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Fox Sports Reveals Promising Daytona 500 Ratings

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jonathan Howard | Last updated Feb 19, 2026 2:19 PM ET

When it comes to the Daytona 500, NASCAR and Fox Sports expect big numbers, and that is exactly what they got this year. FOX saw an 11% increase over last year's race, and that is with the green flag being pushed up an hour to avoid the weather.

Michael Jordan in Victory Lane has been nothing but great for NASCAR. Tyler Reddick's victory was seen by an average of 7,489,000 viewers, and a peak of 9,154,000 as the race was coming to an end.

Fox Sports is calling it a "slam dunk" in the ratings. With a double-digit increase, you have to take it as a success. It would have been nice to eclipse those 2023 numbers, but maybe next season.

Tyler Reddick pulls ahead of the wrecking field to win the Daytona 500.© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Ratings slam dunk! FOX Sports delivered 7,489,000 viewers for Sunday’s Daytona 500, an +11% jump over 2025 (6,761,000)!

▪️Outscored every non-prime Winter Olympics window on broadcast and cable
▪️Topped all broadcast and cable networks in viewership during the race from… pic.twitter.com/gmg5qlk1zP
— FOX Sports PR (@FOXSportsPR) February 19, 2026

The Daytona 500 is the Great American Race. In recent years, bad weather and bad officiating from NASCAR have overshadowed the race. This year, it was kind of a classic Daytona 500. Big names all around, celebrities, musicians, athletes, Bart Simpson - the race started at 2:15 p.m. ET and finished without a weather delay. No major delays. Then, Michael Jordan ended up in Victory Lane.

Fox Sports also saw a major bump in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series . More than a 30% increase in viewership between last season and this season. You can likely thank the addition of Tony Stewart, with a little credit going to Cleetus McFarland and Travis Pastrana as well.

The Daytona 500 and Daytona as a whole were a great week. NASCAR got off to a solid start with a week that was spared by Mother Nature. Now, hopefully, those casual fans will decide to tune in this weekend at Atlanta and see that the action doesn't end in Week 1.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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