MOORESVILLE, N.C. — It was a big weekend for motorsports, with impressive viewership across seven different racing series.

The NASCAR Cup Series led the way with the Würth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway drawing 2.56 million viewers on FS1.

The race won by Joey Logano at the 1.5-mile race track, outperformed the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix (1.598 million viewers on ABC) and IndyCar (914,000 viewers on FOX).

The event at Texas earned a 1.38 household rating on FS1, with an average of 2.6 million viewers tuned in per minute, up +7% over 2024 NCS Dover (race No. 11 in 2024) and up +9% over 2024 NCS Texas which ran as race No. 9 in mid-April last year

This is also the most-watched points race at Texas since 2020 when it was run in July on NBCSN (2.7 million).

Through 12 races (including The Clash) on the NASCAR Cup Series calendar, viewership is up 13% on FOX and 16% on FS1 YoY.

Formula 1 earned a 0.77 household rating on ABC with an average of 1.6 million viewers tuned in per minute, including pre-race coverage.

Viewership for the entire telecast was down 45% YOY, but it is important to note that the 2024 F-1 race had an NBA Playoff Game 7 as lead-in, which carried 3.9 million viewers into F-1 coverage just prior to the start of the race.

Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series event from Texas Motor Speedway on the CW attracted 1.002 million viewers.

The Xfinity Series has topped one million viewers in each of its first 12 races this season – its longest streak to start the year since 2017 (13 consecutive races). The 12 Xfinity Series races have been the 12 most-watched telecasts on The CW this year.

Sunday’s IndyCar race on FOX averaged a 0.50 household rating with 914,000 viewers per minute, up 20% over this event last year which aired on NBC opposite the Dover NASCAR Cup Series race.

Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race on FS1 pulled in 401,000 viewers.

Weekend Motorsports, ranked by audience size:

NCS (Texas): 2.560 million viewers on FS1

Formula 1 (Miami GP): 1.598 million viewers on ABC

NXS (Texas): 1.002 million viewers on The CW

IndyCar (Barber): 914,000 viewers on FOX

Formula E (Monaco): 765,000 viewers on CBS

Supercross (Denver): 423,000 viewers on NBC

NCTS (Texas): 401,000 viewers on FS1

All Times Eastern

NASCAR CUP SERIES

AdventHealth 400

Site: Kansas City, Kansas.

Schedule: Saturday, practice, 4:30 p.m., qualifying, 5:40 p.m.; Sunday, race, 3 p.m. (FS1).

Track: Kansas Speedway.

Race distance: 267 laps, 400.5 miles.

Last year: Kyle Larson edged Chris Buescher by .0001 seconds in a photo finish win that broke the record for closest finish in Cup Series history.

Last race: Reigning Cup champion Joey Logano earned his first win of the season in overtime at Texas after passing Michael McDowell with seven to go.

Next race: May 18, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES

Last race: Kyle Larson earned his second series win this season after a late pass of Sam Mayer in a double-overtime finish at Texas.

Next race: May 24, Concord, North Carolina.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES

Heart of America 200

Site: Kansas City, Kansas.

Schedule: Saturday, practice, 2:05 p.m., qualifying, 3:10 p.m., race, 7:30 p.m. (FS1).

Track: Kansas Speedway.

Race distance: 134 laps, 201 miles.

Last year: Dominating with a race-high 79 laps, Corey Heim survived a late surge from Zane Smith earning him his second win of the season.

Last race: Corey Heim battled Rhodes and Hemric three wide on the final lap in double overtime to hang on for the win in Texas.

Next race: May 17, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

FORMULA ONE

Last race: Oscar Piastri took control away from Verstappen with over 40 laps to go in Miami, earning the championship leader his third-straight win and fourth of the season.

Next race: May 18, Imola, Italy.

Online: http://www.formula1.com

INDYCAR

Sonsio Grand Prix

Site: Indianapolis.

Schedule: Friday, practice, 9:30 a.m., practice, 1 p.m., qualifications, 4:30 p.m.; Saturday, warmup, 11:30 a.m., race, 4:30 p.m. (FOX).

Track: IMS Road Course.

Race distance: 85 laps, 207.32 miles.

Last year: Out of the pole position Alex Palou scored his first victory of the year after taking the lead mid-race and sending him to the top of the standings.

Last race: Palou captured his third win of the year in Birmingham, dominating nearly the entire race and leading 81 of 90 laps.

Next race: May 25, Indianapolis.

Online: http://www.indycar.com

NHRA DRAG RACING

Next race: May 18, Elwood, Illinois.

