The Budweiser Shootout had its first increase in three years, though viewership hit a five-year low.
FOX earned a 4.5 fast-national rating and 7.8 million viewers for coverage of NASCAR’s Budweiser Shootout on Saturday night, up a tick in ratings but down 5% in viewership from last year (4.4, 8.187M), and down 8% and 6%, respectively, from 2009 (4.9, 8.263M).
This marks the first time since 2008 that ratings have increased for the Budweiser Shootout. However, the 7.8 million viewers is the lowest for the event since 2006, the last year it aired on cable (6.150M, TNT).
On Sunday, coverage of Daytona 500 Pole Qualifying earned a 1.9 overnight rating, up 19% from last year (1.6), but down 10% from 2009 (2.1).
(FOX press release from TV By the Numbers)
