NBC Sports adds Rick Allen to NASCAR booth

Rick Allen named lead announcer for NBC Sports Group's coverage of NASCAR

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- NBC Sports Group has named Rick Allen lead race announcer for its coverage of NASCAR.

Allen will join driver Jeff Burton in the booth for coverage that begins in 2015. The third member of the broadcast team has yet to be announced.

"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," said Sam Flood, NBC Sports executive producer. "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 currently Fox Sports' race announcer for NASCAR's Truck Series and the ARCA Racing Series. Allen also does a wide range of voice-over work for companies including Goodyear, Sears, Alltel and Toyota.

Allen competed in the 1992 U.S. Olympic Trials as a decathlete and began his broadcasting career in 1994 as the public address announcer at Memorial Stadium during University of Nebraska football games.

"I've had the good fortune to work with some of the most talented people in this industry over the last decade," said Allen. "Now I'm excited to be a part of the incredible team that NBC Sports is assembling for their NASCAR coverage."

NBC has the rights to the final 20 Sprint Cup Series races and 19 Nationwide Series races.

___

NBC is controlled by Comcast Corp.