NASCAR scored another increase last weekend, though the numbers remained at historic lows.
The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs from Richmond (Va.) averaged a 1.1 rating and 1.78 million viewers on NBCSN last Saturday night, up a tick in ratings and a fraction of a percent in viewership from last year (1.0, 1.77M), but down a tick and 17% respectively from 2017 (1.2, 2.14M).
Martin Truex Jr.‘s win was the 12th Cup Series race this season to post an increase in ratings and viewership, the most in a single season since 2013 (20), and more than the two previous seasons combined (nine).
It was the first fall Richmond race to increase in ratings since 2011, and the first to do so in viewership since 2013.
Keep in mind that last year’s race set a historically low bar, ranking as the lowest rated and least-watched Cup Series race since at least 2000. Even with the slight increases, this year’s race could do no better than second-to-last.
Four races this season rank among the ten lowest rated Cup Series events dating back to 2000.
Lowest NASCAR Ratings, Viewership (2001-Present)
This year’s races highlighted
| Lowest Rated | Least-Watched | ||||||||
| # | YEAR | GAME | RTG | NET | # | YEAR | GAME | VWRS | NET |
| 1 | 2018 | Richmond (fall) | 1.0 | NBCSN | 1 | 2018 | Richmond (fall) | 1.774M | NBCSN |
| 2 | 2019 | Richmond (fall) | 1.1 | NBCSN | 2 | 2019 | Richmond (fall) | 1.779M | NBCSN |
| 2019 | Darlington* | 1.1 | NBCSN | 3 | 2019 | Darlington* | 1.855M | NBCSN | |
| 4 | 2019 | Kentucky | 1.2 | NBCSN | 4 | 2017 | N.H. (fall) | 1.992M | NBCSN |
| 2019 | Kansas | 1.2 | FS1 | 5 | 2018 | Dover | 2.009M | NBCSN | |
| 2018 | Dover | 1.2 | NBCSN | 6 | 2018 | Kansas | 2.038M | FS1 | |
| 2018 | Kansas | 1.2 | FS1 | 7 | 2017 | Dover (fall) | 2.046M | NBCSN | |
| 2017 | Richmond (fall) | 1.2 | NBCSN | 8 | 2019 | Kentucky | 2.075M | NBCSN | |
| 9 | four races tied^ | 9 | 2017 | Richmond (fall) | 2.135M | NBCSN | |||
| 10 | 2018 | Las Vegas (fall) | 2.138M | NBCSN | |||||
* Race began after 10 PM ET due to inclement weather
^ 2018 Las Vegas (fall), 2018 Kentucky, 2017 Dover (fall), 2017 New Hampshire (fall).
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 9.27]
