NASCAR on Fox to feature new look for 2022 season

Fox Sports’ coverage of NASCAR will feature a new design package for the upcoming 2022 season, following other recent updates at the broadcaster including college basketball and MLB.

Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal was first to report the change which will include updates to studio programming, such as “NASCAR RaceHub,” and the Fox Box leaderboard. 

Overall the new design focuses on bold colors and adds in 3D elements that appear to have a cell shading style of non-photorealistic rendering. 

Fox’s current design packaging debuted with the 2019 season alongside a virtual set for “RaceHub,” powered by the Unreal Engine. 

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Generally, motion graphics for professional sports broadcasts last 3-5 seasons, depending on the broadcaster. Fox, in particular, has been updating most of its sports properties in a more playful, energetic style that removes the previous standardization. The new looks have also prioritized mobile viewing and a younger demographic.

An example driver comparison graphic. Some on social media were upset with the data shown in the sample graphic, given it is fake. However, this is common for testing during a package buildout.

The new design for “Fox NASCAR” brings the coverage closer in line with the network’s coverage of the NFL, adding illustrations of drivers to key graphics. For the NFL package, this move was touted as adding a “video game-like” style to the broadcast and “heroic treatment” for the players.

NASCAR begins its season with an exhibition race at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Feb. 6. The season-opening Daytona 500 is set for Feb. 20 on Fox.