The 2025 Daytona 500 had all the makings of a ratings hit—until Mother Nature stepped in. The race started strong, trending toward a big number, but once the rain delay hit, many viewers didn’t return to watch William Byron with Hendricks Motorsports win his second straight year.
Still, the final viewership averaged 7.0 million viewers, up 13% from 2024, with a 6.7 rating. While solid, NASCAR officials have to wonder: how high could the numbers have gone without the delay?
What Could Have Been
Before the rain hit, early numbers indicated the race was on pace for its best ratings in years. If the weather had held, analysts estimate the race could have drawn 8.5 million viewers, possibly challenging MLB playoff numbers. Instead, the rain scattered the audience, and many never tuned back in.
Still Beating the NBA
Even with the weather hiccup, NASCAR easily outpaced the NBA All-Star Game, which dropped to just 4.7 million viewers—a 13% decline from last year and the second-lowest ever.
For context, last year's Stanley Cup Final Game 7 averaged 7.7 million viewers, while MLB's postseason games hovered around 7.5 million. NASCAR’s numbers, even in a rain-altered event, still put it in elite company.
The Glory Days Are Gone, But NASCAR Still Packs a Punch
Let’s be real—NASCAR’s peak is long behind it. From 2001-2015, anything under 17 million viewers for the Daytona 500 was a disappointment. Will we ever see those numbers again? Probably not.
But in today’s sports landscape, where even the NBA Finals are struggling, NASCAR still commands a major audience. And given the trend this year before the rain, there's reason to believe NASCAR could have had its biggest Daytona 500 in years.
Had the skies stayed clear, who knows how high the numbers could have climbed?
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Source: Outkick
Photo Credit: NASCAR
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