Free from rain and the Olympics for the first time in more than a month, NASCAR still hit a multi-year low at Michigan over the weekend.
NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Michigan earned a 2.1 final rating and 3.4 million viewers on NBCSN Sunday afternoon, down 19% in ratings and 21% in viewership from last year (2.6, 4.3M) and down 34% in both measures from 2014 on ESPN (3.2, 5.2M).
Kyle Larson‘s win ranks as the lowest rated edition of the race since at least 1998 and the least-watched since at least 2000, falling below the previous marks set last year.
Of the 19 races this season that can be compared to last year, Michigan was the 12th to post a multi-year low in ratings and/or viewership.
Excluding rainouts, four of the past five Sprint Cup races have posted declines in ratings and viewership, the lone exception being the Brickyard 400. Only one of those four races — Watkins Glen — aired opposite the Olympics.
While Sunday’s race did not face the Olympics, it did air somewhat formidable competition from the NFL preseason. The competing Chargers/Vikings game posted a 3.3 rating and 5.3 million viewers, easily topping NASCAR.
(Wknd. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily)
