NASCAR Bristol ratings sank double-digits to a new low, but the numbers were not too bad given the competition.
Last Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Bristol averaged a 1.2 rating and 2.12 million viewers on NBCSN, marking the lowest rated edition of the race since at least 1998 and the least-watched since at least 2000 — including rainouts.
The lower numbers are no real surprise, given the unusually strong competition — an NBA playoff game on ESPN (Celtics-Heat: 3.81M) and Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on NBC (Stars-Lightning: 2.11M), in addition to the usual September fare of college football on ABC (Miami-Louisville: 3.80M).
Add to that the fact that the Bristol night race previously took place during one of the (traditionally) slowest times on the sporting calendar, mid-August, and the 20% drop in ratings looks like a best-case scenario.
Bristol ranks as the fourth-most watched non-Sunday race this season, not a small distinction in a season that has featured 11. The top three — the Saturday night race at Daytona in August (3.87M), Monday rainout at Talladega in June (3.33M) and Saturday afternoon race at Pocono in June (2.66M) — aired on broadcast television.
In other action, last Friday’s Xfinity Series race at Bristol averaged a 0.47 and 764,000 on NBCSN (both -16%). The Truck Series race there averaged a 0.23 (-21%) and 361,000 (-18%) last Thursday.
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 9.22]
