AI in Sprint Car Racing Graphics: Tool, Inspiration, or Crutch?

Earlier today, we posted a writeup about Anthony Macri and Garet Williamson on our Facebook page. Accompanying the write up was a graphic which was 100% AI generated. There’s been lots of comments across the board, among many pages, from the fanbase to the creatives. Most complaining about the AI takeover. So… I’m sharing with you all my take on AI. A piece I’ve been working on for a few days. I have attached a graphic that is about 90% ‘handmade’ and one that is about 90% AI. It is obvious which one took minutes and which took seconds.

I hope this writeup strikes you, makes you think and of course - talk.

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Let’s talk about the elephant in the room.

AI has become one of the most talked-about tools in creative media, and sprint car racing is no exception. Some love it. Some hate it. Most use it in one form or another—whether they realize it or not.

At High Speed Dirt Media, we’ll be the first to say it…

Yes, we’ve used AI.

Yes, we’ll absolutely use it again.

But there’s a difference between using AI as a tool and letting AI become the creator.

For us, AI is inspiration. It’s another brush in the toolbox—not the artist holding the brush.

Take the Kings Royal, for example. There isn’t an actual king sitting on a throne that we can photograph or license every year. If we need a stylized cartoon king for a graphic, we’ll use one. That “clip art” sitting in a design library? More often than not, it’s AI-generated anyway. We use it as one element in a much larger composition that still reflects the HSDM style, voice, and creative flow.

That’s no different than using smoke overlays, textures, checkered flags, or other digital assets to build something unique.

Where we think the conversation changes is when AI becomes the entire creative process.

If you’re simply typing a prompt, posting the result, and calling it your artwork every single time, it’s fair to ask whether you’re creating—or just generating.

The irony? Some of the people who complain the loudest about AI are already using AI-generated assets without even knowing it. Design libraries, stock graphics, clip art, and editing software are increasingly filled with AI-created elements. It’s becoming part of the creative ecosystem whether we acknowledge it or not.

At HSDM, our philosophy is simple:

Our stories will always be real.

Our passion for sprint car racing will always be real.

And our creative eye will always be real.

AI may help us bring an idea to life, but it will never replace the vision behind it.

Technology will continue to evolve. Creativity should evolve with it—not disappear because of it.

🏁 What do you think? Is AI helping push motorsports media forward, or do you think it’s becoming too much of a creative crutch?

Let’s have the conversation.