Rick Allen NASCAR Biography and Career – Richard Allen Schwieger, also known as Rick Allen, is an American television personality, voice-over artist, and play-by-play announcer. He was born on June 17, 1969. He works for NBC Sports at the moment and offers play-by-play commentary for the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series, as well as irregular coverage of the International Motor Sports Association and track & field.
He has previously performed play-by-play commentary for Fox Sports’ coverage of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series including voice-over work for Goodyear, Alltel, Sears, and Toyota. Allen was the third child in a family of four. Allen, a walk-on for the University of Nebraska track and field team, was raised in Grand Island, Nebraska. He was a three-time All-American in the sport and won two Big Eight Conference decathlon titles while competing there (1991–92).
The university awarded him a communications bachelor’s degree. After receiving his degree, he worked as a public address commentator for the University of Nebraska athletic department before moving on to narrate races at nearby dirt oval race tracks like Eagle Raceway, where Fox Sports eventually employed him.
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Rick Allen NASCAR – From 2003 to the middle of 2014, Allen worked for Fox Sports, calling primarily the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series & ARCA Racing Series on SPEED and afterwards Fox Sports 1. He occasionally covered games in the Nationwide Series (now known as the Xfinity Series).
Allen will start serving as the lead commentator for NASCAR on NBC in 2015, it was confirmed on December 4, 2013. Early in 2014, while still working at Fox, he began hosting NASCAR America, a daily studio program, on NBC.
Allen announced that the Truck Series race in Eldora on July 23, 2014, would be his final appearance on Fox Sports as he was now only under contract with NBC. He was given a standing ovation at the Truck Series drivers’ meeting prior to the race because the most of his work was with that series. Steve Byrnes took over for Allen until his passing from head and neck cancer in April 2015.
Leigh Diffey, a regular IndyCar play-by-play commentator who worked with NBC’s Formula One coverage, was replaced by Allen when the Verizon IndyCar Series broadcast team was formed in 2016. Allen would join the team for select Verizon IndyCar Series events beginning at Phoenix in 2016.
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Rick Allen NASCAR Career
After earning his degree, Allen joined the University of Nebraska athletic department as a public address announcer. Additionally, he had a job with Fox Sport at Eagle Raceway, a nearby dirt oval racetrack. From 2003 to the middle of 2014, Allen worked for Fox Sports, calling primarily NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series & ARCA Racing Series events on SPEED and then Fox Sports 1. He sometimes covered games in the Nationwide Series (now known as the Xfinity Series).
Alongside analysts Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte, and Dale Earnhardt Jr., Rick Allen serves as the principal race announcer for NBC Sports’ NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series race coverage. In addition to Global RallyCross racing, Allen has also called IndyCar Series events while employed by NBC Sports. Additionally, since the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s creation in 2010, Allen has participated in its voting committee.
Allen, a versatile employee of the NBC Sports broadcast team, also provides play-by-play commentary for the network’s coverage of a number of other sports. In addition to his work in motorsports, Allen has used his experience as a three-time All-American decathlete to become NBC Sports’ lead broadcaster for the Boston Marathon, the World Indoor & Outdoor Track and Field Championships, the USA Track and Field Indoor as well as Outdoor Championships, and the Millrose Games.
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Rick Allen NASCAR – Allen broadcasts Atlantic 10 Men’s Basketball games on NBCSN during the off-season for racing. Allen worked as a play-by-play commentator for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for more than 11 seasons before joining NBC Sports Group.
Allen worked as a public address commentator for the University of Nebraska and Eagle Raceway in Eagle, Nebraska, prior to beginning his television career. Allen attended the University of Nebraska after growing up in Grand Island, Nebraska. He and his wife Kris have been together for nearly 23 years, and they have two sons, Ryan and Eric, who are both now enrolled in colleges.