As engines roared into the final critical laps of the 2025 Talladega race, FOX Broadcasting made the bewildering decision to cut away for commercial breaks—not once, but repeatedly—leaving viewers furious and reminiscent of a time when broadcast partners prioritized racing over revenue. This commercial-laden coverage continues a troubling trend that has plagued NASCAR broadcasts in recent years, with Talladega becoming the breaking point for many loyal fans.

FOX’s relationship with NASCAR viewers has deteriorated significantly since acquiring broadcast rights, with Sunday’s Talladega coverage representing perhaps the lowest point yet. The network, which once revolutionized NASCAR coverage with innovations like the “gopher cam” and comprehensive pre-race shows, has increasingly sacrificed race coverage for advertising dollars. This latest incident comes after years of declining production quality and growing fan complaints, creating a perfect storm of viewer frustration at one of NASCAR’s most anticipated events of the season.

The timing couldn’t have been worse for such a broadcasting failure. Talladega, known for its nail-biting superspeedway racing and unpredictable finishes, typically delivers some of the season’s most memorable moments. Yet as the field thundered toward the checkered flag with fewer than 10 laps remaining, FOX repeatedly abandoned the action for commercial breaks. According to broadcast analysts, the final 20 laps featured nearly as much commercial time as actual race coverage—an unprecedented ratio even by modern standards.

Although it was a side-by-side commercial, this visual imbalance throws the viewers off. Now, we know the Talladega is known for big wrecks and crashes, especially when the race is about to end. This isn’t a one-off incident, but rather a trend in how FOX has watered down its coverage, despite renewing a seven-year media rights deal with NASCAR. Remember the race at COTA, where FOX cameras had no clue when Christopher Bell made his side-by-side move competing for the lead with Kyle Busch. So, it’s not just commercial breaks that have spoiled the fun for the audience.

Like always, the fans didn’t shy away from calling out the media company, “Fox going to commercial at 10 to go is COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE,” a user sparked a conversation on Reddit. This makes you wonder, why did NASCAR renew the deal with FOX despite the support from new streaming partners?

Commercial breaks over racing at Talladega have got NASCAR fans fuming

“FOX definitely anticipated there being more wrecks and were screwed by having so many,” noted one frustrated fan on social media, highlighting a concerning aspect of the network’s approach. This sentiment reveals how FOX’s commercial strategy seemed built around expecting crash scenarios—essentially hoping for incidents to create natural breaks in the action. When the race flowed more cleanly than anticipated, the network appeared unprepared, forcing advertisements into the most critical moments instead. The comment reflects a growing suspicion among fans that networks value wrecks for their commercial timing opportunities rather than prioritizing uninterrupted competition.

Fan outrage reached fever pitch when NASCAR on FOX cut away with just 9 laps remaining in the race. “FOX is f——- trash, commercials with 9 laps to go,” wrote one viewer, encapsulating the collective disgust felt throughout the NASCAR community. The timing was particularly egregious at Talladega, where the final laps typically feature intense pack racing and critical positioning moves that set up the final sprint to the finish.

“I guess they didn’t get the commercial breaks they were expecting with a typical wreckfest and had to cram them all in at the last minute?” questioned another fan, highlighting a fundamental disconnect between FOX’s broadcast strategy and the essence of racing itself. This observation points to a troubling broadcast model where networks depend on caution periods to fulfill advertising obligations, creating an inherent conflict of interest in race coverage.

For many, the Talladega broadcast represented the final straw in their relationship with NASCAR on FOX coverage. “Literally watching the race with my wife, she’s gotten more into NASCAR this year after we went to the Clash. Anyways, she was complaining about why they went to commercial for a second time in the last 20 laps. I just said, it’s FOX, they’re awful at broadcasting races, I can’t wait for their broadcasts to be over this year,” shared one long-time viewer. Well, this isn’t the best strategy to attract more eyeballs towards the sport, especially when the broadcasting partners are left unchecked.

Another fan echoed this sentiment directly: “Having a commercial with 9 laps to go while they are racing at dega…cmon fox…amazon/tnt/nbc cant come soon enough.” Although there was a hesitation when Amazon Prime and TNT were announced to be streaming partners, now fans are eagerly waiting for their arrival. Chipping in a few extra bucks to get uninterrupted racing action is something the fans can live with, but not with random commercial breaks that spoil the viewing experience.

What are your takes on the blunders made by FOX over their broadcast of NASCAR races? And should NASCAR look beyond them as they’ve found a new home at IndyCar?