- IndyCar’s visit to Gateway will now start at 8pm on 15th June
- A further four races have had their start times moved earlier to avoid Nascar clashes
IndyCar has shifted its upcoming visit to Gateway in June to a primetime TV slot on Fox.
This will be the first-ever scheduled primetime network IndyCar race on a Sunday night and the first night race at the circuit since 2019.
“This is a massive primetime showcase under the lights for the stars of the NTT IndyCar Series,” said IndyCar president Doug Boles.
“This is also a tremendous display of partnership from both Fox Sports and our friends at World Wide Technology Raceway, who’ve worked with us to generate this exciting opportunity for our sport.
“Race weekend in St Louis is just a month away, and fans in venue and around the country are in for a real treat when IndyCar arrives in town.”
Gateway, now known as the World Wide Technology Raceway for sponsorship reasons, has been on the IndyCar schedule since 1997 and is a firm fan favourite.
IndyCar and Fox have also changed the start times for a further four races. Upcoming visits to Road America, Mid-Ohio, Iowa, and Toronto will all start earlier than originally planned.
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- IndyCar’s TV deal with Fox: Why has the series left NBC and what does the move mean for its future?
- IndyCar 2024 season review: Stuttering viewership and off-track politics overshadow an exciting year
BlackBook says…
This follows a solid, if not spectacular, start to the new broadcast partnership between IndyCar and Fox. After the first five races, IndyCar’s viewership is up 15 per cent on last year, with the series averaging 859,400 viewers in 2025 compared to 747,200 in 2024.
But only one race has averaged over one million viewers, which is a disappointing return considering that all races are airing on the main Fox channel, the only motorsport series to be granted exclusive coverage on broadcast television in the US.
The decision to shift the majority of start times earlier will avoid further clashes with the Nascar Cup Series, something that has certainly been damaging IndyCar’s viewership so far.
It also shows a reactive approach from Fox, a welcome change compared to the more passive previous relationship with NBC.
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