There’s an unwritten contract between broadcasters and fans: don’t interrupt the action. At Talladega, FOX Sports tore that contract up, and fans weren’t having it.

FOX’s ad strategy backfires

The network’s strategy was to run no full-screen advertisements during green-flag racing, with most commercial breaks for stage breaks and cautions and side-by-side advertisements for the rest. However, things didn’t go as planned.

Stage 1 happened without caution, disrupting FOX’s entire ad load schedule. The network had to make last-minute adjustments in the absence of those natural gaps, which further worsened the situation.

Full-screen advertisements interrupted the action even before the initial stage ended, but that was merely the beginning of what lay ahead. Following the start of Stage 2, a large 27-car collision, “The Big One,” broke out when Bubba Wallace slammed into the wall after Ross Chastain rammed into him.

The moment was dramatic, significant, and worthy of instant replay and analysis. Instead, viewers had to watch advertisements. Many were upset that FOX played advertisements before replays, even though the race had been red-flagged. The timing couldn’t have been worse for a sport that has been criticized for years for its advertising approach.

Fans felt FOX Sports had gone too far and mocked it for its broadcast decisions.

Fans slam FOX

“Caution every 10 laps for the networks next!” One fan said, taking a dig at the idea that races were being manipulated just to fit commercial breaks. And it may not even be that far-fetched!

Others questioned the logic behind full-screen ads altogether. “’m sorry if this is dumb but wouldn’t companies want a side by side ad more than full screen? if there’s a side by side ad I’m more inclined to keep my eyes on the screen. If its full screen I’m gonna get up and grab a snack, go to the restroom, etc,” one viewer wrote. They rightfully pointed out that fans are more likely to stay engaged and notice the brand (the purpose of an advertisement) when they can still see the race action.

More pointed criticism focused on missed opportunities. “Just unacceptable behaviour. If so was the case. Should’ve just spread the ads during the fuel saving phase,” another fan argued. The fan’s point was sharp because NASCAR had intentionally modified the stage lengths for this specific race—a long 98-lap opening stage and two 45-lap sprints—which deliberately created fuel-saving stretches suitable for ad breaks that wouldn’t disrupt the racing.

The timing of the commercials frustrated others. “Just because the leader crosses the line to finish the stage doesn’t change the fact there was still a race for 10th, a points paying position. And to cut to commercial before they cross the line is shameful,” one fan wrote. In NASCAR, every points-paying position matters, and viewers expect to see those battles play out, whether it’s for first or tenth place.

Then came the more drastic takes. “I think its time for NASCAR to pull the plug on Fox and give the Fox portion of the season over to Prime.” Fans are now supporting alternatives like Amazon Prime Video, which are part of the NASCAR broadcast, thanks to the 2025-2031 media rights deal. Prime has thus far received positive reviews from fans for its race coverage, including advertisement placements.