The multi-country media blitz will feature 16 different drivers across 16 different cities, with one driver visiting each of the following locations: every Chase track market, Los Angeles, Mexico City, San Antonio, Toronto, New York and ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut. Follow along with each Chase Across North America event using #NASCAR and #MyChaseNation.
Each location will host a Chase driver for a day of special events and media availabilities to kick off NASCAR’s playoffs, which begin Sunday, Sept. 14 at Chicagoland Speedway (2 p.m. ET on ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
U.S. national TV tune-in schedule
Jimmie Johnson / New York City
8:30 a.m. ET "The TODAY Show" (NBC)
9:30 a.m. ET "Live! with Kelly & Michael" (Check local listings)
1:30 p.m. ET "Power Lunch" (CNBC)
11:30 p.m. ET "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" (NBC)
Kevin Harvick / Bristol, Connecticut
9:35–9:55 a.m. ET "SportsCenter" (ESPN)
11:35-11:55 a.m. ET "SportsCenter" (ESPN)
1:40–1:55 p.m. ET "SportsCenter" (ESPN)
Kyle Busch / Chicago
2:40 p.m. ET "SportsCenter" (ESPN)
Jeff Gordon / Chicago
6:40 p.m. ET "SportsCenter" (ESPN)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. / Los Angeles
6 p.m. ET "America’s Pregame (FOX Sports 1)
11:30 p.m. ET "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" (ABC)
Below are the market/driver pairings:
Charlotte: Brad Keselowski: Event Time: 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Event Overview: Brad Keselowski will participate in a radio media tour in Raleigh on some of the state’s largest sports, country and adult listening programs. Following the tour, he will join Charlotte Motor Speedway general manager Marcus Smith and North Carolina Lt. Gov. Dan Forest at an outdoor fan event in downtown Raleigh (at popular City Plaza on Fayetteville Street). Keselowski will finish the day with live TV interviews onsite in front of the Bank of America show car.
Toronto: Jeff Gordon: Event Time: 11 a.m. – 2:45 p.m. ET
Event Overview: Jeff Gordon will visit various iconic locations in downtown Toronto, including the CN Tower for a media reception, meet and greet with US Consul General; Dundas Square (Times Square of Toronto) for an appearance with Canadian Tire Series Champion Scott Steckly; the Hockey Hall of Fame for a photo opportunity with the Stanley Cup and former champion Phil Pritchard; and a Canadian Tire retail location for a fan and employee event.
Los Angeles: Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Event: Time: 10:15 a.m. – 6:05 p.m. PT
Event Overview: Dale Earnhardt Jr. will participate in a media tour at the FOX Studios in Los Angeles, appearing on "America’s Pregame" Show, FOX Sports Live, among others. Following the visit to FOX, he will appear on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
New York City: Jimmie Johnson: Event Time: 8 a.m. – 6:15 p.m. ET
Event Overview: Jimmie Johnson will participate in a national media tour around New York City, appearing on "The TODAY Show," "Live! with Kelly & Michael," "CNBC’s Power Lunch" and "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and others.
Talladega: Joey Logano: Event: Time: 9:10 a.m. – 12:40 p.m. CT
Event Overview: Joey Logano will visit Children’s Hospital of Alabama at the University of Alabama Birmingham and spend time with the patients for the hospital’s ‘Celebrating Superheroes’ month. In addition, Logano will participate in a radio media tour with some of Birmingham, Alabama’s top radio stations.
ESPN: Kevin Harvick: Event Time: 9:35 a.m. – 1:55 p.m. ET
Event Overview: Kevin Harvick will spend the day on campus at ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut. While onsite, he will appear live on "SportsCenter" at various times throughout the day, participate in interviews for ESPN NASCAR and other programs, and answer questions via @ESPNnascar on Twitter.
Mexico City: Carl Edwards: Event Time: 7:30 – 11 a.m. CT
Event Overview: Carl Edwards will visit Mexico City, appearing at some of the city’s most internationally recognizable locations. He will participate in a media tour with interviews on Televisa, Uno TV / Claro Sports, among others, followed by a media reception at Soumaya Museum and a meet and greet with U.S. Embassy staff at Angel of Independence.
