"Can FOX just let it go already man": Stark contrast in IndyCar and NASCAR ads during MLB game sparks heated debate among fans

A recent post on X highlighting FOX Sports' different advertising standards between NASCAR and IndyCar during the coverage of an MLB game has caught the attention of fans. This led to some heated comments from both camps.

An X user @brettbphoto shared a short video clip where advertisements for the upcoming races in both series appeared back to back. However, the difference in quality of the ads was drastic. The ad for the NCS Cook Out 400 was just a simple text pop-up on the lower left side of the screen. On the other hand, the ad for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach filled the screen with big images of Alex Palou, Josef Newgarden and Pato O'Ward, along with other nice visual elements.

This led to fans from both camps expressing their thoughts on FOX's strategy and how they felt about the perceived bias between the advertising quality of the two sports. The post was shared with the following caption:

"NASCAR vs Indycar promotion on FOX Sports MLB coverage tonight. Pretty big difference between the two, especially given one series doesn't even race this weekend."

One fan commented in frustration, asking if FOX Sports should just stop making the difference so obvious:

"Can Fox just let it go already man."

Another angry Stock Car racing fan commented how IndyCar is nowhere near the level of NASCAR or even F1:

"It's kind of funny watching FOX try to prop up INDYCAR. It's a good sports property, but nowhere near NASCAR in terms of popularity, and lags behind F1 too. Wish FOX amped up NASCAR more as its "A motorsports property," but for somewhat obvious reasons it does not."

One fan took a sarcastic jab at FOX's tagline for IndyCar, calling it the fastest racing on Earth:

"'Fastest racing on earth,' Yeah, no. NHRA has them beat by over 100 mph."

However, there were others who seemed to agree with FOX's strategy and their plans for the open-wheel racing series. One fan wrote:

"IndyCar is much more Exciting and more epic; that's the difference 😎🔥"

Someone else pointed out the problem of too many crashes in NASCAR races, giving the example of Saturday's NXS race in Martinsville. The comment read:

"NASCAR isn’t exactly in a good place with their numbers. After that Xfinity race tonight, they’ve got huge issues internally and externally."

Another fan criticized NASCAR for its lengthy races, noting that younger fans have shifted more towards open-wheel racing because of the shorter race durations:

"Makes sense, younger generation has turned to open wheel racing over stock car racing. Indy and F1 have shorter races for shorter attention spans, and both have less commercials than Nascar."

However, this strategy from FOX Sports makes sense, considering their recent partnership with the top-tier open wheel racing series.

---

How will FOX Sports broadcast NASCAR vs IndyCar in 2025

FOX Sports holds broadcasting rights for both NASCAR and IndyCar, covering major events in both the sports like the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500. However, in the case of NASCAR, FOX will broadcast only the first half of the season, with some races on the main Fox network and others on FS1.

In 2025, FOX Sports became the exclusive broadcaster for all 17 races in the top open-wheel racing series, including the Indy 500, on the main FOX network. This makes IndyCar the only top-level motorsport in the U.S. with all races broadcast exclusively on a major network.

The third race of the 2025 IndyCar Championship, the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, is scheduled for April 13 at 4:30 pm ET.