History of NASCAR on Fox in Timeline

NASCAR on Fox is the branding for NASCAR race broadcasts produced by Fox Sports, airing on Fox since 2001. Speed, and later Fox Sports 1, covered NASCAR events on cable under the Fox Sports umbrella. The broadcasts have received thirteen Emmy Awards. Fox's coverage significantly contributes to NASCAR's television presence.

November 11, 1999: NASCAR Centralizes Television Contracts and Signs Deal with Fox and NBC

On November 11, 1999, NASCAR signed a centralized television contract with Fox, FX, NBC, and TBS (later TNT) for race broadcasting rights starting in 2001, ending the era of individual track agreements.

2001: Fox and NBC Split NASCAR Race Coverage

Beginning with the 2001 season, Fox and FX alternated coverage of the first half of the NASCAR season, while NBC and TNT covered the second half.

2001: Fox Introduces the Hollywood Hotel for Pre-Race Coverage

From 2001, Fox began using a portable studio called the Hollywood Hotel for pre-race coverage of NASCAR events.

2001: Original Theme Music for NASCAR on Fox Broadcasts

From 2001, the original theme music for NASCAR on Fox broadcasts was in the same style as other Fox Sports properties.

2001: Fox Begins Broadcasting NASCAR Races

In 2001, Fox started broadcasting NASCAR races on the Fox television network.

2001: Emmy Awards for NASCAR on Fox Coverage

In 2001, NASCAR on Fox won Emmy Awards for Outstanding Sports Series, Graphic Design, and Technical Team Remote for its coverage.

2001: Advertising Controversy at the 2001 Budweiser Shootout

In 2001, during the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway, Fox only displayed logos of companies that paid to advertise during the race on the 3D representations of the cars. This decision sparked controversy, and the full logo graphics were restored for all cars four days later during the Gatorade Twin 125s telecast.

2001: Controversy surrounding the 2001 Daytona 500 coverage

In 2001, during the Daytona 500, Fox concluded coverage shortly after Dale Earnhardt's fatal crash, providing no updates on his condition. The network continued with regular programming, airing "Futurama", while other networks covered the aftermath of Earnhardt's death.

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2001: FS1 Reintroduces Original Theme

In 2016, Fox and FS1 (Cup Series only) reintroduced the original theme music used between 2001 and 2008.

2001: Fox Begins Televising Daytona 500 in Odd-Numbered Years

Starting in 2001, Fox began alternating coverage of the Daytona 500 in odd-numbered years with NBC, and in exchange, Fox would air the Pepsi 400 during even numbered years.

February 2002: Speed Channel Begins Broadcasting NASCAR-Related Events

In February 2002, Speed, a Fox-owned cable channel dedicated to motorsports, began broadcasting events related to NASCAR.

October 2002: Speed Channel Obtains Rights to Televise Craftsman Truck Series Races

In October 2002, Speed Channel secured the rights to televise all races in the Craftsman Truck Series, acquiring the contract from ESPN.

2002: Speed Covers O'Reilly Practice

From 2002-2013, Speed covered NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series practice & qualifying sessions when not covered by ESPN from 2007-2013.

2002: Jeff Hammond Replaces Steve Byrnes

In 2002, Jeff Hammond replaced Steve Byrnes for the Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway because Byrnes could not attend due to the birth of his son.

2002: Emmy Award for NASCAR on Fox Coverage

In 2002, NASCAR on Fox won Emmy Awards for Outstanding Live Event Audio Sound for its coverage.

2003: Speed Begins Covering Truck Races

Starting in 2003, Speed began covering Camping World Truck Series races.

2004: Outdoor Coverage of Dodge/Save Mart 350

During the 2004 Dodge/Save Mart 350, the Hollywood Hotel studio was not used, and Myers and Hammond provided coverage from outdoor chairs on the hillside for unknown reasons.

December 7, 2005: NASCAR Signs New Broadcast Deal with Fox and Disney

On December 7, 2005, NASCAR signed a new eight-year broadcast deal valued at $4.48 billion with Fox, Speed Channel, Disney-owned ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and TNT, effective with the 2007 season.

2005: Discontinuation of Computer-Generated Cars in Broadcasts

In 2005, Fox phased out the computer-generated cars used on the starting grid and top-five standings during commercial breaks from main broadcast use, with the exception of the Daytona 500 starting grid.

