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New York Times
2 days ago
- Automotive
- New York Times
How Prime won over the NASCAR world and raised the bar for future broadcasts
LONG POND, Pa. — A rare thing happened five weeks ago. As NASCAR's longest race unfolded, social media discourse about the sport — often overflowing with negativity and snark — instead exuded approval over what was playing out on Amazon Prime. Fans were witnessing a polished, professional broadcast that they felt was unlike anything they'd seen in recent years. And it wasn't just fans who took notice. Advertisement 'Everyone who has come up to me — friends or fans or whoever — and has watched the races over the last few weeks has had nothing but incredible things to say,' Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott said. 'And it seems like it's been really well done, at least that's kind of been the perception that's out there that I've heard.' Complaining about a race broadcast is like catnip for many NASCAR fans. Regardless of who is handling the coverage, a vocal contingent will make their criticisms known. It seemed certain Prime would be subject to such scrutiny when it began broadcasting its five-race package of Cup Series events as part of NASCAR's new seven-year media rights deal that split up the 38 Cup races among Fox Sports (14 races), NBC Sports (14), Prime (five) and Warner Bros. Discovery (five, on TNT). Prime's foray into NASCAR marks the first time the league's premier division had its races carried exclusively on a streaming service. Yet from Prime's first race on May 25 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and through the following four weeks, a NASCAR community known to be averse to change largely embraced Prime's presentation. 'They (Prime) do a good job of telling the stories and getting you excited about strategy and showing how one driver may catch another,' said Denny Hamlin, driver for Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing co-owner, last week before Prime's last broadcast at Pocono Raceway. 'They are doing a great job so far.' How did Prime resonate with a fan base that's often skeptical about any outside entity coming into the sport and trying to be different? First, Prime recognized it knew what it didn't know. For Prime to produce a successful NASCAR broadcast, its leaders knew it was best to lean on experience. Utilizing a strategy similar to the one it employs for its NFL 'Thursday Night Football' broadcasts, Prime partnered with NBC Sports to bring on many of the same behind-the-scenes staffers who make that network's coverage top-notch. This gave Prime a strong start, only needing to fine-tune how it wanted the broadcasts to look. Advertisement To put its own spin on the broadcasts, Prime also introduced new technological elements. The most notable is the 'Burn Bar,' which measures a team's fuel consumption through the course of a race, then conveys the information to viewers in a digestible manner. 'How do we take really complex things and present them in a really simple way,' Prime Video senior coordinating producer Alex Strand said of the broadcast's goal. 'And that to me is the fun challenge of it. … I think most people would be pretty excited and surprised by how much opportunity there is to really get technical, but make it approachable.' Prime has one big advantage over NASCAR's other broadcast partners: It's not bound by the same constraints as linear television and doesn't have to adhere to strict broadcast windows. As a streaming service with no cap on when it needs to sign off, Prime has more freedom to go deeper in its post-race analysis. 'We, obviously, heard fans talking about it. We also just saw it ourselves,' Strand said. 'I want to hear analysts break down how that race ended. We just saw that as an opportunity. And it was already in our DNA, so it was a pretty easy decision to make.' To figure out how to fill that time, Strand looked at how Prime has covered the NFL, European soccer and other sports properties. Its NASCAR broadcasts featured an extended pre- and post-race show, so its hosts and analysts could first inform viewers on what was to come, then thoroughly recap the races. The run times varied depending on what happened in the race and how much there was to talk about. The thoroughness of the post-race show became Prime's calling card. Anchored by Danielle Trotta and with NASCAR Hall of Famer Carl Edwards and current driver Corey LaJoie as studio analysts — and sometimes joined by booth analysts Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte — the group breaks down the just-completed race to a depth viewers don't typically get from a post-race show on a network facing time restrictions. Advertisement The numbers have reinforced Prime's decision to produce an elongated post-race show. Prime said the program retained an average of 43 percent of its audience from the race. 'I personally like the pre- and post-race show the most,' Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron said. 