The credit for the creation of the wheel is not precisely known, but it is believed the ancient Sumerians were responsible. It is thought the first wheels were used for pottery, then utilized for carts and wagons later on. Fast forward to Sunday’s Cup race in Phoenix, and the updated wheel, in this case known as tires, were a great influence on the outcome of the race and the Chase standings. Tyler Reddick can thank the Sumerians for their circular invention, and the people who watched the race from home can thank the sponsors for being able to see the broadcast. For those folks who would like to know precisely how many ads there were, and how much time they took during the broadcast, here is this week’s breakdown.
Race and Commercial Breakdown of the 2026 Freeway Insurance 500
Start time to record race/commercial periods: 2:48 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 6:08 PM
Total minutes of complete race broadcast: 200
Minutes of race broadcast: 178
Minutes of traditional commercials: 22
Minutes of side-by-side commercials: 24
Total number of commercials: 107
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 63
Total number of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 52
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 48
Total number of ‘Side-by-Side’ commercials during the broadcast (split-screen): 55
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 36
Number of times USA utilized ‘Side-by-Side’ commercials during the broadcast: 11
— CawNJaws —