Streaming Into Victory Lane: NASCAR’s First Race on Prime Receives Rave Reviews
In a milestone moment for motorsports broadcasting, NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 became the first Cup Series race to stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video this past Sunday. The crown jewel event, held at Charlotte Motor Speedway, marked a significant move away from traditional network television and signaled NASCAR’s growing commitment to digital platforms. The Coke 600 served as the finale to what’s often referred to as “the greatest day in motorsports.” Formula 1’s Monaco Grand Prix started off the day, followed by the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 of the year in Charlotte. While the NASCAR race drew 2.72 million viewers—down from last year’s 3.1 million on FOX—the coverage was largely praised for its production quality and refreshing presentation. Streaming is a new direction for sports media, and NASCAR proved that they’re ready to tackle the challenge.
Prime Video’s broadcast featured several changes that resonated with fans. Most notably, full-screen commercials were replaced with side-by-side ads, allowing viewers to watch every single lap of the race with no interruption. The commentary team—Adam Alexander, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Steve Letarte, and guest analyst Jeff Gordon—was widely applauded for their immediate chemistry. Their blend of expertise, enthusiasm, and personality brought a renewed energy to the broadcast booth—something FOX Sports has been desperately missing. The entire broadcast seemed more conversational and overall more engaging than network television.
Another standout was the extended pre and post-race coverage, hosted by Carl Edwards, Corey LaJoie, and Danielle Trotta. Free from the time constraints of traditional TV, the Prime Video crew had room to dig deeper into the storylines of the race and supply behind-the-scenes access. After the checkered flag, race winner Ross Chastain joined the post-race stage, where the broadcast team toasted his victory with actual beer. In a compelling contrast, runner-up William Byron—who dominated much of the race and lost it late—was also brought on for a detailed interview about what he could’ve done differently and the heartbreak of defeat. That kind of immediate and balanced access added a layer of depth that fans don’t always get. It was a small but meaningful shift in how coverage connects with the audience, and it worked. The post-race show averaged 1.04 million viewers, a large number for that time slot.
Though overall viewership was slightly lower than in years past, the demographic shift was hard to ignore. Naturally, NASCAR lost a chunk of its 65-and-older audience, many of whom may not fully understand streaming or even have access to a service like Prime Video. They also likely lost casual sports fans channel-surfing on cable, or bar and restaurant viewers, where traditional TV is still the norm. Still, the average age of Prime Video viewers was 55.8, more than six years younger than NASCAR’s typical television audience. That’s a strong indicator that streaming is helping the sport reach a younger demographic, something NASCAR has long prioritized. NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps emphasized the importance of the shift, telling Sports Business Journal, “Streaming is important. It’s here to stay, and we think that Amazon Prime is a terrific partner for us to be with.”
The Coca-Cola 600 is just the beginning. It’s the first of five Cup Series races that will stream exclusively on Prime Video, with Nashville, Michigan, Mexico City, and Pocono next in line. Fans interested in tuning in can take advantage of Prime Video’s 30-day free trial, which conveniently covers almost the entire exclusive stretch. It’s an opportunity to test the new format without any upfront cost or commitment. For NASCAR, it’s also a test of how many fans are ready to follow the sport into a new era of viewing, which seems like a good majority will already.
As NASCAR continues to navigate a shifting media landscape, the successful debut on Prime Video is an encouraging sign. While challenges remain in getting longtime viewers to embrace streaming, the early response to the Coca-Cola 600 shows that fans are open to change, especially when the product is a strong upgrade from network television. If the rest of the Prime Video races follow suit, it could mark the start of a new normal for how fans consume NASCAR races. Streaming, as it seems, is no longer the future. It's right now.
