IndyCar's Phoenix Race Sees TV Ratings Growth

The Good Ranchers 250 at Phoenix Raceway draws over 1.2 million viewers, up from previous year.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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IndyCar's return to Phoenix Raceway for the Good Ranchers 250 saw a 77% increase in television ratings compared to last year's race at The Thermal Club. The race averaged 1.247 million viewers on Fox, peaking at 1.468 million viewers towards the end of the event where Josef Newgarden took the lead and won.

Why it matters

The strong TV ratings for the Phoenix race are a positive sign for IndyCar as the series aims to build momentum coming off its season opener. The back-to-back race weekends to start the season also appear to be helping maintain viewer interest compared to previous years when there was a longer gap between the first two races.

The details

Saturday's race at Phoenix Raceway drew 1.247 million viewers on Fox, down slightly from the 1.4 million who watched the season opener in St. Petersburg. However, viewership was up 77% compared to last year's second race of the season at The Thermal Club. The race peaked at 1.468 million viewers from 5-5:14pm, which was the end of the event where Josef Newgarden took the lead and ultimately won.

  • The Good Ranchers 250 took place on Saturday, March 8, 2026.
  • The previous year's race at The Thermal Club occurred in 2025.

The players

Josef Newgarden

The driver who took the lead and won the Good Ranchers 250 at Phoenix Raceway.

Fox

The television network that broadcast the Good Ranchers 250 and now owns a one-third stake in IndyCar's parent company, Penske Entertainment.

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What they’re saying

“Christian Rasmussen feels 'robbed' of Phoenix win after Will Power incident”

— Christian Rasmussen (yahoo.com)

What’s next

The IndyCar season will continue with the inaugural Grand Prix of Arlington on Sunday, March 16, 2026, the third race in as many weeks to start the season.

The takeaway

IndyCar's decision to schedule back-to-back race weekends to open the 2026 season appears to be paying dividends, with the Phoenix race seeing a significant year-over-year increase in television viewership. This suggests the series is building momentum and maintaining fan interest early in the year.