For the first time in a month, NASCAR managed to draw at least 3% of metered market households.
Sunday’s Pepsi 500 drew a 3.0 overnight rating on ABC, off 25% from last year’s comparable Amp Energy 500 from Talladega (4.0). Overnight ratings are unavailable for last year’s Pepsi 500, which aired in August on ESPN.
The 3.0 overnight is tied as the highest of the season for a NASCAR race on ABC, topping the previous three Chase for the Cup races (2.5 for the Sylvania 500, 2.7 for the AAA 400, 2.6 for the Price Chopper 400).
Coverage of the race leaked into prime time. From 7-7:30 PM, ABC averaged a 2.5/8 rating among adults 18-49 and 8.9 million viewers, good for a #2 finish in both categories — behind only NFL overrun on CBS.
Source: Sports Business Daily, pifeedback.com
