NTT INDYCAR Series Delivers Record-Breaking 2026 Season Driven by FOX Sports

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES has concluded a 2026 campaign defined by massive audience growth, soaring attendance, and record digital engagement, solidifying its commercial momentum across North America.

Capitalising on a broadcast partnership with FOX Sports, the open-wheel championship delivered its highest average viewership in nearly two decades, averaging 1.68 million viewers across an 18-race schedule while securing 23 broadcast television appearances.

The impact extended across race weekends, where overall attendance rose by approximately 20 percent. Grandstands sold out at marquee fixtures including the Indianapolis 500 and the inaugural Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C., which drew a peak audience of 3.5 million viewers.

Commercial initiatives, such as the debut of the Java House Grand Prix of Arlington via a joint venture with the Dallas Cowboys and REV Entertainment, further highligted the organisation’s expanding market reach and soaring merchandise sales, which climbed nearly 40 percent year-on-year.

Highlighting the impact of the new broadcast alliance and ongoing capital investments, Penske Entertainment president and CEO, Mark Miles, said: “This is an incredible new era for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, defined by growth, energy and momentum.”

“Our partnership with FOX Sports has raised the bar for our sport, and in turn we’ve invested in new events and opportunities to accelerate our already immense progress.

“Alongside our teams and partners, our commitment to maintain and expand one of the fastest growth curves in all of sports is unmatched,” Miles said.

Digital and social media platforms experienced unprecedented engagement, led by record traffic on the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA and more than 250 million video views. Shoulder program offerings also expanded significantly, with the digital docuseries “ALL IN: INDYCAR,” produced alongside FOX Sports and Tom Brady’s Shadow Lion, attracting over 6 million views on YouTube.

Looking toward long-term technicalities, INDYCAR officially unveiled the lighter, faster IR-28 car slated for introduction in the 2028 season, reinforcing its commitment to cutting-edge design and enhanced wheel-to-wheel competition.

This roadmap is supported by multi-year engine manufacturer agreements secured with Chevrolet and Honda.

INDYCAR president, J. Douglas Boles, emphasised the importance of continuous innovation.

“The IR-28 unveil was a massive milestone for the sport, and it has been incredible to get so much positive feedback from both our drivers and our fans.”

“To capitalize on our momentum, we need to be constantly innovating and look toward the future, and the IR-28 reflects our commitment to this mindset,” Boles said. 

With intense competition yielding eight different race winners and multi-year commitments from premier original equipment manufacturers, INDYCAR enters the 2027 cycle positioned for sustained expansion.

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