The National Hot Rod Association, or NHRA, is dividing its 2027 television season between FOX Sports and The CW while adding FloSports as a streaming partner.
Under the arrangements announced September 30, FOX Sports will carry the first 13 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series events. The CW will carry the final seven, including the U.S. Nationals and the six-race championship playoffs.
FOX Sports’ coverage will include a mixture of the FOX broadcast network and FS1, with streaming through FOX One. NHRA says two to three of those first 13 events will air on FOX.
The CW’s Sunday eliminations will also be available through the ESPN application to ESPN Unlimited subscribers. FloRacing will exclusively stream every round of qualifying live at each national event and will also stream Sunday eliminations.
The distinction matters for viewers: expanded distribution does not mean every race is available free over the air. The package combines broadcast television, cable and paid streaming.
NHRA says the arrangements will provide its largest household reach and most over-the-air broadcasts to date. Those statements describe distribution availability, not a measured audience for the future season.
The RNN question: Will broader distribution make racing easier to discover while leaving existing fans with a more complicated viewing calendar?
A clear race-by-race guide identifying network, streaming service and subscription requirements will be an important part of communicating the new package.