Throughout every NASCAR season, NASCAR fans often use TV viewership to gauge how interested the broader sports world is in NASCAR. This year, the NASCAR Cup Series has two new broadcast partners, one of which is a streaming service, making ratings a major factor of the 2025 season.
We will directly compare each race’s viewership from 2024 to that race’s (or closest comparable race’s) 2025 viewership. Furthermore, we will keep a tally of how each race weekend fared compared to the same weekend last season.
This can be confusing, as under the “2025 Season as a Whole” section, races will not be compared directly to themselves but to their correlating 2024 race weekend. For example, in that section, Mexico City, as the 16th race of the year, will be compared to 2024’s 16th race of the year, Sonoma.
If need be, we will also address any potential dips in ratings, such as weather delays, postponements, or debuting races, such as Mexico City taking over for the Spring Richmond race.
This year, TNT Sports’ will take over five races alongside the five exclusive streaming races available through Amazon Prime Video.
The 2025 Season as a Whole
All Races (6 Total in 2025): Including The Clash, Daytona Duels, and the All-Star Race
2025 Total/Average Viewership to Date: 23.215 Million/3.869 Million Per Race
2024 Total/Average Viewership to Date: 22.048 Million/3.675 Million Per Race
Total Viewership Difference (2025 vs 2024): +1.167 Million (+5.293%)
Average Viewership Difference (2025 vs 2024): +0.194 Million (+5.293%)
Points Races (4 Total in 2025)
2025 Total/Average Viewership to Date: 18.299 Million/4.575 Million Per Race
2024 Total/Average Viewership to Date: 18.897 Million/4.724 Million Per Race
Total Viewership Difference (2025 vs 2024): -0.598 Million (-3.165%)
Average Viewership Difference (2025 vs 2024): -0.150 Million (-3.165%)
Exhibition/Qualifying Races (2 Total in 2025): The Clash, Daytona Duels, and the All-Star Race
2025 Total/Average Viewership to Date: 4.916 Million/2.458 Million Per Race
2024 Total Viewership to Date: 3.151 Million/1.576 Million Per Race
Total Viewership Difference (2025 vs 2024): +1.765 Million (+56.014%)
Average Viewership Difference (2025 vs 2024): +0.883 Million (+56.014%)
Cable Races (2 Total in 2025): Points and Exhibition/Qualifying Races
2025 (2 Races) Total/Average Viewership To Date: 4.656 Million/2.328 Million Per Race
2024 (2 Races) Total/Average Viewership To Date: 3.151 Million/1.576 Million Per Race
Total Viewership Difference (2025 vs 2024): +1.505 Million (+47.763%)
Average Viewership Difference (2025 vs 2024): +0.753 Million (+47.763%)
Network Races (4 Total in 2025): Points and Exhibition/Qualifying Races
2025 (4 Races) Total/Average Viewership to Date: 18.559 Million/4.640 Million Per Race
2024 (4 Races) Total Viewership to Date: 18.897 Million/4.724 Million Per Race
Total Viewership Difference (2025 vs 2024): -0.338 Million (-1.470%)
Average Viewership Difference (2025 vs 2024): -0.085 Million Million (-1.789%)
Streaming Races (0 Total in 2025): Points and Exhibition/Qualifying Races
2025 (0 Races) Total/Average Viewership To Date: TBD
Shriners Children’s 500 at Phoenix on FS1 via Adam Stern
.@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).
Viewership Comparison (2024 vs 2023): -1.208 Million Viewers (-29.990%)
*NOTE: Race Spring Race at Phoenix was on the main FOX Network, while this year’s race was on FS1.
EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at COTA on FOX via Adam Stern
.@FoxTV got a 2.15 rating and 4.132 million viewers for Sunday's @NASCAR race @COTA, up from a 3.310 million for last year, but that took place in late March.
🔲 That makes the race the most-watched sport event of the weekend, but down from last year's third points race (Vegas). pic.twitter.com/ociA7I0jBq
Viewership Comparison (2024 vs 2023): +0.822 Million Viewers (+24.834%)
*NOTE: Race three of the 2024 Cup Series season was in Las Vegas and garnered 4.359 million viewers. This number will be used in the overall comparison.
Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on FOX via Adam Stern
.@FOXTV got 4.586 million viewers for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta, up 1% from last year and the most-watched sport event of the weekend in the U.S. pic.twitter.com/L65hhuThPB
Viewership Comparison (2024 vs 2023): +0.797 Million Viewers (+13.364%)
*NOTE: The 2024 Daytona 500 was pushed to Monday afternoon due to rain, while the 2025 race was pushed back several hours due to rain. Both of these viewerships are a far cry from the non-rain-affected 2023 Daytona 500.
2025 Duels at Daytona on FS1 via Bob Pockrass
The duels earned 1,836,000 viewers on FS1, up 12% from last year’s 1,640,000 viewers on the network. Best of the duels since 2018. @NASCARONFOX
Viewership Comparison (2024 vs 2023): +0.196 Million Viewers (+11.951%)
Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on FOX via Adam Stern
.@FoxTV got a 1.55 rating and 3.08 million viewers for Sunday's @CookOut Clash, up from last year at L.A. Coliseum that was moved to a Saturday on FS1, but off from the first two runnings there in '22 and '23.
Viewership Comparison (2024 vs 2023): +1.569 Million Viewers (+103.84%)
*NOTE: The 2024 Clash at the LA Coliseum was moved up one day due to weather and moved from free, over-the-air TV on FOX to a cable channel, FS1. This is why there was such a major drop in TV viewership.
This tracker will be updated throughout the season. Make sure to check back in for the latest!
