For nearly eight decades, the Daytona 500 has been NASCAR’s sacred ground, a February spectacle that keeps fans on their toes. So when FOX Sports dropped its first promotional commercial for the 2026 running of the Great American Race, fans expected a love letter to Daytona’s speed, history, and spectacle. Instead, what followed was a backlash no one saw coming.

Within minutes, eagle-eyed viewers began tearing into the 30-second spot, calling out glaring mistakes, questionable footage choices, and one moment many felt crossed a line. What was meant to hype NASCAR’s biggest night has now sparked an uncomfortable debate about respect, effort, and who truly understands the sport’s heartbeat.

With just over a month to go, the countdown to the 2026 Daytona 500 is officially on. NASCAR’s biggest race, and the first points-paying event of the season, will take the green flag on February 15 at 2:30 p.m. ET, with FOX carrying the broadcast once again.

Naturally, FOX Sports moved quickly to tap into that momentum. The network released a 30-second promotional spot for the 2026 Daytona 500, packed with rapid-fire clips of on-track carnage, roaring engines, and familiar faces like Bubba Wallace and Hamlin himself. Dramatic text splashed across the screen, leaning hard into themes of speed, legacy, and NASCAR’s long-standing history at Daytona.

On the surface, it looked like a standard hype piece: loud, fast, and built to grab attention in a short window. It was the kind of promo that was designed to remind casual viewers that the Super Bowl of stock car racing is right around the corner.

But as the clip made its way across social media, the reaction didn’t unfold the way FOX likely expected. Instead of excitement, fans began slowing the footage down, scrutinizing every frame. And what they noticed quickly shifted the conversation. What was meant to stoke anticipation has now opened the door to criticism, frustration, and a much louder backlash that refuses to be ignored.

Fans unload on FOX’s promo

The backlash didn’t take long. Within minutes of FOX Sports posting its 30-second Daytona 500 promo, NASCAR fans began picking it apart. One of the most-liked replies summed up the overall frustration: “Feels like borderline AI slop. A lot of jarring transitions and using a clip from Phoenix…to promote the Daytona 500??? Mkay.”

For longtime viewers, the use of potential AI-generated visuals and non-Daytona footage wasn plain sloppy.  But criticism over editing paled in comparison to the outrage sparked by FOX including footage from Ryan Newman’s horrifying 2020 Daytona crash. One fan didn’t mince words.

“Using Newman’s 2020 crash in this is yucky but i expect nothing less from Our Friends At Fox.”

The moment reopened old wounds, reminding fans of a crash that left Newman hospitalized after suffering a head injury as his car hit the wall, went airborne, and was struck on the driver’s side by another car at high speed on the final laps of the race. Another comment took it further, tying the footage to modern shortcuts: “Using not only AI, but AI of Ryan Newman’s crash in the promo is peak Fox. I am so ready for nascar to terminate their contract and give the Fox portion to prime or NBC.”

Some fans tried to explain how a misfire like this happens. One speculated, “Upper execs commissioning 3rd party studios to make commercials, by the time it reaches the NASCAR side, the money has already been spent and hands are tied. Just my guess.”

“I really hate that Fox gets to broadcast the 500,” read another comment.

Commercial overload only added fuel. “Mentioning the words ‘Fox Daytona 500 Commercial’ made me remember how it’s going be 50:50 race to commercials,” another fan posted. This perfectly echoed the long-standing complaints about FOX cutting away during wrecks, lead changes, and pivotal moments during the race.

In the end, what was meant to hype NASCAR’s biggest race instead revived every grievance fans have with FOX – editing shortcuts, insensitive choices, and a broadcast style many feel puts spectacle and ads over the sport itself.