Special FOX Broadcast Focuses on NASCAR’s 75-Year History

75th Anniversary NASCAR

Getty The 75th Anniversary of NASCAR will be the focus of a new special.

2023 marks NASCAR’s 75th season. To celebrate the momentous achievement, FOX Sports will air a special episode of “NASCAR Race Hub” which will feature numerous current and retired Cup Series drivers.

FOX issued a press release announcing the news and setting the stage for the one-hour broadcast. Kaitlyn Vincie will host the special episode of “NASCAR Race Hub” while Mike Joy, Adam Alexander, and Josh Sims will all join as moderators of roundtable interviews.

These moderators will cover a variety of topics with a standout list of guests. The participants include seven-time champion Richard Petty, four-time champion Jeff Gordon, three-time champion Darrell Waltrip, 1989 champion Rusty Wallace, two-time champion Joey Logano, two-time champion Kyle Busch, Sonoma winner Daniel Suarez, two-time winner Bubba Wallace, and 10-time winner Clint Bowyer.

The special one-hour episode of “NASCAR Race Hub” will air on Sunday, December 4, on FS1. Additionally, the “NASCAR Race Hub” season preview episode will air on FOX on January 1, 2023.


FOX Sports Provided Details About the Discussions

Adam Alexander

FOX SportsAdam Alexander (center) co-hosts “NASCAR Race Hub” with Shannon Spake (left) & Kaitlyn Vincie (right).

The special does not air until December 4, but FOX Sports has already provided some important information. The broadcast partner has revealed some details about the roundtable discussions that will take place.

One of the featured discussions will have Alexander, Gordon, Petty, and Logano. They will cover a variety of topics, including such examples as the 1992 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway that served as Petty’s final start and Gordon’s first. They will also discuss Dale Earnhardt’s 1998 Daytona 500 win and Jimmie Johnson’s seven Cup Series championships.

Another discussion will have Sims, Bubba Wallace, and Suarez. They will sit down and discuss drivers that broke ground in NASCAR, such as Wendell Scott and Bill Lester. The trio will also cover the importance of Michael Jordan and Pitbull becoming owners among other topics.

The third featured conversation will have Joy as the moderator. He will sit down with Busch, Rusty Wallace, Bowyer, and Waltrip to discuss the “renegades” of the NASCAR Cup Series, as well as the biggest rivalries. There will also be a discussion about the infamous incident at Phoenix where Gordon wrecked Bowyer. This on-track incident sparked a massive brawl between the two teams.


The Special Will Look Back Before NASCAR Moves Forward

The decision to host a 75th Anniversary show takes place as NASCAR prepares for a significant season. The 2023 campaign will be one that features major changes across the three national series.

The Truck Series will return to its early years as Craftsman becomes the title sponsor. The series will also return to the Milwaukee Mile while also adding North Wilkesboro Speedway to the schedule.

The Xfinity Series will lose some top drivers in AJ Allmendinger, Ty Gibbs, and Noah Gragson, who will all move up to the Cup Series. There will be others that challenge for the championship trophy as they take on two new tracks. The Xfinity Series will compete at Sonoma Raceway for the first time while also joining the Cup Series for the Chicago Street Race.

The Cup Series will have numerous changes. Kurt Busch will no longer be a full-time driver while Kyle Busch will join Richard Childress Racing after 15 seasons at Joe Gibbs Racing. Tyler Reddick will move to 23XI Racing while Ryan Preece will join Stewart-Haas Racing for the full 36-race schedule.

The changes will continue with the Cup Series taking on the streets of Chicago on the Fourth of July Weekend. The top drivers in NASCAR will also battle in the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Finally, there will be multiple events that take place under the lights instead of in the middle of the afternoon.

Read More