NASCAR Dover ratings were nothing to brag about, but Sunday’s race eked out an increase despite Indy 500 competition.
Sunday’s race two of the NASCAR Cup Series doubleheader at Dover averaged a 1.2 rating and 1.95 million viewers on NBCSN, up a tick in ratings and 7% in viewership from last year, when the race aired opposite NFL games (1.1, 1.83M). This year’s race overlapped for an hour with the competing Indy 500 on NBC (2.3, 3.66M).
Kevin Harvick’s win was first race to increase over last year since Kentucky on FS1 last month.
Race one on Saturday averaged a 1.1 and 1.77 million, marking the smallest Cup Series audience at Dover since at least 2001 (excluding rainouts).
Both races rank among the ten least-watched Cup Series telecasts since at least 2000, with Saturday’s race ranking fifth and Sunday’s tenth. The five least-watched Cup Series races, and six of the bottom nine, have taken place this season alone.
Lowest NASCAR Ratings, Viewership (2001-Present)
This year’s races highlighted
| Lowest Rated | Least-Watched | ||||||||
| # | YEAR | GAME | RTG | NET | # | YEAR | GAME | VWRS | NET |
| 1 | 2020 | Kansas (Thu.) | 0.9 | NBCSN | 1 | 2020 | Kansas (Thu.) | 1.47M | NBCSN |
| 2020 | Charlotte (Thu.) | 0.9 | FS1 | 2 | 2020 | Charlotte (Thu.) | 1.51M | FS1 | |
| 2 | 2020 | Michigan (Sat.) | 1.0 | NBCSN | 3 | 2020 | Michigan (Sat.) | 1.65M | NBCSN |
| 2018 | Richmond (fall) | 1.0 | NBCSN | 4 | 2020 | Martinsville (Wed.) | 1.71M | FS1 | |
| 5 | 2020 | Dover (Sat.) | 1.1 | NBCSN | 5 | 2020 | Dover (Sat.) | 1.77M | NBCSN |
| 2020 | Martinsville (Wed.) | 1.1 | FS1 | 6 | 2018 | Richmond (fall) | 1.77M | NBCSN | |
| 2019 | Richmond (fall) | 1.1 | NBCSN | 7 | 2019 | Richmond (fall) | 1.78M | NBCSN | |
| 2019 | Darlington* | 1.1 | NBCSN | 8 | 2019 | Dover | 1.82M | NBCSN | |
| 9 | seven races tied^ | 1.2 | see below |
9 | 2019 | Darlington* | 1.86M | NBCSN | |
| 10 | 2020 | Dover (Sun.) | 1.95M | NBCSN | |||||
* Race began after 10 PM ET due to inclement weather
^ 2020 Dover (Sun.), 2020 Darlington (Wed.), 2019 Kentucky, 2019 Kansas, 2018 Dover, 2018 Kansas, 2017 Richmond (fall)
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 8.25]
