FOX Host Criticizes Graham Rahal for Refusing to Promote IndyCar, Which Made O’Ward, Newgarden and Palou Famous in America’s Top Open-Wheel Racing Series. Graham Rahal’s 9-Word Response to FOX for Promoting Only Three Drivers Ahead of the Controversial 2025 IndyCar Season

In a candid revelation that has reignited tensions between IndyCar’s veteran drivers and its new broadcasting powerhouse, FOX Sports presenter Jamie Little took a pointed jab at Graham Rahal during a recent episode of the Speed Street podcast. Little, a longtime fixture in open-wheel racing coverage, disclosed that Rahal had turned down an opportunity to star in the network’s viral pre-season promotional spots—ads that catapulted drivers Pato O’Ward, Josef Newgarden, and Alex Palou into the national spotlight and helped propel IndyCar’s 2025 viewership to new heights. Her comments, delivered with a lighthearted laugh at the 47:57 mark of the podcast, highlighted what she sees as a missed chance for Rahal: “And I know people are kicking themselves for saying no to being in them, like Graham Rahal.”

The promotional campaign in question was a cornerstone of FOX’s aggressive push into IndyCar broadcasting, marking the network’s first year as the series’ exclusive TV partner. Launched ahead of the March 2025 season opener at the Streets of St. Petersburg, the ads aired during high-profile NFL playoff games and even secured prime real estate during Super Bowl LIX in February. Crafted as short, cinematic “movie trailers,” they showcased the personalities of O’Ward, Newgarden, and Palou through humor and high-energy vignettes—O’Ward’s charismatic flair, Newgarden’s relatable everyman vibe, and Palou’s cool precision. These spots didn’t just entertain; they exploded online, amassing millions of views and contributing to a 27% year-over-year increase in average race audiences, peaking at 1.417 million for the opener.

For O’Ward, the 26-year-old Mexican star from Arrow McLaren, the exposure was transformative. Already a fan favorite for his aggressive driving and infectious smile, the promos amplified his crossover appeal, landing him guest spots on late-night shows and endorsements from non-racing brands. Newgarden, the defending Indianapolis 500 champion from Team Penske, used the momentum to solidify his status as IndyCar’s affable ambassador, his folksy Tennessee drawl endearing him to casual viewers tuning in from football sidelines. Palou, the Spanish sensation and two-time series champion with Chip Ganassi Racing, emerged as the cool-headed prodigy, his ads emphasizing tactical brilliance that mirrored his on-track dominance—four wins in the first five races of 2025 alone. Together, these three became the faces of IndyCar’s resurgence, drawing in younger demographics and bridging the gap to mainstream sports audiences.

Rahal, a 36-year-old Indianapolis native and heir to a racing dynasty through Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, has long been a pillar of the series. With over 200 starts and a near-win at the 2025 Indy 500 after a heartbreaking last-lap pass by Palou, he’s no stranger to the spotlight. Yet his decision to opt out of the FOX spots stems from deeper frustrations with the network’s marketing strategy, which he publicly eviscerated back in April during an appearance on the SpeedFreaks podcast. At the time, just a month into FOX’s tenure, Rahal didn’t mince words about the narrow focus on O’Ward, Newgarden, and Palou, lamenting the oversight of series legends like six-time champion Scott Dixon—”the Greatest of All Time,” as he put it—and two-time titlist Will Power. “Let’s be honest here,” Rahal began at the 5:08 mark. “When you look at marketing, they’re only marketing three drivers. That’s factual. The only things you have seen to date is Pato, Josef, and Palou.”

His critique struck a chord in the paddock, where whispers of uneven promotion had been bubbling since FOX’s deal was inked. IndyCar, America’s premier open-wheel series, has struggled for decades to reclaim the cultural cachet it held in the CART era of the 1990s, when drivers like Rahal’s father, Bobby, and icons like Mario Andretti commanded headlines. The 2025 season, however, arrived amid heightened controversy. FOX not only took over broadcasting rights but, in a bombshell August announcement, acquired a one-third ownership stake in the series from billionaire Roger Penske, IndyCar’s controlling figure since 2019. Critics, including Rahal, argued this corporate entanglement risked prioritizing profit over parity, especially as viewership dipped sharply after the opener—from 1.4 million to under 800,000 for the Thermal Club Grand Prix—blamed on scheduling gaps and lackluster follow-up hype. The season’s calendar, crammed with 17 races from March to August but punctuated by awkward three-week breaks early on, only fueled perceptions of disjointed momentum.

Rahal’s broader philosophy shines through in his no-holds-barred assessment of Penske’s marketing under the FOX umbrella. On the August 20 episode of Speed Street, he urged diversification: “You can’t put your eggs in two baskets… They need to build more names. They need to have more ads.” He praised O’Ward as a “star” who “connects with fans on a level no other driver does” but warned against over-reliance, even on proven talents like Newgarden, who endured a mid-season slump amid Penske’s engine woes.

Little’s podcast quip, coming just weeks after the August 31 finale at Nashville Superspeedway where Rahal finished a solid seventh, has reopened the wound. Fans on social media have split along familiar lines—some hailing the promos for injecting fresh energy into a series long overshadowed by NASCAR and Formula 1, others echoing Rahal’s call for inclusivity to honor the depth of a 27-car field. In response to Little’s dig, Rahal kept it characteristically blunt in a brief statement to reporters outside the Rahal Letterman Lanigan shop: “I could care less about attention. Better things to do.” Nine words that encapsulate his ethos: unapologetic, team-first, and laser-focused on the track over the trailer.

As IndyCar eyes 2026—kicking off March 1 in St. Petersburg with promises of expanded FOX integration—the Rahal-FOX friction underscores a pivotal moment. Will the network heed calls to spotlight more of its stars, from Dixon’s enduring mastery to Power’s fiery resurgence, or double down on the trio that delivered viral gold? For Rahal, winless since 2017 but ever resilient, the answer lies in results, not reels. “Sick and tired of hearing I can’t drive,” he declared ahead of Mid-Ohio in July, channeling that defiance into a podium charge. In a series defined by split-second decisions, Rahal’s stand-off with FOX is just another high-stakes pass for position—one that could redefine IndyCar’s narrative for years to come.