On March 11, 2023, during the United Rentals Work United 500 qualifying at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona, NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin witnessed a significant broadcast error involving fellow Toyota driver Corey Heim. Despite Heim’s commanding performance in recent Truck Series races, Hamlin, a seasoned Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) veteran pursuing his 19th Cup Series championship, expressed frustration over Fox Sports’ coverage, which misrepresented Heim’s race status through confusing on-screen graphics.
Corey Heim recently matched the record for most wins in a single Truck Series season by winning nine races, an accomplishment tying Greg Biffle’s 1999 record. Still, the broadcast coverage fell short of accurately reflecting Heim’s achievements, prompting Hamlin to highlight the issue publicly, focusing attention on the inconsistencies during the Truck Series events aired on FS1.
Problems with Fox Sports’ race graphics provoke criticism
Fox Sports, valued at $2.2 trillion and longtime NASCAR broadcast partner, has faced ongoing criticism for frequent coverage errors in 2024 and into 2025. Fans and drivers alike have voiced displeasure with blurry finishes and misleading display information. Although NBC and USA Network currently handle NASCAR Cup races, FS1 is responsible for Truck Series broadcasts, which have drawn negative attention due to their presentation flaws.
During a recent episode of ‘Actions Detrimental,’ Denny Hamlin thanked a fan for raising concerns about Fox’s broadcast, saying,
“I’m glad I saw someone on social media bring this up. I saw someone say, ‘I’m confused,’”
illustrating widespread viewer bewilderment.
Hamlin elaborated on the problem with the color scheme used in Fox’s graphics, which contradicted typical race scoring conventions:
“I turned to TV and on FOX it said, Corey Heim’s name is in red, others’ names are in red. And I’m like, but he’s leading the race, why is he in red? What is going on? …When you have red and green, green is good, red is bad…That’s typical, right? …They had everyone advancing in red and being eliminated in green…I couldn’t make a whole lot of sense of it. Because when I got to the racetrack, there was about 50 laps to go…At the time, there was no live figure.”
He cautioned the broadcaster,
“I’m not really sure on FOX’s graphics department as a whole. Maybe it’s time to rethink it.”
His co-host Jared Allen noted Fox might have attempted to clarify the color coding at some point during the broadcast. However, Hamlin dismissed that possibility, stating,
“I think that would have just made things worse for me. Just simply because I would have said, Now they knew it’s sc—ed up, then they have to clarify.”
Hamlin made a direct appeal for consistency aligned with standard color symbolism:
“Let’s just try to keep this uniform to what everything else is. Green is good, red is bad, okay? Eliminated, red. Advancing, green. Let’s just start there. We can work on the cartoon characters later,”
referring to Fox’s animated driver icons introduced since 2022.
Fox Sports has come under scrutiny from numerous prominent figures, including Richard Petty and Kevin Harvick, for its broadcast quality. Hamlin’s critique adds pressure on the network to improve Truck Series coverage, especially as he balances his own challenges within the competitive Cup Series.
Conflict involving Denny Hamlin and teammates at New Hampshire race
The attention on Fox Sports’ broadcast difficulties coincided with dramatic events at the Mobil 1 301 race in New Hampshire. Ryan Blaney won his third race of the season, but a separate incident involving Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, and Ty Gibbs dominated discussions. On lap 111, Gibbs blocked the path of Hamlin and Bell, prompting Hamlin to spin Gibbs into the wall after warning bumps. Hamlin denied any intentional fault, but the incident sparked controversy around the behavior of Joe Gibbs Racing drivers and Gibbs’ maturity, given his history of obstructing teammates, including in the 2022 Xfinity season with Brandon Smith.
Ryan Blaney, reflecting on his own racing style amidst pressure from fellow Ford drivers Joey Logano and Josh Berry, offered a perspective on respectful competition within a team:
“I was never going to lay a bumper to Joey trying to get by him when he was leading.”
He added,
“I didn’t want to do it that way — teammate or not. I didn’t want to do it that way, especially with a teammate. I’m not going to rough him up. But I fully expect to race hard. That’s what Roger [Penske] expects of us, and that’s what Eddie and Len [Wood] expect with the Wood Brothers. We’re going to go out there and race hard, but we’re going to do it in a fair way.”
This contrast underscored tensions within NASCAR’s competitive landscape, as drivers navigate aggression and sportsmanship, particularly among teammates.
Broader implications for NASCAR broadcasting and driver relations
Denny Hamlin’s criticism of Fox Sports’ Truck Series coverage highlights ongoing challenges in presenting NASCAR races clearly and accurately to fans and participants. The mix-up with race graphics not only confused viewers but also detracted from the recognition due to standout drivers like Corey Heim, whose historic performances deserve proper acknowledgment.
At the same time, Hamlin’s involvement in on-track controversy with Ty Gibbs and the broader team dynamics at Joe Gibbs Racing reveal the pressures drivers face in maintaining competitive focus while managing interpersonal conflicts. Meanwhile, broadcasters must enhance their clarity and consistency to avoid undermining the sport’s integrity and fan experience.
As NASCAR moves forward, the spotlight will remain on broadcasters like Fox Sports to refine their presentations, while drivers such as Hamlin and Blaney continue to shape the sport through their racing conduct and public statements. The outcome of these intertwined challenges could influence fan engagement, sponsor confidence, and the future narrative of NASCAR competitions.
