53-year-old Leigh Diffey is one of the most beloved play-by-play announcers in motorsports. He is currently associated with NBC Sports and has come under the spotlight multiple times this season for his adrenaline-rushing commentary of races. The prolific motorsports voice struck the right chords amongst fans once again as he took up the mic during the Cup Series race at Watkins Glen.
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As Shane van Gisbergen and Chris Buescher battled for the lead in the final lap, he took fans back to the largely similar 2012 final-lap bout between Brad Keselowski and Marcus Ambrose in the Glen. He also noted that van Gisbergen was a student of Ambrose and expressed how things appeared almost fated with Buescher driving under the banner of RFK Racing, a team co-owned by Keselowski.
His words boomed through as Buescher made the race-deciding pass on van Gisbergen, “And it’s shades of Keselowski and Ambrose all over again! Buescher gets on the inside of SVG and says, ‘You pushed me around earlier! I am going to give it back!’ Incredible on this final lap!” The icon’s words and the energy that it carried multiplied the impact of Buescher’s resounding success.
Fans heap praise on Diffey following his impressive commentary
Not surprisingly, the fans were left yearning for more from Diffey at the end of the 92 laps. Reacting to footage of the commentary on X, one follower wrote, “Once again shows Leigh is a fan, and not only that, but also does his research. He’s perfect for NASCAR.” Touching upon the 2012 race was a sweet spot that Diffey made use of perfectly.
Another fan wrote, “Dudes been commenting cup full time for 3 green flag finishes and he already has 2 iconic calls.” The first time Diffey received praise from the stands was when he called Harrison Burton’s victory in Daytona. Joe Gibbs Racing star Denny Hamlin had been left so impressed with his work in the summer race that he pitched Diffey forward to play commentator for all 36 Cup Series races.
Once again shows Leigh is a fan, and not only that, but also does his research. He’s perfect for NASCAR.
— Matt Chaffe (@ax4x_matt) September 16, 2024
Others followed writing along the lines of, “Anyone who dislikes him is just silly,” and “Leigh is probably the greatest commentator ever.” Diffey’s biggest strength lies in his versatility. He is NBC’s lead for the Cup Series, IMSA, and Supercross coverage. He is also NBC’s Olympic primary announcer for Track & Field. Although his full-time tenure with the Cup Series has been short he has already impressed many. Hopefully, fans will get to hear more of him this season and beyond.
