Amazon Prime Video doesn’t intend to reinvent the wheel when it airs the first exclusively streaming NASCAR race in the U.S.

Recognizable faces—headlined by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Carl Edwards—will call Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600, with plans to keep the spotlight on the racing. Amazon has a seven-year deal with NASCAR, airing five Cup Series events each season. There’s plenty of time to tinker down the road. Yet, the company can’t help but innovate.

“There’s a high level of respect of the history of NASCAR and the way this sport is presented,” race caller Adam Alexander said this week. “While there are tremendous new ideas that will come in through technology, and those are things that you will see unfold this weekend, I would say that we’re not going to get too far away from the foundation of what makes a NASCAR broadcast what it is.”

Amazon has committed to side-by-side rather than full-screen commercial breaks during active racing, something that other NASCAR broadcasters do for some but not all races. Pre- and post-race coverage will also feature ads split up by audience demographic—such that young, city-based viewers could hypothetically see a slightly different commercial than parents in rural locales—as well as interactive spots.

Fans joining late will be able to watch a data-driven compilation of race highlights and flag changes on demand. And without a set end time on its broadcasts, post-race conversations could extend for up to an hour if the action warrants it.

“Being able to sit back and just spend time talking about the day that we just had, the race that we just saw … I think that’s going to be a big part of our identity,” senior coordinating producer Alex Strand said. “That’s something that’s unique, that we have the ability to do as a streamer. We don’t have to get off air for anything else.”

Edwards will be joined by current Cup Series driver Corey Lajoie and broadcaster Danielle Trotta on pre- and post-race coverage. Alexander will call the race alongside Earnhardt Jr. and former crew chief Steve Letarte, with Trevor Bayne, Kim Coon and Marty Snider reporting from pit road.

On Thursday Night Football, Prime Video employs advanced analytics to simplify hidden aspects of football, from blitz predictions to fourth-down decision making. Strand foresees Prime Video similarly educating NASCAR fans, though not every bell and whistle will be unveiled this weekend. For one, Letarte discussed the possibility of displaying estimated fuel gauge information during the race, indicating how much further a driver can likely go before needing to pit.

“I shouldn’t say this because I’m an announcer, but my goal of racing is that the announcers aren’t necessary for the watching experience,” Letarte said. “On every sport you gotta have the score and the time on the screen. It’s very complicated in NASCAR, but I think every year we get better at showing more on the screen for the fan to digest.”

Of course, none of that will matter for fans who don’t have access to Prime or don’t know where to find Sunday’s action. NASCAR released a new promo for the event earlier this week, building on cross-promotion with other broadcasters. During its media negotiation window, NASCAR surveyed its fans and found that more of them subscribed to Amazon Prime as of 2023 and 2024 than subscribed to cable. For those without the service, an available 30-day free trial will extend past Amazon’s final 2025 race from Pocono Raceway on June 22.

“Now it’s more of an education around, OK, we’re shifting from Fox and FS1 to Amazon Prime,” NASCAR EVP and chief media and revenue officer Brian Herbst said in an interview. “You just need to fire up the app and go there on Sunday.”

And execs have already seen ratings increases for its CW and FS1 slates so far this year as fans find stock car racing wherever it’s airing. 

Edwards, who retired to central Missouri in 2017, recalled telling a neighbor about his new gig. “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.

So Edwards began to walk through the modern world of sports broadcasting—only to be quickly interrupted.

“I started,” Edwards said, “and he’s like, ‘Oh, yeah, I got Prime! I’ll be watching.’”

The Coca-Cola 600 from Charlotte Motor Speedway starts at 6 p.m. ET Sunday.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Helio Castroneves felt an immediate difference — a subtle but noticeable uptick in speed — the first time he utilized the boost of horsepower offered by IndyCar’s novel hybrid engines around the imposing oval of Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The question now facing the four-time Indianapolis 500 winner, along with the rest of the drivers on the 33-car starting grid for the 109th running on Sunday, is how best to capitalize on the hybrid over 200 laps spent entirely on edge.

Empty it entirely and then wait for it to recharge, which might take several laps? Save it for short bursts for passes or to defend? Perhaps use it slowly to run down the leader or build a big advantage once out front?

