For years, NASCAR fans have complained about the Fox Sports cartoon graphics used for NASCAR driver headshots during race broadcasts on Fox and Fox Sports 1.
One of the most anticipated parts of Fox's season-opening portion of the 2026 broadcast schedule, which is year number two of NASCAR's new seven-year, $7.7 billion media rights deal with longtime partners Fox and NBC, returning partner TNT Sports, and newcomer Amazon Prime Video, was the new graphics package.
While it's far from perfect, the overall sentiment after Daytona 500 practice, qualifying, and the two America 250 Florida Duel races has been that it's a step forward, with the highlight, of course, being the fact that the driver headshots are no longer AI-generated cartoon/comic book lookalikes.
However, that welcome change has evidently come at the expense of accuracy.
Fox Sports posted a graphic during Fox Sports 1's live coverage of Wednesday night's single-car qualifying session at the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked Daytona Beach, Florida oval featuring the 10 drivers who advanced from the first round to the second round shootout for the pole position.
Eight of the 10 manufacturers listed were incorrect, one was quite literally invisible, and just one was actually accurate.
FOX!!!! WTF…
— DannyBTalks (Daniel Baldwin) (@DannyBTalks) February 12, 2026
Only ONE driver on this list is the correct manufacturer.
I can’t tell on Elliott…it’s all the same color. pic.twitter.com/MQS1YojuZv
Fortunately, the team logos and car numbers were all correct.
But Kyle Busch does not drive a Toyota, Chase Briscoe does not drive a Chevrolet, Ryan Preece does not drive a Chevrolet, Denny Hamlin does not drive a Chevrolet, Alex Bowman does not drive a Toyota, Kyle Larson does not drive a Ford, Corey Heim does not drive a Chevrolet, and Joey Logano does not drive a Ford.
And we'd be lying if we said we had any idea what Fox Sports has listed for Chase Elliott. Fortunately, Chris Buescher saved the graphic, as he does actually drive a Ford.
Actual NASCAR driver, team, car combinations
Name | Car, Team, Manufacturer |
|---|---|
Kyle Busch | No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet |
Chase Briscoe | No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota |
Ryan Preece | No. 60 RFK Racing Ford |
Denny Hamlin | No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota |
Alex Bowman | No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet |
Kyle Larson | No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet |
Corey Heim | No. 67 23XI Racing Toyota |
Chris Buescher | No. 17 RFK Racing Ford |
Chase Elliott | No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet |
Joey Logano | No. 22 Team Penske Ford |
Even by randomly naming manufacturers for these drivers, odds are Fox Sports should have gotten three or four of these correct.
But hey, at least the cartoons are gone.
Live coverage of the 68th running of the Daytona 500 is set to be provided by Fox beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 15. Start a free trial of FuboTV today and catch all of the action from Daytona International Speedway!