For the fourth straight week and the 11th time in 15 races, ratings dropped for NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series.
Sunday’s Lenox Industrial Tools 301 drew a 3.0 U.S. rating and 4.909 million viewers on TNT, down 14% in ratings and 12% in viewership from last year (3.5, 5.555 mil), and down 12% and 11%, respectively, from 2008 (3.4, 5.495 mil).
This marks the lowest rated edition of the race since at least 1999. To put the numbers in perspective, the race drew a 4.5 and 7.3 million viewers on TNT just five years ago.
So far this season, every NASCAR telecast on TNT has had a decline in ratings and viewership versus last year. Overall, ratings have declined for 11 of the 15 regularly scheduled NASCAR telecasts on TNT and FOX.
Dating back to August of 2008, 44 of the last 61 regularly scheduled NASCAR Sprint Cup telecasts have had a decline in ratings versus the previous year — 10 of the last 15 races in 2008, 23 of the 31 races in 2009 and 11 of the first 15 in 2010.
Despite the lower numbers, Sunday’s race drew the highest NASCAR rating in three weeks — since the Gilette Fusion ProGlide 500 on June 6.
Additionally, the race was the 11th most-viewed program of the week on cable.
Ratings For Lenox Industrial Tools 301 Since 1999 (Viewership Since ’02)
| Year | Date | Winner | Net | Rating | Viewers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Sun., 6/27/10 | Johnson |
TNT
|
3.0
|
4,909
|
| 2009 | Sun., 6/28/09 | Logano |
TNT
|
3.5
|
5,555
|
| 2008 | Sun., 6/29/08 | Ku. Busch |
TNT
|
3.4
|
5,495
|
| 2007 | Sun., 7/1/07 | Hamlin |
TNT
|
3.3
|
5,270
|
| 2006 | Sun., 7/16/06 | Ky. Busch |
TNT
|
3.9
|
6,167
|
| 2005 | Sun., 7/17/05 | Stewart |
TNT
|
4.5
|
7,280
|
| 2004 | Sun., 7/25/04 | Ku. Busch |
TNT
|
4.3
|
—
|
| 2003 | Sun., 7/20/03 | Johnson |
TNT
|
3.8
|
5,876
|
| 2002 | Sun., 7/21/02 | Burton |
TNT
|
3.7
|
6,181
|
| 2001 | Sun., 7/22/01 | Jarrett |
TNT
|
4.2
|
—
|
| 2000 | Sun., 7/9/00 | Stewart |
TNN
|
3.5
|
—
|
| 1999 | Sun., 7/11/99 | Burton |
TNN
|
3.1
|
—
|
