Television ratings held steady for the final NASCAR race before the Chase For the Sprint Cup.
Saturday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Federated Auto Parts 400 from Richmond (VA) earned a 3.3 final rating and 5.2 million viewers on ABC, flat in ratings and up 1% in viewership from last year (3.3, 5.1M), but down 11% and 16%, respectively, from 2011 (3.7, 6.2M).
Excluding a 2008 rainout, this marks the second-least viewed edition of the fall Richmond race since 2003. Only last year’s race, which was plagued by rain delays and ended after 1 AM ET, earned a smaller audience.
The race was also the lowest rated and least-viewed NASCAR telecast of the season on broadcast TV (15 telecasts). The previous lows were a 3.8 rating (three times) and 5.9 million viewers (Darlington).
(Sat. numbers from ESPN)
