By John Sturbin, Raceday San Antonio

Alex Palou’s dominant run to a fourth NTT IndyCar Series championship arguably generated appointment TV for open-wheel fans on FOX Sports’ various platforms.

Alex Palou – Java House Grand Prix of Monterey – Photo by Joe Skibinski

The plusses-and-minuses of Palou’s eight-win season during the 17-race schedule remains fodder for bench racers at the start of INDYCAR’s lengthy offseason. FOX Sports executives can counter with real-world numbers, beginning with an average of 1,362,000 viewers per event, according to Nielsen Media Research. That represents a 27 percent year-to-year increase from 2024 (on NBC and its platforms) and the most-watched season in 17 years.

In 2025, the NTT IndyCar Series recorded the most audience growth to-date of any sport averaging at least 1-million viewers.

“In partnership with FOX Sports, our viewership growth curve is the most impressive in all of sports,” said Mark Miles, president/CEO of Penske Entertainment. “We’re incredibly pleased with the first year of this relationship and know we can kick things into an even higher gear moving forward.”

The 2025 season-finale from the Nashville Superspeedway oval in Lebanon, Tenn., on Aug. 31 delivered 1,142,000 viewers _ up 136 percent from last year’s event and the most-watched Nashville race since 2021. Two-time series champion Josef Newgarden scored his first win of the season in the No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet at the expense of Palou, driver of the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Palou finished second by 0.5021-seconds.

Recapping key 2025 FOX INDYCAR season metrics:

_ Impressive increases were recorded in the coveted 18-34 (plus-81 percent) and 18-49 (plus-51 percent) demographics; the season also saw huge increases among women viewers _ 18-34 (plus-72 percent) and 18-49 (plus-30 percent).

_ The 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge _ Palou’s first oval-track victory _ delivered in grand fashion, bringing in 7,088,000 viewers, a 41 percent increase over 2024 (5,024,000), making it the most-watched Indy 500 in 17 years.

_ The season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Fla., presented by RP Funding _ also won by Palou _ delivered 1,418,000 viewers, a 14-year high and a 45 percent increase over the previous year.

“In a season loaded with both massive successes and key learnings, we couldn’t be more excited about the potential we see in the FOX INDYCAR relationship as we close-out the 2025 season together,” said Eric Shanks, FOX Sports CEO/executive producer. “Expanding on our connection with INDYCAR for next year and beyond, projects already are well underway to keep this momentum going at full-speed.”

The ratings numbers are particularly impressive considering the mercurial Palou clinched his third consecutive championship at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway on Aug. 10, in Round 15 of the schedule. Palou opened an insurmountable 151-point gap over native Mexican Pato O’Ward, driver of the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, with two races remaining.

Having secured another Astor Challenge Cup, Palou and the No. 10 team were two victories away from tying INDYCAR’s all-time single-season wins record of 10, a mark most recently reached 55 years ago. That record is shared by Houston native A.J. Foyt Jr. _ aka “Super-Tex” (1964) _ and Al Unser (1970).

Palou’s bid for that bit of history ended on Aug. 24, when Christian Rasmussen of Denmark and Ed Carpenter Racing scored his first series victory at The Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, Wis. Rasmussen and his No. 21 ECR Splenda Stevia Chevrolet beat Palou by 1.9463-seconds after taking the lead from the Spaniard on Lap 235 of 250.

“Amazing. Amazing season. Amazing five seasons with the team,” said Palou, a 28-year-old native of Spain. “This season has been truly, truly special. Just felt like since Day One the amazing work that everybody at CGR and Honda had done over the off-season was incredible, like starting the season winning in St. Pete, then Thermal (Calif.). It was a really good start. Then getting the Indy 500. Eight wins, then the championship.

“It’s been incredible. It’s been super, super-fun. Yeah, I’m just lucky enough to drive that No. 10 car.”

FOX Sports execs wisely selected Palou as the face of their inaugural promotional campaign, and he delivered not only for the network but also primary sponsor DHL and CEO Mike Parra.

“This will be the best year we have had in INDYCAR in the last 15 years,” Parra said during Palou’s post-race presser at Nashville Superspeedway. “By far the greatest level of eyeballs, the greatest level of media value. It’s big. It’s been absolutely big. Plus it’s the first time that we’ve now got a global audience that’s tuning in. Alex in Spain is growing, getting a lot of media attention there as well.

“I look forward to something happening next year, which I’ve been pitching to Mark Miles and the team for a long time, and that is that we’re going to Mexico. That is absolutely exciting for someone like myself. We have a big group of people there in that marketplace. I look forward to seeing a sea of yellow in Mexico. I’m sure we’re going to be competing with Pato there from that perspective.”

For the record, INDYCAR has not released its full 2026 schedule or confirmed a 2026 race date in Mexico. The series will, however, re-enter the lucrative North Texas market via the inaugural INDYCAR Grand Prix of Arlington, scheduled for March 13-15, 2026. The event will showcase racing through Arlington’s Entertainment District via a first-of-its-kind joint venture with the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers.

