The numbers were mixed for the first Nationwide Series race of the season.
Last Saturday’s Camping World 300 drew a 2.0 U.S. rating and 3.24 million viewers on ESPN2, down 9% in ratings but up 1% in viewership from a 2.2 with 3.21 million for last year’s race. The 3.24 million viewers is the most ever for a Nationwide Series race on ESPN2.
The 3.24 million viewers compared favorably to other sporting events last week, coming close to the 3.27 million viewers for Duke/North Carolina last Wednesday, and easily surpassing the numbers for the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game and NBA Rookie Challenge.
In other NASCAR ratings news, the first race of the Camping World Truck Series saw a boost in ratings. The NextEra Energy Resources 250 drew a 1.2 U.S. rating and 1.8 million viewers on Speed Channel, up 20% and 15% from a 1.0 with 1.6 million for last year’s race.
On the flip side, coverage of the Gatorade Duels on Thursday drew a 1.3 with 1.9 million viewers, off 13% and 15% from a 1.5 with 2.2 million in ’08.
