Fox hits rock bottom with dreadful NASCAR weekend coverage

NASCAR's return to the historic Rockingham Speedway was the type of long-anticipated occasion that just felt special.

It was the type of occasion that required the absolute maximum effort from all parties involved at the track to put on the best show possible, and for the fans at home, they deserved to be made to feel like they were tuning into a race that meant something.

Apparently no one told that to Fox, which called the final lap of the Craftsman Truck Series' Black's Tire 200 like it had the same prestige as some little kids racing their tricycles on the driveway.

Where do we even start?

First, Jamie Little seems to think the race is over as race leader Tyler Ankrum is taking the white flag. Then, she spends the final lap incoherently rambling and doesn't even acknowledge the checkered flag until Ankrum is practically in turn one on the cooldown lap.

Through it all, there's a lack of any emotion or passion whatsoever, and a general tone of uneasiness in her voice.

That just about sums up Little in the booth. An ideal play-by-play announcer should have a natural enthusiasm, strong attention to detail, and an overall soothing presence that can effortlessly carry the flow of a conversation.

She is the antithesis of those things, and while it's easy to pile on her for it, it's not her fault she has been put in a position that is completely out of her element.

Fox's NASCAR coverage has grown complacent, and that's putting it nicely

Little was a fine pit reporter for many years. Yet for reasons unknown, Fox insists on having her calling play-by-play for the Truck Series. Meanwhile, in the pits where she should be, Todd Bodine, who is generally a studio analyst, was stumbling over his words and getting information wrong all race.

And the announcers are far from the only problem.

Fox's camera crews have been notorious for not catching action, which was on display again on Friday (though at least this time, they didn't miss a truck flipping like they did at Knoxville Raceway a few years ago).

The graphics department has also picked up a propensity for glitches, screw-ups, and outright misinformation. Sure enough, they apparently forgot to do their research about Rockingham's track length, among other things.

Oh, but here's the real kicker: the broadcast wasn't even there at the track!

Fox has been largely operating remotely from its Charlotte studio for NASCAR's lower series races in recent years, and while it might save them money, it has come at the expense of quality coverage. It's quite telling in regard to the standard, or lack thereof, that Fox's NASCAR team holds itself to today.

Every single aspect of the "effort" that Fox puts into its NASCAR broadcasts now is simply unacceptable. Even the Cup races aren't much better, though at least Mike Joy, despite being clearly on the cognitive decline at 75 years old, is still a massive upgrade over listening to Little call races.

All in all, there is a sheer lack of organization that should be expected from a premier broadcasting partner, and the worst part of all is that they don't even seem to care.

There was a point in time in which Fox was the gold standard for NASCAR coverage. Their broadcasts made every race feel special, with a standard of professionalism in which all parties involved took their jobs seriously.

Those days are now gone, and it's sad to see. This past weekend's races at Rockingham should have been grounds for Fox's absolute best possible effort, and instead, they treated fans to a new all-time low.