While the current NASCAR season has delivered several positive moments on the track, the governing body is grappling with some significant concerns. The most pressing issue is the viewership and attendance numbers recorded during race weekends.
NASCAR has experienced an unusual trend with fan attendance in the 2025 season. Although the numbers have climbed from a few years ago, they remain underwhelming compared to the sport’s peak years. This issue was recently highlighted when Corey LaJoie and insider Ryan Flores discussed the attendance statistics from Las Vegas and analyzed the potential reasons behind them.
What Did Ryan Flores and Corey LaJoie Say About NASCAR’s Numbers?
On the “Stacking Pennies” podcast, LaJoie sat down with Flores to dissect several aspects of the Vegas weekend, including the live fan attendance. LaJoie admired the venue and wished to see the season finale at the track one day.
While Flores agreed with his assessment, he added a critical observation. “Looking at the grand stands, I wish it was just a one time a year race,” he said.
He pointed out the unfortunate reality that, despite being one of the most thrilling races of the playoffs, the grandstands at Vegas were noticeably underpacked. Flores suggested that the attendance numbers might have been negatively affected by an NFL game that overlapped with NASCAR’s schedule.
LaJoie shared this sentiment: “I just love the races and it makes me sad to not see the place packed. Though I’m sure going up against an NFL game is always tough.”
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The part-time driver also noted that even though NASCAR invested heavily in marketing at the McCarran airport in Vegas, the efforts failed to have a significant impact. Flores added that while there was palpable NASCAR hype where the drivers were staying in Vegas, it was primarily contained among people within the industry rather than reaching a broader audience of outsiders.
What Were the Actual Figures for NASCAR’s Weekend in Vegas?
The Las Vegas Motor Speedway has a total seating capacity of 80,000. Although NASCAR has not officially released the total number for live fan attendance, the grandstands appeared relatively empty during the event.
The ample empty space at the venue could have resulted from the competing NFL game, but it might also have been a byproduct of some fans’ displeasure with the sport’s current playoff system.
Regarding television viewership, the Las Vegas contest fell just short of the Darlington playoff race, which drew approximately 1.7 million viewers. While these numbers were better than several other NASCAR races this year, they were ultimately surpassed by the NHRA Texas broadcast, which attracted an impressive 3.63 million viewers.