TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Florida State University alumnus Matt Yocum is better known as a pit reporter during FOX Sports coverage during NASCAR races, but he will now be returning to pit road for a new racing series that will be debuting in June.
In an announcement Wednesday, CBS Sports announced the broadcast team for the Superstar Racing Experience. The new racing series will only be going to six short tracks across America. In comparison, current American racing series giant NASCAR only goes to two tracks under a mile in length per season currently.
CBS Sports Reveals All-Star Announce Team for @SRXracing Inaugural Seasonhttps://t.co/6qQ96MhHVo pic.twitter.com/jRhXSHZ0Bl
— CBS Sports PR (@CBSSportsGang) April 14, 2021
Yocum was last seen as a pit reporter for FOX's half of the 2020 NASCAR season which ended with the 2020 All Star Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, after which Yocum and the network parted ways after 20 seasons together.
In his newest gig, Yocum has agreed to come aboard for the newest racing series in the United States, Superstar Racing Experience, or SRX.
Yocum's role has been described by CBS as a "pit reporter and will take viewers behind the scenes." He will be joining forces with former NASCAR on TNT colleague Allen Bestwick, who will be doing the play-by-play announcing alongside host Lindsay Czarniak in the broadcast booth.
NASCAR owner and NBA All-Star Brad Daughtery will also be a part of the team as a roaming analyst, with driver analysts IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe, former NASCAR and IndyCar driver Danica Patrick and former IndyCar driver Dario Franchitti joining the team for two races each.
Pam Miller, CBS Sports SRX Producer had high remarks for the entire team that was announced Thursday.
“The exceptional broadcast crew we have put together is a great reflection of what SRX is all about, bringing together all-stars from a variety of racing backgrounds to create a made-for-TV racing experience,” said Pam Miller, CBS Sports SRX Producer. “Each member of the team brings his or her own unique experience in the racing world with deep knowledge of the legacies involved and the entertainment value of racing."
The inaugural Superstar Racing Experience season will debut on CBS Sports and Paramount+ in June.
The six-race schedule for SRX is as follows:
- June 12: Stafford Motor Speedway (Stafford Springs, Conn.)
- June 19: Knoxville Raceway (Knoxville, Iowa)
- June 26: Eldora Speedway (Rossburg, Ohio)
- July 3: Lucas Oil Raceway (Clermont, Ind.)
- July 10: Slinger Speedway (Slinger, Wis.)
- July 17: Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway (Nashville, Tenn.)
"Featuring an unprecedented line-up of all-star drivers and crews, this supercharged spectacle is hellbent on recapturing the glory days of racing and getting things back on track," SRX says on their website. "Big engines, bigger personalities, and big-time drama and intensity irresistible. This will be the most exhilarating racing on the planet."
SRX was created by The Montag Group, NASCAR Hall of Famers Ray Evernham and Tony Stewart and investor George Pyne. The announcement of the series was made in July 2020.
Notable drivers that have agreed to race in the new series so far are:
- Tony Stewart
- Willy T. Ribbs
- Tony Kanaan
- Paul Tracy
- Bill Elliott
- Helio Castroneves
- Bobby Labonte
- Marco Andretti
- Michael Waltrip
- Ernie Francis, Jr.
You can find out more information about SRX by clicking here.
