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Forbes
5 hours ago
- Forbes
Penske-Fox Deal May Address Succession Issues At Indianapolis 500
Fox Corp. said Thursday it is acquiring one-third of Penske Entertainment, including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the IndyCar series. The announcement deepens the business ties between Roger Penske, 88, and Rupert Murdoch, 94, the overseer of the Fox empire. The transaction may address looming succession issues at one of the most storied racing revenues in the United States. Fox Sports this year began televising Penske's IndyCar series, including the Indianapolis 500. Terms of the new deal were not disclosed. Penske Entertainment said the deal included 'a multiyear extension' of Fox Sports' media rights with IndyCar. 'This partnership is built on long-standing trust and a shared vision for the future,' Roger Penske said in a statement. Fox 'sees the incredible potential across our sport and wants to play an active role in building our growth trajectory,' he said. The deal comes at a critical time for the Indianapolis speedway and the IndyCar series. Roger Penske agreed in 2019 to acquire the speedway and the IndyCar series from the Hulman-George family, which bought the speedway in 1945. That transaction became final in early 2020. IndyCar and Championship Auto Racing Teams battled for supremacy of U.S. open-wheel racing in the 1990s and 2000s. Eventually, the Hulman-George family won the fight. During that era, the European-based Formula One series raced at the Indianapolis speedway, beginning in 2000. After several years, F1 moved on from Indy but later came back to the U.S. in a bigger way. F1 now has three U.S. races. IndyCar, meanwhile, has struggled to demonstrate it's more than the Indianapolis 500, held annually during Memorial Day weekend. In its first year on Fox, the 500 averaged 7.01 million viewers in 2025, its best showing since 2008. That was better than the almost 6.8 million viewers for the Daytona 500 in February, NASCAR's biggest race, also televised by Fox. But things weren't all joy in Penske land. Two cars owned by Penske, were forced to start from the back of this year's Indy 500 because of a cheating scandal. Penske has used racing to promote his transportation businesses. He's won a lot a lot at the Indianapolis 500 races as a team owner (20, actually). He has also been a winner in NASCAR. Still, given Penske's age, there the question of succession at Indy, both the speedway and the race series. The speedway is close to downtown Indianapolis and comprises valuable real estate. The question is whether the new deal with Fox begins to answer those succession questions. 'We're thrilled to join the IndyCar ownership group at such a pivotal time for the sport,' Eric Shanks, CEO and executive producer of Fox Sports, said in the statement. 'IndyCar represents everything we value in live sports — passionate fans, iconic venues, elite competition and year-round storytelling potential.'
Fox News
7 hours ago
- Fox News
Fox Nation special reflects on the life, legacy of wrestling titan Hulk Hogan
Fox Nation's 'The Life of Hulk Hogan' documents Terry Bollea's rise from ringside spectator to pro-wrestling superstar.
Fox Sports
9 hours ago
- Fox Sports
MLB Speedway Classic At Bristol: NASCAR Drivers Reimagined As Baseball Players
NASCAR drivers are looking forward to seeing professional athletes of another sport competing at one of the most iconic venues in stock-car racing. They certainly look more forward to watching other pros play than if they played themselves. And that's exactly what will happen when the MLB Speedway Classic gets underway on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on FOX. The matchup features the Cincinnati Reds going against the Atlanta Braves at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee. It's the first-ever MLB game played in the state and more than 85,000 tickets have been sold for the contest — a major-league regular-season record. "I honestly think it looks cooler than when they did the football game there with Tennessee-Virginia Tech [in 2016]," said 2023 Cup champion Ryan Blaney. "I think that's going to be a hit. I wish I could go. That place is unique." With NASCAR racing in Iowa this weekend, getting back and forth to Bristol isn't impossible, based on the timing of Cup practice. But a driver would need to really want to make it happen. If any driver can get there, they will get a chance to witness history. Bristol had to knock down some race-track walls and buildings in its infield to make enough room for the baseball field inside the 0.533-mile, high-banked concrete oval. "That is going to be such an awesome moment," said Ty Dillon. Dillon and his brother, Austin, played little-league baseball. Austin Dillon played in the Little League World Series. So if NASCAR were to have a team of drivers playing baseball, those two would likely be on the list. Who are the drivers that Austin Dillon would want to include on an all-driver baseball team? Here's his roster: Ty Dillon, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Michael McDowell, Ryan Blaney, Noah Gragson, Denny Hamlin, Chase Briscoe, Bubba Wallace and Corey LaJoie. In surveying other drivers, many had similar thoughts. They went for the drivers who are best known for their athleticism. Stenhouse, for example, is a huge fitness buff, and Hamlin has a basketball court (and runs a rec league) at his house. Some would go for height and pick players like the tall Shane van Gisbergen. And if you're looking at drivers who have proven they have superior hand-eye coordination when it comes to something other than a steering wheel, Elliott, Ryan Blaney and others who enjoy golf could be the answer. Blaney would add his Penske teammates Joey Logano and Austin Cindric. Plus, he thinks the tough Ryan Preece would fill an important role. "Preece would be a good catcher," Blaney noted. The hard part for race car drivers is that being smaller and lighter can sometimes be an advantage. "I just had to throw a first pitch and embarrassed myself incredibly," said Cup driver Zane Smith. "So definitely not me. ... None of us are very good, I feel like, as stick-and-ball athletes." Actually, Zane, another driver mentioned you. "You need somebody athletic at shortstop, somebody quick. Zane looks athletic," Kyle Larson said. "Blaney is athletic," he continued. "Ricky. Ty Gibbs. McDowell? He'd be the manager, I guess. Austin Dillon would probably be the best [player]." Several drivers get asked throughout the season to throw out first pitches at baseball games in racing markets. Those typically happen in the weeks leading up to the race in that market. And the drivers who have this honor have the main goal of not becoming a highlight for the wrong reason. "Briscoe has been throwing a lot of first pitches out at these games, so he's been on the mound a lot lately, so he might be our pitcher. Or he might be in the bullpen," Gragson said. Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass. recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the NASCAR Cup Series Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
