Final weekend coverage begins, ends on SPEED

SPEED will open its coverage of the final race weekend of the season with live coverage of the Sprint Cup Series "Champions Contenders" news conference from the Hyatt Regency in Coral Gables, Fla., beginning at 1 p.m. ET Thursday.

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Points leader and three-time defending Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will be joined by teammate Mark Martin, currently second in points, and team owner Rick Hendrick. Other guests will include driver Juan Montoya and 1983 NASCAR champion Bobby Allison, who will serve as the honorary starter for Sunday's race at Homestead.

"We are going to wrap up this NASCAR racing season in the same fashion we started it back in Daytona -- all hands on deck and standing on the gas," SPEED president Hunter Nickell said. "Whether tuning in to witness Jimmie Johnson's run at history or simply cheering their favorite drivers, fans expect SPEED to finish as strong as we started and we won't disappoint them."

On Friday, SPEED is live from Homestead:

• 11 a.m. -- NASCAR Live! coverage of Cup Series practice
• 1 p.m. -- Nationwide Series practice
• 5 p.m. -- Camping World Truck Series qualifying
• 6:30 p.m. -- Nationwide Series final practice
• 7:30 p.m. -- NCWTS Setup with Krista Voda
• 8 p.m. -- Truck Series final practice
• 10:30 p.m. -- Trackside

Rising country star Jessie James will sing the national anthem prior to the Truck Series race. James also will be on hand to sign autographs at the SPEED Stage at 5:30 p.m. Friday.

On Saturday, SPEED's coverage includes:

• 11 a.m. -- NASCAR Live!
• 11:30 a.m. -- Nationwide Series qualifying
• 1:30 p.m. -- Cup Series practice
• 7:30 p.m. -- Trackside
• 8:30 p.m. -- NASCAR Smarts

Sunday's coverage includes:

• 10 a.m. -- NASCAR Performance
• 10:30 a.m. -- NASCAR Smarts
• 11 a.m. -- NASCAR in a Hurry
• 11:30 a.m. -- NASCAR RaceDay
• 8 p.m. -- NASCAR Victory Lane