The season finale of NASCAR on FOX suffered a double-digit drop in ratings.
Last Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup FedEx 400 from Dover drew a 3.7 final rating on FOX, down 16% from last year (4.4), but even with 2010 (3.7).
The 3.7 rating is tied as the lowest for the FedEx 400 since the 2004 race on FX (3.4).
The 16% decline for last week’s race is the second-largest of the season for NASCAR on FOX, behind only the 17% decline for the rain-affected Auto Club 400 from Fontana. The race only had a 5% decline in the overnights.
For the season, ten of thirteen NASCAR telecasts on FOX suffered declines in ratings compared to last year. Seven of those ten telecasts were down by less than ten percent — including four telecasts that were off by just a tenth of a ratings point.
Only two races were up from last year — the Food City 500 from Bristol (+2%) and the STP 400 from Kansas (+10%). The latter race moved from June to April.
Ratings For NASCAR on FOX
With comparisons to last year and 2010
Asterisk (*) indicates race was rained out
| Date | Race | Net | 2012 Rating | 2011 Rating | 2010 Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon., 2/27/2012 | Daytona | FOX |
8.0
|
8.7
|
7.7
|
| Sun., 3/4/2012 | Phoenix | FOX |
5.6
|
5.9
|
3.7
|
| Sun., 3/11/2012 | Las Vegas | FOX |
5.2
|
5.9
|
4.4
|
| Sun., 3/18/2012 | Bristol | FOX |
4.4
|
4.3
|
4.4
|
| Sun., 3/25/2012 | Fontana | FOX |
3.8
|
4.6
|
5.6
|
| Sun., 4/1/2012 | Martinsville | FOX |
4.3
|
4.4
|
2.0*
|
| Sat., 4/14/2012 | Texas | FOX |
4.0
|
4.0
|
2.1*
|
| Sun., 4/22/2012 | Kansas | FOX |
4.3
|
3.9
|
—
|
| Sat., 4/28/2012 | Richmond | FOX |
3.6
|
3.7
|
3.7
|
| Sun., 5/6/2012 | Talladega | FOX |
5.1
|
5.2
|
5.2
|
| Sat., 5/12/2012 | Darlington | FOX |
3.8
|
4.1
|
4.2
|
| Sun., 5/27/2012 | Charlotte | FOX |
4.4
|
4.5
|
4.0
|
| Sun., 6/3/2012 | Dover | FOX |
3.7
|
4.4
|
3.7
|
(Last Sunday’s numbers from Sports Business Daily)
