NASCAR: Fox Sports announces 2018 season broadcast teams

Fox Sports announced on Wednesday their crews to cover NASCAR across all three series for the 2018 season, with some changes coming to pit road.

While the buzz has been all about the changes coming to the NASCAR on NBC broadcasting team for the 2018 season, Fox Sports becomes the first to confirm their three teams to cover each series. Once again, NASCAR on FOX will cover the first half of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series seasons. They will also cover the Camping World Truck Series from start to finish.

In 2018, however, there will be some changes to the team covering pit road for Fox Sports. Regan Smith has joined the team full-time as a pit reporter for the Monster Energy Cup Series and Xfinity Series. He replaces Chris Neville in that capacity, while Jamie Little, Vince Welch, and Matt Yocum will return. Smith most recently drove in the Camping World Truck Series for Ricky Benton Racing in the #92 Ford.

Outside of pit road, much will be the same for NASCAR on FOX. Mike Joy, Jeff Gordon, and Darrell Waltrip return in 2018 to announce the first half of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule. Adam Alexander, Michael Waltrip, and a rotating cast of Cup stars will do the same in the Xfinity Series. Finally, Vince Welch, Phil Parsons, and Waltrip will also return to cover the bulk of the Camping World Truck Series schedule.

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The addition of Regan Smith to the Fox Sports family mirrors a very similar move made by NBC Sports some years ago. When Parker Kligerman came on board, he started as a studio analyst and eventually found his way to pit road to cover most of the network’s Xfinity and Cup Series races. Both Kligerman and Smith have Cup Series experience, and both currently race part-time in the Truck Series. Perhaps Fox Sports learned some from their competition and saw an opportunity with Smith.

Being moved out of the NASCAR on FOX team will be Chris Neville. He began covering stock car racing after a stint on pit road for sports car racing on Speed. He started in NASCAR with Turner Sports, moving over to Fox Sports after TNT lost the rights to the sport. He has worked across all three series in the last year, and also rejoined the sports car team at the Petit Le Mans. It is possible that Neville could move back to full-time IMSA coverage for FS1 and FS2.

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What do you think of the new NASCAR on FOX team for pit road in 2018? Will Regan Smith bring added depth to their coverage? Where do you think Chris Neville will land?

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