Online: http://www.nhra.com

WORLD OF OUTLAWS

Gettysburg Clash

Site: Abbottstown, Pennsylvania.

Track: Lincoln Speedway (Pa.).

HVAC Distributors Morgan Cup

Site: Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

Track: Williams Grove Speedway.

Next events: May 14 – 15, Ohsweken, Ontario, Conneaut, Ohio, Marion Center, Pennsylvania, Bedford, Pennsylvania, Cornwall, Ontario.

Online: http://worldofoutlaws.com

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing

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© 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

Tribune News Service

NASCAR Championship Weekend, which became a tradition at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November from 2002 to 2019, will return in 2026, NASCAR officially announced Tuesday morning.

NASCAR’s Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck series titles will be decided Nov. 6-8 of 2026 as Homestead joins a rotation of venues for the season climax that will include Phoenix, the current championship home.

“Fans have been asking about it for a long time,” said NASCAR Chief Venue & Racing Innovation Officer Ben Kennedy, who also said the drivers have been asking about returning the finale to Homestead.

“Homestead is a special place,” Homestead-Miami Speedway President Guillermo Santa Cruz said. “It’s a special track and it’s a special location for fans.”

And, the cherry on top for Miami-Dade County: even when Homestead’s not hosting championship weekend, it’s race weekend likely will remain late in the NASCAR playoffs.

Kennedy said while NASCAR doesn’t know how many or which tracks will be in the championship weekend rotation, the goal is to keep the dates for those tracks late in the season.

For fans who head for Homestead, that means races that matter in the most visible way for the season championships as compared to races in March, when NASCAR came this year. Attendance at this year’s race reached projected numbers, Santa Cruz said, but fell “a little shy” of October 2024.

READ MORE: It’s a NASCAR Weekend in Homestead. Yes, they know it’s only March

As national as NASCAR has become during the last 40 years, it’s bedrock support remains the southeast region where it evolved from moonshine running. Florida’s a long state, but Homestead’s still a shorter drive than Phoenix if you’re revving up the car, truck or RV in the Carolinas, Tennessee, Georgia or Alabama.

For the area, that means more fans bringing in money and more media shooting visuals of sunny South Florida that can act as mini-commercials to a national audience starting to go from windbreakers to coats.

This part was important enough that the county commission backed a proposal by commission Vice Chair Kionne McGhee, who represents the area that includes Homestead, to talk about providing services and available tourism tax money for NASCAR if it brought the 2026 Championship Weekend back to Homestead.

(Asked about subsidies from Miami-Dade County, Kennedy said it was nothing NASCAR wanted to speak about at the moment.)

“It’s the end of the [NASCAR] season and we know fans stick around to go to the keys or around South Florida,” Santa Cruz said. “They’re not in a hurry to go back to where they’re from. I know, for sure, some drivers have said, ‘We like to finish at Homestead then go fishing.’”

What’s Happening?

Due to his ongoing injury, Connor Zilisch will not be able to drive Spire Motorsport’s No. 07 Craftsman Truck Series entry at Kansas Speedway. However, in his place, Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron will take over duties in the truck on Saturday night.

• Last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, HMS driver Kyle Larson filled in for the injured Zilisch in the Xfinity Series race. However, according to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports, Larson claimed he might have driven the No. 07 in Kansas. However, Monday’s entry list displayed Byron as the driver.
• Zilisch injured his lower back at Talladega when he spun on the backstretch and made hard contact with the inside wall. At the time, Zilisch was second in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year standings in JR Motorsports’ No. 88.
• The No. 07 is one of two “All-Star” trucks entered by Spire. Alongside the No. 7, the No. 07 had a long list of top names behind the wheel in 2025, such as Byron, Larson, and Michael McDowell.
• Byron, an eight-time winner in the Craftsman Truck Series, has already made his one planned start in the No. 07 for Spire. The two-time Daytona 500 Champion started 13th and finished 14th at Martinsville on Mar. 28.

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TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – A NASCAR driver will meet fans this week before competing at the Kansas Speedway.

According to a press release from Dillons, NASCAR Driver Chris Buescher will meet fans this Friday, May 9, at the North Topeka Dillons.

The event is free to all, including NASCAR fans and Dillons customers.

The Dillons Pop-up NASCAR Celebration will take place in the parking lot of Dillons North Topeka, 800 N.W. 25th, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Fans are invited to the pop-up celebration to meet Buescher and his No. 17 Dillons/Kleenex Mustang. Buescher is entering his 9th full season in the NASCAR Cup Series, fifth as driver of the No. 17.

