NASCAR Rant Report - Friday, May 30th

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Major headlines out of the Wednesday and Thursday:

Looking Ahead to Music City
Amazon Prime Video's Debut Ratings
NASCAR's France Family Attempts to Fund a Car
Chris Buescher's Penalty Reduced

Plus, miscellaneous topics so far this week.

Looking Ahead to Music City:

This weekend at Nashville Superspeedway stars the Cracker Barrel 400, the fifth Cup Series race at the 1.33-mile concrete oval. The race, scheduled for Sunday, June 1 at 7 p.m. ET, follows a historic 2024 edition that featured a record five overtime restarts and a dramatic win by Joey Logano which ultimately propelled Logano into the playoffs and to his third Cup Series championship.

The Nashville weekend is a tripleheader, featuring the Truck Series Rackley Roofing 200 on Friday and the Xfinity Series Tennessee Lottery 250 on Saturday. The Truck race sees Heim leading the standings with a commanding performance, while the Xfinity race includes appearances by Cup regulars like Ross Chastain and rising stars such as Connor Zilisch and Carson Kvapil.

With a record purse of over $11 million for the Cup race, the Cracker Barrel 400 promises high drama, strategic gambles, and potential playoff-shifting outcomes.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on this topic.

Want some non-AI content? Check out the previous Editorial:
NASCAR Sponsorship Flashback

Amazon Prime Video's Debut Ratings:

Amazon Prime Video’s debut as an exclusive broadcaster for NASCAR with the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte averaged 2.72 million viewers, peaking at 2.92 million. While this marked a 12–16% decline from last year’s broadcast on Fox (which averaged 3.1–3.2 million), it still outperformed six of the eight Cup races aired on FS1 this season. Notably, Prime’s audience skewed younger, with a median age of 55.8—over six years younger than the average NASCAR viewer on linear TV. The race also delivered the highest non-broadcast viewership in key demographics (18–34, 18–49, and 25–54) since at least 2022. The extended 67-minute post-race show averaged 1.04 million viewers and peaked at 1.26 million.

However, the move to streaming was not without controversy. While NASCAR succeeded in attracting younger viewers, it lost a significant portion of its older audience—reportedly losing around 730,000 viewers aged 55+ while gaining only 147,000 in the 18–54 range. Critics argued that this shift alienated long-time fans, particularly those without access to streaming platforms or the technical know-how to use them.

Despite the drop in total viewership, NASCAR and Amazon emphasized the long-term strategy behind the partnership. Officials see this as a foundational year to build a new audience base, with expectations that future races will grow from this initial “baseline.” Amazon is also supporting the partnership with heavy promotion and related content, including the successful Earnhardt docuseries.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on this topic.

NASCAR's France Family Attempts to Fund a Car:

NASCAR CEO Jim France recently dropped plans to fund a car for the upcoming Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway after backlash over potential conflicts of interest. The entry, to be fielded by Spire Motorsports with driver Jack Aitken from France’s IMSA team, raised concerns due to France’s dual role as series owner and prospective team backer. Although Spire emphasized the deal was above board, critics likened it to recent IndyCar controversies involving Roger Penske.

The situation was further complicated by France’s ongoing legal battle with two Cup teams over NASCAR’s charter system. Some speculated the move was meant to downplay team cost concerns, though Spire denied this. While the Sonoma plan was scrapped, a similar entry could still happen later this season at Watkins Glen or the Charlotte Roval, reigniting debate over fairness and leadership roles in NASCAR.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on this topic.

Chris Buescher's Penalty Reduced:

Chris Buescher and RFK Racing received a partial reprieve from NASCAR’s National Motorsports Appeals Panel following a penalty issued after the Kansas Speedway race. Upon appeal, the panel upheld the violation related to the front bumper cover but ruled that NASCAR did not sufficiently prove a violation concerning the exhaust panel. As a result, the points penalty was reduced from 60 to 30 points, while the rest of the penalties—including the playoff point deduction, fine, and suspension—remained intact.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on this topic.

Miscellaneous:

DirecTV for Business to Stream NASCAR on Prime Video: DirecTV has partnered with Amazon Prime Video to broadcast NASCAR’s five-race streaming package in commercial venues. Starting with the June 2 race in Nashville, DirecTV for Business will be the only commercial service offering full NASCAR coverage for the remainder of the 2025 season, expanding access to fans in bars, restaurants, and other public spaces.

Rockingham Speedway Listed for Sale: Rockingham Speedway is up for sale just weeks after hosting NASCAR’s Xfinity and Truck Series returns. Owner Dan Lovenheim says it’s time for new leadership, though NASCAR has not confirmed future race dates beyond 2025.

Andrés Pérez de Lara to Make Xfinity Debut: Andrés Pérez de Lara will debut in the NASCAR Xfinity Series on June 14 in Mexico City, becoming the only local driver in the field. He’ll race for DGM Racing with support from Telcel and Infinitum.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Reflects on Daytona in ‘Earnhardt’ Docuseries: In the final episode of the Prime Video docuseries “Earnhardt,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. recounts his emotional return to Daytona International Speedway following his father’s fatal crash in 2001. Visiting Turn 4, where the crash occurred, Earnhardt Jr. describes a complex mix of grief, guilt, and eventual peace, ultimately deciding not to hold resentment toward the track. The series offers a deeply personal look into his journey of healing and legacy.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Dominates Go-Kart Race: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Nashville Superspeedway GM Matt Greci raced go-karts with media members, with Stenhouse lapping a reporter twice. Greci won the race, highlighting the lighthearted lead-up to the Nashville Cup event.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on these topics.

Thumbnail image credits on our Source Materials Page.

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