On October 12, 2009, Adam Alexander and Krista Voda welcomed viewers to a “brand spanking new show, NASCAR Race Hub.” In the opening shot, seven-time champion Richard Petty, the show’s first guest, plays on a pinball machine in the corner.
The pinball machine is no longer around, but Race Hub is, and is still in the same building. The sets have changed over the years, as have the hosts, and today it’s not 30 minutes of NASCAR news and analysis as Voda and Alexander did in 2009, but an hour.
NASCAR Race Hub has become a staple of Fox Sports programming, with over 2,100 episodes aired. Recently, it was nominated for a Sports Emmy for (Daily) Outstanding Studio Show, and viewership is trending up 32% from this point a year ago.
RACER was given an inside look at how an episode is put together on a day with Adam Alexander, Jamie McMurray, and Michael Waltrip in the studio and Kelly Hambleton as show producer.
It takes place in a 60-by-60 space of giant green screen with 3D graphics and changeable spaces. More than 50 people work on the show.
Jason Avery (senior coordinating producer): Oh gosh, the evolution is amazing. It’s not really comparable. About midway through 2009, I was told we were going to start a daily NASCAR show and my guess would be we had about eight weeks to do it. So myself and another guy, Neil Sullivan, were put to task to create it. We had a very quick studio that went up that looked like a garage, and we came on set with jeans and untucked shirts. But then, throughout the years, we went from standing on our first set to creating a desk and new look by 2011. When we first sat down, our concept of the show was to talk NASCAR, to be casual, to have drivers come in, tell stories but also have fun, and have features. We were kind of doing that at the time, but it was a smaller level than what we do today.
On this Tuesday, after the race weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, the day started with a 9:30 a.m. production call on Zoom (something that has stuck around since the pandemic because it’s much easier) with the talent and production staff. It was led by Hambleton.
Hambleton is the first female to produce Race Hub. At first, she served as an emergency fill-in on a show that had already been put together. About a month later, she was given a chance to produce again and build the show herself.
Kelly Hambleton (producer): NASCAR is a soap opera, and there’s new drama every week, so you never want to handcuff yourself on how you’re going to cover it. For me, anyway, it’s helpful to start every show fresh with an empty rundown. If I do a Monday show, I do the rundown right after the race ends. Everybody depends on knowing how the show runs, so I try to get people rundowns at least 24 hours before the show. That gives everybody time to give feedback and gives graphics time to build.
Hambleton’s approach is simple: fans in a bar need to be able to follow the show.
KH: I think sports television, in general, has to be like that because that’s where many people watch.
Hambleton offers a layout for the show’s direction before turning it over to Alexander. For an hour, the call is more like a group of friends sitting around talking about racing and their thoughts on what they watched over the weekend.
There is a back-and-forth between the talent and Hambleton, who is creating a rundown sheet outlining how the conversation will move along from topic to topic and the points to be made by Alexander, McMurray, and Waltrip.
KH: Some talent like their own ideas, and some talent like to be veered in a certain direction, so they know why we’re talking about something. Everyone is different. Jamie is going to come up with whatever he wants. But Bobby? Bobby is doing all kinds of stuff, so when he comes in here, he just needs to know what he has to talk about and prepare himself for that.
Adam Alexander (host): I definitely like to be a part of the process. I didn’t do it with Kelly, but it’s not unprecedented for me to be in here (the day before) doing a show and the Tuesday producer says, ‘Hey, stop by when you get a chance. I wanted to ask you some things,’ and then we’ll collaborate on a segment of something we want to do and get my opinion or buy-in. So, I like being a part of the process. Jamie would argue that I’m a control freak, but I just enjoy the creative and the idea part of it.
Jamie McMurray (analyst): The host and the producers have a really good idea of what your answer is going to be anyway, so they know how to ask the question. But Adam’s role is big in that call. The host is as important as the producer, because he has a good idea of what Michael and I will say because he’s worked with us so much. The worst thing you can do is get out there and not believe what you’re saying. And if you believe it, you don’t have to memorize it. It would probably be interesting to see Michael’s notes and my notes before the show starts, because I can only imagine. And Adam’s notes. Adam’s are basically all in his head and on a receipt from Target.
Michael Waltrip (analyst): I like the structure of it being put together, and it’s my job to interact with Kelly and the other analysts about thoughts on what makes that conversation more interesting. Sometimes it’s right down the line of what she suggests, and sometimes it’s different from things I see or how I think about it differently from somebody else. It’s a balance.
