NASCAR is gearing up for its final broadcaster switch of the season following the Brickyard 400, which marked the conclusion of FOX Sports, Amazon Prime and TNT Sports’ coverage of the NASCAR Cup Series.
USA Network’s NBC is now poised to handle the rest of the season, meaning Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. will step back for the remaining races as planned after his highly successful comeback to the commentary booth with Amazon and TNT.
One of the recognizable personalities ready to replace Earnhardt, who offered 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace some important post-race guidance on Sunday, is the beloved Australian, Leigh Diffey, who in 2025 will celebrate his 10th year broadcasting NASCAR for NBC as a play-by-play commentator.
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“The second best (formally best) broadcast partner in NASCAR is back! Can’t wait for Iowa. Excited to hear Leigh Diffey in the booth again. TNT was solid in my opinion but NBC is definitely better, especially on the production side,” one fan posted on Reddit.
“I’m gonna miss jr. used to be neutral on him but prime really made me like him for what is to nascar,” commented another, while a third responded, “Leigh Diffey could call play by play on a grass growing contest and make it worth watching.
And while Diffey’s commentary from Iowa will signal a welcomed comeback, it’s his approach to another forthcoming race that others are anticipating, with one fan noting, “Personally I can’t wait for Diff to call Talladega. It’s gonna be nuts.”
Joining Diffey on NBC will be former Cup Series Rookie of the Year Jeff Burton, who, like the Aussie, is marking his 10th year with the network. Alongside pre and post-race analysis from ex-Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Steve Letarte, Burton will share his insights.
1999 Cup Series champ Dale Jarrett will also return to offer his expert commentary both before and after races, joined by Hyak Motorsports co-owner Brad Daugherty.
In the pits, NBC will count on Kim Coon, Dave Burns, and Parker Kligerman for comprehensive coverage of behind-the-scenes action.
Iowa will kick off NBC’s 14-race season, followed by Watkins Glen, Richmond Raceway, and Daytona International Speedway to wrap up the regular season. The playoffs will then begin at Darlington Raceway on August 31 with the Cook Out Southern 500.
After his victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last Sunday, 23XI’s Wallace became the 13th driver to secure a spot in the postseason showdown, leaving just three spots open as we head to Iowa. These spots are currently held by 23XI’s Tyler Reddick, Hendricks’ Alex Bowman, and RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher, who is presently the last qualifying driver, 42 points above the cutoff line.