Report: NBC poised to make Diffey lead NASCAR commentator

While known primarily for motorsport, including calling the IndyCar Series, the former Network 10 personality has a diverse portfolio within NBC.

According to the United States’ Sports Business Journal, that is likely to encompass NASCAR when the ‘peacock network’ assumes telecast responsibilities later this year.

Fox and NBC share NASCAR rights in a roughly 50-50 split which sees the former cover the first half of the season before the latter takes over from the Iowa event on the weekend of Sunday, June 16.

It has been speculated that incumbent Rick Allen will continue to call races through the Olympic Games, which run from July 26-August 11, when Diffey is expected to reprise his role as NBC’s lead track and field commentator.

At some point after the Paris 2024 Games are over, the Queenslander would take over the Cup Series, while Allen would remain on the second-tier Xfinity Series.

The reason for the apparent switch is not known, although it bodes well for Diffey’s future as a NASCAR commentator given NBC has renewed, albeit with a reduced slate of races, for the 2025 to 2031 seasons.

Previously, he has filled in for Allen, calling practice and qualifying sessions before making his race debut at Watkins Glen in August 2017.

Diffey’s move would lead to some shuffling in the IndyCar ranks, presumably with Marty Snider being moved from pit lane into the commentary box, as he does for Warm Up sessions and selected practice hit-outs.

Next year, assuming NBC retains IndyCar rights, an earlier end to the open-wheeler category’s season would reduce the scope for clashes with NASCAR.

Diffey was linked in recent years to a return to Australia to call Supercars again, having done so for 10 in the 1990s and 2000s, but that did not come to pass.

The 2024 IndyCar season continues with the $1 Million Challenge at The Thermal Club on March 22-24 (local time).

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