“All big companies are using it”: Kenny Wallace shares his take on the use of ‘generative AI’ for future NASCAR format system

After NASCAR began looking into using AI to improve its racing format, former NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace shared his thoughts on social media.

NASCAR’s Chief Operating Officer, Steve O'Donnell, recently talked about how AI could help with the Cup Series' new playoff format. The current setup upset many fans after Joey Logano won this season’s championship after a disappointing regular season performance. The governing body might use generative AI to improve the format by running different simulations on a model.

Wallace responded to a post on X by Sport Business Journal's Adam Stern on the use of AI in NASCAR and wrote:

"I did a Kenny Wallace show about this months ago. AI is so much smarter than the human being that all big companies are now using it."

NASCAR can test different playoff scenarios with AI models by adjusting the number of drivers or race conditions to see how the changes affect the outcome and improve fan satisfaction.

"There’s so much data and technology out there that you can now throw into a model. I think it’s going to be very helpful in looking at some predictive analysis of where the sport can go in the future and then there’s the whole business side of things too," O'Donnell said.

Moreover, AI is already part of motorsports. NASCAR teams use AI to analyze data during races which helps them make quick decisions and better racing strategies.

The teams get detailed data, including data speed, RPMs, throttle, braking, and steering details, during races through sensors on cars. The data is collected live from all drivers by SMT (Sports Media Technology) and shared with every team.

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"I have the most starts in the series" - Kenny Wallace on 'every year phone call' with Wayne Auton

Kenny Wallace retired from full-time NASCAR racing in 2015 and has since raced on local dirt tracks, while also working as a Fox NASCAR reporter.

In a previous post on X, the 61-year-old wrote about his annual call with Wayne Auton, who retired as the series director of the NASCAR Xfinity Series after the 2024 season.

"Just received my every year phone call from the director of the @NASCAR_Xfinity series, Wayne Auton. We discussed that he is the longest running series director, and I have the most starts in the series," Kenny Wallace wrote.

Wallace raced in NASCAR for 25 years and won nine races in 547 starts in the Xfinity Series. He debuted in 1988 and won Rookie of the Year in the following season.

Wallace later raced full-time in the Winston Cup Series and made 344 starts in 18 years.