"Charlie Kirk effect?": NASCAR fans react to steep viewership drop at New Hampshire playoff race

The NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last weekend saw a sharp decline in television viewership, sparking debate among fans over what or who is responsible for the same.

According to motorsport reporter Adam Stern of the Sports Business Journal, the race on USA Network drew a 0.70 rating with 1.29 million viewers, a steep fall from last year’s New Hampshire race, which brought in 1.88 million viewers with a 1.0 rating. It was also down compared to the 2024 Kansas playoff race, which pulled 1.79 million viewers with a 0.96 rating. For a postseason race, the drop raised eyebrows across the NASCAR community.

Several fans reacted to Stern's post and shared their opinions.

Here are some fan reactions to the news:

John Haverlin

@JohnHaverlin

Charlie Kirk effect?

"Bad cars, bad coverage and hard to find what network its on any given week. How could this possibly happen?" One fan wrote

"It was also airing at the same time as the Charlie Kirk memorial. A lot of overlap in viewers there," another fan wrote.

Here are some more reactions to the news:

First To The Line

@FirstToTheLine_

Are you sure those aren’t the truck numbers 😂

"NASCAR cannot compete with the NFL. Having races on a cable network is a losing proposition. They're getting close to Xfinity ratings on CW, which is not good," one fan wrote.

"No passing, no excitement, stage racing is dumb, bad playoff format. #NASCAR needs an overhaul before it’s too late," another fan wrote.

The conversation reflects a larger struggle for the sport as it navigates its place in today’s media landscape. With streaming on the rise and network placement varying week to week, maintaining a steady audience has become increasingly difficult.

Joey Logano opens up about the unfortunate reality of drivers who aim to succeed in NASCAR

In an interview this week, NASCAR star Joey Logano pulled back the curtain on what many young racers battling to make their mark in the sport have to face. It’s not just talent that matters to make it big in this sport; it’s also where you come from and how willing you are to leave everything behind.

The Team Penske driver spoke about how the drivers have to move away from their homes to Charlotte to mark their spot in the sport.

"You have to move to Charlotte if you want to do it right because that’s where all the race teams are… So, yeah, you have to move, and that makes it tough, but when you come home, you want to be able to show what you can do, so you feel like you’re representing everyone up here," Joey Logano was quoted as saying by Frontstretch.

Logano belongs to the tradition of New England racers and sees both the love and the limitations that come with it. He is currently ranked sixth in the Cup Series, scoring 3059 points so far.