Shannon Spake (host): I’ll receive the rundown in the morning, and I’ll usually write the show before our meeting. So I get my kids off to school, sit down with the rundown and write it. I’ll lean heavily on what they’ve put together, but ultimately, I’m the one who has to get us from one topic to the next. And if I feel like there is something that can bridge that and make the transition smoother, I’ll certainly suggest that. Or if I feel something should be moved from one area to the next to make that smoother, I’ll suggest that as well. I’ll fire off a text message, and when we do our meeting, I’ll bring it up again. Now, if a producer makes a really good case for why they think it should be that way, then that’s fine as well. I can adapt. But I’m the one who has to get up there and know the flow, and if it’s choppy to me, I’m not going to get into that rhythm, so it’s pretty important to make changes I think are necessary.
No rundown is the same with different hosts and analysts cycling through the show every day (and different producers). Neither is a show because of the changing opinions.
SS: I think that’s really important and probably one of the only ways you could do a daily NASCAR show because, let’s face it, for five days, we’re talking about what happened on the racetrack. We’re asking the same questions Monday through Friday, but we’re getting different perspectives because it’s with someone who was on track or the pit box.
Kaitlyn Vincie (host): I think variety is a good thing, and it’s three very unique hosts with three totally different approaches and deliveries. We have a diverse group, which is exciting to see. There is something to like about everybody involved in the show.
Separate from the rundown is the talent’s preparation.
AA: I try to read (everything) and be well-versed in the topics in the sport and the numbers. And my habits the first half of the year are great because I’m doing the Xfinity broadcasts, so I’m naturally doing that prep work and a lot of times that bleeds over to Cup, even though I’m not doing Cup on the weekend. I think I’m just naturally prepared to talk about something, and what’s big for me in the process is rehearsal. I like unscripted, raw conversation on television. That’s another reason I like to be a part of the process of preparation, because I know how naturally it’s going to come to me to go from Point A to Point B. If I’m a part of that, I can begin the rehearsal process in my head of how I’m going to do it. I think I’m prepared, but I don’t like to be scripted. I just prefer to react and keep it conversational.
JM: Monday and Tuesday are typically about reaction to the race, so as long as you watch the race, you don’t have to read much. If you do Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, it normally transitions to going into the weekend, so to me that’s more like a pre-race show where you’re looking ahead (to that racetrack).
MW: We have a great stats team, and there are calls and chats with them about things I’m going to talk about, and I want to have more knowledge about to say. For example, today on the call, I said I’m going to talk about Christopher Bell and Martin Truex with absolutely no apprehension about making the playoffs because they’re going to win. And then I call up (the stat guys) and say, now, I believe that, and I’m sure I’m correct but statistically, what makes me correct? So I say all that (expletive) on TV, and it makes it look like I know what I’m talking about, and I do know what I’m talking about, but if you tried to pin me down on those numbers… if I didn’t do my research, I wouldn’t have that information.
SS: NASCAR is a lifestyle. I’m watching every Race Hub, so I’m watching when I’m not on. We get stat sheets. We have production meetings all week long. On Tuesday, we have the Xfinity Series race production meeting. Cup Series race production meetings. I’m on those calls. I’m constantly listening to what the broadcast is going to talk about or interested in because I think it’s important we’re tying that in. We’re sort of one big television show, whether it’s the race or Race Hub, and we should all be talking about the same storylines.
KV: You’re never really unplugged any day of the week, so it starts on race weekends. Most of my time is spent watching races for all three series, and I have to be dialed in to any on-track activity. So if you’re not plugged into the weekend, you’re not going to know the bulk of the storylines going into the week on Race Hub. And our dates vary from week to week, so you could be on one day with a Truck segment, or an Xfinity segment. You don’t know, so you need to know everything happening. Then there is also a constant line of communication with the producers on storylines. I’m a person who puts a little bit more in the prompter for the analysts because I think it benefits them, especially if we’re standing. You can’t have any paperwork in front of you.
Alexander was scheduled to arrive at the studio at 3 p.m. but was early, as was McMurray. Then came Waltrip. Once wardrobe and makeup were done, there was rehearsal at 5 p.m., an hour before the live show. Here, the trio records a segment with Tyler Reddick, who won the Xfinity Series race in Texas. It is in rehearsal where producers and graphics get a feel for show timing and when and where graphics will be used.