“There is so much more that goes into this than I think people realize or recognize,” acknowledged Indy 500 veteran Graham Rahal, whose father Bobby Rahal won the 1986 race. “It’s an interesting thing. I mean, the hybrid, it’s quite powerful here. On a single lap if you utilize it correctly, it does make a hell of a difference in lap time or lap speed.”

The genesis of the hybridization began years ago, when IndyCar manufacturers Chevrolet and Honda wanted to better align their racing programs with a shift in consumer demand toward hybrid and electric vehicles. But the project was beset by delays as engineers struggled to fit a bespoke hybrid unit into the IndyCar chassis designed more than a decade ago, and that had to meet certain requirements for weight and safety, among other things.

The result was finally unveiled before last year’s Indy 500, a design based around ultracapacitors rather than heavy batteries. It provides a quick boost to the existing 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged V-6 engines before recharging to be used again.

The system was introduced at Mid-Ohio midway through last year’s IndyCar season and has been in use ever since.

But it has never been used somewhere like Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where speeds at the end of each straight can hit 240 mph, and the difference between winning and losing can be measured in thousandths of a second.

“I’ve had some really interesting conversations with drivers about how of all places where the hybrid is going to make a huge difference, it’s going to be at Indianapolis,” IndyCar president Doug Boles said. “I asked why and they say, ‘Well, you think about Indianapolis, how trimmed out we are — especially in qualifying — any incremental difference in horsepower makes a difference.

“We’re going to see some exciting racing,” Boles continued, “and the strategies that I have heard from drivers in terms of talking about how to deploy the hybrid vary wildly. It’s going to be fascinating to watch how this goes.”

It hasn’t gone without its share of problems, either, dating to an open test last month and right through practice Monday.

For one thing, the hybrid still checks in at about 100 pounds, which is significant on a car that weighs just 1,600. And all of that weight is in the back of the car, which has dramatically altered the way they are balanced and ultimately perform.

“That’s a lot of mass percentage-wise you are adding,” two-time defending Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden said. “It’s almost like adding 200, 250 pounds to a stock car. If you said, ‘Hey, guys, we’re going to bolt 250 pounds to these stock cars, see what you think,’ I bet they would all go, ‘OK, this drives differently.’ And now we have to counteract it.”

Andretti Global driver Kyle Kirkwood is among many who believe the additional weight makes cars harder to drive, and Meyer Shank Racing’s Marcus Armstrong said, “I do believe the window is considerably smaller, the balance window.”

Armstrong crashed in practice last Saturday and had to squeeze into the field in a backup car on Sunday.

Then there’s the fact that the hybrid unit — while mostly reliable — is still a machine, and machines can have problems. Rinus Veekay’s hybrid didn’t work at all during his first qualifying run for the final row of the starting grid, while 2008 winner Scott Dixon had his practice Monday cut short after just six laps when a warning light blinked for an overheating issue.

Nevertheless, the hybrid technology will play a part in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” on Sunday. And if it comes down to the final laps, it could be a big part, as the leader tries to hold on and the chasers try to time their boost for a winning pass.

“I think it definitely adds some variables,” said Dixon, who will start on the second row. “If you’re sitting out front, you could be a bit of a sitting duck, especially if everybody is kind of recharged and ready to go behind you.

“I think the biggest thing that we’ve probably all learnt so far, you’ve got to be ready for change, is probably the biggest thing,” he added. “But I think it could ultimately change how the end of the race plays out.”

It takes a staff of dedicated journalists to bring you the news from around Central Indiana. In this feature, the Indianapolis Star introduces readers to our newsroom staff — or, rather, we let them introduce themselves. Up this week is motorsports insider Nathan Brown.

Read the full story on Modern Car Collector

Automotive enthusiasts now have a rare opportunity to win a fully street-legal Superformance GT40 MKI—valued at $250,000—through a new sweepstakes that also supports individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities.

Win here.

This continuation GT40, offered by Downforce Motorsports, pays tribute to the legendary No. 6 car driven by Jacky Ickx and Jackie Oliver to victory in the 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans. Finished in the iconic Gulf Oil blue and orange livery, the car reflects one of motorsport’s most storied eras.

