New NASCAR TV Deal Brings 'Ear to Ear Smile' to NHRA Team Owner

• The NHRA, which becomes the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series in 2024, is on the back end of a long-term TV deal.

• The racing series has been with FOX since 2016, and according to an NHRA spokesperson it's a deal that runs through 2026.

• The FOX contract, while great for exposure, is not a big revenue generator for the series or the teams.

NASCAR's new TV deal is music to the ears of NHRA teams.

The multi-layered TV deal announced this past week includes four different broadcast partners sharing rights to Cup Series races, yet another network handing the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and new streaming partners that are getting into live motorsports for the first time.

The reported $7.7 billion package that kicks in for the 2025 NASCAR season is a 40% annual increase over its previous deal. The new deal was struck in an era of high inflation and corporate cutbacks, and many predicted NASCAR would be lucky to match its current deal.

NASCAR clearly hit a home run, and the deal shows that there's still an appetite for motorsports programming.

That could be great news for the NHRA.

The NHRA, which becomes the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series in 2024, is on the back end of a long-term TV deal of its own. The racing series has been with FOX since 2016, and according to an NHRA spokesperson it's a deal that runs through 2026. The FOX contract, while great for exposure, is not a big revenue generator for the series or the teams.

Just ask the teams.

When contacted by Autoweek this week, the NHRA declined to discuss details about its current TV deal or offer updates on progress toward its next deal. A spokesman did offer that an announcement regarding a post-2026 TV deal is expected to come as soon as next summer.

In a March interview, NHRA president Glen Cromwell told Autoweek that the series was hoping that its next TV deal could be a game-changer for the series. This past week's NASCAR news only adds nitromethane to those hopes.