It’s different for the talent. It’s loose and lighthearted. Most of what is said – either the jabs at each other or the topic – won’t be told on television. Most of what Alexander, McMurray, and Waltrip say is just a bullet point of their opinion to use on the show, or an acknowledgment of what they will contribute to the conversation and who will be prompted first from the host.
AA: Seeing the elements helps me in rehearsal because voicing a graphic, I’ve got to be honest with you, in that virtual studio that monitor system, isn’t as good. In the other studio, I felt like you could cheat; in this studio, it’s harder to cheat because everything around you is green. So I might need to memorize what’s on that graphic, or when I know we’re getting into that graphic, I’m going to walk off the set to read the graphic and then hustle back out there. Other than that, we don’t do the show when we rehearse. We keep things in our pocket, and rehearsal is good because I memorize the show. It allows me to get my mind around where we’re going in the show, and then when we’re out there, I can be natural and fun. We could do it without rehearsal, and we’ve done it many times, and it’s no problem. But it’s good to get your paces, and it’s good for the control room.
JM: When we rehearse, I don’t ever say what I’m going to say on TV because I like it when (Adam) looks at me and starts laughing, and I think that’s fun on TV. When I watch TV that’s what I would want. And you know when someone is courtesy laughing, right? They already knew the punchline. I’ve learned from Adam and Shannon that they’ll burn you, but they won’t burn you in the rehearsal. They’ll wait until they get you on TV and then set you up. So I’ve learned to save mine as well. And if you watch Adam in rehearsal, when he opens the show, he will not say what he’s going to say on air. Another reason I don’t like saying everything in rehearsal is because sometimes we don’t shoot the show in order.
SS: Rehearsal is important for us to go through the dance steps, for the folks in the control room to know when to roll tape, and it’s also important for me. Before I do an interview, I’ll go through the questions and say them out loud over and over again as I’m driving to the interview so that when I sit down in that chair, I don’t have to look at my notes – I can just go because I know what I’m talking about. Rehearsal, for me, does that. It allows me to go through it without the full energy, so when I go on air, I feel very comfortable knowing where I’m going, and I can then apply jokes or be a little looser.
KV: I’m a person who likes a buttoned-up rehearsal. I take full advantage of that and think it’s important to make sure we all know what the heck is going on. I do like to see the different graphics that are going to appear and make sure my reads match what we see on screen.
Alexander is a man of many talents, like pivoting onto a new mark while mid-sentence. And fun fact, marks on the floor are not tape, as might be expected in the television business. Instead, with Race Hub being a full green screen set, they’ve moved to graphic marks put on the floor by a crew member wielding a remote. During one segment, as Alexander is speaking, a crew member positions herself of-camera and aims the remote at an overhead projector that, when turned on, makes white boxes appear on the floor. The projector is turned off once the talent is set, and the marks disappear.
During the live show, things are moving along as smoothly as possible. The control room is busy, feeling more like what NASA must be like before launching a rocket – everyone has a job, there is a lot of talking out loud, and Hambleton is constantly in the ear of the talent. Halfway through the show, Hambleton tells Alexander, McMurray, and Waltrip they have to adjust future segments or punt topics because some conversations have run long.
AS much as Race Hub has evolved over the years, bringing drivers and crew chiefs into the fold has been a staple. What was once considered an easy stop to promote a sponsor or event now requires drivers and crew chiefs to be a part of the overall conversation.
And that means they, too, have to go through the rundown meeting, rehearsal and live show. Drivers who appeared on Race Hub the week of May 23 included Daniel Suarez, David Ragan and Aric Almirola. Also in the lineup were Drew Blickensderfer from Stewart-Haas Racing and Andy Petree of Richard Childress Racing.
Of course, McMurray is a former driver who now works full-time with Fox Sports, as do Waltrip, Bobby Labonte, and Todd Bodine.
KH: The beauty is we are in Charlotte, where most people are. When I worked for ESPN, and we did NASCAR Now, it was not possible. We did satellite interviews and stuff like that, but they weren’t in the backyard. But our show that is what we do. We want to hear from Ryan Blaney or Daniel Suarez, who just came off the track. I love our people, but to hear from someone who was literally just in the car tell you what it was like, you can’t beat that. We’re very proud to have all those people come and be available. We try to do them justice.
