DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 13: Chandler Smith, driver of the #38 TrophyCatch Ford, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fresh from Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway on February 13, 2026 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
The 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season opener at Daytona drew nearly 1.4 million viewers on FS1, beating the 2025 opening race number by 37%, and becoming the most-viewed Truck Series event since 2016.
🚨 Big trucks, big numbers! Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season opener on FS1 from Daytona drove a +37% average viewership increase over 2025 (1,387,000 viewers vs. 1,014,000)! 🚀
With 1,387,000 viewers, it’s up 37% compared directly to the same race last year, which had 1,014,000 total
The race averaged 1,387,000 viewers on FS1, the highest for a Truck Series race since 2016, according to FOX Sports.
This race’s entry list included big names like Cleetus McFarland, Tony Stewart, and Travis Pastrana, which very likely contributed to the big skyrocket in viewership, despite both Stewart and McFarland being out early.
Viewership peaked at approximately 1.6 million viewers during the closing portion of the race, despite McFarland and Stewart being already out.
