Ratings and viewership for every Daytona 500 since 1975. From 1980-2001, the Daytona 500 averaged an 8.5 rating, with a peak rating of 9.6 for the 1994 and 1999 races. Since 2001, the year NASCAR moved primarily to FOX, the race has averaged a 10.3 rating, with a peak rating of 11.3 for the 2006 race.
Ratings for every Daytona 500 since 1975.
Source: Sports Business Daily.
2009
9.2/19, 16.0 mil: Matt Kenseth (Sun., 2/15/09, 3:45 PM FOX)
2008
10.2/20, 17.8 mil: Ryan Newman (Sun., 2/17/08, 3:45 PM FOX)
2007
10.1/20, 17.5 mil: Kevin Harvick (Sun., 2/18/07, 3:30 PM FOX)
2006
11.3/23, 19.4 mil: Jimmie Johnson (Sun., 2/19/06, 2:30 PM NBC)
2005
10.9/23, 18.7 mil: Jeff Gordon (Sun., 2/20/05, 2:30 PM FOX)
2004
10.6/24, 17.8 mil: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Sun., 2/15/04, 1:30 PM NBC)
2003
9.8/21, 16.8 mil: Michael Waltrip (Sun., 2/16/03, 1 PM FOX)
2002
10.9/26, 18.8 mil: Ward Burton (Sun., 2/17/02 NBC)
2001
10.0/24, 17.1 mil: Michael Waltrip (Sun., 2/18/01, 1 PM FOX)
2000
8.4/22, 12.9 mil: Dale Jarrett (Sun., 2/20/00, 12 PM CBS)
1999
9.6/25, 14.5 mil: Jeff Gordon (Sun., 2/14/99, 12 PM CBS)
1998
8.6/23, 13.0 mil: Dale Earnhardt (Sun., 2/15/98 CBS)
1997
8.6/23, 12.8 mil: Jeff Gordon (Sun., 2/16/97 CBS)
1996
9.2/24, 13.9 mil: Dale Jarrett (Sun., 2/18/96 CBS)
1995
7.8/20, 11.4 mil: Sterling Marlin (Sun., 2/19/95 CBS)
1994
9.6/26, 13.6 mil: Sterling Marlin (Sun., 2/20/94 CBS)
1993
8.4/23, 12.7 mil: Dale Jarrett (Sun., 2/14/93 CBS)
1992
9.3/25, 13.4 mil: Davey Allison (Sun., 2/16/92 CBS)
1991
7.6/20, 10.9 mil: Ernie Irvan (Sun., 2/17/91 CBS)
1990
7.3/20, 10.5 mil: Derrike Cope (Sun., 2/18/90 CBS)
1989
8.1/21, 12.0 mil: Darrell Waltrip (Sun., 2/19/89 CBS)
1988
7.4/18, 10.0 mil: Bobby Allison (Sun., 2/14/88 CBS)
1987
9.4/26, 12.4 mil: Bill Elliott (Sun., 2/15/87 CBS)
1986
8.4/22, 10.3 mil: Geoff Bodine (Sun., 2/16/86 CBS)
1985
8.3/23, 9.8 mil: Bill Elliott (Sun., 2/17/85 CBS)
1984
8.7/23, 12.3 mil: Cale Yarborough (Sun., 2/19/84 CBS)
1983
8.7/26, 11.0 mil: Cale Yarborough (Sun., 2/20/83 CBS)
1982
9.4/27, 11.8 mil: Bobby Allison (Sun., 2/14/82 CBS)
1981
8.4/26, 11.2 mil: Richard Petty (Sun., 2/15/81 CBS)
1980
8.0/21, 10.8 mil: Buddy Baker (Sun., 2/17/80 CBS)
1979
10.5/29, 15.1 mil: Richard Petty (Sun., 2/18/79 CBS)
1978
11.8/33, 20.9 mil: Bobby Allison (Sun., 2/19/78 ABC)
1977
12.9/35, 16.0 mil: Cale Yarborough (Sun., 2/20/77 ABC)
1976
12.8/37, 18.3 mil: David Pearson (Sun., 2/15/76 ABC)
1975
11.8/31, 15.1 mil: Benny Parsons (Sun., 2/16/75 ABC)
1974
10.9/29, 12.5 mil: Richard Petty (Sun., 2/17/74 ABC)
