An up-and-down NASCAR season ended with record-low ratings at Homestead.
Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series finale from Homestead-Miami averaged a 2.2 rating and 3.74 million viewers on NBC, marking the lowest rating in the 20-year history of the race and the smallest audience since at least 2001.
Kyle Busch’s Cup-clinching win declined 12% in ratings and 10% in viewership from the previous lows set last year (2.5, 4.15M) and 21% and 20% respectively from 2017 (2.5, 4.15M).
Since hitting a 4.4 and 7.64 million in 2015, ratings and viewership have declined in each subsequent year.
Of the 32 Cup Series races that were run as scheduled this season, Homestead was the 18th to post a decline in ratings and/or viewership and the 19th to hit an all-time or decade-plus low. (The spring Kansas race did not decline, but still tied a ratings low.)
The final three races of the season declined, with both Phoenix and Homestead down double-digits.
It was nonetheless a encouraging year for NASCAR, which saw increases for 14 Cup Series races — the most in a single year since 2013. Only four races increased all of last season.
Even with the low numbers, Homestead ranks as the highest rated and most-watched Cup Series telecast since Charlotte on FOX in May (2.6, 4.26M).
This year marked the final time for the foreseeable future that Homestead will host the NASCAR finale. Next year, the race will take place in March and the season will end at Phoenix.
NASCAR ratings, viewership, this season (excluding rainouts)
| Race | Net | Rtg. | +/- | Vwrs. | +/- |
| Daytona 500 | FOX | 5.3 | flat | 9.170M | -1% |
| Atlanta | FOX | 3.1 | -6% | 5.067M | -10% |
| Las Vegas | FOX | 3.0 | +3% | 5.115M | +8% |
| Phoenix | FOX | 2.9 | +4% | 4.794M | +5% |
| Auto Club | FOX | 2.5 | +4% | 4.178M | +4% |
| Martinsville^ | FS1 | 1.5 | -35% | 2.455M | -38% |
| Texas* | FOX | 2.2 | +29% | 3.652M | +29% |
| Bristol** | FS1 | 1.7 | -50% | 2.806M | -49% |
| Richmond | FOX | 1.7 | -6% | 2.787M | -8% |
| Talladega | FOX | 2.8 | -3% | 4.521M | -5% |
| Kansas | FS1 | 1.2 | flat | 2.177M | +7% |
| Charlotte | FOX | 2.6 | +13% | 4.258M | +4% |
| Pocono | FS1 | 1.45 | -11% | 2.386M | -11% |
| Sonoma | FS1 | 1.5 | +7% | 2.478M | +6% |
| Chicagoland | NBCSN | 1.4 | -13% | 2.407M | -6% |
| Kentucky | NBCSN | 1.2 | -8% | 2.075M | -8% |
| New Hampshire | NBCSN | 1.7 | +13% | 2.794M | +12% |
| Pocono II | NBCSN | 1.7 | flat | 2.705M | -2% |
| Watkins Glen† | NBCSN | 1.7 | -26% | 2.722M | -26% |
| Michigan II | NBCSN | 1.8 | +13% | 2.897M | +14% |
| Bristol II | NBCSN | 1.5 | +7% | 2.503M | +8% |
| Darlington‡ | NBCSN | 1.1 | -27% | 1.855M | -30% |
| Brickyard^ | NBC | 1.9 | -44% | 2.969M | -47% |
| Las Vegas II | NBCSN | 1.4 | +8% | 2.384M | +12% |
| Richmond II | NBCSN | 1.1 | +10% | 1.779M | +0.3% |
| Charlotte Roval | NBC | 1.8 | -6% | 3.024M | -6% |
| Dover II | NBCSN | 1.1 | -8% | 1.826M | -9% |
| Kansas II | NBC | 2.0 | +18% | 3.304M | +20% |
| Martinsville II | NBCSN | 1.4 | +8% | 2.252M | +5% |
| Texas II | NBCSN | 1.4 | flat | 2.199M | -3% |
| Phoenix II | NBC | 1.6 | -20% | 2.567M | -22% |
| Homestead | NBC | 2.2 | -12% | 3.737M | -10% |
*: indicates race moved from cable to broadcast
†: indicates race moved from broadcast to cable
^: comparison is to 2017 season (last year’s race was ppd)
**: comparison is to 2016 season (2017 and 2018 races ppd)
‡: race began after 10 PM ET
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 11.19]
