Ever since FOX Sports started its IndyCar schedule, they have found themselves in hot waters. Just a few days ago, FOX Sports was under fire from NHRA stars. The controversy began when the network aired an ad calling IndyCar the “fastest motorsport on the planet.” That statement didn’t sit well with drag racers, who routinely exceed 330 mph. NASCAR legend turned NHRA driver Tony Stewart was among the most vocal critics.

“I think I love Fox, but they’re doing some false advertising. They keep saying that IndyCar’s got the fastest cars. I don’t know what the hell they’re watching. They’re missing the mark by 100 miles an hour,” Stewart said. Facts backed his frustration. NHRA Funny Cars can reach speeds of 339 mph. The fastest lap in IndyCar history? Just 237 mph. However, NHRA drivers weren’t the only ones upset. NASCAR fans had already been questioning FOX’s dedication to their sport, with complaints about excessive commercials and questionable race coverage.

But now, FOX has created an even bigger controversy. On March 23, the network will air both the NASCAR Cup Series race at Homestead and the IndyCar race at Thermal. The problem? They start just 10 minutes apart. NASCAR’s green flag drops at 3:12 PM ET on FS1, while Roger Penske’s IndyCar starts at 3:22 PM ET on FOX. Fans are fuming. They see it as another sign that FOX is prioritizing IndyCar at the expense of NASCAR.

Notably, the scheduling conflict has created unnecessary friction between the two racing series. NASCAR’s race at Homestead-Miami is a marquee event. It was once the championship finale and remains a fan favourite. Meanwhile, the IndyCar race at Thermal is an important milestone for the series, marking its first official Grand Prix at the track. The overlap forces fans to choose. Do they watch the NASCAR race on FS1, or do they tune into IndyCar on FOX?

Some NASCAR loyalists see this as a deliberate push to boost IndyCar’s ratings. One frustrated fan put it bluntly saying, “Right, Fox clearly likes IndyCar a lot more than NASCAR. Historical ratings-wise, Indy should be 100% on FS1, minus the 500, and most (90%?) of NASCAR on Fox.” It is well known that a sport gets much more traction on FOX’s main channel than on its subsidiary. But there is a catch.

According to NASCAR insider Jeff Gluck, Roger Penske has made an exclusive deal with FOX to put IndyCar on the main channel. “IndyCar went with Fox in part due to the promise of getting every race on Fox. They don’t have any races on FS1 or streaming. All on Fox. But they get less money for it ($25 mil/yr). NASCAR gets paid more to boost FS1, which helps keep carriage fees high on cable/satellite,” Gluck reports. This clears up why FOX is prioritising IndyCar despite having a long-time deal with NASCAR.

While many fans feel that this is a one-time scheduling conflict, but truth might be something else. The conflict could be a part of FOX’s long-term strategy to grow IndyCar’s audience. FOX CEO Eric Shanks has been vocal about his goal to merge the fanbases of NASCAR and IndyCar. “There’s potential to get more crossover between both series. We’re going to have IndyCar and NASCAR races on the same day several more times,” he had said earlier this year.

His comments reflect FOX’s aggressive marketing for Roger Penske-led IndyCar. Broadcasters have poured resources into hyping IndyCar’s season, while NASCAR’s promotion has felt secondary. This latest scheduling disaster only fuels the fire, making many question FOX’s commitment to NASCAR’s future. Both Homestead-Miami and Thermal races deserve full attention. Instead, the simultaneous run is frustrating fans and forcing them to pick sides.

Fans tear apart FOX after NASCAR scheduling goof-up!

The scheduling conflict has sparked a wave of criticism online. NASCAR fans feel like they’re being pushed aside. Some even suggest that the relationship between NASCAR and FOX is becoming strained. “It feels like there is friction between NASCAR and FOX. It’s almost like FOX doesn’t like the new TV deal with NASCAR,” a fan wrote on X. The important thing to know here is that FOX had to take the backseat with their NASCAR dates thanks to the arrival of Prime Video and TNT in the fold. So, with less race on their kitty they found a new partner at IndyCar, and going by the latest developments, they are doing all they can to promote their new partners.

Notably, last year NASCAR signed a seven-year-long media deal with four media houses. FOX Sports and NBC each got 14 races, while Amazon Prime Video and Warner Bros. split the remaining 10 races. Meanwhile, some fans see this as an unfair push for Roger Penske’s IndyCar, with one commenting, “Wow, I think it’s time for NASCAR to part ways after the TV deal is done. It just seems like the fans are tired of it, FOX is tired of it, and NASCAR will be if not already.”

However, this won’t be possible for NASCAR to break the deal considering they got a whooping $7.7 Billion from the latest media rights. This also helped them to increase payouts to charter teams which saw a whopping 24% rise in 2025. Meanwhile, some users took a dig at FOX, saying, “Because of all the ads you will probably be able to flip back and forth and not miss anything.” Now, this is something that NASCAR fans have been complaining about for years, and it will surely help users to hop in and out between the two iconic races.

Some fans couldn’t get over the inferior treatment NASCAR has been receiving from FOX. Remember they started off the season with massive commercials celebrating IndyCar stars like Josef Newgarden and Alex Palou. Heck, even Tom Brady made a cross-over that lured NFL fans towards open-wheel racing. On the flip side, FOX delivered a tame and half-hearted commercial for the biggest NASCAR race, the Daytona 500. “Fox doesn’t REALLY care about NASCAR or it’s fans.” This sentiment is what most NASCAR fans feel as of now with how FOX is treating the premier stock car racing series.

The important thing from this head-to-head clash will be to see which series has better ratings. If IndyCar isn’t able to capitalize, FOX should rethink their strategy about pitting the two events simultaneously.