Continuing a rough start to the season, NASCAR’s second race of the season scored its lowest overnight since FOX acquired rights.
NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Atlanta earned a 3.7 overnight rating on FOX Sunday afternoon, down 27% from last year (5.1) and the lowest overnight for the second race of the season since FOX began airing races in 2001. The previous low was a 4.8 for the 2014 Phoenix race.
The second race of the season is usually the highest rated outside of Daytona, topping a 6.0 overnight in all-but-one year from 2001 to 2008 and a 5.0 in all-but-two years since. Overnights reached as high as 7.1 for the Auto Club 500 in 2005.
For the weekend, NASCAR placed second among sporting events behind Saturday’s Warriors/Thunder NBA game on ABC (3.9). Because NBA ratings tend to decline from the overnight to the final, while NASCAR ratings remain stable or increase, the race will likely come out ahead in the final tally.
(Sun. numbers via Sports Business Daily)
