TNT Sports made a powerful visual statement with its return to NASCAR coverage, unveiling its “Black Octane” graphics package during its first Cup Series race in 11 years. Developed with Big Studios, this design breaks from traditional NASCAR broadcast aesthetics, blending dark visuals with bright accents to establish a unique presence in a highly competitive broadcasting environment. Jordan Shorthouse, vice president and creative director at TNT Sports, collaborated with Big Studios, aiming for a look he describes as “fast, contemporary, sprinkled with a dash of nostalgia.”
The partnership aimed to integrate the world of NASCAR into TNT Sports’ style—dark, gritty, and energetic. They created a virtual track and garage, cleverly using light and shadow with realistic 3D elements. “We obviously always aim to stand out from the rest of our broadcast partners,” Shorthouse explained in an interview. “We wanted to make sure that coverage stood out, but we also wanted to make sure that the package, first and foremost, felt credible to the fans.” This visual strategy reflects TNT Sports’ broader challenge of differentiation in a crowded market while maintaining brand consistency. The success of Amazon Prime Video’s NASCAR debut and the established presence of NBC and Fox Sports set a high bar. “Amazon debuted their package… and they’ve certainly raised the bar. We’ve always respected what NBC has done with their coverage over the years. So we knew the bar was high,” Shorthouse noted.
The “Black Octane” package primarily uses dark colors, accented with bright hues to complement team colors and car designs. This creates visual harmony without overshadowing the race or clashing with sponsor branding. TNT Sports retained familiar scoring and insert graphics, acknowledging fans’ preference for consistency in key race information. “We didn’t go too crazy with that,” Shorthouse confirmed. “We added our own little design style to it, but for the most part, it’s in the same place, animates and functions similar to what you’ve seen in the past.” The same scoring system is also used in Max’s exclusive streaming coverage of onboard cameras, branded “NASCAR Driver Cam.”
TNT Sports’ previous NASCAR coverage (2001-2014) created memorable visual and musical identities. The return holds significant nostalgic value for long-time fans. “I was part of the team that used to build those packages back in the day as a young designer,” Shorthouse recalled. “Covering those six races during the summer was always exciting, and so for us, this is so sweet to be reunited with the NASCAR family after so many years.” The design supports TNT Sports’ coverage of NASCAR’s new in-season tournament, featuring head-to-head driver matchups across five races. This tournament, with a $1 million prize, is NASCAR’s attempt to boost fan engagement. TNT Sports created an alternate broadcast on TruTV, focusing on the tournament with commentary from Larry McReynolds and Jeff Burton. This approach allows for in-depth driver matchup analysis, while the main TNT broadcast focuses on traditional race coverage.
“This is a perfect exercise for our altcast coverage. It’s almost tailor-made for it,” Shorthouse said regarding the tournament, which takes inspiration from other sports’ successful in-season tournaments, like the NBA’s midseason tournament. The production of TNT’s five-week NASCAR package uses resources comparable to a full-season sport. “Even though it’s packed into five weeks, our treatment of it, the elements that we deliver, the amount of elements that we build for this is equal to what we would do for an MLB regular season or NBA,” Shorthouse pointed out. “I’m just excited to see this package. It’s so different from anything anybody else is doing, specifically with NASCAR,” Shorthouse added. This enthusiasm reflects the network’s long-awaited return to NASCAR.
“It’s been a long year getting ready for this. We’ve seen the light off in the distance forever. It seems like forever ago, and we’ve gone through our season of sports,” Shorthouse shared. “And finally, finally, finally, we’re here at our first race in Atlanta… All the anticipation’s been built, and we’re ready to start.” TNT Sports’ NASCAR coverage continues through the Brickyard 400, with Dale Earnhardt Jr., Steve Letarte, and Adam Alexander on the broadcast team. This return represents a homecoming for a sport that shaped TNT’s summer programming for over a decade. For fans remembering TNT’s distinctive racing coverage from the 2000s, the new design offers a blend of familiar energy and modern sophistication, bridging the past and present.