Racing will take place on a temporary, 2.73-mile street-course against the backdrop of a pair of sporting venues recognized by fans around the world _ AT&T Stadium, home of the National Football League’s Cowboys, and Globe Life Field, home of Major League Baseball’s Rangers. The track will weave through Arlington’s core sports and entertainment district, which annually sells more than 1.6-million tickets to stick-and-ball spectators _ many of whom likely never have attended a live motorsports event.

The NTT IndyCar Series previously competed on Texas Motor Speedway’s high-banked/1.5-mile oval in Fort Worth between 1997 and 2023.

Recall that Fox Corporation, parent company of FOX Sports, previously announced this summer an investment in the future of North America’s premier open-wheel racing series with acquisition of one-third interest in Penske Entertainment, inclusive of INDYCAR and the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The announcement included a multi-year extension of INDYCAR’s media rights with FOX Sports.

“For us, we’re leveraging an opportunity as well, what we call business-to-business,” DHL’s Parra said. “We’ve been working the paddock for a long time. We got a gentleman (Rick Stark) who has been working with a lot of people. We’re working across all the teams, offering the opportunity to leverage our strength in 220 countries globally, as well. It’s a business opportunity, but also an opportunity for our employees.”

Team-owner Ganassi noted his organization’s alliance with DHL has been successfully symbiotic. “It’s taken our brand, just exposes our brand, to a new audience, a larger audience and an international audience,” Ganassi said. “To me, that’s very important. Expands our footprint immensely.”

INDYCAR’s lone Canadian race is exiting Toronto beginning in 2026.

Green Savoree Toronto ULC, the City of Markham and INDYCAR have confirmed a new home for the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy under a multi-year agreement. The NTT IndyCar Series will race on a street circuit built in the City of Markham on Aug. 14-16, 2026.

Markham, Ontario, is adjacent to Toronto’s northeastern municipal boundary and in York Region, which is experiencing significant growth at a population of already more than 1.25-million residents. The race will be held in Markham Centre, the city’s downtown core, and home to many Canadian corporate headquarters, the York University Markham Campus and Markham Pan Am Centre _ a key venue during the 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games.

“We could not be more pleased to see the rich history of NTT IndyCar Series racing continue in Ontario,” said Mark Miles, president/CEO of Penske Entertainment. “Markham is a growing, diverse and dynamic city and will provide a terrific showcase for our exhilarating wheel-to-wheel racing. I would like to thank Mayor Frank Scarpitti for this new partnership and Jeff Atkinson and the team at Green Savoree Toronto for their leadership.

“It is crucial for INDYCAR to continue to reach our fans in Canada, and we simply cannot wait for this new chapter to begin next year.”

The INDYCAR race in Ontario has run on the Streets of Toronto since 1986 under CART, Champ Car, Indy Racing League and INDYCAR sanction with the exception of absences in 2008, 2020 and 2021. The course’s most recent configuration was a 1.786-mile/11-turn temporary layout. Pato O’Ward, a native of Mexico with family ties to San Antonio, Texas, won the event on July 20 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.

Bobby Rahal won the inaugural Toronto race sanctioned by the Championship Auto Racing Teams on July 20, 1986 and was joined on an all-American podium by runnerup Danny Sullivan and third-place Mario Andretti.

Michael Andretti, Mario’s oldest son, won the event a record seven times between July 1989 and July 2001. The list of race-winners includes native Canadian Paul Tracy (1993, 2003), Brazilians Emerson Fittipaldi and Cristiano da Matta, Alex Zanardi of Italy, Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais, Dario Franchitti of Scotland, native New Zealander Scott Dixon, Will Power of Australia and Americans Al Unser Jr. and Josef Newgarden.

Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham will be the largest sports and cultural celebration in York Region’s history. The event is expected to draw more than 140,000 attendees over the three-day weekend and generate multi-millions in economic activity through sport tourism, hospitality and event services.

“Markham is ready to build on its strong sports legacy and offer a new home where this celebrated summer tradition can thrive,” Mayor Scarpitti said. “I’m extremely proud of our team at the City of Markham for bringing this initiative across the finish line in just a matter of months.”

The temporary track will be built in the eastern precinct of Markham’s downtown, between Kennedy Road, Enterprise Boulevard, Unionville GO tracks and Highway 407. Renowned track engineer Tony Cotman of NZR Consulting has led the design process of the temporary circuit, featuring a 2.19-mile/ 3.52-kilometer/12-turn layout and double-sided pit lane. The City of Markham has begun early works on the track and festival site in coordination with Metrolinx and area partners.

“The inaugural Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham will build on the legacy of this great Ontario event, which started in 1986,” said Atkinson, president of the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham. “We look forward to welcoming all our fans, the drivers and race teams out to this terrific new venue in Markham Centre next August.”

Markham has a “favorite son” connection to INDYCAR, as Indianapolis 500 pole-winner, INDYCAR race-winner and FOX Sports commentator James Hinchcliffe was born in the city.

