The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series hit a massive milestone during the Texas NHRA FallNationals, as more fans than ever before tuned in to watch the action. Sunday’s eliminations broadcast on FOX pulled in 2.065 million viewers, making it the most-watched telecast in NHRA history.
The Texas Motorplex event peaked at an incredible 3.63 million viewers, setting a new high-water mark for drag racing coverage on national television. It’s the first time a single NHRA broadcast has broken the two-million-viewer barrier, signaling that more fans than ever are paying attention to straight-line action.
This comes just weeks after the Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals pulled over a million live viewers, the most-watched Indy broadcast in series history. The FallNationals, which capped off the Stampede of Speed, built on that momentum and delivered a perfect storm of playoff intensity and record-breaking engagement.
“This record-setting broadcast is a testament to an exceptional production team – truly the best in the business at delivering drag racing action to our loyal fans with unmatched commitment and passion for the broadcast,” NHRA Vice President of Broadcast Steve Reintjes said.
“This milestone also wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the Meyer family and their team at the Texas Motorplex, along with our valued partners at FOX Sports, race teams, and sponsors.”
Fans were treated to a thrilling day of racing that saw Doug Kalitta, Austin Prock, Dallas Glenn, and Richard Gadson each grab key victories in their Countdown runs. The mix of tight racing, title implications, and FOX’s wide reach made for a perfect showcase for NHRA racing.
Texas Motorplex Co-Owner Christie Meyer Johnson credited the partnership between NHRA and FOX for helping showcase drag racing to a wider audience.
“We are thrilled to have showcased the Stampede of Speed and Texas Fall Nationals to a record-setting television audience,” Texas Motorplex Co-Owner Christie Meyer Johnson said. “Thank you to the NHRA and FOX for providing us with this platform. Working together, we were able to introduce a huge new audience to the excitement of NHRA drag racing.”
The season now heads into its final stretch, with the last two events of 2025, the Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals and the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals, both airing on FS1. Fans can catch eliminations coverage on Sunday, Nov. 2 (5 p.m. ET) from Las Vegas and Sunday, Nov. 16 (4 p.m. ET) from Pomona.