Hold on to your hats, race fans! In a stunning upset, NHRA just smashed records and outperformed NASCAR in viewership, marking a potential shift in the motorsport landscape. Let's dive into the details.
For the first time ever, a single NHRA broadcast has captivated over 2 million viewers. Specifically, the Texas FallNationals on Fox averaged a whopping 2.07 million viewers, a number that would make any motorsport executive sit up and take notice. And the peak? An astounding 3.63 million viewers were glued to their screens at the height of the action at the Texas Motorplex. This milestone follows the NHRA US Nationals which already garnered a respectable 1.04 million viewers back in August, showing a clear upward trend for the drag racing series.
Steve Reintjes, NHRA vice president of broadcast, credits this success to their "exceptional production team," highlighting their commitment and passion for bringing drag racing to fans. He also acknowledged the importance of the Meyer family and their team at the Texas Motorplex, plus valued partners at Fox Sports, race teams, and sponsors. It's truly a collaborative effort, and the numbers speak for themselves.
But here's where it gets interesting: the NHRA's success came at NASCAR's expense, at least in terms of head-to-head viewership that particular weekend. NASCAR's Cup Series playoff race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, broadcast on USA Network, averaged 1.7 million viewers. While this represents a healthy 10% increase over the previous weekend's race at the Charlotte Roval (also on USA Network) and is the most-watched NASCAR race since the playoffs started at Darlington, it still falls short of the NHRA's impressive figures.
Now, before we jump to conclusions, it's important to consider the context. Last year's playoff race at Las Vegas, for example, averaged 2.19 million viewers, but it aired on the main NBC channel, which inherently has a broader reach than USA Network. A direct comparison, therefore, isn't entirely fair. And this is the part most people miss: channel accessibility significantly impacts viewership numbers.
Still, the numbers paint a picture. NASCAR's playoffs are currently averaging 1.57 million viewers with three races remaining. If this trend continues, the playoffs will average fewer than 2 million viewers overall. Is this a worrying sign for NASCAR? Some might argue that it is, while others might point to the changing media landscape and the rise of streaming as factors influencing traditional TV viewership.
Speaking of viewership beyond US borders, Down Under, the Bathurst 1000 in Australia drew its largest television audience since 2016, averaging over 2 million viewers nationwide! The Supercars Championships race averaged 1.54 million viewers on the free-to-air Seven Network, with an additional 459,000 viewers tuning in on pay-TV broadcaster Foxtel. Streaming figures were also record-breaking, with Seven's 7Plus OTT platform averaging 211,000 viewers, marking their highest audience outside of the Olympics or the Australian Football League (AFL) Grand Final. Foxtel's streaming services, Kayo Sports and Foxtel Now, saw their highest-ever day of Supercars streaming, with a total of 207 million minutes watched across the various platforms. This shows that, despite changing viewing habits, the passion for motorsport remains strong globally.
This record-breaking NHRA broadcast sparks a crucial question: Is this a sign of a genuine shift in motorsport popularity, or simply a one-off event influenced by specific factors? Could NHRA's more condensed and action-packed format be resonating more with modern audiences compared to the longer NASCAR races? And what strategies can NASCAR implement to regain its viewership dominance? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! This is a conversation worth having, and your insights are valuable.