“Markham was my first home and where my racing dreams took root,” the popular Hinchcliffe said. “So, it’s extra special to know the NTT IndyCar Series will be there starting with the 2026 season. Ontario has some incredibly passionate open-wheel racing fans, and I can’t wait to see them lining the streets for an epic event.”

Event updates and ticket pricing will be posted at hondaindy.com.

INDY NXT race-winner Myles Rowe has re-signed with ABEL Motorsports for the 2026 INDY NXT by Firestone season. Rowe will continue driving the Force Indy No. 99 entry.

“It’s a huge privilege to be extending the partnership with Abel Motorsports,” Rowe said. “Their support and dedication is exactly what a driver looks for in a team. I couldn’t be more pleased to continue our strides to contest for the 2026 INDY NXT by Firestone championship.”

Aligning with ABEL Motorsports for the 2025 season, Rowe scored 10 top-five and six podium finishes on his way to becoming the first black driver to win in INDY NXT, at Iowa Speedway in Newton. Rowe added his second victory in the season-ender at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn.

“Our performance has seen encouraging progression over the 2025 season, and the ability to continue to work on what we have developed together is something I’m very eager to pursue and grateful to have,” said Rowe, a 25-year-old native of Powder Springs, Ga.

“I’m really excited to have Myles back with us for 2026,” team-owner Bill Abel said. “It’s been fantastic to watch his progression throughout his career and it was super-satisfying to see him win this year. We’re looking for more of that in 2026.”

The pairing of Rowe and Force Indy with ABEL Motorsports will begin preparing for the 2026 season on Oct. 27^th with the annual Chris Griffis Memorial test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

ABEL Motorsports is a leader the INDY NXT by Firestone Championship, developmental series of the NTT IndyCar Series. The 2024 season saw ABEL Motorsports score three wins, three poles and 12 podiums en route to second in the entrant championship claimed by Andretti Global.

Established in October 2020, Force Indy is a change agent in the motorsports industry. The foundation of Force Indy is an alliance with NXG Youth Motorsports founder Rod Reid and motorsports mogul Roger S. Penske, owner of INDYCAR, IMS and a three-car NTT IndyCar Series team. Force Indy’s priority is finding skilled and talented individuals and mentoring them for success at the highest level of open-wheel racing.

Final 2025 NTT IndyCar Series Point Standings _ 1, Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing, 711; 2, Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren, 515; 3, Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing, 452; 4, Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global, 433; 5, Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren, 431; 6, Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing, 372; 7, Colton Herta, Andretti Global, 372; 8, Marcus Armstrong, Meyer Shank Racing, 364; 9, Will Power, Team Penske, 357; 10, Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske, 356;

11, David Malukas, A.J. Foyt Racing, 318; 12, Josef Newgarden, Team Penske, 316; 13, Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing, 313; 14, Rinus VeeKay, Dale Coyne Racing, 305; 15, Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing, 297; 16, Santino Ferrucci, A.J. Foyt Racing, 293; 17, Kyffin Simpson, Chip Ganassi Racing, 282; 18, Conor Daly, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 268; 19, Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 260; 20, Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global, 234;

21, Callum Ilott, PREMA Racing, 218; 22, Nolan Siegel, Arrow McLaren, 213; 23, Louis Foster, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 213; 24, Robert Shwartzman, PREMA Racing, 211; 25, Sting Ray Robb, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 181; 26, Devlin DeFrancesco, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 171; 27, Jacob Abel, Dale Coyne Racing, 123; 28, Takuma Sato, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 36; 29, Helio Castroneves, Meyer Shank Racing, 20; 30, Ed Carpenter, Ed Carpenter Racing, 16;

31, Jack Harvey, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports, 12; 32, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports, 10; 33, Kyle Larson, Arrow McLaren with Henrick Motorsports, 6; 34, Marco Andretti, Andretti Herta with Marco & Curb-Agajanian, 5.

FOX SPORTS’ 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES BROADCAST COVERAGE SCHEDULE

Sunday, March 2 _ Streets of St. Petersburg, Fla. (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, March 23 _The Thermal Club, Thermal, Calif.  (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, April 13 _ Streets of Long Beach, Calif. (Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global)

Sunday, May 4 _ Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Ala. (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Saturday, May 10 _ Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road-Course (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, May 25 _ Indianapolis Motor Speedway Oval (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, June 1 _ Streets of Detroit (Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global)

Sunday, June 15 _ World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Ill. (Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global)

Sunday, June 22 _ Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis. (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, July 6 _ Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington (Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Saturday, July 12 _ Iowa Speedway, Newton, Race 1 (Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren)

Sunday, July 13 _ Iowa Speedway, Newton, Race 2 (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, July 20 _ Streets of Toronto, Canada (Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren)

Sunday, July 27 _ WeatherTech Raceway, Laguna Seca, Monterey, Calif. (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, Aug. 10 _ Portland (Ore.) International Raceway (Will Power, Team Penske)

Sunday, Aug. 24 _ The Milwaukee Mile, West Allis, Wis. (Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing)

Sunday, Aug. 31 _ Nashville Superspeedway, Lebanon, Tenn. (Josef Newgarden, Team Penske)