Challenge
The NHRA World Drag Racing Series faced a challenge in delivering a broadcast experience that matched the thrill and intensity of their lightning-fast sport. With races often decided by thousandths of a second, it was crucial to provide viewers with accurate, real-time data and engaging visual content that could enhance their understanding and enjoyment of the sport. The NHRA needed a solution that could seamlessly integrate advanced graphics and data displays into their broadcasts on Fox Sports, capturing the attention of both seasoned fans and new viewers.
Solution
SMT stepped up to the challenge by expanding its partnership with the NHRA by becoming the exclusive graphics partner for the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, delivering a customized full graphics insert and open packages that reimagined the visual landscape of NHRA broadcasts while honoring its rich history and existing design language. These packages, combined with the fan-favorite augmented reality (AR) graphics that virtually display driver information, sponsor logos, billboards and other race-related content, provided comprehensive enhancements to the NHRA broadcasts.
SMT Creative Studio, the in-house design division of SMT, worked closely with the NHRA and Fox Sports to conceptualize and craft a statistics-driven insert graphics package and a dynamic motion design for the open. These packages were tailored specifically for drag racing, featuring info-rich graphics that help viewers gauge performances in a sport where races are decided by mere milliseconds. One standout feature was the lower-third launch sequence graphic, which offers real-time insights into race timing and is seamlessly synchronized with the broadcast to deliver immediate race results to viewers.
The design strategy focused on creating a distinctive visual identity for the NHRA. The graphics predominantly incorporated the red, white and blue color scheme synonymous with the NHRA, with complementary colors used to highlight winners. The Creative Studio introduced tactile elements by integrating 3D shapes and components inspired by automotive elements and textures, harmonizing these with a HUD-style design to ensure viewers could easily absorb the data while keeping their eyes on the race. This innovative approach allowed SMT to highlight the depth of real-time data and performance metrics vital to the sport.
Results
The debut of the new insert graphics package on Labor Day weekend in 2023 coincided with one of the NHRA’s most-watched broadcasts in history, as nearly 2.1 million viewers tuned in for the 69th annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. The improved visual storytelling not only captivated existing fans
but also attracted new viewers to the sport.
The success of the graphics packages and the partnership between SMT and NHRA underscores the impact of innovative visual storytelling in enhancing the viewer experience, driving engagement and supporting the growth of the sport.
CLIENT TESTIMONIAL
“Since our partnership with SMT began in 2016, we’ve witnessed year-over-year enhancements to the sport of drag racing as SMT introduces cutting-edge virtual and broadcast graphics. This has helped support NHRA’s ratings growth as fans embrace new storytelling enhancements. Bringing our graphics production operation in-house with SMT at the helm has allowed us to further educate our growing fanbase about the sport and the drivers. From virtual driver cards and start and finish lines to the enhanced timing and scoring graphic with RT (reaction time), ET (elapsed time), and MPH, SMT consistently raises the bar year after year.”
Steve Reintjes
NHRA VICE PRESIDENT OF BROADCAST