Built under license and engineered with period-correct specifications, the GT40 MKI features an original-style steel monocoque chassis, independent suspension, Bilstein® coilover shocks, and four-wheel Wilwood vented disc brakes. Powering the car is a thunderous 427 cubic-inch Windsor-based stroker V8 with Weber carburetors and silver powder-coated exhaust pipes—offering both performance and visual drama.

Inside, the cockpit is race-inspired with Alcantara-covered bucket seats finished in silver rivets, a Moto-Lita steering wheel, Smiths gauges, and even air conditioning for modern comfort. Exterior details include BRM-style knock-off wheels, twin-pin rear clam, inverted side scoops, and a functional Gurney bubble.

Win here.

Downforce Motorsports, the largest independent Superformance dealer in the U.S., is spearheading this giveaway in partnership with the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix. The charity event honors Pittsburgh’s deep GT40 history—Gulf Oil’s global racing sponsorship in the 1960s was headquartered in the city and played a key role in the GT40’s legendary success.

Every ticket purchased supports the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix’s mission to benefit autism-related charities. The sweepstakes winner will drive home in a machine that not only honors racing history but also makes a meaningful impact.

Win here.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Coca-Cola 600 qualifying order for NASCAR weekend

A crown jewel is on deck for this weekend in Concord, North Carolina. The 1.5-mile of Charlotte Motor Speedway is set to host the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Truck Series.

View the NASCAR qualifying order for Charlotte Motor Speedway below.

