NBC Sports announced Wednesday that it has tabbed Rick Allen to be its lead announcer in the booth when the network begins broadcasting NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series events in 2015.
Allen moves from Fox Sports 1 (formerly Speed), where he served as lead announced for NASCAR Camping World Truck Series coverage.
The announcement came one day after NBC Sports announced it would bring driver Jeff Burton on as an announcer. Burton will share the booth with Allen on race coverage.
“I met Rick early on in his career and it has been fun to watch him develop into one of the most talented voices in motorsports,” Sam Flood, executive producer for NBC Sports and NBC Sports Network said in a release. “His energetic delivery, great voice, and ability to bring the best out of his analysts have led him to this well-earned position of covering NASCAR’s most-watched events.”
Allen is a former world class decathlete and he participated in the 1992 US Olympic Trials. He began his announcing career in 1994 as the public address announcer at University of Nebraska football games.
I’ve always liked Rick Allen’s voice on Speed. He should be good for NBC.