DIFFEY INTO NASCAR

Leigh Diffey: Scott McLaughlin is a future champ - Image: Motorsport Images

By Paul Gover

Date posted: August 21, 2024

Veteran Aussie broadcaster Leigh Diffey is taking on a new challenge this weekend as he becomes the anchor for NASCAR coverage on the NBC network in the USA.

The transplanted Queenslander is making the switch from IndyCar commentary and is heading to Daytona straight after leading the coverage of track-and-field events at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Diffey will be in the broadcast booth alongside former NASCAR racer Jeff Burton and retired crew chief Steve Letarte.

He told Auto Action, speaking from his home in the USA, that he is looking forward to the new challenge and the competitiveness of the Playoffs.

“It’s Daytona this weekend. It’s going to be great. It’s going to be fun,” Diffey said.

“It’s the beginning of something new for me. I’ve done NASCAR before, but not as my main motorsports activity and job.

“It’s going to be nice to have that singular focus and do the last 12 races of this year.”

Diffey commentated IndyCar for more than a decade, including covering six Indianapolis 500s, but this year alone he has also been part of IMSA sports car and Supercross broadcasts.

Diffey has been flat-out to prepare for the NASCAR challenge, learning the cars, drivers and teams to ensure a seamless roll-out into the broadcast booth.

“Since getting home from Paris it’s been head-down, in full homework mode. It’s been watching a lot of tapes, learning all the people. It’s a lot of research,” he said.

The opportunity in NASCAR comes as broadcast rights switch from Fox Sports to NBC Sports at the mid-point of the 2024 season.

Diffey has commentated NASCAR in the past, but only on a secondary feed, and said he is looking forward to the move.

“It funnels down to a climatic moment at the end. You’ve got the season-long race to make it to the Playoffs. When it gets pared down it builds a lot of drama towards the end of the season,” he said.

This weekend the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona is one of the last chances for drivers to secure a spot in the Playoffs with the following race the regular season finale at Darlington.

Coverage in Australia begins at 9.00 AEST this Sunday on Fox Sports/Kayo.

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DIFFEY INTO NASCAR

He told Auto Action, speaking from his home in the USA, that he is looking forward to the new challenge and the competitiveness of the Playoffs.

“It’s going to be nice to have that singular focus and do the last 12 races of this year.”

“Since getting home from Paris it’s been head-down, in full homework mode. It’s been watching a lot of tapes, learning all the people. It’s a lot of research,” he said.

“It funnels down to a climatic moment at the end. You’ve got the season-long race to make it to the Playoffs. When it gets pared down it builds a lot of drama towards the end of the season,” he said.

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