NASCAR made its long‑awaited return to the 2.5‑mile oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend, marking the first Cup Series race on that configuration since 2020.
Corey Heim captured the victory, securing his second win of the season despite only part‑time participation, a feat that highlighted the competitiveness of the field.
The race resonated with audiences, delivering an average of 2.384 million viewers and a 1.34 rating, both of which outperformed the 2025 edition.
A Surprising Upswing in Supporting Series
Saturday’s supporting O'Reilly Series race added to the momentum, peaking at 1.521 million total viewers — a 13% jump over the previous year’s numbers.
The revival of the historic Brickyard event, coupled with the strong showing of the supporting series, suggests that fans are eager for traditional oval competition at the iconic venue.
Track operators and series officials are likely to consider expanding oval‑based dates, leveraging the demonstrated demand, while the series has not yet announced future schedule changes.