Folks, we all know about Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s recent endeavors in the world of NASCAR. He, along with Corey LaJoie and Carl Edwards, is taking up the mic after putting down their helmet to contribute in NASCAR’s races. As things already get interesting for them, there’s more news in the air! A veteran of the sport with arguably the most amount of personality in front of the camera is offered a similar offer. Yes! We speak about ‘Rowdy’ Kyle Busch.
He has already been in the broadcaster’s booth, and fans are left begging for more! This excitement rooting from his performance has sparked a new discussion among insiders about whether there may be a new path for Rowdy in broadcasting. As NASCAR evolves, the way the races are presented needs to evolve, too, and Harvick just proposed an idea that might be the lost link.
Harvick’s broadcast revolution plan for NASCAR
We all know what impact Darrell Waltrip’s “Boogity, boogity, boogity, let’s go racin’ boys!” has left on our minds. And, Kevin Harvick has been vocal about making the ‘driver only’ broadcast a regular thing in NASCAR. And with the success that the limited runs of this concept have gotten so far, it seems like a possibility shortly.
In last week’s race, Kyle Busch was invited into the broadcasting booth to cover the Xfinity race, joining Adam Alexander and Jamie McMurray to call the race won by John Hunter Nemechek. And his performance blew everyone away!
Jeff Gluck from The Athletic said, “Another part of the Xfinity Series experience that was super impressive to me was Kyle Busch being in the booth… He should be in a Cup Series booth on Sundays when he steps out of that car. He was awesome.”
Get ready for our annual Drivers Only broadcast! We’re proud to announce the 2024 lineup.
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With 23XI Racing co-owner and NASCAR driver, Denny Hamlin, going even a step further than Gluck, with, “I wanna give a shoutout to Kyle Busch. What a great job. He should quit racing. He called the Xfinity race… He did really really well… I thought Kyle blended in there really well like he has been there for quite some time.” Kyle Busch himself teased his fans with a cryptic post: “Good time in the broadcast booth today. Who wants more?”
In the race last weekend at Homestead, Harvick again proved that the concept of driver-only broadcast worked when he brought in the young guns of NASCAR, Carson Hocevar and Austin Cindric, to try their hands at broadcasting. And it was a big success.
“Really, it gives a different perspective. When we have all the drivers that are on the racetrack, giving that current perspective of what’s actually happening, it really helps keep things progressing in the right direction with things that we all know. And for me to have Joey and Brad in a booth and listen to them talk, Carson and Austin on Pit Road, they just know exactly what they’re looking for because the driver is just, as a driver, you get so in tune with everything that’s happening,” Harvick explained on his podcast why the format of driver-only broadcast works.
Drivers give the fans a different point of view of the race that an observer cannot provide. Even if they are standing in the broadcasting booth, they are in tune with the driver’s mindset inside the race car and the track conditions. No one else can provide those insights better than someone who has been there and done that! And with the way it’s progressing, it looks like this is just the beginning of NASCAR’s new ‘Golden Era’.
Is the new broadcasting deal the answer?
With NASCAR’s new broadcasting deal with Prime Video, for a period of five races, a new era of race broadcasting might be starting. Prime Video has assembled a cast of experienced drivers and insiders who can give fans deep and invaluable insights.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Prime Video as they usher in a new era of sports content…Having Dale Jr. in the booth to provide his veteran perspective will open the doors to a new streaming audience while providing race fans with tremendous insight and viewpoints that only he could,” said Marcus Smith, President and CEO of Speedway Motorsports, also emphasizing the importance of drivers to build a successful broadcasting team.
We have seen that the potential for a driver-only broadcasting is present in NASCAR, and with the new broadcasting deal and the recent increase in driver presence in the broadcasting booth, one thing is for sure: The future of NASCAR broadcasting is moving in the correct direction.
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