2026 Daytona 500 on FOX Draws 7.5 Million Viewers, Rivals Olympics Overage

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The 68th running of the Daytona 500 was a ratings success, drawing 7.5 million viewers on FOX - an 11% increase from 2025. The race was the most-watched program during its primary broadcast window, outperforming the non-prime-time coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. Tyler Reddick of the 23XI Racing team, co-founded by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan, took the checkered flag in the season-opening NASCAR Cup Series event.

Why it matters

The strong viewership numbers for the Daytona 500 demonstrate the continued popularity of NASCAR, even as major sporting events like the Olympics compete for audience attention. The victory for the 23XI Racing team, co-owned by a NASCAR star and an NBA legend, also highlights the growing influence of high-profile owners in the sport.

The details

FOX Sports PR announced that the 2026 Daytona 500 drew a combined 7,489,000 viewers, an 11% increase from 2025. The race peaked at 9,154,000 viewers from 5:30-5:45 p.m. ET and was the most-watched program during the primary broadcast window of 2:15-5:45 p.m. ET, outperforming the non-prime-time coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics. Tyler Reddick of the 23XI Racing team took the lead on the final lap and held on to win the race, marking the first Daytona 500 victory for the team co-founded by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan.

• The 2026 Daytona 500 took place on February 15, 2026.
• The race broadcast on FOX ran from 2:15-5:45 p.m. ET.

What’s next

The NASCAR Cup Series field will next compete in the Autotrader 400 at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, Georgia on Sunday, February 22, 2026 (3 p.m. ET on FOX).