Even signing with Prime Video to be one of their analysts, Carl Edwards admitted he was wondering if NASCAR fans would know about the sport’s shift to streaming for five races on Prime Video or if they would know how to access the races.
That was, until he talked to one of his neighbors.
“We’re talking about other things and he said, ‘Hey, you’re doing some sort of TV thing.’ And I was thinking, you know, this guy’s 85 years old, and I’m gonna have to explain this to him,” Edwards said. “And I started and he’s like, ‘Oh, yeah. I’ve got Prime. I’ll be watching.’”
Prime Video’s first race on Sunday is the Coca-Cola 600. Not only is it NASCAR’s longest race, it comes on motorsports’ biggest day with Formula One’s Monaco Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500 taking place before the green flag drops at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Prime Video has a seven-year deal with NASCAR.
“We couldn’t be more excited to be starting with a crown jewel (race). It’s a huge responsibility and we’re excited to bring it to fans,” said Alex Strand, Prime Video’s senior coordinating producer for live sports. “What we saw when we brought ‘Thursday Night Football’ to Prime is we spent a lot of time making sure that we’re delivering on expectations. There’s trust the viewers are putting in you to bring them the sport that they love.”
Prime Video is hoping to do that by getting some production help from NBC Sports, which has had NASCAR since 2015. Prime’s relationship with NBC goes back to 2022 when it launched “Sunday Night Football.”
In the booth, Adam Alexander is the play-by-play announcer for the Xfinity Series on The CW along with doing Cup Series races on TNT.
Analysts Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are reunited. Earnhardt Jr. was with NBC for six seasons (2018 through ’23) while Letarte has been with NBC since 2015.
Alexander said his approach to calling the races has been the same, no matter the network.
“Just be a setup guy for two analysts that obviously know it inside and out, and be able to relay the message to the fans of what’s happening on track,” he said. “I think it would be easy for someone when you look at new partners coming into the sport, that everything is going to be changed. It jumped off the board with me right away that Prime has the balance of new, but also the respect to traditions that we’re used to in the TV world and how that matches up with NASCAR.”
The only new faces are Edwards and Corey LaJoie, who will be on pre- and post-race coverage.
Many thought Edwards would become an analyst after retiring in 2017, but he resisted overtures from various networks until Prime Video approached him earlier this year.
“The timing just feels right. I’m shocked at the way the sport has welcomed me back personally,” said Edwards, a 28-time winner in the Cup series. “I wasn’t sure about this, but Prime came to visit me in Missouri and we sat around at my kitchen table talking with my family. I’m glad they came out. It’s going to be an adventure.”
Prime Video will be bringing its own touches to the races. Green flag racing will include a double-box commercial format, ensuring viewers won’t miss any action. There will also be highlights of key moments allowing viewers to catch up to action.
As far as in-race strategy innovations, Prime is still testing some things as they try to continue what they have done during NFL coverage, which is explain complex matters in a simple way.
“I believe people are going to find it. They’re going to enjoy it. And, you know, hopefully it just becomes, something that that all the fans feel good about and don’t have any hiccups,” Edwards said.
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
