NASCAR: Why is Fox changing the broadcast booth?

Fox is again set to switch up who joins Mike Joy and Clint Bowyer as the third member of the broadcast booth for NASCAR Cup Series races.

After four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon left the Fox broadcast booth following the network’s 2021 portion of the Cup Series schedule to focus on his new role as Vice Chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, Fox had a decision to make.

With just lead announcer Mike Joy and analyst Clint Bowyer remaining, would they revert to a two-person booth, like they used with Joy and Gordon in 2020 following Darrell Waltrip’s retirement while Bowyer was still driving, or would they continue to use a three-person booth?

They compromised, keeping Joy and Bowyer on full-time but also keeping the third spot. However, that third spot wasn’t given to another full-time analyst.

Instead, Fox opted to bring in different individuals to join Joy and Bowyer throughout their portion of the schedule, such as Tony Stewart, Danica Patrick, and Matt Kenseth. Even Gordon and Waltrip both made appearances.

They have opted to take the same approach again in 2023, recently confirming Stewart in the booth for the Busch Light Clash preseason exhibition race at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and for the official season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

Stewart joined the booth for these two NASCAR Cup Series races, along with the race at Circuit of the Americas, last season.

Given the fact that Fox had more than a year to bring in somebody new full-time for the 2023 broadcast booth, it appears likely that they plan to add Kevin Harvick in 2024.

Harvick has long been seen as the kind of driver who would do well in a broadcast booth following his driving career, and he has demonstrated that on multiple occasions over the years in the booth for Xfinity Series and Truck Series races.

Amid an offseason of speculation and rumors, he recently confirmed that the 2023 season will indeed be his 23rd and final season in the Cup Series.

Fox’s 2023 schedule includes 18 races, including the Busch Light Clash and the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. So 16 of the season’s 36 points-paying events are set to be shown live on either Fox or Fox Sports 1, while the remaining 20 are set to be shown live on either NBC or USA Network.