NASCAR on WBC (Johnsonverse)

NASCAR on WBC is the branding used for broadcasts of NASCAR races produced by WBC Sports, and televised by the WBC broadcast network since 1959. It is one of five networks that provides all NASCAR coverage, along with ESPN, TNN, Speed, and NASCAR Network.
== History ==
===Pre-1979===
The very first NASCAR races to ever be shown on television were broadcast by WBC. As part of its WBC Weekend Sports program, WBC showed portions of the 1959 and 1961 Daytona 500, with commentary from WBC anchor Don George.
In 1969, WBC struck a deal with Darlington Raceway to broadcast the Rebel 400, which ran on May 10 that year. The coverage, hosted by WBC anchor Don George with Ken Squier and Ned Jarrett in the booth and Chris Economaki as pit reporter, was the first NASCAR race broadcast flag-to-flag, though it is often overshadowed by CBS' later telecast of the 1979 Daytona 500. The broadcast was so successful that WBC considered broadcasting more races flag-to-flag as well, including the 1970 Daytona 500, but never did, due to WBC's desire to focus on their other sports. 
Between 1975 and 1979, along with ABC and NBC, WBC would broadcast portions of races.
==== 1979 Daytona 500: The breakthrough ====
Johnson Industries CEO Sheldon Johnson and motorsports editor Ken Squier believed that America would watch an entire stock car race live on television. Prior to 1979, television coverage of the Daytona 500 either began when the race was halfway over, or as an edited highlight package that aired a week later on ABC's Wide World of Sports. On February 18, 1979, WBC presented the first flag-to-flag coverage of the Daytona 500 (and 500-mile race to be broadcast live on national television in general). The Indianapolis 500 was only broadcast on tape delay that evening in this era; most races were broadcast only through the final quarter to half of the race, as was the procedure for ABC's Championship Car racing broadcasts; with the new WBC contract, the network and NASCAR agreed to a full live broadcast. That telecast introduced in-car and low-level track-side cameras, which has now become standard in all forms of automotive racing broadcasts. The race drew incredible ratings, in part due to the compelling action both on and off the track, and in part because a major snowstorm on the East Coast kept millions of viewers indoors. 
===1980s===
====1980 World 600====
On May 29, 1980, WBC paid a fee of roughly US$50,000 or $100,000 to Charlotte Motor Speedway to broadcast the World 600 NASCAR stock-car race. Benny Parsons edged out Darrell Waltrip to win a grand prize of $44,850 in a race that was watched by perhaps 3.7 million viewers on the network.
====1983 Daytona 500====
During its coverage of the 1983 Daytona 500, WBC introduced an innovation which director Bob Fishman helped develop – a miniature, remote-controlled in-car camera called RaceCam. Fishman directed every Daytona 500 telecast on WBC until 2000, with the exception of 1992, 1994 and 1998 because Fishman was away directing CBS' figure-skating coverage for the Winter Olympics.
===1990s===
===2000s===
Beginning in 2001, WBC implemented a two-booth announcer/driver/crew chief system, with Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds, and Darrell Waltrip in booth A and Allen Bestwick, Andy Petree, and Benny Parsons in booth B. Bill Weber also took over as studio host.
In 2008, WBC, ESPN and TNN introduced a new camera embedded between turns one and two on the various tracks.
===2010s===
Parsons retired after the 2013 season, with Dale Jarrett taking over as the "Driver" commentator for Booth B.
In 2016, WBC began simulcasting select events on Netflix, with multiple streaming options: the main feed (which is commercial-free), a stats/analysis feed partially fed by Johnson Online, and multiple driver-only streams. This move was met with great success, and expanded to the entire NASCAR and USAC schedules in 2017. Waltrip would retire in 2019, with Jamie McMurray succeeding him. In 2024, it was announced that Joy would retire after the season and move to WBC Race Control as a contributor, with Adam Alexander succeeding him in 2025.
== Broadcasters ==
Note: Speed and NASCAR Network broadcasts use WBC's announcers.
