Penske Entertainment and FOX Corporation have entered into a landmark partnership that signals a new chapter for North American open-wheel racing. FOX has acquired a one-third ownership stake in Penske Entertainment—parent of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway—marking a strategic investment in both the media and business future of the sport.
The move, announced Thursday, deepens FOX’s involvement in motorsports and coincides with a multi-year extension of INDYCAR’s media rights deal with FOX Sports. The network took over broadcast rights this season and has already delivered a sizable boost in exposure and viewership for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
“This partnership is built on long-standing trust and a shared vision for the future,” said Roger Penske, chairman of Penske Corporation. “FOX sees the incredible potential across our sport and wants to play an active role in building our growth trajectory. Lachlan Murdoch and his team, starting with Eric Shanks, are committed to our success and will bring incredible energy and innovation to INDYCAR.”
The 2025 INDYCAR season has already seen significant momentum under FOX’s media umbrella. Viewership is up 31 percent year-over-year. The major highlight of the Indianapolis 500, which drew 7.01 million viewers—a 17-year high and a 41 percent increase over last year’s edition.
“We’re thrilled to join the INDYCAR ownership group at such a pivotal time for the sport,” said FOX Sports CEO and Executive Producer Eric Shanks. “INDYCAR represents everything we value in live sports — passionate fans, iconic venues, elite competition, and year-round storytelling potential. This investment underscores our commitment to motorsports and our belief in INDYCAR’s continued growth on and off the track.”
Beyond broadcast reach, the partnership promises a robust push into digital engagement, immersive content, and next-level driver promotion. INDYCAR has already made strides in that arena, launching a new app, website, fantasy platform, and surpassing 1 million new social media followers.
The series will also continue to innovate on the event side. A new street race in Arlington, Texas is slated for 2026 as part of a joint venture with the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers, aimed at blending sports, entertainment, and community engagement.
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES remains the only premier North American motorsport with all races airing on network television. The series returns to action with the Grand Prix of Portland on Aug. 10 at 3 p.m. ET on FOX.
As for the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it remains the crown jewel of the Penske Entertainment portfolio, drawing over 300,000 fans for this year’s Indianapolis 500—still the largest single-day spectator sporting event in the world.
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