NBC Sports Gathers Execs, On-Air Talent Ahead Of NASCAR Coverage

NBC Sports yesterday took another step in its preparations to start covering NASCAR again, bringing its entire 14-person on-air staff together in the same room for the first time. The staff, which is generally split between those who live in the Charlotte area and others near NBC Sports HQ in Stamford, Conn., assembled together at the network's satellite office near Uptown Charlotte to partake in a range of meetings aimed at making sure the group hits the ground running for its first NASCAR race production, which will take place at Daytona Int'l Speedway's July race. Other important tasks knocked off the list yesterday included fitting pit-road reporters like Kelli Stavast for the firesuits they will wear on air.

Key execs on hand for NBC included NBC Sports Exec Producer Sam Flood and VP/NASCAR Production Jeff Behnke, plus on-air talent ranging from lead announcer Rick Allen to NASCAR lifestyle reporter Rutledge Wood. Flood: "We identified talent that we wanted to hire very early; that's always the face of your broadcasts. So this talent team we have – we feel very comfortable and confident that they're going to bring fresh growth and fresh vision of the sport." Adam Stern/SportsbusinessDaily