NASCAR officials announced today that the stock-car racing association would integrate closed captions of the car sounds made at all its future races. Citing a fan survey, NASCAR chief communications officer Brett Jewkes told reporters about the initiative.
“We’re excited to bring this part of our thrilling sport to our television broadcasts,” Jewkes said. “Our comprehensive fan survey indicated an overwhelmingly positive response to the loud vrooms, rumbles and screeches heard in person at races and over our broadcasts’ audio, so giving that experience to fans unable to hear it, such as those with hearing difficulties, was a logical next step.”
Along with the whooshes and zings made by moving stock cars, NASCAR officials announced other sounds listed as popular in the survey, such as ratcheting pit-crew repairs and crunching, smoldering crashes, would be translated into closed captioning as well.
Fans of the racing series expressed their excitement about the upcoming NASCAR-broadcast addition to reporters.
“[There’s] nothing like hearing Dale [Earnhardt Jr.] or Jimmie [Johnson] rev it, rip it, and ride,” said fan Glen Willard. “[If] there’s one thing I love more than how fast they go, it’s the noises they make, so I’m glad I can get some of that while I watch on the bedroom TV without waking up the ball and chain.”
At press time, Jewkes told reporters that the captioned noises would be available in English and Spanish.
