The first IndyCar-NASCAR doubleheader was a ratings win for both.
Saturday’s IndyCar Series Grand Prix of Indianapolis averaged a 0.8 rating and 1.14 million viewers on NBC, marking the highest rated and most-watched edition of the race since its 2014 debut (0.9, 1.24M).
Ratings increased a tick and viewership 7% from last year, when the race was run as scheduled in May (0.7, 1.07M). The race peaked with 1.31 million viewers from 1:30-1:45 PM ET and averaged 1.15 million with streaming included.
At the same track later in the day, the NASCAR Xfinity Series averaged a 1.1 and 1.68 million — the series’ largest audience at Indianapolis Motor Speedway since the 2017 race on NBCSN (1.1, 1.69M).
Keep in mind that NASCAR’s annual stop at IMS took place during football season the past two years. Ratings jumped 83% and viewership 69% from last year’s race, which aired on a college football Saturday (0.6, 995K).
Viewership peaked at 1.99 million from 5 PM through the conclusion. Including streaming, the race averaged 1.69 million.
For the season, Saturday’s race ranks as the most-watched Xfinity Series event since the season opener from Daytona in February (1.81M).
Indianapolis led all markets for both races, averaging a 5.1 for NASCAR and a 4.9 for IndyCar. West Palm Beach, Fla., was a distant second for both, with a 3.0 for NASCAR and a 1.9 for IndyCar.
Image credit Josh Hallett/Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0
[Nielsen estimates from NBC Sports]
