The 2025 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway hasn’t started on a good note with the live broadcast on TNT. Promotional materials teased that Cookie Monster would deliver the traditional engine-start command as Grand Marshall, part of the “Sesame Street Road Trip Across America” campaign. But while the beloved blue character appeared in pre-race festivities and reportedly directed drivers to their cars, the network never aired him saying the iconic “drivers, to your cars!” line.
Viewers watching at 2 p.m. ET on TNT and listening on the IMS Radio Network expected the Cookie Monster moment to light up the broadcast. Instead, coverage immediately shifted to love flyovers and driver intros, with no on-air trace of the famed command. While some fans complained on X, Jeff Gluck of The Athletic replied, “He called drivers to their cars. Did they not show it?” But fans were too furious to answer as they blamed NASCAR and TNT, saying, “YOU LIED TO US. YOU SAID COOKIE MONSTER WAS DOING THE COMMAND.”
That gap triggered backlash online and in the stands from families and race fans who felt that IMS and NASCAR had overpromised a moment that never aired. Another fan commented, “Nope my child was ready… is cookie monster waving the green flag?” Questions lingered in the minds of people. These fan responses echoed across social media, conveying frustration with what felt like a bait-and-switch. “Just an observation, why are the commands always so lame before a crown jewelry? The command today was so weak. It needs more enthusiasm. #NASCAR #Brickyard400,” another fan wrote.
He called drivers to their cars. Did they not show it? https://t.co/jfc7sjrtTl
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) July 27, 2025
Cookie Monster was present, but viewers felt robbed of his televised command moment.
This is a developing story.
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