Over the past two decades, NASCAR’s fanbase has shifted from packing grandstands to glued-to-the-screen viewership. Back in 2005 and 2006, races drew over 100,000 fans trackside, with the Daytona 500 pulling nearly 20 million TV viewers. High-definition broadcasts, in-car cameras, driver radios, and multi-angle replays made home viewing a front-row experience. The 2008 recession didn’t help—skyrocketing ticket and travel costs pushed fans away, and by the mid-2010s, tracks like Phoenix and Michigan were tearing down grandstands, slashing capacity by tens of thousands.

Recently, NASCAR hitched its wagon to Prime Video, streaming five Cup Series races in 2025, starting with the Coca-Cola 600. Prime’s coverage, packed with slick tech and aimed at younger viewers, has drawn praise for innovation but also a wave of frustration from those who’ve bled stock car racing for decades. The shift to streaming, with its fancy features and analytics, feels like a departure from the sport’s gritty roots, leaving some fans yearning for the days when the track was king. While the drive to cater to a new audience is a driving force behind NASCAR’s ambitions, the experience of being at the track is second to none. This is what Kurt Busch believes, despite the positives NASCAR has had with streaming giants.

Kurt Busch says the fan experience is incomplete without a visit to NASCAR racetrack

Kurt Busch, the 2004 Cup champ with 34 wins, isn’t shy about his love for NASCAR’s raw, unfiltered past. Speaking on PRN Live, he laid it out and said. “I mean everything evolves and technology of course is what really is helped our sport grow but it also over-saturates things in many ways where people used to had to go to the track, that’s where you saw your driver, you went there for the action and now you can catch it on different streaming this or this race this channel.” Prime Video’s tech-heavy approach backs his point. Its dual-screen “double-box” keeps racing on during ads, while in-race recaps hook latecomers and extensive practice streams dive deep into team prep.

Busch sees the trade-off. Tech’s brought growth, but it’s diluted the trackside magic. “But still the core vibe at the track is there, where it’s families, you get you know the guy’s trip that’s at Talladega, Pocono is gonna be off the charts with beast one of our alcohol brands at monster they’re activating for three days straight with big band’s coming in for that nighttime-type party so you still have the vibe but still I think the technology side of it is what’s changed a lot,” he said. Pocono’s Monster Brewing “Beast” Block Party, with eight bands, DJs, comedy, and a “Beast Car Bar,” and Talladega’s Justin Moore concert for the Jack Link’s 500, proves NASCAR’s in-person energy still thrives. Yet, streaming pull is undeniable, splitting the fanbase.

Busch’s words hit home for core fans who miss the days when you had to be at the track to feel the rumble. Prime’s polish crisp visuals, AI-driven insights, and a younger skew, feel like a slick suit on a sport built on denim and dirt. The Burn Bar, showing real-time fuel burn, wowed at Michigan, but for some, it’s a far cry from the gut-driven racing of the ‘90s. Fans on social media echo Busch, grumbling that streaming and analytics are pulling NASCAR away from its blue-collar soul. The tension’s real. Busch’s call for a return to NASCAR’s roots isn’t just nostalgia; rather, it’s a plea to preserve what made the sport a cultural juggernaut. Prime’s tech, while cutting-edge, risks alienating the fans who filled those 100,000-seat grandstands.

The tension’s real. Busch’s call for a return to NASCAR’s roots isn’t just nostalgia—it’s a plea to preserve what made the sport a cultural juggernaut. Prime’s tech, while cutting-edge, risks alienating the fans who filled those 100,000-seat grandstands.

Not everyone’s on the anti-tech train, though. Jeff Gordon, a four-time champ and Hendrick exec, sees untapped potential. “There’s technology out there, there’s data coming off the cars that I just don’t know if we’ve done a good enough job over the years of tapping into all of it and utilizing it,” he said. “I see Amazon pushing that. They did this in NFL as well. They’re really about analytics and bringing that to the fan. They also know they’re catering to a younger fan base. And so that’s sort of what they demand.” Gordon’s nod to Prime’s NFL success highlights a generational divide as younger fans crave data, while old-schoolers want raw racing.

This isn’t about ditching tech entirely, as Busch knows it’s here to stay. But his push for “old-school” NASCAR is a reminder to keep the sport’s heart beating, even as it chases a digital future. The vibe at Pocono and Talladega proves the live experience still packs a punch, but streaming partners’ rise is reshaping how fans connect with the sport. The Mexico City race, streaming on Prime, will test this balance. Will fans embrace the tech and recaps, or long for the days when the track was the only screen that mattered?

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Prime Video’s Burn Bar Rewrites Race Viewing

Prime Video’s not just streaming NASCAR—it’s changing how fans watch with the Burn Bar, a game-changer debuted at the Coca-Cola 600 and refined over Michigan and Nashville. For years, teams guarded fuel burn rates like state secrets, but Prime’s AI tool, built with car telemetry, RPMs, throttle, and optical tracking, cracks the code, showing miles per gallon in real time. “It’s the first true tool that is taking information off the car, making calculations and then displaying to the fan a calculation or measurement that is being used in the garage,” said analyst Steve Letarte, a former crew chief for Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The Burn Bar’s no gimmick, it’s race-critical. At Michigan’s caution-free final 48 laps, it predicted William Byron’s fuel-out and flagged Denny Hamlin’s razor-thin finish, with his car pushing him to victory lane. Four methodologies were tested during Fox’s early-season races, with post-race team data ensuring accuracy. The tool analyzes thousands of data points per second, giving fans a crew chief’s view. “There’s not a sensor on the car giving us miles per gallon. It’s a mathematical calculation of other cars performances,” Letarte explained.

Prime’s senior coordinating producer Alex Strand sees it as a starting point, he said, “It’s really cool to live in a world where it shows us that anything is possible. We’re starting with something that we’re really excited about, but it’s setting us down a path that will open up new doors for us.” With Mexico City and Pocono left, Prime’s seven-year deal promises more tech breakthroughs.

The Burn Bar’s a love-it-or-hate-it addition. For tech-savvy fans, it’s a window into strategy; for Busch’s old-school crowd, it’s another layer pulling focus from the racing. As NASCAR navigates this divide, Prime’s innovations are redefining broadcasts, but the challenge is keeping the sport’s soul intact while chasing a new generation.