Bob Tasca III didn’t hold back after his round one victory at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, using his top-end interview to voice his frustrations with Fox Sports over their offseason advertising campaign for the NTT IndyCar Series.
“I said a few things getting out of the car, and I really mean it, and I want to say it to the fans,” Tasca stated. “I’m very disappointed with Fox Sports. All winter, I got to hear ‘The fastest motorsport in the world,’ and I looked up and I didn’t see the PPG Mustang, and I didn’t see (Austin) Prock’s car. I saw an IndyCar. And the fact is, we are the fastest motorsport in racing and I think it’s an insult to the drivers and the fans. And truthfully, I didn’t think Fox was the fake news network.”
Tasca’s comments stem from Fox Sports’ recent acquisition of broadcast rights for the IndyCar Series, which included promotional ads boasting, “Welcome to the fastest racing on Earth.” The tagline ruffled feathers within the drag racing community, where drivers regularly eclipse speeds that far exceed those of IndyCar machines.
In 2023 alone, Funny Car competitors Tasca and Austin Prock both surpassed the 341-mph mark—Tasca first at the PRO Superstar Shootout, followed by Prock at the NHRA Finals in Pomona, California. By comparison, an IndyCar’s top speed entering Turn 3 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is approximately 235 mph.
The debate over the claim has even made its way into NHRA’s official social media channels, with the series leaning into the conversation through its “#NHRASpeedCheck” campaign. The slogan has gained momentum throughout the NHRA community, with numerous employees sporting black T-shirts emblazoned with the hashtag during the Gatornationals weekend.
Graham Rahal, a veteran IndyCar driver and husband of former NHRA Funny Car Courtney Force driver, was asked about the controversy while on the starting line at Gainesville. While acknowledging the tagline’s impact, he shared his perspective on Fox Sports’ overall commitment to motorsports.
“I thought it was an interesting tagline, but at the end of the day, I think what Fox is doing for both sports is great,” Rahal said. “I know Austin Prock and Antron Brown were down at St. Pete for our race. It’s great to see. I think Fox is really going to push these two sports in a big way, particularly with the change in NASCAR and everything they’re doing coverage-wise.”
Whether Fox Sports will address the NHRA community’s concerns remains to be seen, but one thing is clear—when it comes to outright speed, NHRA isn’t backing down from the debate.
This story was originally published on March 10, 2025. 
