Ratings and viewership for every NASCAR race in 2009.
With just two races left in the season, 31 NASCAR races across FOX, TNT, ESPN and ABC have averaged over 6.6 million viewers, down 8% from over 7.2 million for the same races last year. 23 NASCAR races have had declines in ratings, while 24 races have had declines in viewership.
These numbers do not include the Coca Cola 600, Pennsylvania 500 or Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen, each of which was postponed due to rain.
Multiple races have been the lowest rated in several years. In the past four weeks alone, the Dickies 500 drew a record low rating, the Amp Energy 500 hit a 9-year low, and both Tums Fast Relief 500 and Banking 500 hit 8-year lows.
Going back even further, the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard was the lowest rated since 2000, the Coke Zero 400 was the lowest rated since at least 1998, and the Daytona 500 — the crown jewel of the NASCAR season — was the lowest rated and least-viewed since 2000.
Compared to other sports, the 6.6 million viewers for NASCAR races in ’09 tops the college football bowl season (6.0 mil) and the NBA Playoffs (5.4 mil). However, keep in mind that NASCAR airs once a week, primarily on broadcast television — while multiple bowl games and NBA playoff games air any given night on networks from ABC and FOX to ESPN2 and NFL Network.
Ratings/viewership for NASCAR races in 2009
All ratings are U.S. ratings
* indicates race was postponed due to rain
# indicates last year’s race was postponed due to rain
^ The Pep Boys Auto 500 is compared to last year’s Pepsi 500, the Pepsi 500 is compared to last year’s Amp Energy 500, and the Amp Energy 500 is compared to last year’s Pep Boys Auto 500
| Date | Race | Net | Rating | vs. ’08 | Viewers | vs. ’08 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun., 2/15/09 | Daytona 500 (Daytona) | FOX |
9.2
|
-10%
|
15,957,866
|
-10%
|
| Sun., 2/22/09 | Auto Club 500 (Fontana) | FOX |
6.0
|
-3%
|
10,206,401
|
-7%
|
| Sun., 3/1/09 | Shelby 427 (Las Vegas) | FOX |
6.5
|
-8%
|
11,123,130
|
-8%
|
| Sun., 3/8/09 | Kobalt Tools 500 (Atlanta) | FOX |
5.5
|
-14%
|
8,876,800
|
-16%
|
| Sun., 3/22/09 | Food City 500 (Bristol) | FOX |
4.5
|
-18%
|
7,365,299
|
-17%
|
| Sun., 3/29/09 | Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 (Martinsville) | FOX |
4.6
|
-13%
|
7,372,717
|
-15%
|
| Sun., 4/5/09 | Samsung 500 (Texas) | FOX |
4.7
|
-13%
|
6,898,425
|
-20%
|
| Sat., 4/18/09 | Subway Fresh Fit 500 (Phoenix) | FOX |
3.6
|
-18%
|
5,983,834
|
-17%
|
| Sun., 4/26/09 | Aaron’s 499 (Talladega) | FOX |
5.0
|
-12%
|
8,104,973
|
-10%
|
| Sat., 5/2/09 | Russ Friedman 400 (Richmond) | FOX |
4.0
|
-11%
|
6,671,447
|
-8%
|
| Sat., 5/9/09 | Southern 500 (Darlington) | FOX |
4.0
|
-17%
|
6,670,911
|
-15%
|
| Mon., 5/25/09 | Coca Cola 600 (Charlotte)* | FOX |
3.3
|
—
|
5,318,252
|
—
|
| Sun., 5/31/09 | Autism Speaks 400 (Dover) | FOX |
4.0
|
-11%
|
6,088,134
|
-14%
|
| Sun., 6/7/09 | Pocono 500 (Pocono) | TNT |
3.4
|
-13%
|
5,480,103
|
-10%
|
| Sun., 6/14/09 | Lifelock 400 (Michigan) | TNT |
3.3
|
even
|
5,118,360
|
1%
|
| Sun., 6/21/09 | Toyota/Savemart 350 (Infineon) | TNT |
3.4
|
-8%
|
5,787,587
|
-4%
|
| Sun., 6/28/09 | Lenox Industrial Tools 301 (New Hampsire) | TNT |
3.5
|
3%
|
5,554,926
|
1%
|
| Sat., 7/4/09 | Coke Zero 400 (Daytona) | TNT |
3.1
|
-18%
|
5,276,763
|
-17%
|
| Sat., 7/11/09 | Lifelock.com 400 (Chicagoland) | TNT |
3.0
|
-6%
|
4,814,398
|
-6%
|
| Sun., 7/26/09 | Allstate 400 at the Brickyard (Indianapolis) | ESPN |
4.1
|
-5%
|
6,487,450
|
-3%
|
| Mon., 8/3/09 | Pennsylvania 500* (Pocono) | ESPN |
1.6
|
—
|
2,246,135
|
—
|
| Mon., 8/10/09 | Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen* (Watkins Glen) | ESPN |
1.5
|
—
|
1,994,457
|
—
|
| Sun., 8/16/09 | Carfax 400 (Michigan) | ESPN |
3.5
|
6%
|
5,622,384
|
6%
|
| Sat., 8/22/09 | Sharpie 500 (Bristol) | ESPN |
3.3
|
10%
|
5,322,577
|
7%
|
| Sun., 9/6/09 | Pep Boys Auto 500 (Atlanta)^ | ESPN |
3.5
|
6%
|
5,808,395
|
3%
|
| Sat., 9/12/09 | Chevy Rock & Roll 400 (Richmond)# | ABC |
3.5
|
—
|
5,535,209
|
—
|
| Sun., 9/20/09 | Sylvania 300 (New Hampshire) | ABC |
3.2
|
-16%
|
5,044,391
|
-17%
|
| Sun., 9/27/09 | AAA 400 (Dover) | ABC |
3.1
|
-6%
|
5,084,257
|
-5%
|
| Sun., 10/4/09 | Price Chopper 400 (Kansas) | ABC |
3.2
|
-9%
|
5,252,060
|
-8%
|
| Sun., 10/11/09 | Pepsi 500^ (Fontana) | ABC |
3.6
|
-22%
|
5,952,978
|
-20%
|
| Sat., 10/17/09 | Banking 500 (Charlotte) | ABC |
3.5
|
-8%
|
5,484,745
|
-9%
|
| Sun., 10/25/09 | Tums Fast Relief 500 (Martinsville) | ABC |
2.9
|
-12%
|
4,702,038
|
-9%
|
| Sun., 11/1/09 | Amp Energy 500 (Talladega)^ | ABC |
4.2
|
17%
|
6,627,058
|
18%
|
| Sun., 11/8/09 | Dickies 500 (Texas) | ABC |
3.7
|
even
|
5,826,842
|
-1%
|
