IndyCar Season Opener Shifts From NBCSN To Broadcast

IndyCar got NBC Sports to switch next month's season opener at Texas Motor Speedway from NBCSN to NBC, a boost to exposure for the series' delayed first race. The June 6 race at TMS had been set for NBC’s cable channel, but the IndyCar paddock started hoping that the event could be moved to broadcast TV once it became clear it would become the season opener. The sides at first signaled as if that wasn’t going to happen, but IndyCar continued lobbying behind the scenes and was able to pull the move off.

The Genesys 500, which will be held without fans, typically comes a couple weeks after the Indianapolis 500. But this year’s Indy 500 has been delayed until August. The sides announced the move on Sunday when NBC aired an enhanced replay of an IndyCar race from last year. IndyCar CEO Mark Miles said in a statement, “We're pleased the daring nature and bold skills of IndyCar's athletes will be displayed to a network primetime audience.”