The numbers never lie. Last weekend’s Cup Series race at Phoenix was broadcast on FS1 and managed to draw a 1.43 rating and 2.82 million viewers. While these numbers look decent, they are nothing when compared to last year’s race on FOX’s main channel, which hit a whopping 4.028 million viewers, almost double of this year’s numbers. What’s even more concerning for NASCAR is that last year, the highest viewership on FS1 was at the Spring Darlington race, which saw 2.632 million viewers. This means that the Phoenix race this weekend performed only marginally better than a regular season race, despite having much higher hype by NASCAR regarding the race.
It has to be noted that, unlike the previous year, FOX will have fewer Cup races in their kitty. A total of 9 races will be moved to FS1 which will negatively impact compared to 11 Cup Series races that aired on the main channel. However, IndyCar’s big move to FOX will see the see them covering only 5 races this year. Not to forget, Amazon Prime Video and TNT are in the mix with a total of 10 races for the first time in the history of the sport.
Starting off with the Daytona 500, the FOX viewership pulled 6.761 million, this was followed by 4.586 million average viewers for the Ambetter Health 400 at in Atlanta. And the COTA race weekend backed 4.132 million viewers. All of these races have an uptick in the viewership but this positive trend could spiral down with races now moving on the FS1.
Well, the Phoenix Raceway wasn’t bad in terms of numbers but there’s a trend that upcoming races might take more hits with FOX shifting its focus to Roger Penske’s racing series. On the other hand, the Xfinity Series race, aired on CW saw a massive 13% year-over-year increase, with around 1.2 million viewers tuning in to watch. This proves that NASCAR has the potential to draw an audience even at a track like Phoenix, if it can deliver a product that people think is worth watching.
.@FS1 got a 1.43 rating and 2.82 million viewers for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix; there’s no direct comparison to last year as that event was on @FoxTV‘s broadcast channel (4.028 million viewers).
@TheCW got 1.2 million for Saturday’s Xfinity race, up 13% YOY. pic.twitter.com/w8qNbuCV36
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) March 11, 2025
Phoenix Raceway is both loved and hated. Fans hate the track for its boring and uneventful racing, as shown by the TV ratings, on the other hand, race officials and broadcasters love it for the predictable weather and the convenience this track provides. But there’s a growing demand within the NASCAR community that the championship race should find a new home.
Traditions vs Convenience
Today NASCAR stands at a crossroads. Either it can carry on with its path of convenience and marketability, but on this path, it risks losing its core audience that needs and craves hard and thrilling racing. Another path is embracing its heritage, listening to its fans and making some changes that go against the notion of comfort and convenience.
While NASCAR has decided that its main focus will be Phoenix, let’s not forget some other tracks that could offer some thrilling racing as well. Imagine the championship race at the legendary Bristol Motor Speedway, or staging the big event in NASCAR’s backyard at Charlotte Motor Speedway. That’s an idea that the fans can get behind, but for some reason, the Desert Mile seems to be their preferred choice.
Phoenix has all the elements for the sanctioning body to stage a marquee event like the championship race. The track has its defenders, particularly among NASCAR’s elite. Broadcasters, executives, and media personalities love it. They praise the location, the predictable weather, and the ease of covering the event. But for fans, that’s not enough. Also, you don’t have to deal with the dicey weather conditions. We saw how the Daytona 500 race was affected at the start of the year.
“The great thing about our system is that this evolved through discussions with the industry- everyone had an input into the product and the format that you see today and that will continue. We’ll look at different ideas, and if we can make tweaks to enhance it we certainly will do that, but we’re not going to do it unless we feel like it’s in the best interest of the sport and really drives even more engagement from our fans.” NASCAR’s chief operation officer Steve O’Donnell stated.
Well, a return to Miami Homestead wouldn’t be a bad idea. But it remains to be seen how the new option tire will change the championship race discussion by the end of the year.
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