The 2026 edition of the Indianapolis 500 averaged 6.635 million viewers, down from the 7.050 million that watched one year ago.
The pre-race buildup this year wasn’t as dramatic as the year prior, with no bumping and the fact that the Penske scandal dominated headlines. This is also the first time since 2023 that NASCAR star Kyle Larson wasn’t attempting the Indy-Charlotte ‘Double.’ Katherine Legge became the sixth driver in history to start both races on the same day, but she isn’t full-time in either series.
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Despite the dip from 2025, this year’s Indy 500 is now the second-most-watched Indy 500 since 2012, and viewership peaked at 8.349 million around 4:00-4:15pm at the end of the race.
There was no blackout this year, and Indianapolis, Indiana was the top market, followed by Dayton, Ohio, and Louisville, Kentucky.
Despite a slight mid-race delay for rain, the event went as scheduled for the most part. Felix Rosenqvist won the 110th running of the Indy 500 for Meyer Shank Racing, charging from third to first in a one-lap shootout. He passed Team Penske’s David Malukas in the final seconds of the race, beating Malukas in the closest finish ever in the history of the Indy 500 — 0.0233s. The previous record was 0.043, which stood since 1992.
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Overall, this is the best start to an IndyCar season since 2008, when the split officially ended and IndyCar/Champ Car merged. The 2026 season is averaging 2.383 million viewers, which is a 10% bump from last year.
Read Also:
Winners and losers from the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500
Mick Schumacher named Indy 500 Rookie of the Year
Felix Rosenqvist wins 2026 Indy 500 in closest-ever finish
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