There's A Lot to Unpack From NASCAR's State of the Sport Address

Ahead of Friday’s on-track activity at Phoenix Raceway, NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps and NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell conducted the sanctioning body’s “State of the Sport” address.

While the duo were honest about the challenges ahead for the sport, they also remained optimistic about where NASCAR is heading in the future.

“This sport has momentum in every area. We’re bullish on the future, realistic about the challenges, and confident we’ll keep growing, together,” Phelps said.

With an ongoing legal battle between NASCAR and two of its race teams, television ratings in a double-digit decline, and changes to the schedule, championship venue, and expected changes to the championship format in 2026, there were a lot of items for Phelps and O’Donnell to address.

In the interest of not losing you, here are some quick-hit, biggest takeaways that I drew from the availability:

Championship Rotation

As previously announced, NASCAR's Championship Weekend heads to Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2026, beginning a rotation model for the season finale. While there has been speculation about what tracks will comprise the rotation, Phelps confirmed that Phoenix Raceway "will remain part of the rotation," going forward.

Sponsorship & Growth

Prior to the address, NASCAR added Freeway Insurance as a fourth Premier Partner in a multi-year deal, joining Coca-Cola, Busch Light, and Xfinity in 2026. Phelps says that sponsorship momentum is “the strongest in 15 years,” as he noted both team and league-level partners on the rise.

Additionally, Phelps says digital and social engagement for NASCAR's social media channels hit record highs, fueled by new content efforts and data-driven fan targeting. A major catalyst, in Phelps' opinion, was NASCAR's new state-of-the-art production studio in Concord, NC, where the sanctioning body has been churning out content since it opened a year ago.

Competition & Racing Product

O’Donnell praised Goodyear’s tire development, saying tire wear and driver control “are back where they belong.” And while there is still more left to be desired with the on-track product with the Next Gen car, Goodyear has really been finding ways to bring about compelling on-track action with softer tire compounds this season.

NASCAR, which is set to increase Next Gen horsepower levels from 670 to 750 at short tracks and road courses in the Cup Series in 2026, will test new horsepower and aero packages this offseason at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

As expected, potential changes to the Playoff format were brought up, but no clear answers were given other than that next year's format is still under discussion. No announcements on the championship format for next season will be made this weekend at Phoenix Raceway.

Future Events & Schedule

NASCAR continues to weave “innovation and tradition” in its National Series schedules. For the 2026 season, North Wilkesboro Speedway will host its first NASCAR Cup Series points race since the 1996 season. Additionally, O'Donnell credited Speedway Motorsports for its gamble to take the All-Star Race to Dover next season. According to NASCAR, the pre-sales of tickets for the Dover All-Star Race have been strong.

A special military-themed race will run on a naval base to celebrate the U.S. Navy’s 250th anniversary, and Phelps says the event is already NASCAR’s biggest pre-sale event ever.

Charter System & Lawsuit

Phelps addressed the ongoing charter agreement lawsuit by reading a prepared statement, but did not take open questions in regard to the legal situation.

The commissioner reiterated NASCAR’s commitment to the charter system through 2039, with $3B in guaranteed team payments and $1.5B in team enterprise value. Phelps also emphasized NASCAR’s reinvestment into the sport, amid antitrust litigation against them from 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, and said the France family has “taken countless personal and financial risks” to sustain it.

While Judge Kenneth Bell, the lead attorney for the teams, Jeffrey Kessler, and the race teams themselves would likely disagree, Phelps described the case as “not an antitrust issue” and said NASCAR is “confident in its position” while still open to resolution. If a settlement is not reached between the two sides prior to the December 1st trial, it will be up to a jury to decide whether or not NASCAR has committed antitrust violations.

Ratings & Media Rights

Phelps said that year one of the new seven-year media deal landed where NASCAR expected. NASCAR Cup Series ratings are down 14% in 2026, which Phelps said is “exactly what we predicted,” due to a planned shift toward cable and streaming.

While Cup, the premier NASCAR National Series, has seen a ratings sag, the NASCAR Xfinity (soon to be O’Reilly Auto Parts) Series overperformed, as it moved to The CW this season, a channel available on non-pay network TV nationwide.

Phelps said the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, which saw almost no change to how it was televised this season as it remained on FS1/FOX, is about where it was prior to the new media rights agreement viewership-wise.

Overall, Phelps says NASCAR is drawing a younger audience through the 10 combined NASCAR Cup Series races that were televised on Amazon Prime Video and TNT. Phelps says the expectation is that ratings will stabilize and grow in 2026.

Next Gen & Innovation

While the Next Gen car initially saw increased parity in the NASCAR Cup Series with the adaptation of the new car in 2022, O'Donnell says that NASCAR is monitoring competitive balance as powerhouse teams have dominated ovals and the Playoffs in 2025.

Discussions are underway on how to reintroduce team ingenuity without driving up costs, which, as we've seen, is always easier said than done. And as far as NASCAR's Hybrid/electrification efforts, they have slowed as NASCAR and OEMs are now evaluating long-term alternatives(including hydrogen tech).

Driver Development & Promotion

Phelps credited the Driver Ambassador Program, which was established in 2024, for increased driver participation in attempting to help grow and promote the sport. Drivers have logged more than 6,000 hours of driver appearances, which is an increase of 40% year-over-year.

Phelps also says that NASCAR will continue to "meet fans where they are" by using platforms like Roblox and YouTube (“RISING” series) to connect with younger fans.

Manufacturer News

Ram returns to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2026, ending a 13-year hiatus from the sport. According to Phelps, discussions are ongoing for expansion with Ram/Dodge to other series in the sport. And Phelps also confirmed NASCAR is actively in talks with additional OEMs about future entries.

Other Notes

On Friday evening, Matt Crafton will wrap up his illustrious full-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driving career. In the opening remarks of the State of the Sport, Phelps issued a salute of the 3-time champion on behalf of NASCAR.

The Daytona 500, as previously announced, will move a week later in 2026 to avoid a conflict with the Super Bowl. Phelps said NASCAR will continue to do whatever it can to avoid conflicts with the Super Bowl.

NASCAR has increased back to four Premier Series partners for the 2026 season. Phelps says the sanctioning body has no plans to revert to a single title sponsor for the Cup Series and that the multi-partner model will remain.