NASCAR Cup Series
Qualifying Order

Pos | Driver | Metric Score

1. Connor Zilisch
42.800

2. Josh Bilicki
42.200

3. Derek Kraus
41.900

4. Jimmie Johnson
39.800

5. Brad Keselowski
35.800

6. AJ Allmendinger
34.100

7. Ty Dillon
33.500

8. Daniel Suarez
31.900

9. Cody Ware
31.800

10. Erik Jones
31.100

11. Justin Haley
30.100

12. Riley Herbst
28.500

13. Cole Custer
27.700

14. Ty Gibbs
27.400

15. Denny Hamlin
27.300

16. Bubba Wallace
26.400

17. Shane van Gisbergen
24.500

18. Carson Hocevar
23.900

19. Michael McDowell
22.100

20. Austin Dillon
21.700

Group B

21. Kyle Busch
19.800

22. Noah Gragson
19.100

23. Zane Smith
17.800

24. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
17.500

25. William Byron
17.400

26. Ross Chastain
16.200

27. Todd Gilliland
15.300

28. Tyler Reddick
13.700

29. Chris Buescher
12.800

30. John Hunter Nemechek
12.400

31. Chase Elliott
11.700

32. Austin Cindric
10.400

33. Ryan Preece
9.400

34. Joey Logano
9.300

35. Josh Berry
9.000

36. Chase Briscoe
6.700

37. Alex Bowman
5.900

38. Ryan Blaney
3.600

39. Christopher Bell
2.300

40. Kyle Larson
1.000

NASCAR Xfinity Series
Qualifying Order

Pos | Driver | Metric Score

1. Austin Dillon
58.700

2. Dawson Cram
41.900

3. Katherine Legge
34.400

4. Leland Honeyman
33.700

5. Kris Wright
33.300

6. Josh Williams
33.100

7. Christian Eckes
32.600

8. Garrett Smithley
31.500

9. Nick Leitz
29.300

10. Carson Ware
29.200

11. Sheldon Creed
29.100

12. JJ Yeley
29.000

13. CJ McLaughlin
28.900

14. Jeremy Clements
28.000

15. Blaine Perkins
24.900

16. Ryan Ellis
24.800

17. Justin Allgaier
24.800

18. Brad Perez
24.300

19. Dean Thompson
24.300

20. Kyle Sieg
23.800

Group B

21. Nick Sanchez
19.100

22. Matt DiBenedetto
18.000

23. Brennan Poole
17.600

24. William Sawalich
16.900

25. Parker Retzlaff
16.700

26. Carson Kvapil
16.000

27. William Byron
15.700

28. Anthony Alfredo
15.000

29. Sammy Smith
14.100

30. Daniel Dye
11.900

31. Jeb Burton
10.000

32. Ryan Sieg
8.900

33. Brandon Jones
8.700

34. Harrison Burton
7.800

35. Taylor Gray
6.200

36. Jesse Love
6.100

37. Sam Mayer
4.400

38. Chase Briscoe
4.200

39. Austin Hill
3.400

40. Connor Zilisch
2.500

NASCAR Truck Series
Qualifying Order

Pos | Driver | Metric Score

1. Justin Carroll|
39.200

2. Timmy Hill
28.900

3. Cody Dennison
32.400

4. Mason Maggio
30.100

5. Stefan Persons
30.000

6. Frankie Muniz
29.000

7. Spencer Boyd
27.400

8. Dawson Sutton
25.100

9. Ross Chastain
24.300

10. Matt Mills
24.100

11. Andres Perez
24.000

12. Parker Kligerman
22.900

13. Toni Breidinger
22.800

14. Brandon Jones
21.400

15. Ben Rhodes
20.000

16. Jack Wood
19.700

17. Matt Crafton
17.700

Group B

18. Connor Mosack
17.500

19. Luke Fenhaus
16.600

20. Rajah Caruth
15.000

21. Stewart Friesen
13.400

22. Tanner Gray
12.500

23. Corey Heim
12.200

24. Jake Garcia
10.800

25. Kyle Busch
10.000

26. Gio Ruggiero
9.100

27. Kaden Honeycutt
8.900

28. BJ McLeod
8.100

29. Ty Majeski
6.300

30. Grant Enfinger
5.000

31. Layne RIggs
4.100

32. Daniel Hemric
3.700

33. Tyler Ankrum
3.300

34. Chandler Smith
1.300

Charlotte Results: May 26, 2024 (NASCAR Cup Series)

Links

Charlotte Motor Speedway | NASCAR

NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney will have some chill as he gets locked in and focused on the Coca-Cola 600 Sunday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Blaney’s No. 12 will feature the Bodyarmor Chill design for the highly anticipated race.

Each flavor of Bodyarmor Chill will be featured on the hood of his vehicle, including Frozen Cherry, Frozen Orange and Frozen Berry.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

The NASCAR star hasn’t been with Bodyarmor since 2017, and he told Fox News Digital he was looking forward to having the premium sports drink back on his car again.

“It’s been a fun ride, a fun journey,” he said. “It’s been fun (to see) both of (us), whether it’s my career or their company, grow and be successful together. It’s pretty awesome when you can be teamed up with a group like that.

“They work like crazy, and it’s always fun to do different schemes through the years and multiple ones in the year. Whether we’re doing SportWater, we have the Bodyarmor Chill car this weekend at the 600, which I’m really excited about, Flash I.V. Being able to do all these fun schemes with all the products they have, that’s a dream.”

Blaney said he likes being able to use unique designs and knows the fans enjoy it too.

NASCAR fans will pack the speedway for the race, and it will be the first Cup Series points race after the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

TY DILLON THREATENS FELLOW NASCAR DRIVER AFTER ALL-STAR OPEN RACE

The drivers will travel 600 miles, completing 400 laps in what could be considered one of the most grueling races of the year. Blaney agreed with that notion, mentioning how taxing the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway is each season.

“It’s funny, I remember my first 600 in like 2015, and they’re like, ‘All right, halfway.’ And I’m like, ‘What? We’re only halfway in this thing? Like, I’m exhausted.’ So, it just really puts it into perspective of actually how long the night is, how physically draining it is. … I think just as physically exhausting as it is, it’s really mentally draining. Staying in the game for 600 miles is really, really tough.”

Despite the race’s challenges, Blaney said he enjoyed trying to outlast everyone else on the track.

Blaney won the 2023 Coca-Cola 600 en route to his first NASCAR Cup Series championship.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

He will enter this year’s race fifth in the drivers’ standings. He has yet to win a race this season but has five top five finishes and six top 10 finishes.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.