Chase Elliott raced under the lights at EchoPark Speedway on Saturday night and crossed the line first—but that wasn’t the only thing that made headlines. As the race unfolded, so did something much bigger for NASCAR. This event came during a new stretch of coverage tied to a major broadcast deal. With a familiar name in victory lane and new media plans being tested, the night may have meant more than just a checkered flag.
A Key Test in a $7.7 Billion Broadcast Era
The EchoPark Speedway race was the third event broadcast under the TNT/Max portion of NASCAR’s new seven-year media rights agreement, which begins in full next year. That deal—worth $7.7 billion—splits NASCAR coverage among FOX, NBC, Amazon Prime Video, and Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT/Max, with each partner carrying five races per season beginning in 2025.
This weekend’s race was an important test of that model. The 1.608 million viewers on TNT and truTV came despite a multi-hour rain delay and without public viewership data from Max, where many fans streamed the race live. Once those figures are released, the total reach could be significantly higher.
.@TNTdrama + @truTV got 1.608 million viewers for Saturday's delayed NASCAR Cup race at Echo Park.
➡️ That does not include @StreamOnMax viewers.
➡️ No direct comparison to last year because Atlanta was in September and the same calendar weekend was Nashville on Sunday on NBC. pic.twitter.com/acix6oKd8Z
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) July 1, 2025
By placing select races on cable and streaming platforms now, NASCAR is helping fans adjust ahead of next season’s full transition. If viewers continue to follow the product across platforms—especially when it features popular drivers like Chase Elliott—it bodes well for NASCAR’s confidence in this hybrid media structure.
Chase Elliott’s Win: Good for Ratings and the Playoff Picture
Chase Elliott delivered the kind of finish TV executives dream of. The Georgia native held off Brad Keselowski in a late-race sprint to secure his first win since April 2024 and end a 44-race drought. It marked Elliott’s 20th career Cup Series win, and with it, a guaranteed spot in the 2025 NASCAR Playoffs.
The storyline provided a ratings boost and fan engagement, with Elliott being one of the sport’s most popular and marketable drivers. The victory also made him the 12th different race winner of the season, intensifying the playoff picture with just a handful of regular season races remaining.
Current playoff leaders include:
Kyle Larson – 3 wins, leads playoff points.
Denny Hamlin & Christopher Bell – 3 wins each, closely behind Larson.
William Byron – leads the regular-season standings in total points but has just one win.
Chase Elliott – moves into 5th in playoff standings after Atlanta victory.
With only four spots left for non-winners to qualify on points, the intensity in the upcoming races—including next week’s Chicago Street Race—is expected to climb sharply.
In-Season Stakes Raise the Heat at EchoPark
The EchoPark Speedway event was also part of NASCAR’s in-season tournament, adding more meaning to each position and finish. With stage points and head-to-head matchups in play, fans had more than just wins to track, and networks had additional narratives to promote.
The TNT broadcast was also boosted by creative features and storytelling elements designed to cater to both casual and hardcore fans. While some fans remain wary of shifting away from traditional broadcast TV, the sport’s ability to pull solid cable ratings with a streaming supplement may reassure partners heading into 2025.
News in Brief: Chase Elliott Lifts NASCAR’s Billion-Dollar Vision
NASCAR’s $7.7 billion media rights deal is reshaping how and where fans consume races—and Saturday night at EchoPark Speedway offered a glimpse into that future. Despite being on cable, and despite weather delays, the 1.608 million viewers for the race show that fans are willing to follow NASCAR across platforms—especially when the product delivers thrilling results.
As the sport prepares for its next streaming-heavy chapter in 2025, results like this affirm NASCAR’s gamble: that stars like Chase Elliott, multi-layered playoff formats, and multi-platform accessibility will keep fans engaged, no matter where they’re watching.
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