2005: Emmy Awards for NASCAR on Fox Coverage

In 2005, NASCAR on Fox won Emmy Awards for Outstanding Sports Series, Live Event Audio Sound, and Technical Team Remote for its coverage.

2006: Emmy Award for NASCAR on Fox Coverage

In 2006, NASCAR on Fox won Emmy Awards for Outstanding Live Event Audio Sound for its coverage.

2006: End of First Fox/NBC NASCAR Contract

In 2006, the initial six-year contract between NBC/TNT and NASCAR concluded.

2006: NFL Pregame Show Inspiration

In 2011, Fox moved the first segment of its NASCAR telecast to a tented facility, inspired by Fox's NFL pregame show from 2006, as well as ESPN's College GameDay.

2007: Use of Gatorade Victory Lane Building at Daytona

For races held at Daytona International Speedway between 2001 and 2007, the building next to Gatorade Victory Lane was used instead of the Hollywood Hotel.

2007: Speed Covers Cup Series Practice Sessions

From 2007-2013, Speed covered NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice sessions.

2007: Limited Usage of "Gopher Cam"

In 2007, Fox Sports began limited usage of the "Gopher Cam", a camera angle from the bottom banking of a track's turn.

2007: Emmy Awards for NASCAR on Fox Coverage

In 2007, NASCAR on Fox won Emmy Awards for Outstanding Sports Series and Technical Team Remote for its coverage.

2007: New NASCAR Broadcast Deal Takes Effect

In 2007, the new eight-year broadcast deal between NASCAR, Fox, Speed Channel, Disney-owned ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and TNT took effect.

2008: Fox Introduces 'NASCAR Love' Theme

In 2008, Fox introduced a new theme for its NASCAR telecasts titled "NASCAR Love," performed by Toby Lightman.

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2008: Full-Time Introduction of "Gopher Cam"

In 2008, Fox introduced the "Gopher Cam" full-time, a camera angle from the bottom banking of a track's turn, while implying it invented the technology. It was later revealed that Terry Lingner and James Fishman developed the technology earlier.

2008: Emmy Award for NASCAR on Fox Coverage

In 2008, NASCAR on Fox won Emmy Awards for Promotional Announcement Episodic for its coverage.

2008: End of First Fox/FX NASCAR Contract

In 2008, the initial eight-year contract between Fox/FX and NASCAR concluded.

2008: FS1 Reintroduces Original Theme

In 2016, Fox and FS1 (Cup Series only) reintroduced the original theme music used between 2001 and 2008.

May 2009: Negative Feedback on Digger Character

In May 2009, Fox Sports chair David Hill received an email from a NASCAR official suggesting that Digger could be causing ratings declines. This led to internal discussions about the character's impact.

December 20, 2009: Digger Appearance in Fox NFL Sunday and Alvin and the Chipmunks

On December 20, 2009, Digger made a cameo appearance in the Fox NFL Sunday introduction and the movie Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel.

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2009: 'NASCAR Love' Replaced by The Maine's Song

In 2009, "NASCAR Love" was replaced by a reworked version of The Maine's song, "Everything I Ask For," with newly-written lyrics referencing NASCAR.

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2009: Introduction of Digger Character and Cartoons

In 2009, beginning with the Daytona 500, Fox extended the Digger character into a series of short cartoons that aired during the pre-race show. Country music superstar Keith Urban recorded the theme song for these shorts. The introduction of Digger was met with mixed reactions.

2010: Speed Covers O'Reilly Races

In 2010 & 2011, Speed covered NASCAR O'Reilly races.

2010: Reduced Role of Digger Character

In 2010, the Digger cartoon was not shown during pre-race shows, and Digger appeared less often at the bottom of the screen, following negative feedback from viewers.

2011: Use of NFL on FOX Theme Song and Dierks Bentley's 'Sideways'

From the 2011 Budweiser Shootout to 2015, Fox used the NFL on FOX theme song, and Dierks Bentley's "Sideways" with reworked lyrics referencing NASCAR.

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2011: Speed Covers O'Reilly Races

In 2010 & 2011, Speed covered NASCAR O'Reilly races.

2011: Emmy Award for NASCAR on Fox Coverage

In 2011, NASCAR on Fox won Emmy Awards for Outstanding Live Event Audio Sound for its coverage.

2011: Pizza Hut Sponsors Pre-Race Show

In 2011, Pizza Hut became the presenting sponsor of the NASCAR on Fox pre-race show.

