NHRA isn’t changing television partners for 2027. It is changing the way its entire national-event product gets delivered.
Beginning next season, NHRA’s Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will be spread across FOX Sports, The CW Network and FloSports in a multi-year media package the sanctioning body says will give the series access to more than 125 million households.
The arrangement keeps FOX in the game, brings The CW into NHRA for the first time and puts live qualifying in the hands of FloRacing. For racers, teams and sponsors who have spent years measuring television exposure almost as closely as elapsed times, the bigger number is only part of the story.
NHRA is effectively dividing its national-event season into distinct broadcast and streaming pieces. FOX Sports will carry the first 13 races, The CW takes over race-day coverage for the final seven and FloRacing becomes the live streaming home for qualifying and eliminations.
It is a considerably different media model from the one NHRA has operated under.
“This is a truly major moment for NHRA and for the future of our sport. These agreements with The CW Network, FOX Sports and FloSports put NHRA racing in front of fans in more ways and on more platforms than ever before,” NHRA President Glen Cromwell said.
“Celebrating our 75th anniversary in 2026, we continue to see tremendous momentum and growth in our audience.
“These new media relationships give us a huge opportunity to build on that and continue to reach new fans and introduce them to the incredible competition, drivers, race teams and excitement that make NHRA Drag Racing so special. We’re extremely proud of these agreements for our race teams, tracks and sponsors, and we’re thrilled to see NHRA’s continued growth with our partners at The CW Network, FOX Sports and FloSports.”
The FOX relationship, which began in 2016, isn’t disappearing. Instead, its role changes significantly once the 2027 season begins with the NHRA Winternationals, Feb. 18-21 at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.
FOX Sports will handle the first 13 events, with two or three scheduled for the FOX broadcast network and the remainder airing on FS1. Coverage will also be available through the FOX One app.
FOX’s Sunday programming will include elimination coverage along with a qualifying recap and highlight program designed to set up race day.
“It’s fantastic to continue our long-standing relationship with the NHRA. With a sport built on speed, adrenaline and mechanical mastery, being able to continue to deliver the blink-of-an-eye action across FOX Sports platforms to the NHRA’s dedicated fan base highlights the commitment to our motor sports lineup,” said Bill Wanger, FOX Sports EVP, head of programming and scheduling.
Then comes the handoff, and NHRA didn’t exactly give its newest television partner the lightweight end of the schedule.
The CW will take over as NHRA’s exclusive race-day broadcast home for the final seven events. Its first NHRA broadcast comes from Indianapolis at the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, the sport’s marquee event, followed by all six races in the Countdown to the Championship.
That puts the entire portion of the season in which NHRA crowns its four professional champions on an over-the-air network.
Between FOX and The CW, NHRA says it will have more over-the-air network broadcasts than at any point in its history. The CW broadcasts will also be available through CW Sports streaming on the ESPN App for ESPN Unlimited subscribers.
“The CW has quickly become a top-tier broadcast destination for motorsports fans, and we are thrilled to add NHRA events to our growing portfolio of CW Sports,” said Mike Perman, senior vice president of CW Sports.
“Beginning next fall, these seven adrenaline-packed NHRA playoff races will pair perfectly with the action of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, making weekends on The CW the premier television home for all racing enthusiasts.”
If the FOX-to-CW split represents the most noticeable change for Sunday viewers, the FloSports agreement may be the biggest adjustment for the hardcore fan who wants to watch a national event unfold from qualifying forward.
FloRacing will exclusively stream every round of qualifying live at all 20 Mission Foods Series national events. It will also carry Sunday eliminations, putting NHRA alongside FloRacing’s existing collection of grassroots and national motorsports programming.
“The NHRA is the crown jewel of drag racing and is going to be a standout addition to a FloRacing portfolio that is quickly becoming an essential destination for drag racing fans,” said Michael Rigsby, general manager of FloRacing.
“We plan to give fans a deep dive into the sport and its drivers that will extend beyond our live streaming coverage.”
FloSports says its NHRA commitment will include original content, editorial coverage and social programming in addition to live racing. That gives NHRA another avenue to sell more than four-wide header flames and finish-line numbers.
There will naturally be an adjustment for viewers.
“We’re extremely proud of these agreements for our race teams, tracks and sponsors,” Cromwell said, “and we’re thrilled to see NHRA’s continued growth with our partners at The CW Network, FOX Sports and FloSports.”
