For NASCAR fans, the Sonoma race is more than just a Sunday ritual. It’s a showcase of driver skill and strategy on one of the sport’s most challenging road courses. As the race unfolded, a different kind of chatter began to dominate the conversation. Instead of debating pit strategies or marveling at daring overtakes, viewers found themselves distracted by what was happening off the track, specifically, how the race was being brought into their homes.
The anticipation that had built up over weeks was slowly replaced by a growing sense of frustration. The broadcast, TNT, meant to be the bridge between the action and the audience, seemed to be faltering at critical moments. As the laps wound down and the checkered flag loomed, it was clear that the story of Sonoma 2025 would not be written solely by the drivers but also by the network tasked with telling their story.
TNT’s broadcast legacy under scrutiny
The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season marked a new era in media rights, splitting coverage among FOX, The CW, NBC, Amazon Prime Video, and TNT Sports as part of a $7.7 billion deal. For TNT, this was a high-stakes return to NASCAR broadcasting, with the network simulcasting on both its linear channel and the Max streaming platform. The pressure was on to deliver, especially after Amazon Prime’s debut dazzled viewers with innovative features and comprehensive post-race coverage.
However, TNT’s performance at Sonoma followed a troubling pattern already noted during its earlier coverage of the Chicago Street Race. That event, expected to be a showcase, instead drew sharp criticism for missed replays, awkward camera cuts, and a lack of context in key moments. NASCAR veteran Dale Earnhardt Jr., now part of the broadcast team, acknowledged these challenges, explaining on his podcast that the crew underestimated the technical demands, particularly on complex street and road courses. “We got probably two of the toughest races to direct and produce for a new group that hadn’t done it in, you know, some hadn’t done it in years,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. admitted, adding that the team was with no FOX or NBC staff involved.
Image via TNT Sports
This weekend, TNT is under fire for failing to properly cover NASCAR‘s In-Season Challenge. The bracket challenge was made for fans, adding another layer of competition to the stretch of summer races where drivers battle for $1 million. At Sonoma Raceway, the prevailing storyline for TNT should have been the 32nd-seeded Ty Dillon eliminating Alex Bowman to make it all the way to the final four! But TNT? They didn’t even interview him.
What makes this act more disappointing for fans is that Ty Dillon gave fans some incredible soundbites after beating seasoned veterans on his way to the third round. “All you Denny fans out there, I just knocked out your favorite driver,” said Ty Dillon after advancing past #1 seed Denny Hamlin in the first round. Then, after toppling Brad Keselowski in Chicago, Dillon joked about Keselowski’s basketball skills and said he was confident he would beat him. Fans were so curious about what he had up his sleeve for Bowman, but he received no national TV coverage.
Dissatisfaction and disappointment of fans
Heading into Sonoma, TNT faced an already skeptical audience. And after the race, the disappointment was not just technical; it was emotional, as viewers felt disconnected from the very moments that make NASCAR special. The reaction from the NASCAR community was swift and pointed. Social media platforms and fan forums lit up with criticism, echoing a sense of collective letdown.
One fan summed up the emotion of their ignorance toward Ty Dillon, writing, “TNT couldn’t even be bothered to interview Ty Dillon after knocking Alex Bowman out of the In Season Challenge and advancing to the Final Four in what is easily the biggest moment of his NASCAR Cup Series career. What a horrible broadcast lol.” Others were frustrated by the lack of basic coverage elements, with comments like, “TNT didn’t even show the prayer or pledge of allegiance”.
Fans repeatedly called out TNT for failing to deliver insights and reactions from the sport’s biggest names: “Man, I hate TNT, no interview for the GOAT,” and “they didn’t interview him (Ty Dillon)… TNT didn’t interview him… We’ll never know what he was going to say to Alex Bowman…” The lack of coverage for pivotal moments left viewers feeling shortchanged and angry. It was only later that a PRNLive post on X revealed what Dillon had to say to Alex Bowman, and if TNT captured it, that would have made for great television.
Another fan commented, expressing his frustration, “TNT IS STUPID.” Comparisons to previous broadcasters were inevitable. “I think I honestly prefer FOX over TNT. Neither even holds a candle to Prime, though,” wrote one fan, highlighting just how far expectations have fallen. One Reddit user remarked after Sonoma, “Horrible. Worse than FOX. Audio issues, camera shots were poor, sloppy camerawork.”.
In the end, the chorus of discontent was impossible to ignore. For a fanbase that lives and breathes the sport, the sense of being let down by those tasked with bringing the action to their screens cut deep. As the season continues, the pressure on TNT to address these concerns and restore trust with NASCAR’s passionate community has never been higher.
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