110th Indianapolis 500 Delivers Big Rating For FOX

BusinessSportsMoney110th Indianapolis 500 Delivers Big Rating For FOXByBruce Martin,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I have been chasing race cars since the first Michigan 500 in 1981.Follow AuthorMay 28, 2026, 02:41pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.The numbers tell the story of this year's 110th Indianapolis 500 telecast on FOX.FOX SportsFor the second year in a row, the Indianapolis 500 has delivered a big rating for FOX. This year’s Indianapolis 500 was viewed by 6,635,000 viewers excluding a weather delay. The race peaked with 8,349,000 viewers from 4:00 to 4:15 p.m., who witnessed Felix Rosenqvist by the closest margin in Indianapolis 500 history – 0.0233-of-a-second over Team Penske’s David Malukas.It was down slightly over the 7.05-million viewers that watched FOX’s first Indianapolis 500 telecast in 2025. The peak viewership for that race was 8.04 million, so this year’s race saw an increase in viewers over 2025 for that same time period.The 110th Indianapolis 500 ranks was the second most-watched Indianapolis 500 since 2012 when 6,851,000 viewers tuned into the telecast on ABC.It is also FOX’s most watched telecast since the World Baseball Classic on March 17, 2026.Top Local Markets For Indianapolis 500 On FOXIndianapolis was the top local market with a 20.9 rating and 68 percent share. That means of all the TVs that were on in Indianapolis, 68 percent were tuned into the Indianapolis 500.Dayton, Ohio followed at 6.2/24 with Louisville third at 5.7/23, Cincinnati at 5.5/25, Milwaukee at 5.3/27 and Fort Myers, Florida at 5.3/19.IndyCar on FOX is averaging 2,383,000 viewers through seven races in 2026. That is up 10 percent over last year’s season to date at 2,173,000.MORE FOR YOUIt is also the best start to an IndyCar season since the merger between the Indy Racing League and Champ Car in 2008.“In its two years on F...