NASCAR opened on a down note on FOX.
Last Saturday’s Budweiser Shootout drew a 4.9/9 final rating and 8.3 million viewers on FOX, down 4% and 3% respectively from a 5.1/9 and 8.5 million for last year’s race. Ratings peaked at a 5.6/10 during the final full quarter-hour of the race (10-10:15 PM).
Despite the decline in ratings, the Budweiser Shootout was the weekend’s second highest rated and second most viewed sporting event, behind only the Pro Bowl on NBC.
Additionally, the 4.9 rating is the fourth-highest for the event since ’99.
On Sunday, Daytona 500 Pole Qualifying drew a 2.4/6 final rating, off 17% from a 2.9/7 last year.
Ratings for the Budweiser Shootout since ’99.
Ratings for races on cable are U.S. ratings, with cable ratings in parentheses ().
2009: 4.9/9 (Sat., 2/7/09, 8:30 PM FOX)
2008: 5.1/9 (Sat., 2/9/08, 8:30 PM FOX)
2007: 4.8/9 (Sat., 2/10/07, 8:30 PM FOX)
2006: 3.7 (4.5) (Sun., 2/12/06 TNT)
2005: 5.3/10 (Sat., 2/12/05, 8:30 PM FOX)
2004: 3.6 (4.8) (Sat., 2/7/04 TNT)
2003: 5.5/10 (Sat., 2/8/03, 8 PM FOX)
2002: 3.4 (4.1) (Sun., 2/10/02 TNT)
2001: 4.8/12 (Sun., 2/11/01, 2:15 PM FOX)
2000: 3.8/11 (Sun., 2/13/00, 12 PM CBS)
1999: 3.6/10 (Sun., 2/7/99, 12 PM CBS)
