama - Qualifying	NBCSN	4 p.m.
Sun., April 24	Legacy Indy Lights 100	NBCSN	2 p.m.
	IndyCar Grand Prix of Alabama - Pre-Race	NBCSN	3 p.m.
	IndyCar Grand Prix of Alabama	NBCSN	3:30 p.m.
	IndyCar Grand Prix of Alabama - Post-Race	NBCSN	5:30 p.m.
	IndyCar Chronicles - Ryan Hunter-Reay	NBCSN	6 p.m.

NBC SPORTS GROUP STREAMING, DIGITAL AND SOCIAL CONTENT

NBC Sports Group will provide comprehensive streaming and digital coverage surrounding its motorsports properties via NBC Sports Live Extra - NBC Sports Group's live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets - and NASCAR Talk and MotorSportsTalk, NBC Sports Group's digital home for the latest motorsports news.

NBC Sports Live Extra will provide season-long live streaming coverage of all Formula One practices, qualifying sessions and Grands Prix, including exclusive coverage of practices that will not air on NBC or NBCSN. Live Extra will stream all live NASCAR and INDYCAR content that will air on NBC and NBCSN (race coverage and some practice and qualifying). In addition, Live Extra will provide streaming coverage of the LUCAS OIL PRO MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP and RED BULL GLOBAL RALLYCROSS series.

NASCAR TALK: NASCAR TALK provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date NASCAR coverage, including Sprint Cup, XFINITY, and Camping World Truck Series. The site also promotes videos from NBCSN's NASCAR AMERICA. Fans can follow @NASCARTalkNBC on Twitter.

MOTORSPORTSTALK: MotorSportsTalk (@MotorSportsTalk) on NBCSports.com brings racing fans up-to-the-minute news, video and information on Formula One, the Verizon INDYCAR Series, and other open-wheel and off-road racing from around the world. The site also serves as the destination for all news, analysis and video from NBC and NBCSN productions of INDYCAR and F1, including contributions from on-air commentators.

SOCIAL: NBC Sports Group will continue to provide comprehensive motorsports social coverage across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. On Twitter, fans can follow @MotorsportsTalk for all-encompassing content across NBC Sports Group's motorsports properties. @NASCARonNBC and@NASCARTalkNBC share the latest NASCAR content, @F1onNBCSports provides the latest news in Formula One, and @IndyCaronNBCSN delivers up-to-the-minute information on the Verizon INDYCAR Series.

In addition, the NASCAR on NBC Facebook page will provide users with videos, interactive content and much more. Fans should also "like" NBC Sports on Facebook for the most up-to-date news, videos and commentary about NBC Sports Group's motorsports properties.

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