​HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 08: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 08, 2026 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) GettyNASCAR’s return to Homestead-Miami Speedway for its championship finale was one of the most anticipated changes to the 2026 schedule. But just days after the season concluded, the sport received some disappointing news.Television ratings for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series championship race are in, and the numbers reveal a noticeable decline from last year’s finale at Phoenix Raceway.The Nov. 8 race averaged 2.471 million viewers on NBC, down from 2.774 million for the 2025 championship race at Phoenix, according to figures shared Thursday by Sports Business Journal’s Adam Stern..@NBC got a 1.37 rating and 2.471 million viewers for Sunday’s NASCAR championship @HomesteadMiami, down from a 1.45 and 2.774 million last year at Phoenix.➡️ NASCAR averaged 2.419 million viewers during the 2026 Cup Series campaign, down 2% from last year (2.479 million). pic.twitter.com/1mwoRzApdu— Adam Stern (@A_S12) November 12, 2026That’s a loss of approximately 303,000 viewers, representing a nearly 11% year-over-year decline.The race also earned a 1.37 television rating, compared with a 1.45 rating for last year’s finale.The results are particularly noteworthy given the excitement surrounding NASCAR’s decision to bring championship weekend back to Homestead for the first time since 2019.NASCAR Championship TV Ratings Reveal Significant DeclineHomestead’s return was a major storyline throughout the 2026 season.The South Florida track hosted NASCAR’s championship finale from 2002 through 2019, producing some of the sport’s most memorable title battles before Phoenix took over in 2020.For many fans, bringing the championship back to Homestead was a welcome change. The track’s progressive banking, multiple racing grooves and reputation for exciting competition made it a popular choice to host the season’s biggest race.But the television audience didn’t follow the enthusiasm.Sunday’s championship broadcast attracted nearly 11% fewer viewers than the previous year’s finale, a considerably steeper decline than NASCAR experienced across the entire season.According to Stern, the 2026 Cup Series averaged 2.419 million viewers per race, compared with 2.479 million in 2025.That’s a decrease of approximately 2% for the full season.The contrast is difficult to ignore. While NASCAR’s overall audience remained relatively close to its 2025 numbers, the championship race experienced a much more substantial drop.Of course, the figures alone don’t explain why fewer people tuned in. The change in venue, competition from other sports and the circumstances surrounding the championship could all influence television viewership.Still, the numbers present NASCAR with something to examine as it looks