IndyCar and NASCAR are undoubtedly two of the most popular motorsports in the United States. While there is no shortage of speed in either sport, opinions and preferences differ from one fan to another. However, when it came to selecting one of them, IndyCar comfortably beat past NASCAR, specifically for the year 2023.

This year has witnessed some special performances in both sports. While Ryan Blaney surprised plenty with his Cup Series win, Alex Palou grabbed the headlines in the IndyCar Series this year with his second championship win.

IndyCar becomes the fan-favorite motorsports for the 2023 year

Over the years, the comparisons between NASCAR and IndyCar have been ongoing. While open-wheel racing has found it difficult to surpass stock car racing, it seems times are changing. The 2023 season turned out to be a benchmark year for IndyCar given its heroics.

Apart from Alex Palou’s title win and Josef Newgarden’s Indy 500 victory, there was plenty to cherish for the fans. The IndyCar Series averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 1.32 million viewers across NBC, USA Network, Peacock, and NBC digital platforms.

With such viewership, the 2023 season ranked as the most-watched season for the IndyCar Series since 2011 (1.39 million viewers). The Indianapolis 500 race played a major role in attracting viewership in this campaign, with a TAD of 4.93 million viewers across NBC and Peacock.

While the IndyCar series seems to be gaining more attention, NASCAR has had its struggles. The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series witnessed a 5% dip in viewership as it ended up averaging 2.86 million viewers across NBC, Fox, FS1, and USA Network.

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It is worth noting here that while the Cup Series schedule has 36 races, the IndyCar schedule has 17 races. Statistically, although it looks in favor of NASCAR, not many fans seem to be in favor of the stock car racing. In a social media post asking the most fun motorsport to watch in 2023, IndyCar seems to have crushed NASCAR.

Let us take a look at what some of them had to say.

Motorsport fans ignore NASCAR as they voice their vote to IndyCar for best motorsports in 2023

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Slowly but surely IndyCar is making its way up the ladder. While it is difficult to say if it will entirely outgrow the love for NASCAR, the progress is more than motivating. With the social media post asking about the most fun motorsport to watch in 2023, a majority of motorsport fans rated IndyCar the highest on their list.

One fan said, “INDYCAR in the top spot with IMSA second. First season since 2007 that I didn’t watch every F1 race. It’s just not good racing right now.” At the same time, another fan pointed out why he rated IndyCar highly. He said, “Either IndyCar or NHRA.  Few gimmicks, and a more pure racing product.”

Few fans who witnessed IndyCar racing live definitely vouched in favor of the open-wheel racing. One fan said, “Indycar. Every race was exciting and I attended the Indy 500 again, which was the highlight of the year for me.” At the same time, another fan said, “Indycar without a doubt! I’ll be back in person for more races next year!”

The love IndyCar received with this social media post was indeed heart-warming for the competition. One fan couldn’t see anything beyond it as he said, “Indycar and it’s not even close. IMSA and WEC are fighting for second.”

It’s truly overwhelming how IndyCar not just beat past NASCAR but also the likes of Formula 1 over here. While it is a concerning sign for NASCAR, prompt actions are definitely needed to keep the sport more popular among the fans.

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