NASCAR Fans Critique FOX Coverage After Chaotic Arizona Race

PHOENIX, Arizona — NASCAR fans expressed frustration over FOX Sports‘ coverage of the Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, highlighting significant disconnects between announcers and camera operators during critical moments of the event.

Much to the dismay of viewers, key moments were missed as the broadcast shifted away from a crash involving driver Kevin Harvick, ultimately preventing fans from witnessing the full extent of the chaos. Viewers quickly voiced their displeasure on social media, with one fan urging, “I encourage FOX to fire whoever is the director for their NASCAR broadcasts.” Another chimed in, stating, “FOX is killing it. It’s almost like the producer is doing it on purpose. Enough is enough.” Additionally, a third critic labeled the coverage as “damn near unwatchable.”

Despite the controversy surrounding the coverage, the race concluded with a thrilling finish as Joe Gibbs Racing‘s Christopher Bell secured his third consecutive Cup Series victory. Following the race, Bell remarked, “How about that one, race fans? Oh my gosh! Whenever you’re sitting there dreaming it up, that’s about as ugly as it gets.” Bell, who dealt with the pressure of managing tire strategy throughout the race, reflected, “The red [option] tires–you’re always wishing for clean air, and that didn’t happen until the very end.”

Bell’s teammate Denny Hamlin, however, expressed disappointment over the result, citing missed opportunities despite his team’s solid performance. “Great job by the Sport Clips team; it got better as it went, but we had a bad pit stop in the middle that we made up for in the end,” he said.

The coverage also faced criticism for failing to adequately report on a different incident involving driver Katherine Legge during the same race. Legge, the first woman to compete in a Cup Series event in seven years, encountered trouble on the track, spinning out on Lap 4. Afterward, she explained her struggles, stating, “I have so much wheel in it that it got loose on exit, but it’s because I’m so tight.”

Following the incident, Legge had a conversation with Daniel Suarez, with whom she had collided. “He was very kind and understanding of the situation,” Legge said, noting Suarez’s frustrations centered around NASCAR allowing inexperienced drivers to compete. “What is wrong is NASCAR. They cannot allow someone with no experience to run in the Cup Series. Plain and simple,” Suarez stated emphatically on his vlog after the race.

As Legge aims to return to competition, she remains hopeful for the future. “It was baptism by fire,” she said. “I think there are lots of positives to take from it. Hopefully, I get to come back.” Meanwhile, Suarez will prepare for the upcoming Pennzoil 400 in Las Vegas, hoping to improve after variable results early this season.