Following a merger and name change over the off-season, the newly branded NBC Sports Network will return to air 10 IZOD IndyCar Series races in 2012. Bob Jenkins, Jon Beekhuis, Wally Dallenback, Jr., Marty Snider, Kevin Lee, and Robin Miller will all return, alongside newcomer Townsend Bell.
Barber, Long Beach, Sao Paulo, Texas, Iowa, and Edmonton will all be aired by the NBC Sports Network as will the last 4 races leading-up to the championship including China, Infineon, Baltimore and Fontana.
Complementing the race time time slot, a half-hour all-access show, IndyCar 36 will take to the air just before each of their 10 events, profiling a different driver from the previous race. NBC Sports Network will also continue their hour-long qualifying show airing the day before the race as well as an hour-long taped Firestone Indy Lights broadcast for all 12 of their events airing 5pm the Thursday after the race.
The Month of May schedule will kick-off for the NBCSN Saturday, May 19th, for Pole Day coverage from 11am-2:30pm and from 4:30-6:30pm and will return on Bump Day from 12pm-6:30pm. Airing the next Friday, May 25th, from 11am-4pm will be Carb Day practice, the Firestone Freedom 100, IZOD Performance Pit Stop Challenge and other festivities.
NBC Sports Network will air their first INDYCAR coverage of the season Saturday, March 31st, with IndyCar qualifying at 4pm est. IndyCar 36 featuring Tony Kanaan will air at 1:30 Sunday, followed by the Honda Grand Prix of Alabama at 2. The race will re-air Monday, April 2nd at both 7am and 4pm.