The Daytona 500, which President Donald Trump attended, averaged 6.76 million viewers and peaked at 7.96 million. The last time Indy had higher viewership came in 2021, and before that, in 1995.

Last year’s rain-delayed Daytona 500 averaged 5.96 million viewers — the second-least-watched edition of the race ever, ahead of just the 2021 rain-delayed race.

Daytona 500 event merchandise was up 12% over 2023. NASCAR compared this year’s numbers to 2023 because 2024’s race was postponed until Monday, giving fans an extra day to purchase goods.