2025 NASCAR All-Star Race Ratings Show Major Decline in Viewership

NORTH WILKESBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 18: Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, and Christopher Bell, driver of the #20 Mobil 1 Toyota, race during the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 18, 2025 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)

What’s Happening?

Sunday night’s NASCAR All-Star race drew 1.965 million viewers, a sharp 24% drop off from 2024’s event. However, NASCAR wasn’t the only motorsports event to see a drop-off this weekend, as Sunday Qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 also saw a year-over-year decline.

  • Though little to no factors changed for coverage of the 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro, viewership on FS1 dropped by 0.608 million viewers. But NASCAR wasn’t the only motorsport to see a year-over-year dip on Sunday. IndyCar also saw a decrease in Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 qualifying session from 1.145 million viewers in 2024 to a measly 924,000 viewers this year.
  • Several factors could have affected viewership for both events. For example, an NBA Playoff Game Seven, which drew 6.34 million viewers, tipped off Sunday afternoon. On the IndyCar side, some have suggested Kyle Larson’s absence from the Fast Six session could have affected viewership.
  • This year’s 1.965 million viewers is the lowest viewership for the NASCAR All-Star Race since at least 2008, with the previous low being 2.076 million viewers in 2020. For what it’s worth, Martinsville, the only other short track race on FS1 in 2024 and 2025, also saw a similar 27% decline in viewership this year.
  • The 2025 All-Star Race was notably the only exhibition race to see an overall loss in viewership this year. The 2025 Duels at Daytona, also on FS1, scored 1.836 million viewers, up from 2024’s 1.640 million viewers. The 2025 Clash also gained massive viewership after 2024’s weather-affected event in Los Angeles.

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DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA - APRIL 06: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on April 06, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Lionel Racing Reveals First Wave of 2026 NASCAR Authentics Diecast

What’s Happening?

Lionel Racing finally confirmed the first wave of 2026 NASCAR Authentics 1:64 scale diecast for Monday morning, with the line of retail-exclusive diecast featuring a new look for the new year.

  • This line will include six throwback paint schemes from NASCAR’s 2025 throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway. Though they did not release one in 2025, this move restarts an annual tradition of Lionel releasing at least one wave of cars carrying the colors of that prior season’s throwback designs.
  • Included in this wave of cars are Austin Cindric, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, William Byron, and Sammy Smith. Alongside these paint schemes’ debuts in the Authentics line is a new design for the packaging of the 2026 line of NASCAR Authentics.
  • Last season was somewhat turbulent for Lionel as, alongside issues with tariffs, the brand only released three waves of NASCAR Autentics, one wave of NASCAR Autentics Winners Circle diecast, and two waves of Haulers.
  • Lionel announcing the first wave of 2026 early on in the new year is perhaps a sign that 2026 could return this line to its regular release schedule. The post from Lionel Racing also confirmed that the brand will announce another wave by the end of the week, further hinting at a recommitment to the Authentics line.

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SPARTA, KY - JUNE 26: Chase Pistone, driver of the #9 NTS Motorsports Chevrolet, talks with his crew during practice for the NASCAR Camping World Series UNOH 225 at Kentucky Speedway on June 26, 2014 in Sparta, Kentucky. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Chase Pistone, NASCAR Trucks and Nationwide Series Driver, Passes Away

What’s Happening?

Chase Pistone, a former competitor on the short track racing circuit in addition to NASCAR’s National Series, has passed away. Pistone, now a successful Legends Car owner, was 42.

  • Chase’s brothers Nick and Tom Pistone confirmed the North Carolina natives’ passing to LegendsNation.com. The cause of Pistone’s passing is unknown. The family asked that media share the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number, which is 988.
  • Pistone, the grandson of NASCAR legend “Tiger” Tom Pistone, made his way to NASCAR after competing on short tracks in Legends cars and Late Models. He would make his jump to NASCAR via the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2005, racing for Green Light Racing at Martinsville Speedway.
  • Pistone would continue his NASCAR pursuits in 2006, racing in ARCA and the NASCAR Busch Series. Unfortunately, these two starts, at Martinsville with the Busch Series and Iowa with ARCA, would be his last for nearly a decade.
  • Pistone returned to NASCAR in 2014, racing in a combined eight NASCAR Camping World Truck and Nationwide Series races. During this season, his final in NASCAR, the then 30-year-old scored his best National Series finish, ninth place in the Truck Series annual trip to Gateway.

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8 Takeaways From NASCAR At COTA

Three races in, the 2026 season is finally starting to show its hand. COTA shifted narratives, exposed weaknesses, and raised new questions about contenders, pretenders, and everything in between.

  • Has Shane van Gisbergen officially been proven mortal after getting outraced late at Circuit of the Americas?
  • Is 19-year-old Connor Zilisch already ahead of schedule after slicing through the field multiple times?
  • With three straight wins, is Tyler Reddick basically a lock for the postseason this early?
  • And how concerned should the 48 team be after a rough weekend for Alex Bowman?

From substitute drivers being forced into action to points gaps growing faster than expected, COTA delivered more than just a road course chess match. There were momentum swings, reputation hits, and at least one young driver stacking up enemies before stacking up results.

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