NBC Sports to Present Sprint Cup Racing from Watkins Glen This Sunday

As NBC Sports Group stands just two days away from the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, this weekend's NASCAR action from Watkins Glen International lands on usa network and CNBC. Coverage kicks off Saturday with XFINITY Series racing at 1:30 p.m. ET on CNBC, followed by Sprint Cup racing Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on USA Network.

NBC Sports surrounds Jeff Gordon's continued run in the No. 88 car, as Dale Earnhardt Jr. remains sidelined with concussion-like symptoms. NBCSN presents a special edition of NASCAR AMERICA Friday at 12 p.m. ET, with complete live coverage of Earnhardt Jr.'s press conference, when he will address his condition and expected return to racing. NBC Sports' coverage highlights Watkins Glen's winningest driver Tony Stewart, as he looks to continue his hot streak at this weekend's highly anticipated race. Sunday's pre-race coverage on usa network includes an exclusive interview with Pocono's race winner Chris Buescher. Buescher discusses his unlikely victory, and what if feels like to have his first career Sprint Cup win under his belt.

Thanks to multi-tasking NASCAR fans at work, Monday afternoon's Sprint Cup race from Pocono Raceway delivered NBC Sports' best race ever in terms of live streaming. Consumption of the Pennsylvania 400 via the NBC Sports app and NBCSports.com totaled 6.7 million minutes, up 173% vs. the same event last year. Live streaming of Monday's race also stands as the year's best performing race in terms of unique users (64,000), up 88% vs. last year's Pocono race. Season-to-date, live streams of NASCAR coverage has drawn 241,000 unique users and 26.7 million live minutes via the NBC Sports app and NBCSports.com, up 24% and 60%, respectively, from the same period in 2015.

NBC Sports begins its Sprint Cup coverage from one of the most unique tracks in NASCAR Friday with practice at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, followed by final practice at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Saturday's Sprint Cup qualifying begins at 12 p.m. ET on CNBC.

USA Network's race day coverage begins at 2 p.m. ET with Countdown to Green, followed by Sprint Cup racing from "The Glen" at 2:30 p.m. ET. An on-site post-race show wraps up the afternoon at 5:30 p.m. ET.

Race announcer Rick Allen calls this weekend's action alongside analysts Steve Letarte and Jeff Burton. Pre- and post-race coverage is handled by host Krista Voda, and analysts Kyle Petty and Dale Jarrett. Marty Snider, Mike Massaro, Dave Burns and Parker Kligerman report from pit road.

With a large crowd expected, Watkins Glen International kicks off its weekend of racing Friday with XFINITY practice at 10 a.m. ET on NBCSN, followed by qualifying at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Race day coverage on CNBC begins with Countdown to Green at 1:30 p.m. ET, followed by XFINITY series racing at 2 p.m. ET and a post-race show to wrap up the day at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Clint Bowyer stars in this week's new NASCAR on NBC "Phone a Fan" web video, where unsuspecting fans receive calls from their favorite NASCAR drivers. In the video released today on the NASCAR on NBC Facebook page and twitter accounts, Bowyer chats with his fan Dan about the night they "socialized" in the infield together. Check out the full video here.

Director of NBC Sports' NASCAR race broadcasts Mike Wells joins Nate Ryanon this week's NASCAR on NBC podcast to share stories and wisdom from his 35-year career in "controlled chaos." Available on NASCAR Talk, iTunes, AudioBoom, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher and podcasting apps, the NASCAR on NBC podcast discusses the latest NASCAR news each week with the major players in the sport.

In a feature set to run tomorrow on NBCSports.com, NASCAR Talk writer Dustin Long discusses with analyst Burton Jeff Gordon's chances of winning at Watkins Glen, Chase Elliott's recent struggles and Martin Truex Jr.'s misfortune at Pocono. In an advance excerpt available below Burton talks frankly about Hendrick Motorsports' season thus far.

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