IndyCar releases final TV ratings for 2026, up 23% from previous year

The 2026 IndyCar season has officially concluded after 18 rounds of racing, highlighted by Felix Rosenqvist winning the closest Indianapolis 500 finish in history, Alex Palou claiming his fifth title in six years, and Scott McLaughlin securing the final win at Laguna Seca. Broadcast figures from Nielsen Media Research revealed a 23% increase in viewership on FOX compared to 2025 (1.362 million) and a 57% jump from 2024 (1.073 million), alongside growth in the key 18-49 demographic.

Events averaged 1.681 million viewers per race throughout the season. The 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 drew an average of 6.635 million viewers, while the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C. averaged 3.282 million viewers, setting a record for any non-Indy 500 race since 1995. Even though the championship was already decided prior to the Laguna Seca finale, which averaged 895,000 viewers, nine of the 18 rounds eclipsed one million viewers for the first time since the 2008 season.

Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles stated that the partnership with FOX Sports elevated the reach, production standards, and promotion of the series. Viewership also rose in the developmental Indy NXT division, where 2026 champion Nikita Johnson competed, increasing by 14% from 2025 to average 127,000 viewers.