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Artificial intelligence has begun to seep deeper into NASCAR, with an increasing number of teams making use of it in various capacities. Today, it plays a crucial role in how teams operate and prepare for races. Following Richard Childress Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, and other Cup Series teams, Trackhouse Racing has now begun using it to make better decisions during races.
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Team owner Justin Marks has been working on a new AI system with talented individuals from Silicon Valley to turn loads of data into actionable insights. He believes that this will reduce the need for a huge workforce. While the results of his effort will be visible in 2026, it should be noted that this isn’t the first time AI tools have been used to make strategic decisions.
Fascinating to see the responses to this because AI has been in use for strategy decisions in NASCAR for almost a decade but maybe not publicized well enough.
Newman won Phoenix in 2017 thanks in part to AI strategy and here is @ericswarren showing some of those tools in 2019. https://t.co/Tz54ZWsYu5 pic.twitter.com/9Onf9PuCsa
— Bozi Tatarevic (@BoziTatarevic) November 30, 2025
Richard Childress Racing began using AI a couple of years ago to make efficient fuel stops. Fuel mileage is one of the most crucial parameters to win a NASCAR race, and getting it perfect is an art in itself. The team figured that if the amount of time the fuel cans were attached to the cars could be measured, they could more precisely calculate the amount of fuel that was delivered in a stop.
Using the help of Lenovo’s AI team, in-car transponders and a camera were mounted above the pit box to note when a car came into the box. Once it does, a real-time video feed begins and begins calculating the numbers. A data scientist from Lenovo explains it, “An AI engine looks at each frame and classifies whether the fuel can is plugged or unplugged.”
“We’re working at 30 frames per second, so the information is accurate to within about 0.03 seconds. Prior to this, the fuel man knew that he had to pump in about seven seconds worth of fuel—without any devices to help because of safety concerns.” It was all mental calculation, meaning there was a lot of space for errors and inaccuracies in timing. AI has overturned that landscape.
In what other ways is AI used in NASCAR?
Teams, including Hendrick Motorsports and RFK Racing, are making use of AI to dive deep into race data and historical performances to get tiny advantages over their competitors. It is used alongside machine learning to simulate the different possibilities that might unfold during a race and to prepare for the challenges.
Speaking at an AI summit in London earlier this year, Brian Kurn, who is an engine simulation analyst for Hendrick Motorsports, detailed how they work with HP to use AI to optimize fueling and reduce the cooling time of engines. Outside the garage, AI has been put to use in broadcasting as well.
The infamous “burn bar” that debuted this season via Prime Video uses AI to calculate real-time fuel consumption and displays it virtually for viewers. It is quite clear in light of this increasing involvement that AI has become pervasive in NASCAR.
