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LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 05: The Fox NASCAR, Motorsport, USA logo on display prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum on February 05, 2023, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA. Photo by Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire AUTO: FEB 05 NASCAR Cup Series Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum Icon0072302051170
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LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 05: The Fox NASCAR, Motorsport, USA logo on display prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum on February 05, 2023, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA. Photo by Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire AUTO: FEB 05 NASCAR Cup Series Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum Icon0072302051170
For more than two decades, NASCAR and FOX Sports have been almost inseparable! The network has aired the last 23 Daytona 500s, and the partnership was recently locked in through at least 2031 with the new media rights deal. It’s one of the rare long-term marriages between a sport and a broadcaster. But lately, according to reports, the relationship between FOX and NASCAR hasn’t looked quite as smooth as it once did, thanks to NASCAR rival IndyCar’s growing popularity.
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IndyCar push sparks fresh gossip in NASCAR circles
Over the past year, conversations inside NASCAR circles have quietly shifted toward one question. Has FOX Sports started drifting away from its long-time stock car partner? And as they say, there is no smoke without fire; the conversations are backed by some seemingly strange decisions on FOX’s end.
To begin with, the first signs of unease appeared when FOX decided to pull the plug on “Race Hub,” its long-running daily NASCAR studio show. The program had been a staple on Fox Sports 1 since debuting in late 2009. It aired Monday through Thursday and served as one of the sport’s primary news and discussion platforms. For many fans and insiders, it was the go-to place for driver interviews, race previews, and breaking updates.
But in mid-2024, FOX abruptly canceled the show, ending a run that had lasted nearly 15 years. The decision immediately raised eyebrows, especially because it reduced the amount of dedicated NASCAR shoulder programming on the network.
.@FoxSports‘ decision to drop “Race Hub” and heavily promote @IndyCar in recent years has led to chatter in NASCAR circles about tension between Fox and @NASCAR.
➡️ But Fox and NASCAR say their relationship is fine and that the industry talk is inaccurate.https://t.co/qn9h6iTKjp
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) March 13, 2026
And then came the development that really fueled speculation.
In July 2025, FOX Corporation acquired a one-third stake in Penske Entertainment in a deal reportedly worth $125–$135 million. Yes, it is the company that owns IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The agreement also included a long-term media rights extension that made FOX the exclusive broadcaster for the IndyCar Series through 2030.
Since then, the network’s promotional priorities have noticeably shifted from NASCAR to IndyCar.
According to iSpot TV data, IndyCar-related advertisements have nearly doubled the number of NASCAR-related spots FOX has aired since the start of 2025. During the offseason, FOX even flew four IndyCar drivers to Los Angeles to film cinematic commercials promoting the upcoming season.
NASCAR still received promotion ahead of the Daytona 500, but the campaign leaned heavily on classic race highlights rather than fresh storytelling. That contrast has only fueled the ongoing debate about where FOX’s long-term focus might be headed.
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NASCAR and FOX downplay rumors
Despite the growing rumors in garage areas and media circles, both NASCAR and FOX Sports executives have moved quickly to cool speculation about any tension between the two sides. According to Sports Business Journal, NASCAR officials held positive meetings with FOX leadership during the Daytona 500 weekend, reinforcing that the long-standing partnership remains strong behind the scenes.
Jordan Bazant, executive vice president of Fox Sports, made it clear that the network sees its relationship with NASCAR as firmly intact.
“We’re in a great place with NASCAR. We’ve had a lot of success together for more than 25 years, and the measure of any great relationship is the ongoing ability to have the conversations necessary to make things better, to keep things moving forward.” Bazant wrote in an email to SBJ.
From NASCAR’s side, the message has been equally reassuring. Brian Herbst, the sanctioning body’s executive vice president and chief media and revenue officer, emphasized the historic nature of the partnership.
“We’re extraordinarily proud of our relationship with Fox — they are our most long-standing broadcast partner, and they’re the only broadcast partner that has been a part of every single one of NASCAR’s media rights cycles,” Herbst said.
Herbst also pointed to several recent initiatives as proof that FOX remains deeply invested in promoting the sport. The network advertised the Daytona 500 during the NFL’s NFC Championship Game. Moreover, it broadcast the race in 4K for the first time, introducing a refreshed graphics package designed to be easier to read across devices.
FOX also leaned into pop culture, sending Fox News personalities and talent from the FS1 show “First Things First” to broadcast from the track. They even had Bart Simpson wave the green flag to celebrate the 800th episode of The Simpsons. Perhaps most notably, FOX also revived its classic “Speed” brand through a new vlog-style show featuring NASCAR broadcaster Kevin Harvick and IndyCar voice Will Buxton, a move that resonated with longtime fans.
For now, both sides insist the partnership remains strong. However, the shifting media landscape means the conversation around its future likely isn’t going away anytime soon.
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