The NASCAR Cup Series race held at Martinsville on Sunday garnered 2.394 million viewers, as reported by the Sports Business Journal. This figure represents a slight decline from the previous year when the race took place on the same weekend at the same track and attracted 2.422 million viewers. Notably, the 2026 race saw fan-favorite Chase Elliott triumphantly returning to victory lane after a thrilling battle with defending champion Denny Hamlin.
On the other hand, the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race on Saturday achieved a milestone by recording the highest viewership ever for this particular race weekend, with a total of 1.198 million viewers. This event also marked the most-watched NOAPS race at Martinsville since the second-tier division race on October 29, 2022, which aired on NBCSN. The 1.198 million viewers for this year’s race represented an 18% increase compared to the previous year, reaching a peak of 1,333,000 viewers during the 5:40 to 5:45 quarter-hour segment.
These viewership statistics are based on the Nielsen Panel + Big Data metric, a standard measurement utilized by the television industry over the past year. As motorsport enthusiasts continue to engage with NASCAR events, the future looks promising for the sport’s television ratings and overall popularity.
