NBC Sports makes NASCAR, IndyCar commentary reshuffle

Leigh Diffey will serve as the lead play-by-play commentator for NBC Sports’ NASCAR Cup Series coverage beginning with this weekend’s race at Daytona International Speedway, while Kevin Lee will be elevated to lead commentator for this year’s remaining NTT IndyCar Series events.

Diffey (main image), who has just returned from working as NBC Sports’ lead track and field play-by-play commentator at the Paris Olympics, led NBC’s IndyCar coverage for more than a decade, including all six of NBC’s Indy 500 broadcasts.

Meanwhile, Lee’s commentary career extends back more than three decades, and he has been a key contributor to NBC’s IndyCar coverage since 2009. He has filled the IndyCar play-by-play role several times this season, including last weekend’s race at WWTR, and will serve as the network’s primary IndyCar voice for the final races of its tenure as the series broadcast partner before FOX Sports takes over next year.

Rick Allen will continue as NBC Sports’ lead NASCAR Xfinity Series play-by-play commentator. Xfinity Series coverage will air on USA Network until the race at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 20, when the CW Network assumes its role as the television home of the Xfinity Series.

Allen has called NBC Sports’ NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series coverage since NBC Sports acquired media rights ahead of the 2015 season. Prior to joining NBC Sports, Allen served as a play-by-play announcer for the NASCAR Truck Series for more than a decade.