Thursday Night Thunder Returns to ESPN via SRX; SMT, Plucky Revamp Graphics, Data

Increased emphasis on telemetry and tracking data marks new graphics package

SRX is moving from CBS Sports to ESPN on Thursday nights, and, for SRX partner Andrew Montag, the most exciting change will be not only the move to Thursday but a new graphical interface that brings together the running order as well as telemetry data from SMT.

“We worked with a firm called Plucky to redesign the graphics package,” Montag notes. “We’re hopeful it will be well-received as it is innovative. We put a lot of time and thought in designing the graphical components.”

The core production team will be back, he says, once again led by Lead Producer Pam Miller.

New this year will be the use of a Game Creek Video truck: Spirit A, B, and B7 units will handle the races. “I don’t know all the technical specifications of the truck,” says Montag, “but it’s like a Rolls Royce of broadcast trucks.”

The broadcasts will be very similar to those in the first two years on CBS. “The drone will be back so we can showcase aerial footage and live racing from unique vantage points,” he says. “We have two great partners in SMT and BSI, who will help us innovate from an in-car and graphic standpoint.”

SMT has modified 16 cars (12 identical stock cars plus four backups) with GPS vectors, similar to its setup for NASCAR races. The vectors use antennas mounted on the roof of each car to track position and generate speed data for each driver, calculating speed, throttle and brakes, laps led, and rank. The data is integrated into SMT-designed graphics that include dynamic leaderboards, lower-thirds, slabs, full-screens, and pointers. SMT also provides live heartrate from the drivers for each event.

“SMT has been hand in hand with SRX since its first heartbeat,” says SMT VP, Client Development, Lee Brinson, “bringing our decades of racing-technology expertise to help elevate the Superstar Racing Experience. This year, SRX has entrusted us with the design of SRX’s graphics package, empowering us with even more flexibility to inject telemetry and tracking data for the fans watching these thrilling races.”

Because SRX races are held on short tracks — between one-third and one-half of a mile — there is an intimacy as well as a different energy from what the vast majority of NASCAR, INDYCAR, or F1 fans are used to. That offrs the SRX production team a new way to connect fans at home to the racing action.

“The energy is tremendous,” notes Montag, “and we’ll continue to build off that. It’s a massive venue compared with anything else that will be on television on Thursday nights. Even if it’s a short track, you still need all the technological capabilities to adequately shoot it.”

When SRX aired on CBS, it was a Saturday-night event, and the move to Thursday is creating some nostalgia: in the 1980s and ’90s, Thursday Night Thunder racing was a staple on ESPN during the summer. SRX co-founder Tony Stewart, the 2021 champion, says Thursday-night racing was how he got recognized by car owners (racing legend Jeff Gordon also got his start in Thursday Night Thunder).

“It gave me the opportunity to join with Harry Rainier in NASCAR and John Menard on the INDYCAR side,” Stewart says. “The amount of interest from drivers wanting to join the series was astronomical this year, and I enjoyed figuring out how we get through six straight Thursday nights. It’s a six-week stretch that I think we all enjoy.”

The graphics and logos will emphasize Thursday Night Thunder. Montag sees the Thursday-night window as phenomenal for race fans: “Race fans are at the track all weekend, whether it’s local grassroots, NASCAR, or INDYCAR. From a clutter-of-motorsports standpoint, this is definitely better for us. And we can have a stronger driver field because there are no immediate conflicts with NASCAR or other car series.”

ESPN VP, Production, Kate Jackson is looking forward to overseeing the production. “It’s such a fun snack over the summer for six Thursdays in a row, and the racing is going to be amazing. It’s a star-studded event, and I think it’s racing and entertainment at its best. I’m frankly just really, really excited that we have it, and I can’t wait to watch.”

Two-time NASCAR champion Joey Logano will serve as guest analyst for the first race, with lap-by-lap announcer Allen Bestwick in the booth to call the action. ESPN SportsCenter anchor Nicole Briscoe will host the telecast, and Matt Yocum will report from the pits.

“We’re feeling great about our talent,” says Montag. “Beswick and auto racing have been synonymous for the last few decades, and then we have Yocum leading the charge in the pits along with Logano, our analyst. Darrell Waltrip will be in the booth to call next week’s race, which is going to be awesome, and then Conor Daly will provide some INDYCAR flair later in the season.”