Depending on how one looks at the numbers, NASCAR is either in a ratings slump or dominating the competition — or both.
Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 500 drew a 4.7/10 overnight rating on FOX, down 16% from a 5.6/12 last year. So far this season, all four NASCAR races on FOX have seen a double-digit decline in overnight ratings.
The 4.7 overnight is the lowest of the season so far for a NASCAR race.
Despite the drop, the Kobalt Tools 500 still finished as the highest rated sporting event of the weekend on broadcast, finishing comfortably ahead of Duke/North Carolina on CBS (3.4) and more than doubling the NBA on ABC (2.0) and NHL on NBC (1.0).
Overnight ratings for the Kobalt Tools 500 since 1999.
* race concluded on Monday due to rain
| Year | Date | Time | Net | Winner | Rating |
| 2009 | Sun., 3/8/09 | 1:30 PM | FOX | Busch | 4.7/10 |
| 2008 | Sun., 3/9/08 | 1:30 PM | FOX | Busch | 5.6/10 |
| 2007 | Sun., 3/18/07 | 2:30 PM | FOX | Johnson | 4.7/10 |
| 2006 | Sun., 3/19/06 | 1:30 PM | FOX | Kahne | 3.3/7* |
| 2005 | Sun., 3/20/05 | 1:30 PM | FOX | Edwards | 4.9/11 |
| 2004 | Sun., 3/14/04 | 1:00 PM | FOX | Earnhardt, Jr. | 5.3/12 |
| 2003 | Sun., 3/9/03 | 1:15 PM | FOX | Labonte | 6.0/14 |
| 2002 | Sun., 3/10/02 | 1:00 PM | FOX | Stewart | 5.7/13 |
| 2001 | Sun., 3/11/01 | 1:00 PM | FOX | Harvick | 5.7/13 |
| 2000 | Sun., 3/12/00 | 1:00 PM | ABC | Earnhardt | 4.7/11 |
| 1999 | Sun., 3/14/99 | 2:15 PM | ABC | Gordon | 4.9/10 |
