The NASCAR TV ratings have taken the biggest hit ever this season. In a year full of trials and tribulations, NASCAR has managed to lose its viewership more than once. It all started with the playoffs. The Kansas playoff race on USA Network drew just 1.49 million viewers, down from 1.79 million, while the New Hampshire round of 12 opener managed only 1.29 million compared to 1.8 million in the previous year. And it’s just not getting better.

Even though the Round of 8 opener at South Point 400 in Las Vegas drew fewer eyeballs last weekend, there was an uptick in viewers from the prior race at Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval that drew 1.544 million viewers and earned a 0.80 rating, as opposed to 2.419 million in 2024 (the caveat being NBC aired the race last year). NASCAR has experienced one of the most turbulent periods in its recent history.

As the dust settled on the Texas NHRA FallNationals at the Texas Motorplex, the confirmed numbers slammed NASCAR’s viewership. The live FOX broadcast drew 1.872 million viewers, outperforming the NASCAR Cup Series race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway that drew 1.717 million viewers since it moved to USA Network. Both races were aired at the same time, but NHRA benefited a bit more from a 7.2 million NFL lead-in.

With new broadcast partners like TNT Sports, NASCAR, and Prime Video, NASCAR streaming fans are exploring races on cable, on network, and on streaming platforms. However, each coverage has had its own fair share that has either attracted more viewers or has completely missed the mark.

In 2025, NASCAR entered a new seven-year media rights agreement with FOX, NBC, Amazon, and Warner Bros. Discovery. Under this deal, the final 14 cup series races of the season are broadcast across NBC, USA Network, and Peacock. Currently, USA Network is streaming the races on cable, and the numbers have been abysmal.

USA Network received a 0.84 rating for Sunday’s South Point 400 NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. That made NASCAR the No. 2 sport on the day on cable behind the Broncos vs Jets and was the best viewership since Darlington. However, this isn’t enough.

The Daytona 500 this year gained a lot of eyes with Amazon Prime covering it. It was a 13.364% increase from last year and 6.761 million viewers. However, as the Amazon Prime deal only extended for five races and then NBC picked it up for the next five, fans saw a lot of disturbance in the coverage and found instability.

Now the NASCAR fans have risen once again to voice their doubts about this experiment. Amid fans blaming the TV partners, this time the blame falls squarely on NASCAR.

Fans slam NASCAR’s outrageous TV ratings in comparison to Drag Racing

The NASCAR community was absolutely fuming with this news. Some fans worry that NASCAR might be losing its grip on American racing fans. One commenter warned, “If it wasn’t Dega this weekend, NASCAR might be in danger with F1 here in the States.” As the NASCAR Cup Series heads to the 2nd race at Talladega in the Round of 8, most viewers would expect an increase in viewership given that there are only two races left until the 2025 NASCAR season ends.

The sentiment reflects a growing concern over how NASCAR stacks up against other motorsports, especially when straight-line speed is king, as another fan put it bluntly, “We’re getting gapped by people going in a straight line for 10 seconds we are so beyond cooked.”

The frustration extends to the viewing experience as well. While drag racing still draws admiration in person, some fans find watching on TV less engaging. “That’s bad. Drag racing is one of the coolest things in person but watching on tv is rough at times,” one fan lamented.

Others echo their discontent with the current broadcast deals, highlighting that access and platform choice can make or break fan engagement. “WHY TF ARE WE NOT ON NBC???? No wonder we lost…… this TV deal is bad for us, Prime was awesome and that’s about it,” a viewer complained, pointing to a preference for more accessible and consistent coverage.

The reaction from the fan base also shows a mix of embarrassment, with one fan critiquing the commercialization of the sport, “That’s embarrassing. I hope NASCAR is happy they took the biggest possible payday to put their races on too many channels and locked behind cable subscriptions.” Meanwhile, a few fans celebrated NHRA’s success and comparison, saying, “Lmfao! NHRA! That’s worse than F1 beating NASCAR. What an embarrassment for the sport and super happy for NHRA.”

The suggestions and opinions are still coming in!