Back in 2021, when Formula 1 returned to the United States after two years of COVID-19 break, Denny Hamlin stood in disbelief. The F1 U.S. Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas had just pulled a record-breaking crowd. Celebrities filled the grid. Meanwhile, NASCAR’s own events were struggling with half-empty stands. “It’s crazy. You know who’s going to win in F1, yet fans love it. We have the best racing product, but we can’t fill seats. Why can’t we get people to turn out? There’s some kind of disconnect that’s not making this deal work,” Hamlin said at the time.

That contrast sparked major concern across the NASCAR garage. Hamlin wasn’t alone. Drivers like Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott echoed the sentiment. “People don’t even know we’re racing,” Busch quipped, referencing a friend who lived near Texas Motor Speedway but had no clue a Cup race was on. The concern wasn’t just about crowds, it was about NASCAR’s standing in its own country. Meanwhile, F1 was surging thanks to its Netflix series and growing cultural footprint. NASCAR, once America’s racing giant, was now fighting for attention.

Now, nearly four years later, the story has flipped again. Despite fierce competition from both F1 and IndyCar, NASCAR is back on top in the U.S. This past weekend, NASCAR didn’t just win on the track; it beat F1 in the only place that matters for long-term relevance: the television screen. And it did it while getting sandwiched by one of its own, Roger Penske, whose teams competed in both NASCAR and IndyCar. But this served as a big shock for F1, which tried to have a historic weekend in Miami.

Texas steals the spotlight everywhere!

Last weekend, NASCAR rolled into Texas Motor Speedway for the 2025 Würth 400. The racing didn’t disappoint. Austin Cindric and Kyle Larson claimed the first two stages, but it was Joey Logano, Roger Penske’s own, who stormed through for his first win of the season. But the real win came off the track. NASCAR’s race pulled in 2.560 million viewers on FS1, a 10.8% increase from last year’s race.

Meanwhile, Formula 1’s glamorous Miami Grand Prix aired on ABC and pulled only 2.1 million viewers. That’s a 32% drop from 2024, when an NBA Game 7 helped inflate the numbers. IndyCar, racing at Barber Motorsports Park, brought in 914,000 viewers on FOX. Even with growth in IndyCar’s numbers, it wasn’t close. NASCAR came out on top in a weekend when all three went head-to-head, a reminder that the sport still commands the biggest racing audience in America.

It wasn’t the first time this year NASCAR held the crown. Earlier this season, NASCAR raced at Homestead-Miami the same weekend F1 raced in China. Despite the time difference and prime scheduling for F1, NASCAR once again dominated. The Cup Series pulled 2.464 million viewers, while F1’s early-morning Grand Prix drew just 824,000 on ESPN. The Truck and Xfinity Series also posted strong numbers, each outperforming F1 in their own time slots. Even IndyCar’s St. Petersburg opener, which drew 1.4 million thanks to big FOX promotion, couldn’t keep that momentum going.

When IndyCar clashed with NASCAR again, the stock cars won the viewership battle. This consistent dominance, especially against the backdrop of F1’s aggressive U.S. expansion, serves as a reminder of what NASCAR can do. However, Formula 1 isn’t backing down either. Just days before the Miami GP, F1 announced a 10-year extension with the city, keeping the event on the calendar through 2041. “We are getting bigger and bigger but we are still very small if you compare to the biggest sport franchise in the U.S… this will help us to grow in the right segment, in the right direction,” said CEO Stefano Domenicali.

He called the U.S. market essential to F1’s future, citing the growth driven by Netflix and celebrity-filled races. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner also praised F1’s growth in the US, saying, “Formula One really struggled in America a few years ago. Now we’re here with three grands prix and Miami is one of the best. It’s one of the landmark races that everyone wants to be at.”

But TV numbers tell another story. Despite the glitz and glamor, F1 isn’t winning over the average American viewer. The sport’s flashy presence hasn’t translated into dominance, at least not on race day. Even the buzz around Dale Earnhardt Jr. couldn’t change that. The JR Motorsports co-owner attended his first F1 race in Miami as a guest of Red Bull and Hard Rock. Social media exploded with photos of him alongside Max Verstappen.

“Our first @F1 event. Thanks @HardRockBet @redbullracing,” Dale tweeted. Fans speculated about Max’s future — could he one day race NASCAR? But while the moment trended online, it didn’t deliver at the ratings box. NASCAR still came out ahead. All of this momentum points to a question NASCAR has been asking itself for years: How can they sustain this growth? A big part of that answer may lie in going back to what worked before: loyal markets, great racing, and giving fans more access.

Can going back to its roots help NASCAR?

NASCAR is banking on familiarity and tradition to push it forward. One of the boldest moves came with the announcement that Homestead-Miami Speedway will host the 2026 Championship Weekend for all three national series. This marks a return to a track that held the season finale from 2002 to 2019, a period many fans still call NASCAR’s golden years in the 21 century.

Guillermo Santa Cruz, president of Homestead-Miami Speedway, said they worked hard and wanted the championship badly. “We’re just thrilled enough to be entrusted with our responsibility of hosting the championship again.” The race will take place from November 6–8, 2026. This move isn’t just a venue switch—it shows a shift toward putting fans first. For a long time, there had been demands from the fans to move the championship weekend, and NASCAR finally came through.

NASCAR’s plan doesn’t stop with Homestead, though. Starting in 2026, the Championship Weekend will rotate among top venues like Phoenix and others, similar to the NFL’s Super Bowl model. This strategy keeps things fresh and exciting while maintaining ties to NASCAR’s traditional heartlands. The move to Homestead could also reignite fan excitement. It’s a track that consistently delivers great racing.

While F1 dazzles with spectacle, NASCAR wins with drama, door-to-door finishes, underdog winners, and unpredictable outcomes. NASCAR’s return to its roots centers on trust—trust in its fans, its racing product, and the belief that thrilling competition still matters. By focusing on accessibility, honoring tradition, and delivering fierce on-track battles, the sport strengthens its foundation. If it stays true to these values, a return to dominance in American motorsports doesn’t just seem possible—it feels inevitable.