HARMAN Becomes NASCAR Technology Partner, Will Deliver Audio Upgrades at Racetracks

In my home state of North Carolina, NASCAR is serious business. When I was a kid, Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt were every bit as famous as Michael Jordan (who was a UNC Tar Heel before he was a Chicago Bull, don’t forget). It never would have occurred to me that there would be any intersection between my interest in audio and the ubiquitous presence of NASCAR, but that changed when HARMAN International recently announced that it has become a NASCAR Technology Partner, with the goal of delivering “premium audio experiences for racing fans through future racetrack audio upgrades.”

According to a press release, this newly-established partnership will allow NASCAR facilities to install high-quality integrated audio systems, using JBL Professional loudspeakers, Crown amplifiers, BSS digital signal processing, and products from other HARMAN Professional Solutions brands. HARMAN Professional Solutions is the division of the company that engineers and manufactures audio, lighting, video, and control products for the entertainment and enterprise markets. This is gear specifically designed for large-scale venues, such as stadiums, arenas, music festivals, theme parks, and performing arts centers. The technology partnership will see HARMAN lend its design expertise and diverse product offerings in order to “help elevate sound quality for race fans across NASCAR’s racetrack properties.” NASCAR currently owns 14 of North America’s biggest racing venues. HARMAN will provide gear serving both the primary exterior racetrack areas and the numerous interior spaces where speech intelligibility and high-quality audio are essential for announcements, broadcast coverage, music, and so on.

JBL and NASCAR are two iconic brands that were founded just two years apart in the 1940s, and will now work together to enhance one of the most thrilling and widely attended sports in the world. On any given day, thousands of fans around the world experience audio through a JBL system, and we are excited to collaborate with NASCAR through this technology partnership to bring them even closer to the action through superior sound.

— Brian Divine, President of HARMAN Professional Solutions

With millions of fans attending NASCAR events in person each year — and millions more watching on TV — our races demand the highest levels of performance and reliability from all technical systems. Not all suppliers can meet NASCAR’s rigorous standards, but HARMAN’s brands have a proven legacy of innovation, exceptional sound reproduction, and day-in, day-out reliability, making their products an ideal fit for our venues.

— John Martin, Vice President, Chief Technology Officer at NASCAR

Founded in 1948 and based in Daytona Beach, Florida, NASCAR has offices in five cities across North America, and sanctions more than 1,200 races annually. NASCAR events take place in more than 30 U.S. states and 11 countries around the world. NASCAR’s racetrack properties include Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, Michigan International Speedway, Phoenix Raceway, and others. Further details on the partnership and specific audio integrations will be announced as the 2025 racing season progresses.