NASCAR’s rough start to the season has continued unabated.
NASCAR Cup Series racing from Fontana (CA) delivered a 2.9 overnight rating on FOX Sunday afternoon, down 17% from last year (3.5), down 28% from 2015 (4.0), and the lowest overnight for the race since at least 1998. The previous low was a 3.4 for rain-delayed coverage in 2012.
The 2.9 overnight is tied as the second-lowest for any Cup Series race on FOX (dates back to 2001), matching Richmond last year and ahead of only Texas three weeks earlier (2.5).
Not including Las Vegas, overnights for which were never publicly released due to Nielsen delays, every race but Daytona has declined from last year.
Despite the low numbers, NASCAR was still the highest rated sporting event of the weekend outside of the NCAA Tournament, easily topping second-place coverage of the PGA/WGC Match Play Championships (1.8).
(Wknd. numbers via Sports Business Daily 3.27)
