Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
DALE EARNHARDT SET THE STANDARD FOR NASCAR ON FOX CREATIVE PRODUCTION
25 years ago NASCAR on FOX was bringing a new look to the sport, bringing driver to a pre-season production to gather creative elements to use in the race broadcasts. It’s been an annual ritual between NASCAR on FOX and NASCAR drivers ever since.
None of today’s drivers were at that first shoot in 2001 but they all appreciate how it evolved over the years to what it is today.
“Nobody does it bigger of better when it comes to the production side of our broadcast,” says Joey Logano, driver of the 22 car.
“I’m always curious what the sets look like because it’s different every year,” says 2025 Cup Series Champion Kyle Larson.
Jeff Gordon was at that first shoot and remembers it being different than anything they’d ever done.
“FOX was innovating and taking it to the next level when they came in,” Gordon said. “I remember what it was like before that we didn't have hangar shoots.”
Most of the crew working on these productions have evolved over time, but cinematographer Chris Bierlein has been there from the start.
“The first year was two cameramen. We had a car wrapped in Fox logos, and we were in an airplane hangar, and we had a bunch of lights,” Bierlein said.
The shoot was in an airplane hangar at Daytona International Airport, right behind the Speedway. That is how these shoots became known as hanger shoots.
“We were in this airplane hangar across from Daytona with the doors open to the planes are going by like this is before 911. This is February of 2001, so times were a little different,” Chris Bierlein said.
Bierlein was behind the camera for that first shoot in 2001 and has vivid memories of that day.
“We had a crew from Daytona and they said, when Dale Senior comes out, he's going to probably mutter a few expletives, and then maybe do a few things for you.”
But it was more than that, and it resulted in stunning images of Earnhardt just days before the 2001 Daytona 500.
“He came out, he spent about 45 minutes with us. He went through everything we asked him to do and it was amazing. He left us with this indelible experience. It was really kind of remarkable because it really sunk in, like, you got to know this guy. You felt like you were with him, it was amazing,” Chris Bierlein remembers.
Jeff Gordon says Earnhardt knew how important that day was even though it was not required by FOX or NASCAR.
“Yeah, he wanted to beat me on the racetrack, but he knew that bringing a different face, a different background of racing, a different fan base that that was good for the sport, good for Dale Earnhardt, but also good for everybody.”
25 years later Chris Bierlein is now filming the next generation of racers like Chase Elliott, whose dad was in the first production.
“It's funny, you know, you look at that and just what they were doing and, you know, and now kind of doing this stuff too, and how similar it all is and, yeah, just pretty neat to be a part of it,” Chase Elliott said.
Driver Ty Dillon can especially relate to the images of Earnhardt in 2001.
“You know, Dale was my hero growing up and he was everything to our family and our race team at RCR,” Dillon said. “But for me, it's almost more personal that I'm doing what my hero has done. And they've carried that on and we're walking into our season this year just the same way he did back in 2001.”
DALE EARNHARDT SET THE STANDARD FOR NASCAR ON FOX CREATIVE PRODUCTION
25 years ago NASCAR on FOX was bringing a new look to the sport, bringing driver to a pre-season production to gather creative elements to use in the race broadcasts. It’s been an annual ritual between NASCAR on FOX and NASCAR drivers ever since.
None of today’s drivers were at that first shoot in 2001 but they all appreciate how it evolved over the years to what it is today.
“Nobody does it bigger of better when it comes to the production side of our broadcast,” says Joey Logano, driver of the 22 car.
“I’m always curious what the sets look like because it’s different every year,” says 2025 Cup Series Champion Kyle Larson.
Jeff Gordon was at that first shoot and remembers it being different than anything they’d ever done.
“FOX was innovating and taking it to the next level when they came in,” Gordon said. “I remember what it was like before that we didn't have hangar shoots.”
Most of the crew working on these productions have evolved over time, but cinematographer Chris Bierlein has been there from the start.
“The first year was two cameramen. We had a car wrapped in Fox logos, and we were in an airplane hangar, and we had a bunch of lights,” Bierlein said.
The shoot was in an airplane hangar at Daytona International Airport, right behind the Speedway. That is how these shoots became known as hanger shoots.
“We were in this airplane hangar across from Daytona with the doors open to the planes are going by like this is before 911. This is February of 2001, so times were a little different,” Chris Bierlein said.
Bierlein was behind the camera for that first shoot in 2001 and has vivid memories of that day.
“We had a crew from Daytona and they said, when Dale Senior comes out, he's going to probably mutter a few expletives, and then maybe do a few things for you.”
But it was more than that, and it resulted in stunning images of Earnhardt just days before the 2001 Daytona 500.
“He came out, he spent about 45 minutes with us. He went through everything we asked him to do and it was amazing. He left us with this indelible experience. It was really kind of remarkable because it really sunk in, like, you got to know this guy. You felt like you were with him, it was amazing,” Chris Bierlein remembers.
Jeff Gordon says Earnhardt knew how important that day was even though it was not required by FOX or NASCAR.
“Yeah, he wanted to beat me on the racetrack, but he knew that bringing a different face, a different background of racing, a different fan base that that was good for the sport, good for Dale Earnhardt, but also good for everybody.”
25 years later Chris Bierlein is now filming the next generation of racers like Chase Elliott, whose dad was in the first production.
“It's funny, you know, you look at that and just what they were doing and, you know, and now kind of doing this stuff too, and how similar it all is and, yeah, just pretty neat to be a part of it,” Chase Elliott said.
Driver Ty Dillon can especially relate to the images of Earnhardt in 2001.
“You know, Dale was my hero growing up and he was everything to our family and our race team at RCR,” Dillon said. “But for me, it's almost more personal that I'm doing what my hero has done. And they've carried that on and we're walking into our season this year just the same way he did back in 2001.”
