IndyCar’s second season under its landmark television partnership with FOX is off to a historic start, delivering viewership numbers that have not been seen in the post-merger era dating back to 2008. For the first time since the unification of open-wheel racing in the United States, the first three races of the 2026 campaign have each averaged more than 1 million viewers on the FOX broadcast network.
IndyCar’s hot start to 2026 on FOX
Every race this season airs live on FOX’s main channel rather than cable, giving the series unprecedented national exposure and proving that the gamble on network television is paying early dividends. The peak moment came during the Arlington Grand Prix this past Sunday, which attracted an impressive 1,336,000 viewers despite a weather-forced earlier start time.
That single-race audience represents a massive 142 percent increase over last year’s third race at Long Beach (552,000 viewers) and a 54 percent jump compared to last season’s average Sunday non-Indy 500 race (867,000 viewers). Through the opening trio of events, FOX’s IndyCar coverage is averaging 1,328,000 viewers—an eye-popping 48 percent improvement from the 895,000 average posted across the first three races of 2025.
FOX has thrown its full promotional weight behind the series. The network is using its NASCAR telecasts as a springboard, running IndyCar teasers, driver interviews, and highlight packages during Cup Series broadcasts to funnel fans toward open-wheel action. That cross-promotion appears to be working.
In an era when motorsports audiences are increasingly fragmented, IndyCar stands alone as the only major series airing every race exclusively on free, over-the-air network television. NASCAR’s premier Cup Series sends only nine races to network TV each year, while its second-tier O’Reilly Auto Parts Series lives entirely on The CW. Formula 1, meanwhile, has shifted its entire U.S. schedule to Apple TV+ streaming, removing it from traditional linear television altogether.
The result: IndyCar is the easiest major motorsport for casual fans to find with a simple channel flip. Financially, the current FOX deal is modest. IndyCar produces its own broadcasts and receives relatively low rights fees. The arrangement is viewed as a long-term investment, banking that sustained ratings growth will translate into a far richer television contract when the present agreement expires.
The bet looks smarter by the week. FOX itself now has skin in the game beyond broadcasting rights; the network holds an ownership stake in the series through Penske Entertainment Group. That alignment gives the broadcaster a genuine incentive to see IndyCar thrive, not just as a programming partner but as a business asset.
Is NASCAR not happy with FOX’s prioritizing IndyCar?
The shift in FOX’s priorities has not gone unnoticed elsewhere. According to Sports Business Journal, the network’s decision years ago to drop NASCAR Race Hub—once among FS1’s highest-rated studio shows—and redirect promotional resources toward IndyCar has created noticeable tension in NASCAR circles. Industry chatter suggests some within stock-car racing feel the network is hedging its bets on America’s traditional motorsport king.
Even with the surge, IndyCar still trails NASCAR in raw numbers. This past weekend, the NASCAR Cup Series race from Las Vegas on the cable channel FS1 drew 2.771 million viewers, while IndyCar’s Arlington Grand Prix on the FOX broadcast network reached 1,336,000. Yet the context matters: one aired on basic cable, the other on a flagship network with broader reach and zero subscription barriers.
The early returns suggest IndyCar is finally cracking the code for mainstream American audiences. Consistent network placement, aggressive cross-promotion, and a unique positioning against streaming-heavy rivals have combined to produce the strongest start in nearly two decades.
If the momentum holds, the series could enter negotiations for its next television deal from a position of genuine strength. For drivers, teams, and fans who have waited years for open-wheel racing to reclaim primetime relevance, the 2026 season is delivering exactly what they hoped to see: proof that IndyCar belongs on the biggest stage in sports television.