'Having a professional desk like that and having a chance to recap the race in a more relaxed setting just adds to the value and adds to the energy of the event. It just captures the sights and sounds.' The post-race show has afforded Edwards and LaJoie, both television newbies, a platform to shine. For LaJoie, who has hosted podcasts and radio shows, this was not a completely new endeavor. Edwards, though, had largely been away from the sport since retiring from racing after the 2016 season. But Edwards has used his time away as an asset. On the show, he takes an inquisitive approach as he re-acclimates to a sport that's changed considerably since he raced. This, in a way, makes him serve as a conduit for fans in getting to know drivers better and explaining ongoing storylines. 'You know how in filmmaking they always need a character that doesn't know anything so they can ask the questions?' Edwards said. 'I think this has been just this perfect timing and opportunity for me because I'm literally learning about the sport again. So much has changed.' NASCAR and Prime hoped that a strong broadcast aired over a streaming service would yield a younger demographic. And so far, it has. According to Prime, the median age for a viewer of its five races was 56.1, nearly seven years younger than audiences watching Cup Series races on linear networks in 2025 (62.8). And its five races represented the five youngest audiences of any Cup race this season. The five-race slate averaged 2.16 million viewers, on par with previous broadcasts on traditional cable networks. 'It was rewarding to see NASCAR's fan base shift over to a new platform,' said Brian Herbst, NASCAR executive vice president, chief media and revenue officer, 'not only achieving the viewership levels that NASCAR delivers on cable TV today, but bringing in younger demos and new fans to our sport.' Advertisement With NASCAR and fans responding favorably, what will Prime do for an encore next summer? Sitting inside Prime's production trailer on-site at Pocono Raceway last weekend, Strand shook his head and smiled at the question. The answer will come later. There's plenty of time to sort that out. 'We've had so much fun,' Strand said. 'I'm excited about what TNT will bring (beginning Saturday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway). I'm excited about how NBC will finish the season. … Our hope is that this season of NASCAR really represents a growth in excitement around the sport that rolls into 2026.' (Top photo of Prime's NASCAR studio crew; from left, Danielle Trotta, Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Corey LaJoie: Meg Oliphant / Getty Images)
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NASCAR penalizes Hendrick Motorsports Xfinity team for Pocono violation
NASCAR has penalized the Hendrick Motorsports Xfinity team Chase Elliott drove for last weekend at Pocono for a violation. The team was fined $40,000 and docked 40 car owner points and 10 playoff points Wednesday. Crew chief Adam Wall has been suspended for the next three Xfinity events (through Sonoma) for the L1 violation. Advertisement The No. 17 team is not entered for Friday night's race at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, Georgia. The car is scheduled to compete next on July 12 at Sonoma with Corey Day as the driver. The team was cited for a violation related to main frame rail conical receivers. The No. 17 car was one of two taken to the NASCAR R&D Center for further evaluation after the Pocono race. Elliott finished fourth in that race. NASCAR cited Section 14.3.3.2.1.1.K of the Xfinity Rule Book, which states: "Main frame rail conical receivers will not be permitted to be moved without having the chassis re-certified prior to the Event at which that chassis will compete." NASCAR also cited 14.3.3.2.1.1.L of the Xfinity Rule Book, which states: "Modifications to main frame rail conical receivers that were made to circumvent NASCAR inspection processes, measurement equipment, and/or gauges will not be permitted."
NBC Sports
3 days ago
- Automotive
- NBC Sports
NASCAR penalizes Hendrick Motorsports Xfinity team for Pocono violation
NASCAR has penalized the Hendrick Motorsports Xfinity team Chase Elliott drove for last weekend at Pocono for a violation. The team was fined $40,000 and docked 40 car owner points and 10 playoff points Wednesday. Crew chief Adam Wall has been suspended for the next three Xfinity events (through Sonoma) for the L1 violation. The No. 17 team is not entered for Friday night's race at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, Georgia. The car is scheduled to compete next on July 12 at Sonoma with Corey Day as the driver. The team was cited for a violation related to main frame rail conical receivers. The No. 17 car was one of two taken to the NASCAR R&D Center for further evaluation after the Pocono race. Elliott finished fourth in that race. NASCAR cited Section 14.3.3.2.1.1.K of the Xfinity Rule Book, which states: 'Main frame rail conical receivers will not be permitted to be moved without having the chassis re-certified prior to the Event at which that chassis will compete.' NASCAR also cited 14.3.3.2.1.1.L of the Xfinity Rule Book, which states: 'Modifications to main frame rail conical receivers that were made to circumvent NASCAR inspection processes, measurement equipment, and/or gauges will not be permitted.'
Al Arabiya
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Al Arabiya
NASCAR Set For Summer Stretch March Madness Style. Will New Tournament End Summer Schedule Malaise?
