4 Reasons Fans Say NASCAR Viewership Isn’t Getting Better Despite The Chase Return

NASCAR brought back The Chase format for the 2026 Cup Series season, but viewership numbers have not shown an immediate boost. A recent race at Charlotte averaged 1.480 million viewers on USA Network, marking a 4% decline compared to the previous year. According to fan reactions gathered on X, several fundamental issues beyond the playoff structure continue to hold back the sport's television ratings.

Fans pointed to four primary reasons for the stagnant ratings: dissatisfaction with racing quality under the Next Gen car, an excessive volume of commercial breaks during broadcasts, frustration with switching across multiple networks and streaming platforms, and perceived artificial gimmicks like stage racing.