Buescher will sign autographs from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

At the pop-up, there will also be an event to pair pharmacy expertise to share a healthy side of NASCAR with healthful foods, clinic care, demonstrations, and more.

The parking lot pop-up event will also have Kroger Racing’s Mustang show car and other race-inspired booths. The Oscar Mayer Weinermobile and Colgate Bright Smiles Bright Futures Wagon will both join in the festivities, as well.

Local law enforcement and emergency responders will be there, along with a performance by Topeka High School Drumline and other giveaways, prizes, gift cards, and samples.

There will also be a chance to win a pair of tickets to the 2025 Country Stampede.

Copyright 2025 WIBW. All rights reserved.

It was one wild weekend of surprising outcomes and rather intriguing stats for NASCAR in Texas. Joey Logano broke a tie with Brad Keselowski on the all-time wins list, earning his 37th career victory. The two have been close in win total throughout their careers, but this is actually the first time Logano has edged ahead of Keselowski. And with Kyle Larson’s Xfinity win, he maintains a 100% winning percentage with JR Motorsports. He has one previous start with the team at Watkins Glen in 2022 where he also won.

But if those stats probably aren’t catching your interest, but don’t worry, they’re only the appetizer. Things only get more fun and strange from here…

AAA Insurance files a claim on Victory Lane

Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford

Photo by: Kenneth Richmond / Getty Images

When Logano won Sunday’s Cup race, he was quick to shout out sponsor, AAA Insurance. It was the first win for Logano’s long-time sponsor since joining Penske back in 2013. It’s been quite the journey with several close calls, starting when Logano suffered a violent wreck at Kansas in his first race with AAA as the primary sponsor. But what is even more stunning is the fact that the company has been sponsoring Cup cars since 2005 without a single win until now.

Logano denies the Tootsies #1 yet again

Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford

Photo by: Sean Gardner / Getty Images

Staying with the sponsor theme for now, we take a look at the runner-up finisher at Texas — Ross Chastain. Chastain was driving with the purple Tootsies Orchid Lounge car for just second time since joining Trackhouse. The last time he did so was at Las Vegas in 2022 where he also finished second. And believe it or not, but the winner that day was also Logano.

‘Seven’ is the key for Team Penske

Seven is the magic number for Team Penske, who have now won the last two Cup races with Austin Cindric at Talladega and Logano at Texas. In a strange coincidence, both drivers only led seven laps en route to their respective victories. Perhaps Blaney can continue the trend this weekend…

May the 4th be with drivers starting deep in the field

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Photo by: Sean Gardner / Getty Images

Logano won the race from 27th in the starting lineup while Chastain drove from 31st to second on Sunday. Even Ryan Blaney came from 24th on the grid to ultimately finish third. This is the first time the top three finishers all came from outside the top-20 on the grid at a non-drafting track since New Hampshire in 2008. Shoutout to Joseph Srigley for bringing attention to this rare feat. And weirdly enough, the last time this happened at all was at Talladega in 2014…which also took place on May 4th. Denny Hamlin, who finished last at Texas, won that ‘Dega race.

Don’t start on the front row if you want to win

It would seem like starting up front and securing the first pit stall would be a good thing, but not so much in 2025. The drivers starting on the front row have failed to win every single race this year. The last time this happened was in the volatile 2022 season when the Next Gen car was first introduced. The bad luck streak was finally broken in Race #12 but with the way NASCAR has been going this year, I wouldn’t be surprised if this streak of winless pole-sitters lasts a bit longer.

Some curious caution stats

Justin Allgaier, JR Motorsports Chevrolet

Photo by: James Gilbert / Getty Images

The reconfigured Texas Motor Speedway is a tricky and treacherous place. Both the Xfinity and Truck Series races saw 11 caution flags while the Cup race reached 12. That alone is crazy enough, but it also means that the last three Xfinity and Truck races at Texas have been identical in terms of cautions — 12 in 2023, seven in 2024, and now 11 in 2025. But there’s more: This is now the fifth straight Cup race at Texas with double-digit cautions, which is something that no other track on the entire Cup schedule can say.

A good weekend to have a double-digit palindromic numbers 

Corey Heim, TRICON Garage Toyota

Photo by: Chris Graythen – Getty Images

If you read Motorsport.com’s Daytona 500 ‘what’s in a number’ piece, then you know I’m a big fan of numerology. Well, at Texas this weekend, it was a very good time to be running double-digit palindromic numbers. The No. 22 won the Cup race with Logano, the No. 88 won the Xfinity race with Kyle Larson, and the No. 11 won the Truck race with Corey Heim.