It's time to bust out the brackets, pick an upset or two, and follow winners on the road–a journey over city streets, concrete, and bricks–to the final four and beyond. Totally awesome, baby? Forget all the upset specials in March. NASCAR will find out soon enough if its attempt to snap out of a mid-summer malaise with its first in-season tournament is a success with drivers and fans as it strives to boost engagement and build buzz in the staid regular season. The concept has already juiced enthusiasm in NASCAR to levels not seen since the halcyon days when Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough duked it out in the 1979 Daytona 500. 'To be really honest with you,' 2020 NASCAR champion Chase Elliott said, 'I have not paid any attention to it.' Maybe a look at the matchup will get NASCAR's most popular driver pumped! Elliott is seeded fifth against No. 28 seed Austin Dillon in the first round of the head-to-head showdown in the race-within-the-race set for this weekend at the track better known as Atlanta Motor Speedway. Here's a refresher for Elliott and any other sports fan who missed out on the specifics of NASCAR joining the in-season tournament party, much like attempts in the NBA, NHL, and, of course, throughout the world in soccer. NASCAR is set to start the engines on a five-race bracket-style tournament called the In-Season Challenge in the midst of the summer slate, which comes with a $1 million prize to the winner. The final 32-driver field was set by results of the last three races at Michigan, Mexico City, and Pocono. The drivers are paired in head-to-head matchups based on seeding, with the winners advancing to the next round in a bracket format that mirrors the NCAA basketball tournament's. Buoyed by a win at Michigan and a runner-up finish at Pocono, Denny Hamlin earned the top seed. He'll square off–race off?–against No. 32 seed Ty Dillon. Pocono winner Chase Briscoe is the No. 2 seed and is pitted against No. 31 seed Noah Gragson. Chris Buescher is third, Christopher Bell fourth, and Elliott fifth among notable names. The format is single elimination, with the field cut to 16 at the street race in Chicago, eight at Sonoma, four on the lone concrete track in the series at Dover, and the final two over the yard of bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Challenge is part of NASCAR's media rights deal that includes TNT, and the Atlanta-based cable network will broadcast all five races in the tournament, starting with the 400-miler in Atlanta. Aside from a shrug from Elliott and a few others, drivers are intrigued by the idea of increasing the stakes in each race beyond a playoff berth, trophy, and the winner's purse. 'I love it. I think it's great,' three-time Cup champion Joey Logano said. 'I think it's placed perfectly where it is in the season. This is kind of that moment where the newness is worn off. We're into the rhythm, we're racing every week. It's starting to start a little bit of who's going to be in the playoffs, who's not, the cutoff line, all those types of things. But it's not really the main story quite yet.' Stories are what sell, of course, and the sizzle in Pocono over the weekend had little to do with which drivers or teams are the ones to beat for the 2025 championship. Rather, it was whether two pedestrian drivers were going to fight, the end of Amazon Prime's run of wildly popular telecasts, and Hall of Fame driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s win in his first race as a crew chief. 'This really spices up the mid-part of the season,' Logano said. So does placing a few bucks on No. 11 to win. But as of Monday afternoon, most sports gambling sites did not offer odds on specific matchups headed into Atlanta. NASCAR is offering $1 million to a winning fan with a perfect bracket in its fantasy game. There are some quirks to the bracket: Shane van Gisbergen won the Cup race in Mexico City and is not in the field, while series points leader William Byron is only a No. 9 seed. The tournament boasts matchups in the first round of past Cup champions (Kyle Busch–Brad Keselowski), former teammates (Briscoe–Gragson), and even best friends (Bubba Wallace–Daniel Suarez). The idea for the challenge was largely championed by Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 champion, who floated the idea of a mid-season tournament on his 'Actions Detrimental' podcast. When NASCAR bought into the idea and announced the creation of the tournament last year, Hamlin called the tournament on social media 'such a win for our sport and drivers.' He jokingly added, 'I will collect my $1M royalty next season.' Hamlin's on deck and clearly a favorite to win it all with three wins this year for Joe Gibbs Racing and the top seed. (And let's not haggle over who gets credit in court.) 'I'm a sports guy, so I'm going to be engaged with it,' Hamlin said. 'I'll know who I will have to beat next week. I've told the team we are going to try and do what we can. We are going to be up against it because we are going to tracks that aren't very favorable to me. But we are going to try to do our best to beat that one car for the next four to five weeks.' NASCAR will present the tournament winner at Indianapolis with a ring, jackets, trophy, and–oh yeah–a million bucks. That's enough cash to get anyone's attention–even Elliott's. 'I don't know what you get. You get anything?' Elliott asked. 'Oh, a million dollars to the winner? Then yeah, we want to win.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NASCAR set for summer stretch March Madness style. Will new tournament end summer schedule malaise?
