Average ratings and viewership for NASCAR on TNT finished up from last year, but the network’s final race of the season hit multi-year lows.
Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Lenox Industrial Tools 301 from Loudon, NH, earned a 2.9 U.S. rating and 4.562 million viewers on TNT, down a tick in ratings and 7% in viewership from last year (3.0, 4.909M), and down 17% and 18%, respectively, from 2009 (3.4, 5.495M).
This marks the lowest rated edition of the early Loudon race since at least 1998*, and the least-viewed since at least 2000*.
In addition, Sunday’s race ranks as the least-viewed NASCAR Sprint Cup race of the season, dipping below the previous mark of 4.890 million for the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 from Michigan.
Despite the declines for Sunday’s race, TNT concluded its six-race NASCAR run up 3% in ratings and viewership from last year.
Of note, online video streams via TNT RaceBuddy on NASCAR.com were up 143% from last year, to 5.319 million.
Ratings For Lenox Industrial Tools 301 Dating Back to 1999
|
Year
|
Date
|
Winner
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2011
|
Sun., 7/17/11 | Newman |
TNT
|
2.9
|
4,562
|
|
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
|
6,766
|
|
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
|
7,182
|
|
2000
|
Sun., 7/9/00 | Stewart |
TNN
|
3.5
|
?
|
|
1999
|
Sun., 7/11/99 | Burton |
TNN
|
3.1
|
?
|
* Ratings were not available prior to 1999; viewership was not available prior to 2001.
(This year’s numbers from Turner Sports, TV By the Numbers; additional information from Media Life Magazine)