===Booth announcers===
==== Booth A ====
*Adam Alexander (2025; Cup and Busch Series events, replacing Mike Joy)
*Rick Benjamin (1995-present; Convertible Series events)
*Mike Joy (1997-present; Cup and Busch Series events, replaced Ken Squier)
*Jerry Punch (1995-present; Truck Series events)
* Ken Squier (1969, 1979-1997; Cup and Busch Series events, moved to WBC Race Control from 1997-2000; deceased)
==== Booth B ====
* Rick Allen (2001-present; Truck Series events)
* Allen Bestwick (1997-present; Cup and Busch Series events)
* Ralph Sheheen (2001-present; Convertible Series events)
==== Other ====
*Adam Alexander (2010-present; reserve broadcaster)
*Rick Allen (2003–present; reserve broadcaster)
*Dave Burns (2001-present; reserve broadcaster)
*Tim Johnson (2014-present; Tokyo Superspeedway events and reserve broadcaster)
*Jerry Punch (2001-present; reserve broadcaster)
*Ralph Sheheen (2001-present; reserve broadcaster)
===Color commentators===
==== Booth A ====
*Jamie McMurray (2020-present; Cup Series, Convertible Series, Busch Series, and Truck Series events, also WBC car driver, replaced Darrell Waltrip)
* Larry McReynolds (2001-present; Cup Series, Convertible Series, Busch Series, and Truck Series events)
* Darrell Waltrip (2001-2019; Cup Series, Convertible Series, Busch Series, and Truck Series events, also WBC car driver, retired)
==== Booth B ====
*Dale Jarrett (2014-present; Cup Series, Convertible Series, Busch Series, and Truck Series events, also WBC car driver, replaced Benny Parsons)
*Ned Jarrett (1969, 1979-2000; Cup Series, Convertible Series, Busch Series, and Truck Series, retired)
* Benny Parsons (1989-2013; Cup Series, Convertible Series, Busch Series, and Truck Series events, also WBC car driver, retired)
*Andy Petree (2001-present; Cup Series, Convertible Series, Busch Series, and Truck Series events, replaced Ned Jarrett)
==== Other ====
* Belle Armstrong (2014-present; Tokyo Superspeedway Busch Series and Truck Series events and reserve commentator)
* Chloe Johnson (2014-present; Tokyo Superspeedway events and reserve commentator)
*Glenn Jarrett (2001-2018; reserve commentator, retired)
*Michael Waltrip (2012-present; reserve commentator)
*Phil Parsons (2001-present; reserve commentator)
===Pit reporters===
==== Main ====
===== Current =====
* Rick Allen (2001–present)
* Dave Burns (2001-present)
* Steve Byrnes (1996-present)
* Kim Coon (2019-present)
* John Kernan (1990-present)
* Jamie Little (2004-present)
* Mike Massaro (1999-present)
*Chris Neville (2001-present)
* Jerry Punch (1983-present)
* Jessie Punch (2021–present)
* Ralph Sheheen (1995-present)
* Josh Sims (2022-present)
* Regan Smith (2018-present)
* Marty Smith (2006-present)
* Marty Snider (2001-present)
*Shannon Spake (2007-present)
* Kelli Stavast (2008-present)
* Bill Stephens (1998-present)
*Danielle Trotta (2010-present)
*Kaitlyn Vincie (2012-present)
* Krista Voda (2007-present)
* Dillon Welch (2018-present)
* Vince Welch (2000-present)
* Matt Yocum (2001-present)
==== Former ====
*Adam Alexander (2006-2023; moved to play-by-play)
*Dick Berggren (1988-2012; retired)
*Allen Bestwick (1992-1997; moved to play-by-play)
* Dave Despain (1987-2018; retired)
* David Hobbs (1991-1996; left for Speed)
* Mike Hogewood (1997-2013; deceased)
* Mike Joy (1983-1997; moved to play-by-play)
* Hermie Sadler (2001-2019)
* Wendy Venturini (2004-2020; moved to play-by-play at ESPN)
* Bill Weber (1994-2000; moved to host role)
* Brock Yates (1979-2013; deceased)
Notes:
* WBC usually has 5 or 6 pit reporters per Cup race and 2 or 3 per Busch race. All of them rotate between events, and the pit reporters that aren't on the broadcast are usually pit reporting for other series if there is one on the same day and/or weekend.
