Driving in to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on race day before 5 a.m. is a great time for thinking about what will happen and how it may impact the NTT IndyCar Series, which historically sees a huge bump in television ratings from the greatest motorsports event on the entire planet.
How to capture the vast opportunity from yet another phenomenal finish is the challenge for the NTT IndyCar Series, and their television partner Fox Sports, and indeed is a tall task for those calling the shots in a sport that has struggled away from the Cathedral of Motorsports in terms of overall television ratings.
When Felix Rosenqvist parlayed an incredible final lap to Victory Lane at 16th Street and Georgetown Road, it capped off a final twenty laps of racing that kept purists satisfied and complete novices to the sport glued to their respective televisions, which is exactly what Fox Sports was hoping for.
With the 2025 race peaking at just over eight million viewers in the final laps, it would lend to thinking that this past Sunday’s thrilling conclusion will hold serve, if not eclipsing that threshold.
With an official proclamation forthcoming from Nielsen, the big question remaining is how IndyCar can take the gold from a barn burner of a finish and apply it to the balance of a diversified slate of races that remain on their 2026 schedule which will showcase ovals, street courses and road courses.
Typically it’s been a daunting challenge for any television partner associated with the Series, but could this be the year the powerhouse that is the Indy 500 catapults the interest level beyond the Brickyard, and sets the tone for the upcoming contests in Detroit, St. Louis and beyond, in terms of the all-important increased television numbers they’re been seeking forever?
Obviously only time will tell, but I remain cautiously optimistic about the chance.
Notes: Penske Racing’s David Malukas showed raw emotion and later total class when discussing his obvious disappointment in finishing runner up in the closest finish in the history of the legendary event. Look for him to break through with his first victory yet this season.
Fellow Penske teammate Scott McLaughlin rocketed on the final restart to finish third. Many felt it was redemption for him after a disastrous ending to his 2025 Indy 500 in which he unexpectedly crashed on the opening pace laps of the race. I prefer to call it a validation for one of the most talented drivers in the Series and one who like Malukas, will win it one day.
Speaking of the final restart, while it produced an absolute phenomenal finish, one could argue that Rookie of the Year Mick Schumacher’s brush with the wall didn’t warrant a yellow flag being thrown.
While safety is paramount, Schumacher didn’t miss a beat and continued on, making the caution seem both unnecessary and odd.
For the fifth straight year the total purse for the Indy 500 increased, this time to a gaudy figure of almost thirty-one million dollars. Winning team Meyer Shank Racing and driver Felix Rosenqvist received a whopping $4.34 million dollars for their efforts, with twenty-two drivers eclipsing the million dollar mark in prize money.
The average payout disbursed at the Victory Banquet was just over $936,000 dollars per driver.
The next stop on the NTT IndyCar Series schedule is this weekend in Detroit for the Grand Prix Street Course event. If you can’t make the drive to the Motor City, you can watch it live this Sunday at 12:30 Eastern on Fox 59.
Danny Bridges, who would’ve been happy with the last place payout from IMS, can be reached at (317) 370-8447 or bridgeshd@aol.com.
Danny Bridges is an award-winning journalist and a longtime sports columnist for the Indianapolis Recorder. He covers college, professional sports and especially all things IndyCar racing. He can be reached at 317-370-8447 or at bridgeshd@aol.com.
