Though down only last night from last year, NASCAR’s second-to-last race of the season hit a multi-year low in ratings and viewership.
Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Advocare 500 from Phoenix drew a 2.7 U.S. rating and 4.3 million viewers on ESPN, down 4% in ratings and 3% in viewership from last year (2.8, 4.4M), and down 7% and 10%, respectively, from 2011 (2.9, 4.8M).
This marks the second-lowest rated edition of the race since at least 2000, and the second-least-viewed since at least 2001. Only the 2010 race (2.5, 4.2M) earned lower numbers.
In four years on ESPN, ratings for the Phoenix race have ranged from 2.5 to 2.9. The race ranged from 3.3 to 3.8 in three previous years on ABC, and from 4.0 to 5.0 in the six previous years on NBC.
The race was only the second regularly scheduled Chase For the Cup telecast to have a decline from last year. Of note, the two races to have declines (Phoenix and Talladega) were down by less than 5% in ratings and viewership.
(Sun. numbers from ESPN)
