Graham Rahal, a prominent driver for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, has openly challenged current IndyCar owners to accelerate the sport’s growth. Comparing IndyCar to NASCAR, Rahal stressed the need for Roger Penske and his team to elevate American open-wheel racing beyond recent successes.
Since Roger Penske‘s acquisition of IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2019 from Hulman and Company, Penske Entertainment has been focused on reviving the sport’s prominence. Progress includes securing FOX as the exclusive broadcast partner beginning in 2025, a deal aimed at expanding the series‘ reach.
Recent Viewership Gains Show Progress but Demand More Effort
The 2024 season of IndyCar experienced nearly a 30% boost in overall viewership compared to earlier seasons, with the prestigious Indianapolis 500 attracting an average of over seven million viewers. Despite these encouraging figures, Graham Rahal expressed concern that the growth is insufficient and called for a stronger push by those managing the series.
During his appearance on the Pit Pass Indy podcast, Rahal addressed a scheduling conflict where NASCAR’s Brickyard 400 was held simultaneously with the IndyCar race at Laguna Seca. When asked if this hurt IndyCar’s exposure, Rahal admitted it was not ideal and pointed to declining viewership numbers at certain races, noting a drop from one million to 700,000 viewers.
Rahal Emphasizes Need for Enhanced Marketing and Ambitious Growth Goals
Rahal emphasized the importance of aggressive promotion from Penske Entertainment and the series itself to avoid complacency. He highlighted that current marketing efforts are inadequate to sustain growth or significantly increase the fanbase.
“You know what? The promotion of the series has got to get a lot better. And that starts with the series, period. That starts with, you know, Penske Entertainment, like we as a series need to market ourselves better, period. And so until that changes, I don’t know how much of a boost you’re really going to see. And we don’t need to be complacent and content with what we’re getting either.” —Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver
“We need to strive all the time, not just to be better, but to find a way to double or triple what we’re seeing continuously. So that’s something we got to look at.” —Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver
FOX’s Strategic Investment Signals New Era of IndyCar Media Presence
Following Rahal’s comments, on July 31, 2025, IndyCar confirmed that FOX acquired a one-third ownership stake in Penske Entertainment, the owner of both the <a href="https://www.buzzineintl.com/category/motorsports/indycar/indycar-series/”>IndyCar series and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. FOX’s involvement now extends beyond its role as the series’ exclusive broadcaster to a more direct participation in the sport’s future direction.
Rahal welcomed FOX’s investment enthusiastically, expressing optimism about how this partnership could transform IndyCar’s promotional capabilities and fan engagement.
“LFG. Big news for our sport. Thank you FOX, no doubt we’ll take our sport and marketing to another level that is much needed to match with that great TV package.” —Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver
As part of the agreement, FOX also extended its media rights deal, ensuring a long-term broadcast presence that promises to amplify IndyCar’s visibility in the coming years.
Implications for IndyCar’s Future Growth and Exposure
Graham Rahal’s call for tripling IndyCar’s growth underlines both the opportunity and challenge facing Penske Entertainment. With FOX now a significant stakeholder and broadcast partner, the series could leverage expanded marketing resources and media coverage. However, sustained effort will be essential to convert rising viewership into lasting fan loyalty and competitive prominence in the broader motorsport landscape.
As the 2025 season approaches, the combined ambitions of Penske and FOX are expected to drive strategic initiatives aimed at broadening IndyCar’s appeal across diverse audiences, positioning it for renewed success in the U.S. motorsports scene.