FOX Sports has revived the SPEED brand by launching SPEED With Harvick and Buxton, a biweekly digital motorsports program debuting this week on FOX Sports and NASCAR platforms. The show aims to unite the diverse worlds of NASCAR, IndyCar, Formula 1, sprint cars, IMSA, NHRA, and others, creating a comprehensive motorsports experience under one banner. This relaunch serves to connect fans across numerous racing disciplines through accessible digital channels.
The original Speed Channel, which operated from 1995 to 2013, was a dedicated 24-hour motorsports cable outlet that became a key destination for American race enthusiasts. It helped shape NASCAR’s early televised presence in the U.S. and introduced audiences to international racing series before digital streaming options blurred those boundaries. FOX’s new initiative transforms SPEED into a digital-first brand, powered by POET, while retaining its historical identity.
Hosting duties will be carried out by Will Buxton, FOX’s IndyCar commentator and seasoned Formula 1 broadcaster, alongside Kevin Harvick, the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion currently serving as a FOX NASCAR analyst. This partnership highlights the show’s intent to embrace a broad range of motorsports perspectives.
A Shared Vision to Celebrate the Depth of Motorsport Disciplines
Kevin Harvick emphasized the show’s dedication to showcasing diverse motorsports and bringing fans together.
“Motorsports has never been a one-lane road, and it’s a global passion with so many disciplines and stories to tell. Will and I have lived racing from completely different sides of the track. Now we’re bringing it all together — NASCAR, INDYCAR, F1, sprint cars, dirt racing — you name it. SPEED is about connecting fans everywhere to the heart of racing and giving them a place where every form of motorsport has a voice,” Harvick said in a FOX statement.
Will Buxton expressed pride in revitalizing a brand significant to American racing culture and noted the responsibility that comes with it.
“I’m thrilled to launch this new show with Kevin and bring the SPEED name and brand back to people’s televisions. Having started my TV career at SPEED in 2010, I know the emotional connection it has across America, the personalities and memories it evokes and the responsibility we have to do right by its legacy. This show, like the station to which it pays tribute, has two things at its heart, racing and race fans. Our show exists to give both a platform.”
Honoring SPEED’s Legacy While Engaging a Broad Motorsports Audience
SPEED With Harvick and Buxton is designed to blend insightful analysis with interactive fan engagement. Episodes will feature informal discussions, race recaps, fan interactions, and previews of upcoming events. The show will release new episodes twice each week on platforms including FOX Sports Digital, NASCAR outlets, Tubi, YouTube, and podcast services, alongside occasional re-airings on FS1.
The program’s launch carries personal meaning for both hosts. The premiere was filmed in Charlotte, North Carolina, inside the same studio space where the original SPEED broadcasts were produced. This setting symbolizes the show’s roots and continuity within the motorsports broadcasting community.
Will Buxton reflected on returning to this familiar location:
“What I love is we’re doing it in Charlotte. Right. In the same building, the same studio that I last came to 14 years ago, and they’ve recreated it perfectly. It’s such a step back down memory lane for me of where I started my TV career on SPEED all those years ago… It’s just amazing. I’m so honored to be bringing this back”
Kevin Harvick connected the project to its fanbase that grew up alongside the original SPEED Channel:
“Well, I was a race fan, and I got to be on SPEED when you were coming up through the ranks. And all the things that you got to be a part of all lived on this show. And if you’re a race fan and wanted to be in the middle of the racing world, this is where you turned, was to SPEED. So, pretty epic to see all this come full circle.”
Industry Support and the Broader Impact of SPEED’s Return
NASCAR Executive Vice President Tim Clark praised the relaunch as an important platform to highlight drivers, teams, and the motorsports industry overall, enhancing fan engagement through fresh, accessible content. For Kevin Harvick, the new program expands his media presence, adding to his existing show, Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour.
By reintroducing SPEED in a contemporary digital format, FOX Sports hopes to reinvigorate the connection between racing fans and the multitude of motorsports disciplines, while honoring the brand’s rich history. This initiative stands to deepen fan involvement and provide a unified voice for the racing community across IndyCar NASCAR F1 crossover audiences and beyond.