Chicago: Kyle Busch: Event Time: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. CT
Event Overview: Kyle Busch will make a special appearance at G.B. Swift Specialty School as part of The NASCAR Foundation’s education initiative, along with executive director Lorene King, where students will fill out Chase Grids and hear from King and Busch. In addition, Busch will participate in interviews with some of Chicago’s top media outlets, including WGN, ESPN Radio, among others. Following the event, he’ll appear live on SportsCenter and participate in a Chase Grid Live kickoff event with Chicagoland Speedway president Scott Paddock, Toyota Vice President of Marketing Communications and Motorsports Ed Laukes and Miss Sprint Cup Kim Coon at Pioneer Court in downtown Chicago.
Phoenix: Denny Hamlin: 7:30 – 10:30 a.m. PT
Event Overview: Denny Hamlin will participate in a Chase kickoff "Breakfast with Champions" along with Phoenix International Raceway president Bryan Sperber and former Indy 500 champion Tom Sneva. Emceed by veteran motorsports broadcaster Ralph Sheehan, the invite-only event crowd will consist of PIR partners, suite holders, fans and Phoenix-area media at the popular restaurant Joyride. The panel will focus on the new Chase format, with each participant filling out their own Chase Grid, and Hamlin also will participate in a media Q&A session.
San Antonio: Kurt Busch: Event Time: 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. CT
Event Overview: Kurt Busch will visit the Center for the Intrepid at Brooke Army Medical Center to meet with wounded soldiers and their family members along with Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage. Following the visit, Busch will appear at Wonderland Mall of the Americas for a fan Q&A with Gossage, media breakout sessions and one-on-one interviews, and a radio contest winner meet and greet.
New Hampshire: Kasey Kahne: Event Time: 11:15 a.m. – 2 p.m. ET
Event Overview: Kasey Kahne will join basketball broadcasting legend Dick Vitale and bracket expert Joe Lunardi at Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Boston’s historic Faneuil Hall area, where they will discuss the Chase Grid. ESPN’s Allen Bestwick will emcee the celebrity panel discussion, where New Hampshire Motor Speedway vice president and general manager Jerry Gappens and Miss Sprint Cup Madison Martin also will be in attendance. Following the panel, the participants will partake in a photo opportunity and media availability.
Homestead-Miami: Aric Almirola: Event Time: 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. ET
Event Overview: Aric Almirola will visit Homestead Reserve Air Force Base, where he will partake in a variety of activities with stationed service members, including a ‘burn pit’ exercise, an F-16 jet launch and lunch. Following the activities, Almirola will participate in a Q&A session with media members.
Kansas: AJ Allmendinger: Event Time: 10 – 11 a.m. CT
Event Overview: AJ Allmendinger will participate in a local media tour in Kansas City, visiting some of the top radio and TV media outlets in the city. Following the media tour, Allmendinger will make an appearance at a Hy-Vee retail store location (partner to Kansas Speedway) for a variety of activities in the store and media breakout session.
Texas: Matt Kenseth: Event Time: 10:15 a.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Event Overview: Matt Kenseth will visit Texas Motor Speedway to participate in a pep rally with six schools representing four districts and over 3,000 students. Following the pep rally, Kenseth will conduct interviews with several local media outlets.
Dover: Greg Biffle: Event Time: 10:15 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Event Overview: Greg Biffle will visit with patients at Nemour’s/Alfred I duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware, a hospital in the Delaware Valley that cares for more than 250,000 children annually. Following the hospital visit, Biffle will participate in a media luncheon and roundtable at Kid Sheelan’s restaurant in Wilmington.
Martinsville: Ryan Newman: Event Time: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Event Overview: Ryan Newman will visit Martinsville High School and participate in a pep rally along with the 150-member marching band, cheerleaders, football players and students. Newman also will take a crash course in robotics, cheerleading, band and punt, pass and kick. Following the pep rally, he will participate in a media luncheon at Martinsville Speedway.
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