During the recent Watkins Glen road course event, veteran driver Denny Hamlin took direct aim at both NASCAR and its broadcast partner Fox, accusing the two of allowing critical moments to slip through the cracks of live television.
The Challenge of Covering Road Courses
He specifically highlighted a severe crash involving Cody Ware, noting that the incident was not shown on the network’s feed and that no caution flag was thrown, a omission that left fans in the dark and underscored the limitations of the current production setup.
Hamlin’s critique extends beyond a single mishap; he argues that the very nature of road course racing — where the action is dispersed across a winding layout — makes it inherently difficult for a handful of cameras to capture every dramatic development as it unfolds.
The driver also pointed to staffing constraints, suggesting that there simply aren’t enough track workers on site to monitor every potential incident, which further complicates the task of delivering comprehensive coverage to viewers at home.
Fans have increasingly voiced their disappointment on social platforms, arguing that the sport’s growing popularity demands a more robust broadcast strategy, especially for events that take place on intricate circuits like Watkins Glen.
While Fox has deployed a network of cameras around the track, the sheer scale of the venue means that some moments inevitably fall outside the lens, a reality that Hamlin says could be addressed through better coordination and perhaps additional resources.