AA: I think we’ve built an incredible brand. I’m blown away. The relationships I have in the sport today are not as much because of the time in the garage, it’s them coming in here and doing the show. Or me being in the booth with them on an Xfinity Saturday and them getting to see what we do and gaining an appreciation for the other side. It was an us/them thing for the longest time, and that’s natural, I think, in the industry. But if you have a Jamie, who’s won the Daytona 500, or whomever, comes in here, if they are saying (how good it is), people in the garage respect that.
JM: If I could go back, I would have done Race Hub once or twice a month like Suarez, Logano, [Ryan] Blaney because I think the relationship you build with whoever’s here, the conversations that you have behind the scenes, it helps them get to know you on a different level. And that makes it easier to talk about you the next time you’re on the show.
SS: It’s fun, and I think they enjoy doing it. I take a great deal of pride when that light goes off at 7:00 that we’re all laughing and we have a smile on our faces, and we’ve had a really good time for 60 minutes talking about NASCAR.
KV: We now have a lot of them coming to us wanting to be involved as an analyst because they’re seeing the benefit it’s had for other drivers. Whether it’s for their career or sponsors or what have you. And they’re seeing drivers who have come in really enjoy it. It says a lot about the product we’re putting on the air that these guys want to be a part of it and see its value. It’s not just to check a box coming on the air to talk about a new sponsor for the weekend. Very rarely are they even doing that anymore. It’s more about being a part of our team and being a part of the discussion. On any given month, we have many prominent names come into the studio, and every year we add more and more.
It’s clear what Race Hub is doing is working. Over 10 years on the air with award nominations and ratings trending upward. Plus, the continued involvement from those in the garage. And yet, everyone has a different view on why a one-hour daily NASCAR show works precisely.
KH: I think it’s because everybody cares. They care about producing a good show but also about the sport, and we take very seriously telling the stories of the people in this sport and making sure the fans at home understand the nuances of this very technically difficult to understand sport. We take pride in that. We care. We care about making sure that we entertain people, but that we educate people and we keep it light. That’s probably one of the biggest goals in Race Hub is that it’s serious – this is a sport where you can die, and part of the draw is how dangerous it is and what can happen – and we understand that. But there is also a levity to it in that it is also funny. There are fun moments, our people are funny, and the personalities are fun and light.
AA: I think we’re a real reliable source for NASCAR. You do something long enough, you’re going to learn some lessons, and we’ve learned along the way. But I think we’ve learned those with vision for growth, and we’ve gotten the buy-in from the entire NASCAR community. I’ve got to tell you, I’m blown away. There are way more people that watch an Xfinity race than Race Hub, but if I’m at the track when a fan says something to me, a lot of the time, it’s about Race Hub. What that says to me, fans identify with the community atmosphere we’ve created here, and I think by having the industry folks on it elevates the status of the show so much. And there’s no other show like it on sports TV.
JM: Credibility. The personalities. The set. I think it’s pleasing to watch on TV with the graphics they can do here. I think also it’s a great balance of real analysis but laughter and fun. We all laugh. It’s not stale news. There’s a little bit of everything in there. Sometimes we get done, and he (Adam) is like, ‘I don’t know, man, we might have crossed the line tonight.’ And no one ever says anything.
AA: Obviously, there will be things that don’t go right on live TV but when it comes to execution, did we get it right, or did we get it wrong? The question that I ask way more than anything is did we go too far? Because we get pretty loose.
JM: But we always talk about shows we like. We want to make sure people watch this and say, ‘That’s fun. I enjoyed that.’ It’s on at 6:00 at night, so when I’m not on, we have dinner when this is on, and it’s in the background. I think it’s a good balance of getting news and the kids can watch it.
SS: It’s the people who watch us, first of all. And I do think they can sense that we’re real up there and we’re having a good time, and we have as much passion about the sport they love as they do. We care about it just as much as they do. We all have that in common – we love this, and we live this.
KV: I think it works because of our fans, because we have a very dedicated fan base. They’ve grown accustomed to seeing us every day at 6:00. It also works because of the people behind the scenes. It’s a very creative, talented group of people who can maintain a daily show, keep it fresh, and keep it exciting every day. It is very hard. Talking about NASCAR that many days of the year is not an easy feat. Some weeks you’re handed a slam dunk with a ton of storylines to work with. Some weeks not so much. It’s a combination of a really dedicated fan base that has grown to love the Race Hub family, and it’s the team behind the scenes who know what they want to see and keep making it interesting every year. Our on-air team is exceptional, and I think the viewers enjoy seeing us. It’s all of those things that have helped maintain the show’s longevity.