With their new investment in Penske Entertainment, Fox Sports isn’t just securing a stake in IndyCar’s future – it’s redefining how the sport connects with fans by bringing content creators, trackside.
Fox Sports is all in with IndyCar
Fox Sports has all but told us IndyCar is at the top of their priority list in 2026. Their recent investment in Penske Entertainment goes beyond their last move of picking up broadcast rights for the 2025 season. It’s a clear signal that Fox is betting on the series long-term, and they’re not just bringing cameras.
Unlike IndyCar’s former streaming partner, Fox has spent the 2025 season testing various avenues to promote the series. From the stingers of Pato O’Ward, Josef Newgarden, and Alex Palou during the NFL post-season, to visual changes to the broadcast, and IndyCar’s enhanced social presence, it’s clear that Fox Sports is working hard to revive IndyCar’s popularity.
Let’s be honest, IndyCar needed a new broadcast partner, and Fox Sports was exactly what the series needed. This change isn’t just about TV anymore. Fox Sports will be influencing the series, as much as IndyCar is influencing Fox… and one thing IndyCar has always done well is engage with its fans.
IndyCar Sets a New Precedent for Motorsports Creators
“We’re not in the business of saying no.”
That is what a member of the IndyCar Communications team said to me in early 2025, before the season began with Fox Sports. This doesn’t just apply to press or traditional media, but the fans, themselves. There is no more impactful fan for a motorsport series than the Content Creators who talk about it.
Unlike Formula 1, where the cult-like online motorsports fandom began, IndyCar has embraced motorsport creators from the start. The team has always recognized the importance of these fans to advocate for IndyCar from education in various forms, to the race experience, and sharing how engaging the series is from a fan perspective.
James Coker was one of the first creators to become what I would consider an ‘IndyCar series regular’. He had this to say about IndyCar’s growing investment in creators and how it impacts fans’ experience the series:
“It has definitely changed how fans experience and view the series. IndyCar has done a great job investing in their relationships with creators. Many of these creators do a great job showing a personal side of motorsport that we often don’t see. Mackenzie Williams, Thomas Hitch and everyone at the series recognize the reach that many of these creators have. Some of these people have the same amount of reach as established journalists in the space from legacy media outlets. With that reach and that access comes a new level of responsibility. Motorsport content creators who are lucky enough to get access to teams and drivers need to really think about the value that they are providing both to the teams and to their audience. It’s a relatively new dynamic that I think we’re all still trying to figure out.” – James Coker
James and many other creators can attest – when creators attend IndyCar races, they are treated as real media. Because, in 2025, content creators ARE real media with the same roles and responsibilities as the press corps.
Fox Sports is Following IndyCar’s Lead with Content Creators
Let’s flash forward to the 2025 Java House Grand Prix of Monterey. Fox Sports has officially entered the creator chat. This was the first race that both the IndyCar Series AND Fox Sports brought content creators to the race.
Madeleine Moore, Fox Sports’ marketing consultant, used this race as a test case to show the impact of Motorsports Creators for the broadcast itself.
“Even major broadcast networks can capitalize upon the creator economy. Ultimately viewers wish to consume content from familiar faces about the sports they love. It’s a win-win for the handles of broadcast networks: people want to support their favorite creators and we’re able to provide a larger reach/platform of potential new followers for these creators and the sport simultaneously.” – Madeleine Moore
By leveraging the established community of motorsport content creators and encouraging them to produce content around IndyCar, both Fox Sports and IndyCar have a valuable opportunity to broaden their reach and engage a wider audience.
Jess Dawson, a motorsports content creator based in LA, was one of Fox Sports’ first creators brought to Monterey. Her aim? To educate her existing F1-heavy audience and learn alongside new fans of IndyCar.
“My goal is always to make the sport feel more accessible and exciting to people who didn’t grow up watching it, or who are just discovering it through social media. I think fans gained a new, more personal perspective [watching her Monterey content]- seeing the race weekend through someone who’s genuinely obsessed and learning alongside them. Hopefully this kind of content builds a stronger, younger, and more connected audience that grows with the series.” -Jess Dawson
Fox, IndyCar, and Content Creators in 2026
Looking ahead to 2026, the relationship between Fox, IndyCar, and content creators is only expected to grow. With a season full of collaboration with IndyCar in 2025, Fox will likely double down on integrating creators. I don’t imagine this as sideline personalities, but as central storytellers who shape how fans connect with the sport. For IndyCar, it’s an opportunity to continue to stand out by embracing digital-first media and the people behind it.
IndyCar has already set the tone by working with creators like James Coker and Cristina Lee Mace throughout the 2025 season – making it easier than ever to collaborate. Cristina can attest that these plans are already in the works for 2026:
“It’s great that in IndyCar I can talk directly to whomever the point person is throughout the day. If a content plan changes or I see an opportunity, it’s so much simpler to pivot and get the okay to post. It makes it easier to enjoy the weekend and that comes across in the content I film. With so much offseason to plan content directly with IndyCar it’ll also be nice to have a shared vision. It’ll be more collaborative and a longer term plan.” – Cristina Lee Mace
More structured access, behind-the-scenes content, and new formats could redefine how motorsports is covered by IndyCar and Fox Sports. If 2025 is the rollout, 2026 could be the breakout year. This type of collaboration could change not only IndyCar and Fox Sports’ fan engagement, but the way that sports content creators are valued across the industry.