The Chicago Street Race gave us drama on the track—and a storm brewing off of it, right on our TV screens. Between missed replays, awkward camera cuts, and silence in key moments, NASCAR fans didn’t hold back with their critiques of TNT’s return to broadcasting the sport. For many, it felt like a missed opportunity to shine on one of the biggest stages. But leave it to Dale Earnhardt Jr. to step up and steady the ship.
On the latest episode of The Dale Jr. Download podcast, Dale Jr. didn’t deflect or sugarcoat. Instead, he broke it all down. What worked, what didn’t, and how seriously the TNT crew is taking the feedback. And in true Jr. fashion, he’s turning the criticism into motivation.
Dale Jr. talks about the challenges at Chicago
The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season ushered in a historic new media rights era. It split coverage among FOX, NBC, Amazon Prime Video, and TNT Sports in a $7.7 billion, seven-year deal. TNT and Prime Video now share 10 midseason races, with TNT simulcasting on its linear channel and Max streaming platform, and exclusive rights to late-season practice and qualifying sessions.
Chicago marked TNT’s second race of the new deal, the first being Atlanta, which left the NASCAR community divided, and the pressure was on for its first street race coverage. The street course is one of the most technically challenging events to produce, with limited camera sightlines, unpredictable action, and a raucous crowd. Despite the hype, the broadcast faced immediate scrutiny. “We got probably two of the toughest races to direct and produce for a new group that hadn’t done it in, you know, some hadn’t done it in years,” Dale Jr. explained TNT’s treacherous situation.
Viewership for the race on TNT and truTV plummeted to 2.1 million, down 46% from 3.9 million on NBC last year and a staggering 54.3% from the 4.6 million who watched the inaugural 2023 event on NBC. Social media and fan forums quickly lit up with complaints about missed incidents (Bubba Wallace’s spin), awkward transitions, and a lack of on-track context.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. addressed the criticism directly, explaining that the entire production team was “all TNT,” with no FOX or NBC staff involved. He admitted the team underestimated the challenge of covering a street course, especially without aerial shots due to tree cover, and acknowledged several moments that they wished had gone differently.
“I certainly wish that we would have left there with um, you know, with a better, you know, reaction or a little bit better temperature on social media and, and it and everything that I’ve read about on social media,” Dale Jr. said. The network’s openness to feedback and commitment to improvement sets the stage for an ongoing conversation with fans on social media.
Cautious optimism, honest critique, and hope for TNT’s NASCAR future
The NASCAR community didn’t hold back in sharing its thoughts on TNT’s broadcast debut in Chicago. The fan feedback? Well, let’s just say that it has been as nuanced as it is passionate. Many viewers expressed cautious optimism, appreciating that Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the TNT crew are aware of the issues and actively working to address them.
As one fan put it, “All you can really ask for is that they are at least aware of the issues and trying to address them. If we see continued improvement, that’s a good thing.” Dale Jr. echoed this sentiment, admitting, “We all have had conversations even in the last 48 hours of, ‘Yep, I wish that would have went differently. Yep, we should have done X, Y, and Z instead of what we did.’” This transparency has reassured fans that the team is committed to learning and improving each week.
Another viewer noted, “Honestly, it makes me feel better knowing it’s all new people. Makes the shortcomings, not better, but at least gives a reason behind it. Good to see what happens from here.” The broadcast booth features lead play-by-play announcer Adam Alexander, alongside Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR Hall of Famer and fan favorite, and Steve Letarte. They are joined by pit reporters Marty Snider, Danielle Trotta, and Alan Cavanna.
Several fans drew comparisons to FOX’s long-standing NASCAR coverage, which has faced criticism for years over missed action and a perceived lack of responsiveness to fan concerns. “It’s good they’re listening. Something that Fox would never do,” one commenter observed. This willingness to engage with feedback and admit mistakes stands in stark contrast to the frustration many have felt with FOX’s reluctance to adapt or improve its broadcasts.
Other comments reflected empathy for Dale Jr., with one fan saying, “He puts way too much blame on himself imo. He shouldn’t feel like he’s somehow letting people down by not pointing out every little detail to the production team. There’s producers for a reason.” This speaks to the complexity of live sports production, where the director, producer, and technical crew juggle dozens of camera feeds and storylines in real time. This is a challenge Dale Jr. described in detail.
Finally, viewers pointed to specific missed moments, like Bubba Wallace’s spin, as learning opportunities. “For the most part I wasn’t that upset until they missed the Wallace spinning off of Bowman’s bumper. I know they showed it moments later but if they were on top of it they would have changed cameras way sooner.” This highlights the high expectations NASCAR fans have for live coverage and the importance of rapid, accurate storytelling on race day.
Overall, while the debut wasn’t flawless, the NASCAR community seems willing to give TNT a chance, especially with Dale Jr. and the team showing humility, accountability, and a genuine desire to improve.
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