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As it enters the second season of its media rights deal, TNT Sports is bolstering its NASCAR coverage.
Front Office Sports has learned that the network is adding legendary driver Jimmie Johnson to its studio for its upcoming coverage of the In-Season Challenge. A seven-time Cup Series champion, Johnson previously worked at NBC Sports as a NASCAR analyst after retiring from full-time Cup racing following the 2020 season.
“Joining TNT Sports is an opportunity that truly energizes me,” Johnson said in a statement. “NASCAR has given me so much throughout my career, and getting the chance to share that passion from a new perspective alongside a fantastic team of NASCAR legends is something I’m really looking forward to.”
Johnson will make his TNT Sports debut on June 28 during the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway. He will also be in the studio for the network’s coverage at North Wilkesboro Speedway (July 19) and the event’s championship at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July 26). All three races will air on TNT and stream on HBO Max.
In addition to Johnson, ESPN’s Marty Smith is joining TNT’s coverage of the In-Season Challenge, serving as a pre- and post-race host during the five-race series, anchoring coverage alongside Dale Earnhardt Jr., Steve Letarte, and Jamie McMurray. Meanwhile, former NASCAR driver Jeff Burton will fill in as a studio analyst for the two races Johnson isn’t covering—Chicagoland Speedway (July 5) and Atlanta Motor Speedway (July 12).
Having previously aired NASCAR on TBS from 1983-2000 and on TNT from 2001-2014, TNT Sports returned as a media rights partner last year, alongside NBC, Fox, The CW, and Amazon Prime Video. TNT’s primary portion of the package comes in the form of the In-Season Challenge, a five-race, single-elimination tournament that takes place in the heart of the Cup Series season.
