“Those numbers are unheard of”: Steve Phelps praises Amazon Prime after game-changing NASCAR debut

Steve Phelps heaped praise on Amazon Prime's entry into NASCAR after their viewership numbers more than doubled what industry insiders predicted. The governing body's commissioner acknowledged that there were initial concerns about diluting the audience, but explained that 'it was really important' to test waters with a streamer.

Prime Video's NASCAR stint drew appreciation for it's in-depth pre and post race packages, which dove into the sport's various storylines spanning 36 teams. New features like the Burn Bar, an on-screen graphic meant to keep tabs on fuel mileage of each car, added a level of sophisticaiton and excitement for fans and analysts alike. The tool came in handy when Denny Hamlin outclassed the field on fuel mileage to take his third win of the season at Michigan International Speedway.

Despite the new additions, NASCAR did see a dip in viewership compared to last year's numbers, but saw a rise in younger audiences tuning in. At it's best, the Mexico City race outperformed it's counterparts, drawing viewership numbers higher than both IndyCar and F1 broadcasts that aired on the same day.

Phelps reflected on Amazon Prime's numbers and said (via CNBC Sport)

"[Amazon’s] averaging a million viewers on average per minute in their post-race show....those numbers are unheard of. And I think they brought their own flair to it, which we knew they would."

"So there were lots of people who doubted that the numbers would be as good as they are. I mean, there’s a pundit who thought the numbers, and I won’t say who it is, because it’s a current partner, their research person, thought Amazon Prime would do 1.2 million average viewers on for the Coke 600 … 2.7 [million]. So he missed by just a smidge,” he added.

Amazon Prime's five-race stint concluded with The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway. The Cup Series now shifts to TNT Sports for the In-Season Challenge at EchoPark Speedway, with the Challenge Round 1 to be held on Saturday, June 28.

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Prime Video chief reveals Amazon Prime's goal during NASCAR coverage

Prime Video chief Alex Strand reflected on the platform's NASCAR coverage and shared a 'fan first' vision for the sport. The executive explained how the goal wasn't to beat out traditional broadcasts, but to remain focused on fan experience.

"To me, it's less about streaming than people might think. In the end, our goal is fan first. Whether that's Thursday Night Football, National Women's Soccer League, or NASCAR, we're really fan first,” he said via Forbes.

Prime Video's efforts didn't go unnoticed, as NASCAR icon Richard Petty went on to call it 'best coverage' he's ever seen. He noted how the broadcast made it easy for fans at home to keep up with the action on track.