Fox shatters Indy 500 viewership marks in first year airing race

IndyCar’s marquee event just secured its most-watched telecast since 2008.

Sunday’s Indianapolis 500, the first to ever air on Fox, averaged 7.05 million viewers, marking the largest audience for the event in 17 years, according to Fox Sports PR. Alex Palou’s win increased last year’s Indy 500 audience by 40% (5.02 million viewers for Josef Newgarden’s win on NBC). The telecast peaked at 8.44 million viewers during the 4:15 p.m. ET quarter-hour.

It should be noted, this is the first Indy 500 to be measured with Nielsen’s expanded out-of-home viewing methodology.

FOX, Palou Win First Indy 500s 🏆📺

✔️ 17-year high: most-watched Indy 500 since 2008 with 7,050,000 viewers

✔️ Up 40% over last year’s 5,024,000 viewers

✔️ Telecast peaked with 8,438,000 viewers from 4:15-4:30 PM ET pic.twitter.com/3M36mOm8HV

— FOX Sports PR (@FOXSportsPR) May 26, 2025

Incredibly, Sunday’s race beat this year’s weather-impacted Daytona 500 audience.

One would have to go all the way back to the Indy 500’s ABC era to find a larger audience for the race. Scott Dixon’s win in 2008 averaged 7.25 million viewers on ABC. The network aired the Indy 500 every year from 1986 to 2018 before NBC became the rightsholder for the event in 2019, airing it every year through 2024.

Despite the network drawing some substantial criticism from fans for certain broadcast decisions during yesterday’s race, Fox was clearly able to market the race to new audiences. The Indy 500 had not eclipsed the six million viewer threshold since 2016. Only four times has the race captured more than seven million viewers since 2003; Danica Patrick’s debut in 2005 (9.74 million viewers), Sam Hornish Jr.’s win and Patrick’s second Indy 500 in 2006 (7.62 million viewers), and the aforementioned 2008 race.

Perhaps there is something to be said about involving Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski in promotional efforts for a sporting event.