Chris Buescher walks to his car before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Hermanos Rodríguez race track in Mexico City, Sunday, June 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) Chris Buescher walks to his car before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Hermanos Rodríguez race track in Mexico City, Sunday, June 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) LONG POND, Pa. (AP) — It's time to bust out the brackets, pick an upset or two, and follow winners on the road — a journey over city streets, concrete and bricks — to the final four and beyond. Totally awesome, baby? Advertisement Forget all the upset specials in March. NASCAR will find out soon enough if its attempt to snap out of a mid-summer malaise with its first in-season tournament is a success with drivers and fans as it strives to boost engagement and build buzz in the staid regular season. The concept has already juiced enthusiasm in NASCAR to levels not seen since the halcyon days when Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough duked it out in the 1979 Daytona 500. 'To be really honest with you,' 2020 NASCAR champion Chase Elliott said, 'I have not paid any attention to it.' Maybe a look at the matchup will get NASCAR's most popular driver pumped! Advertisement Elliott is seeded fifth against No. 28 seed Austin Dillon in the first round of the head-to-head showdown in the race-within-the-race set for this weekend at the track better known as Atlanta Motor Speedway. Here's a refresher for Elliott and any other sports fan who missed out on the specifics of NASCAR joining the in-season tournament party, much like attempts in the NBA, NHL, and, of course, throughout the world in soccer. NASCAR is set to start the engines on a five-race, bracket-style tournament called the In-Season Challenge in the midst of the summer slate, which comes with a $1 million prize to the winner. The final 32-driver field was set by results of the last three races at Michigan, Mexico City and Pocono. The drivers are paired in head-to-head matchups based on seeding, with the winners advancing to the next round in a bracket format that mirrors the NCAA basketball tournaments. Advertisement Buoyed by a win at Michigan and a runner-up finish at Pocono, Denny Hamlin earned the top seed. He'll square off — race off? — against No. 32 seed Ty Dillon. Pocono winner Chase Briscoe is the No. 2 seed and is pitted against No. 31 seed Noah Gragson. Chris Buescher is third, Christopher Bell fourth and Elliott fifth, among notable names. The format is single elimination with the field cut to 16 at the street race in Chicago, eight at Sonoma, four on the lone concrete track in the series at Dover and the final two over the yard of bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Challenge is part of NASCAR's media rights deal that includes TNT, and the Atlanta-based cable network will broadcast all five races in the tournament, starting with the 400-miler in Atlanta. Advertisement Aside from a shrug from Elliott and a few others, drivers are intrigued by the idea of increasing the stakes in each race beyond a playoff berth, trophy and the winner's purse. 'I love it. I think it's great,' three-time Cup champion Joey Logano said. 'I think it's placed perfectly where it is in the season. This is kind of that moment where the newness is worn off. We're into the rhythm, we're racing every week. It's starting to start a little bit of, who's going to be in the playoffs, who's not, the cutoff line all those types of things. But it's not really the main story quite yet.' Stories are what sell, of course, and the sizzle in Pocono over the weekend had little to do with which drivers or teams are the ones to beat for the 2025 championship. Rather, it was whether two pedestrian drivers were going to fight, the end of Amazon Prime's run of wildly-popular telecasts and Hall of Fame driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s win in his first race as a crew chief. 'This really spices up the mid-part of the season,' Logano said. Advertisement So does placing a few bucks on No. 11 to win. But as of Monday afternoon, most sports gambling sites did not offer odds on specific matchups headed into Atlanta. NASCAR is offering $1 million to a winning fan with a perfect bracket in its fantasy game. There are some quirks to the bracket: Shane van Gisbergen won the Cup race in Mexico City and is not in the field while series points leader William Byron is only a No. 9 seed. The tournament boasts matchups in the first-round of past Cup champions (Kyle Busch-Brad Keselowski), former teammates (Briscoe-Gragson), and even best friends (Bubba Wallace-Daniel Suarez). The idea for the challenge was largely championed by Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 champion who floated the idea of a mid-season tournament on his 'Actions Detrimental" podcast. When NASCAR bought into the idea and announced the creation of the tournament last year, Hamlin called the tournament on social media 'such a win for our sport and drivers.' He jokingly added, 'I will collect my 1M royalty next season.' Advertisement Hamlin's on deck and clearly a favorite to win it all, with three wins this year for Joe Gibbs Racing and the top seed. (And let's not haggle over who gets credit in court.) 'I'm a sports guy, so I'm going to be engaged with it," Hamlin said. "I'll know who I will have to beat next week. I've told the team, we are going to try and do what we can. We are going to be up against it because we are going to tracks that aren't very favorable to me. But we are going to try to do our best to beat that one car for the next four to five weeks.' NASCAR will present the tournament winner at Indianapolis with a ring, jackets, trophy and — oh yeah, a million bucks. Advertisement That's enough cash to get anyone's attention — even Elliott's. 'I don't know what you get. You get anything,' Elliott asked. 'Oh, a million dollars to the winner? Then yeah, we want to win.' ___ AP auto racing:
