A return to the traditional oval format boosted NASCAR Brickyard 400 ratings to a four-year high — despite major breaking news competition.
Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 from Indianapolis Motor Speedway averaged a 2.1 rating and 3.63 million viewers on NBC, up 26% in ratings and 28% in viewership from last year (1.7, 2.84M) and the highest rated and most-watched edition of the race since 2020, the previous year it took place on the traditional oval (2.7, 4.34M). The race was contested on a road course the prior three years and aired in August opposite the NFL preseason in two of those three years.
Kyle Larson’s win, which peaked with 4.5 million viewers in the 5:45 PM ET quarter-hour, moved to USA Network at 6 PM ET and averaged a 1.3 and 2.34 million during its half-hour conclusion.
The NBC portion of the race was the most-watched sportscast of the weekend, topping Saturday’s WNBA All-Star Game (3.44M) and Sunday’s final round of the British Open (3.19M).