NHRA didn’t quite match the television audience it attracted a year ago when FOX paired drag racing with its NFL coverage, but Sunday’s Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway came close enough to give the sanctioning body another number worth bragging about.
FOX’s broadcast of the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals averaged 1.896 million viewers, making it the second-most-watched telecast in NHRA history. The audience peaked at 3.247 million, continuing a trend that has made football-adjacent broadcasts some of NHRA’s most valuable television opportunities.
Last year’s Texas Motorplex broadcast set the standard with 2.065 million viewers and a peak audience of 3.631 million. St. Louis finished just 169,000 viewers, or approximately 8.2%, below that record average.
For a sport that has spent decades fighting for mainstream television exposure, drawing nearly 1.9 million viewers is a pretty substantial return. And unlike some television opportunities where the audience arrives without much of a show, NHRA had plenty to offer.
Shawn Langdon continued a Top Fuel winning streak that has become downright oppressive, Austin Prock kept his Funny Car championship hopes alive, and Aaron Stanfield beat his father, Greg, in a Pro Stock final decided on a holeshot. Gaige Herrera completed the professional winners’ circle in Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Saturday’s sellout marked the sixth consecutive Saturday sellout at World Wide Technology Raceway and NHRA’s 11th sellout date during its 75th anniversary season.
Sunday’s broadcast continued a six-year arrangement that has positioned an NHRA Countdown race adjacent to FOX football coverage. Most markets received drag racing following football, while others carried the race before their NFL broadcast.
