If the preliminary numbers are any indication, NASCAR could be on its way to its first increase of the Chase For The Cup.
Sunday’s season-ending Ford 400 drew a 3.3 overnight rating on ESPN, up 3% from the same race last year (3.2, ABC), but down 8% from 2008 (3.6, ABC).
The 3.3 overnight is the highest of the 2010 Chase For The Cup on any network.
Despite the increase, the 3.3 overnight is the second-lowest for the Ford 400 since 2000. In the first year of the Chase, the race drew a comparably massive 5.6 overnight on NBC.
Since the Chase For The Cup began in 2004, final ratings for the Ford 400 have risen between 9% and 23% from the overnight — putting Sunday’s race on pace to finish in the 3.6-4.1 range.
If this year’s race follows the trend from previous years, it will at least tie last year’s 3.6 final rating on ABC — becoming the first Chase race on ESPN/ABC this season avoid a year-to-year decline.
(Rating from Sports Business Daily)