2011: ESPN Airs WFTV Footage of Earnhardt's Death

In 2011, during a tribute to Dale Earnhardt's death, ESPN showed footage of the crash and aftermath credited to WFTV, the ABC affiliate in Orlando, Florida. It is speculated that the footage was originally filmed by WFTV for local newscasts.

October 2012: NASCAR Extends Contract with Fox Sports Through 2022

In October 2012, NASCAR extended its contract with Fox Sports through 2022, which included online streaming rights and continued coverage of the first 13 Cup Series races and exclusive Daytona 500 coverage.

2012: Digger Dropped from NASCAR Broadcasts

As of the 2012 Subway Fresh Fit 500, all appearances and references to Digger were dropped entirely from Fox's NASCAR broadcasts.

2012: "In the Rear View Mirror" Segments Aired

In 2012, Fox aired "In the Rear View Mirror" segments during the pre-race, showing computer-generated re-enactments of events during the 2012 season.

2012: John Roberts Fills In For Chris Myers

In 2012, John Roberts filled in for Chris Myers as host for the Budweiser Shootout and the Daytona 500, while Myers was on bereavement leave.

2012: Emmy Award for NASCAR on Fox Coverage

In 2012, NASCAR on Fox won Emmy Awards for Outstanding Live Event Audio Sound for its coverage.

2012: Hollywood Hotel Used Despite Delay of Daytona 500

In 2012, the Hollywood Hotel studio was used for the Daytona 500 coverage even though the race was delayed by one day.

August 1, 2013: Fox Sports Extends Contract with NASCAR Through 2024

On August 1, 2013, Fox Sports extended its contract with NASCAR by two years through 2024 and acquired rights to the first 16 Cup Series races and first 14 Xfinity Series events.

August 2013: Fox Sports 1 Replaces Speed, Takes Over Cable Event Coverage

In August 2013, Fox Sports 1 replaced Speed and assumed Fox Sports' cable event coverage rights for NASCAR events.

August 2013: Speed Rebranded as Fox Sports 1

In August 2013, Speed was rebranded as Fox Sports 1. NASCAR events on the new channel continued to fall under the NASCAR on Fox banner.

August 2013: Speed's NASCAR Coverage Moves to Fox Sports 1

Starting in August 2013, Speed's coverage of NASCAR, including RaceDay, Victory Lane, and NASCAR Live!, moved to Fox Sports 1.

2013: Emmy Award for NASCAR on Fox Coverage

In 2013, NASCAR on Fox won Emmy Awards for Outstanding Live Event Audio Sound for its coverage.

2013: Introduction of CGI Cars in Intro Sequence

In 2013, the intro sequence introduced for NASCAR on Fox also incorporated CGI cars.

2013: End of Scrolling Ticker Display

Until 2013, Fox used a scrolling ticker to display the current running order of drivers. After 2013, Fox moved away from the ticker, but its conventions were adopted by other NASCAR broadcasters.

2013: 'Sideways' Phased Out

With the 2013 Sprint Unlimited telecast, "Sideways" was phased out entirely, and the Fox NFL theme music was used full-time along with a new CGI introduction sequence.

2014: Reference to Digger

During the Talladega race in 2014, Mike Joy commented about Digger to which Darrell Waltrip responded that "Digger's retired".

2014: Replacement of Scrolling Ticker with Leaderboard Sidebar

For the 2014 season, Fox replaced the scrolling ticker with a leaderboard-style sidebar on the right side of the screen. This change was criticized by viewers for obstructing too much of the screen.

2014: Michael Waltrip and Phil Parsons Substitute as Commentators

In 2014, Michael Waltrip filled in for Darrell Waltrip for the Sprint Unlimited, and Phil Parsons filled in for Daytona 500 Practice and Pole Qualifying.

2015: Fox Uses NFL on FOX Theme

From the 2011 Budweiser Shootout to 2015, Fox used the NFL on FOX theme song in NASCAR telecasts.

2015: Elimination of Introduction Sequence

In 2015, the introduction sequence for NASCAR on Fox broadcasts was eliminated in favor of intros unique to each track.

2015: Jeff Hammond Substitute for Pit Reporter/Analyst if Needed

Prior to 2015, Jeff Hammond could be shifted to substitute for a pit reporter or analyst if necessary if the hotel was no longer available.

