With Prime Video's inaugural season of covering NASCAR Cup Series races looming with the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 25 - its first of five races on the schedule - pieces continue to be put into place for its announce team. On Tuesday, it was confirmed that NASCAR Hall of Famer Carl Edwards will be joining the studio team as an analyst, bringing his years of experience and on-track knowledge to the team.
The winner of 28 Cup Series races, Edwards joins Danielle Trotta and Corey LaJoie for pre- and post-race coverage from the studio. In addition to the Edwards news, it was also announced that 2011 Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne and longtime pit reporters Kim Coon and Marty Snider would be joining the Prime Video team as its pit reporters. The broadcast booth will be comprised of veteran lap-by-lap announcer Adam Alexander, NASCAR Hall of Famer and two-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Daytona 500-winning crew chief and current NBC analyst Steve Letarte.
"We're thrilled to introduce Carl, Trevor, Kim and Marty to our NASCAR on Prime Video team," Alex Strand, Sr. coordinating producer at Prime Video, said, per NASCAR.com. "Carl's Hall of Fame career, combined with the extensive experience of Trevor, Kim and Marty, brings an unparalleled authenticity to our coverage. Their deep knowledge and genuine passion will resonate with fans and elevate the NASCAR viewing experience. We look forward to showcasing our entire announce team when we debut in just a few short months."
What will Carl Edwards bring to the studio as an analyst?
In addition to his 28 Cup Series wins, Edwards had 124 top fives, 220 top 10s and 22 poles during his Cup Series career. While he was a two-time runner-up in the standings, he was the 2007 Xfinity Series champion and had 72 combined wins across NASCAR's three national series. His biggest accolades at the highest level include the Coca-Cola 600 and Southern 500, which he accomplished in 2015.
Since he abruptly retired following the 2016 season, Edwards has not been involved with the sport much at all. After being inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame last month, Edwards joins Prime Video as the streaming platform becomes the first of its kind to exclusively stream Cup Series races. While it has been nine years since Edwards' retirement and he is venturing into something new, expect the veteran racer to do just fine. The 45-year-old's knowledge of the sport and talent behind the wheel was on full display as a driver and it should only carry over to the studio.
Prime Video has been the exclusive home of Cup Series practice and qualifying since the second race of the season at Atlanta and will continue through its five-race stretch of races, with the exception of the All-Star race at North Wilkesboro. However, starting with the Coca-Cola 600 on May 25 and running through Pocono Raceway on June 22, Prime Video will be the exclusive home for Cup Series races as well.
With its announce team starting to take shape, it is clear Prime Video is ready to make some history. Having Edwards on the team is only going to add to the intrigue and should make for some phenomenal insight as the newly-minted Hall of Famer brings his years behind the wheel to the studio. If his broadcasting abilities are anything like his driving talent, expect Edwards to be a hit in the studio and potentially develop a larger presence around the sport for years to come.