IndyCar Series: A Significant Audience Growth in 2025
The world of motorsports has witnessed a notable resurgence in interest, particularly with the IndyCar Series, which has seen a remarkable increase in viewership since its transition to FOX Sports. This transition has marked a new era for the series, showcasing impressive audience numbers that highlight its growing popularity among American sports fans.
A Year of Record Viewership
In its first full year of broadcasting with FOX Sports, the IndyCar Series achieved an average of 1.362 million viewers per race. This figure signifies a substantial rise of 27% compared to the previous year’s average of 1.073 million viewers. Such growth is indicative of the series’ successful rebranding and promotional strategies, which have effectively captured the attention of both existing and new fans.
Season Opener Highlights
The season opener held in St. Petersburg was particularly noteworthy, attracting an average of 1.417 million viewers, with a peak audience of 1.820 million. This was the highest viewership seen outside of the Indianapolis 500 since 2011, illustrating the race’s ability to engage a broad audience right from the start of the season.
The Indianapolis 500: A Spectacular Performance
The crown jewel of the IndyCar calendar, the Indianapolis 500, continued to demonstrate its iconic status. The race, broadcast on a Sunday morning, reached an impressive 7.05 million viewers, marking a 40% increase from the previous year. This surge in viewership underscores the event’s significance and its ability to draw in massive audiences, reinforcing the Indianapolis 500’s reputation as a must-watch sporting event.
Consistent Ratings Across Races
Throughout the season, five races surpassed the one million viewer mark, showcasing a consistent interest in the series. The Grand Prix of Long Beach, however, experienced the lowest viewership with 552,000 viewers. On average, most races attracted between 700,000 and 800,000 viewers, demonstrating a solid recovery in ratings despite some fluctuations.
These statistics reveal the IndyCar Series’ ability to reclaim its place within the competitive landscape of American sports viewership. The series has effectively utilized its open network programming and robust promotional efforts to reconnect with fans.
Nashville’s Grand Finale
The season concluded on a high note at the Music City Grand Prix in Nashville. This final event garnered an average of 1.142 million viewers, representing a staggering 136.7% increase from the previous season’s viewership of 482,568. This race marked the first time since June that viewership surpassed one million, ending a streak of eight consecutive races that had fallen below this threshold.
FOX Sports’ Strategic Gains
For FOX Sports, these positive audience figures have been a significant relief, solidifying their investment in the IndyCar Series. With such promising numbers, the network is gearing up to enhance its involvement with the series. Plans are underway to ramp up social media coverage, create engaging pre- and post-race shows, and align the IndyCar Series with high-profile events such as the Super Bowl and NFL happenings.
Looking Ahead: What’s in Store for 2026?
As the television landscape for the IndyCar Series becomes more robust, expectations for the future are high. The rising average viewership, coupled with a notable increase in the younger demographic (an 81% rise in viewers aged 18-34 and a 51% increase in viewers aged 18-49), indicates that 2025 was, for many, the strongest year for audience engagement since 2008.
If FOX Sports maintains its strategy of consistent broadcasting and maximum exposure—along with plans to further enhance the promotional package for the IndyCar Series—the championship is poised to become a recurring and relevant fixture on American television.
Audience Data Breakdown: 2024 vs. 2025
To better understand the audience dynamics, let’s take a look at the comparative figures from 2024 and 2025 across various races:
Viewership Comparisons
| Race | Channel (2024) | Viewership (2024) | Channel (2025) | Viewership (2025) | Net Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis 500 | NBC | 5,024,381 | FOX | 7,050,000 | +2,025,619 | +40.3% |
| St. Petersburg | NBC | 974,700 | FOX | 1,417,000 | +442,300 | +45.4% |
| Nashville | NBC | 482,568 | FOX | 1,142,000 | +659,432 | +136.7% |
| Detroit | USA | 608,246 | FOX | 1,061,000 | +452,754 | +74.4% |
| World Wide Technology Raceway (Gateway) | USA | 735,209 | FOX | 1,012,000 | +276,791 | +37.6% |
| Barber | NBC | 762,854 | FOX | 914,000 | +151,146 | +19.8% |
| Road America | NBC | 862,968 | FOX | 781,000 | -81,968 | -9.5% |
| Milwaukee | USA/Peacock | ~392,605 | FOX | 779,000 | +386,395 | +98.4% |
| Mid-Ohio | NBC | 1,253,315 | FOX | 775,000 | -478,315 | -38.2% |
| Toronto | Peacock | ~58,000 | FOX | 734,000 | +676,000 | +1165.5% |
| Laguna Seca | CNBC | 78,547 | FOX | 734,000 | +655,453 | +834.3% |
| Iowa (Sunday) | NBC | 867,554 | FOX | 719,000 | -148,554 | -17.1% |
| Indianapolis GP | NBC | 875,387 | FOX | 710,000 | -165,387 | -18.9% |
| Portland | USA | 380,068 | FOX | 708,000 | +327,932 | +86.3% |
| Thermal Club | NBC | 788,214 | FOX | 704,000 | -84,214 | -10.7% |
| Iowa (Saturday) | CNBC | 72,332 | FOX | 576,000 | +503,668 | +696.2% |
| Long Beach | USA | 307,348 | FOX | 552,000 | +244,652 | +79.6% |
| Indy 500 Qualifying | NBC | (Not listed) | FOX | 924,000 | — | — |
Interpretation of the Data
The data clearly illustrates the positive impact of FOX Sports’ involvement with the IndyCar Series. The Indianapolis 500 stands out with a staggering 40.3% increase in viewership, solidifying its status as one of the premier events in motorsport. Races like St. Petersburg and Nashville also showcased significant growth, indicating a successful strategy in attracting viewers.
While some events, such as the Mid-Ohio race, experienced a decline in viewership, the overall trend points toward a growing interest in the IndyCar Series as a whole. The remarkable increases in viewership, especially among younger audiences, suggest that the series is successfully engaging a new generation of motorsports fans.
Conclusion
In summary, the IndyCar Series is on an upward trajectory, driven by strategic partnerships, effective promotional efforts, and an increasing viewership demographic. The transition to FOX Sports has proven beneficial, with impressive audience figures signaling a bright future for the series. As the IndyCar Series continues to build on its successes, the anticipation for the 2026 season and beyond remains high, with fans eagerly awaiting what is next for this exciting motorsport.
