The relationship between IndyCar and FOX continues to bloom as the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America delivered the best non-Indy 500 viewership since 2011.
FOX’s IndyCar coverage from Road America posted 1,803,000 viewers as Christian Lundgaard won a dramatic and surprising race this past Sunday. It was up 131 percent vs. last year’s 781,000 viewers for the Road America race on FOX. That means more than one million viewers watched this year’s Road America contest compared to last year.
The race was up 108 percent versus last year’s 867,000 viewers for Sunday non-Indy 500 races on FOX.
It was the most-viewed IndyCar Road America race since the merger in 2008.
It was the best non-Indy 500 viewership since 2011’s race from Las Vegas (2,448,000 – cut short due to fatal accident that killed Dan Wheldon).
“It was an exciting weekend at Road America for the NTT IndyCar Series and to see the impressive ratings results from Sunday’s FOX broadcast with an average of over 1.8 million viewers – the largest series race viewing audience outside of the Indianapolis 500 since 2011 – is amazing,” IndyCar owner Roger Penske told me Wednesday night. “It’s really a credit to all FOX is doing to promote our sport and build on the momentum we have now in IndyCar racing.”
The Road America race peaked with 2,943,000 viewers in the first minute following World Cup coverage from 2:29-2:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
“FOX and IndyCar are seeing the benefits of committing to a full race season on broadcast,” said Jacob Ullman, FOX Sports SVP of Production and Talent Development. “The power of big network events really creates a halo effect that lifts the entire FOX Sports lineup.”
IndyCar’s Impressive Numbers On FOX
IndyCar on FOX/FS1 is averaging 2,033,000 viewers through 10 races, up 14 percent over last year’s season to date (1,783,000), up 44 percent over 2024’s season to date (1,407,000 for races on NBC/USA/CNBC) and good for the best start to an IndyCar season since 2008.
“It’s a big-time number for the Fastest Racing on Earth,” Penske Entertainment President and CEO Mark Miles told me. “FOX’s partnership continues to be tremendous, as they prioritize growth opportunities for the sport and continue their incredible promotion of our stars.
“This is also the latest in a strong roster of stellar numbers across the season, showcasing sustained enthusiasm and building momentum for IndyCar. All of which is fueled by the incredible and highly competitive action we generate on the racetrack.”
A strong lead in featuring the FIFA World Cup match between Spain vs. Saudi Arabia in Group H helped boost the rating, but the cooperation between FOX and IndyCar has become a blueprint for televised sports.