NASCAR Offering Free In-Car Camera Feeds for Every Car
Photo: Logan Riely (Getty Images)
Numerous racing series have been pushing to offer as immersive an experience as possible for potential viewers at home since the introduction of high-definition broadcast near the start of the 21st century. The 2004 Daytona 500 was the first NASCAR Cup Series race to be broadcast in high-definition. Since 2004, the advent of online video platforms and the near-ubiquity of broadband internet have opened a pandora’s box of broadcast and live-streaming options. NASCAR is now offering fans access to onboard cameras on every single Cup Series car for free starting this weekend.
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For the first time ever, NASCAR will place an onboard camera on every car in the Cup Series field. The camera feeds will not only be accessible to the TV production crew, but also to fans. Viewers will be able to select and watch a feed for free through NASCAR Drive, the series’ digital race day hub on its official website and mobile app.
Tim Clark, NASCAR Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer, said:
“Our goal is to deliver an immersive experience for the most passionate fans in all of sports, no matter where they are. We know the significant role second screens play in the overall viewing experience, so to provide live video from inside every car and alongside leaderboards, performance data, pit stats, live betting odds, and more is something we’re excited about.”
The introduction of the NextGen car is partly to thank for such a massive expansion. The new car features a standard camera mount near the rearview mirror where a 1080p camera is placed pointing out the windshield. Prior to this, NASCAR only had a handful of cameras positioned in cars each race. However, it should be mentioned that a NASCAR Scanner subscription is required to listen to the radio broadcast or driver radios alongside the camera feeds.
Fans won’t have to wait long to enjoy the expanded offering as this weekend’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway will be the first opportunity to view an onboard feed from every car.