2016: Reintroduction of Original Theme

In 2016, Fox and FS1 (Cup Series only) reintroduced the original theme music used between 2001 and 2008.

2016: Jeff Gordon Replaces Larry McReynolds

In 2016, Jeff Gordon replaced Larry McReynolds in the booth, with McReynolds taking over Andy Petree's role as the rules and technical analyst.

June 10, 2017: Xfinity Series Race at Pocono Presented by Cup Series Drivers

On June 10, 2017, the Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway was presented by current drivers in the Cup Series, marking the first time a national sporting event was covered by active athletes.

2017: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Joins Fox Booth as Guest Color Commentator

In 2017, Dale Earnhardt Jr. joined the Fox booth as a guest color commentator for the Clash after deciding not to compete as a driver.

April 28, 2018: All-Driver Broadcast of Sparks Energy 300

On April 28, 2018, the Sparks Energy 300, the Xfinity race at Talladega Superspeedway, featured an all-driver broadcast, marking the second time a national sporting event was covered entirely by active athletes.

2018: Fox Discontinues Use of Hollywood Hotel

Fox discontinued the use of the Hollywood Hotel studio after the 2018 season.

2018: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Becomes Permanent Color Commentator for NBC

In 2018, Dale Earnhardt Jr. became a permanent color commentator for NBC after retiring from full-time driving.

2018: Introduction of New Flat Graphics Package

In the 2018 NASCAR season, NASCAR coverage adopted a new flat graphics package. This package reintroduced a vertical leaderboard, but the design was criticized for reducing screen space.

2018: Retirement of the Hollywood Hotel Studio

The Hollywood Hotel studio was retired following the 2018 season due to renovations at the Charlotte studios to accommodate more shows.

May 25, 2019: All-Drivers Broadcast of Alsco 300

On May 25, 2019, the Alsco 300, the Xfinity race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, featured an all-drivers broadcast, marking the third time a national sporting event was covered entirely by active athletes.

2019: Changes in NASCAR on Fox Team

In 2019, Jamie McMurray joined the NASCAR on Fox team, and Shannon Spake replaced Chris Myers as host, while Adam Alexander served as on-site host.

2019: Introduction of "GhostCar" Augmented Reality

In 2019, during Daytona 500 qualifying, Fox introduced a new augmented reality "GhostCar", allowing for a live visualization of a previous driver's qualifying lap overlaid into live footage.

2020: Fox Utilizes Charlotte Studio Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

In 2020, Fox maximized the use of its Charlotte Studio due to the COVID-19 pandemic to minimize travel, ensure social distancing, and limit on-site staff at races.

2021: Jeff Gordon Leaves Fox to Work for Hendrick Motorsports Full-Time

After the 2021 season, Jeff Gordon left Fox to work for Hendrick Motorsports full-time as the team's Vice Chairman, and Fox implemented rotating guest commentators to fill his spot.

2021: Myers Returns to At-Track Hosting

In 2021, Chris Myers returned to hosting the at-track portions of pre-race coverage alongside Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer, while Shannon Spake, Larry McReynolds, and Jamie McMurray hosted pre-race coverage from the Charlotte studios.

2021: Criticism for Using Crash Footage in Ads

In 2021, FOX faced criticism from fans for heavily using crash footage for their advertisements, with some interpreting it as an attempt to make crashes the selling point of events.

April 2022: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Returns to Fox as Guest Color Commentator

In April 2022, with NBC's permission, Dale Earnhardt Jr. returned to Fox as a guest color commentator for the GEICO 500 at Talladega.

2022: Fox Sports' Contract Extended Through 2022

Fox Sports' contract was extended through 2022, providing online streaming rights for event telecasts and retaining coverage of the first 13 races of the NASCAR Cup Series and exclusive coverage of the Daytona 500.

2022: Revamp of On-Air Presentation for NASCAR

In 2022, Fox introduced a revamp of its on-air presentation for NASCAR, built upon visual elements from the then-current NFL on Fox branding, including stylized "comic book" illustrations of drivers.

November 2023: Fox Extends NASCAR Contract Through 2031

In November 2023, Fox extended its contract with NASCAR through 2031, but will air significantly fewer races compared to the previous contract.

2024: Fox Sports' Contract Extended Through 2024

Fox Sports' contract with NASCAR was extended through 2024, with the acquisition of rights to the first 16 races of the NASCAR Cup Series season and the first 14 Xfinity Series events.