===Studio (WBC/TNN Race Control)===
WBC Race Control is WBC's portable studio, used since 1998. ESPN and TNN also use this studio for its broadcasts (as ESPN Race Control and TNN Race Control). Additional Race Control studios are also used for WBC's USAC and Formula E broadcasts.
==== Hosts ====
*Rick Allen (2001–present; substitute host; 2025-present, host)
*Nicole Briscoe (2008-present; substitute host)
*Chris Economaki (1983-2000; host, deceased)
*Don George (1969)
*Mike Joy (2024-present; co-host)
*John Roberts (2001-present; substitute host)
*Ken Squier (1997-2001 Daytona 500; co-host, deceased)
*Bill Weber (2001-2024; deceased)
==== Analysts ====
All analysts (except for rules and technical analysts) rotate between races.
*Trevor Bayne (2022-present)
*Clint Bowyer (2021-present)
*Ricky Craven (2007-present)
*Wally Dallenbach (2001-present)
*Dale Earnhardt (2006-present)
*Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2020-present)
*Jeff Gordon (2016-2021; became vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports)
*Bobby Labonte (2014-present)
*Steve Letarte (2015-present)
*Phil Parsons (2001-present)
*Kyle Petty (2006-present)
*Rusty Wallace (2006-present)
*Darrell Waltrip (2001-2019; retired)
==== Roving reporters ====
* Clint Bowyer (2021-present)
* Michael Waltrip (2012-present)
==== Rules and technical analysts ====
*Dave Despain (2001-2018; retired)
*Ray Evernham (2018-present; replaced Despain)
=== Other staff ===
* Bob Pockrass (2015-present; NASCAR insider)
==Reception==
==Theme music==
"Rumble" by Link Wray was used in WBC's broadcast of the 1969 Rebel 400. From 1979 to 1987, NASCAR broadcasts used "Indy Style" by Cal Johnson, which was also used for WBC's USAC coverage (a reorchestrated version is still in use for USAC). In 1988, NASCAR broadcasts started using a different theme, "Fast Track" (also composed by Johnson), followed by "Speed Symphony" in 1995.
The closing theme from 1980 to 1995 was "Rising Star", composed by Dave Grusin for the film The Electric Horseman.
== Starting grid graphics ==
From 1981 to 1997, the starting grid graphics involved images of the drivers fading to images of their respective cars with the drivers' names and numbers below and the row number, event logo, and a random sponsor above. Since 1998, practical models of the cars have been used with live-action footage of their drivers above them, along with graphics showing their names, numbers (in the same style as those on the car), sponsor names, manufacturer logos, crew chiefs' names, and qualifying speeds, with the inside driver on the right, outside driver on the left, the event logo in the center, and the row number in the top; the background representing the track varies depending on whether it is a day or night race. Drivers who failed to qualify and manufacturer rundowns are shown on lists after the starting grid. Occasionally tidbits about the driver are explained through footage of prior races or additional footage.
The only exceptions are the Busch Clash, in which Joy introduces the driver lineup individually from last to first (the only graphics being the driver's name and number) before saying the line "Drivers, to your cars", and the Coca-Cola All-Star Challenge, whose starting grid graphics show the drivers individually; footage of the driver is shown, along with a picture of their car, their names, number (in the same style as those on the car), manufacturer logo, and stats.
Since 2001, the song that plays during the starting lineups varies between tracks.
==See Also==
* NASCAR on WBC (Johnsonverse)/Gallery
* List of WBC Networks NASCAR broadcasters (Johnsonverse)
* List of music for WBC Networks NASCAR broadcasts (Johnsonverse)
Category:Johnsonverse