The Daytona 500 posted only a modest decline in ratings and viewership, but that was still enough to make it one of the least-watched ever.
Sunday’s Daytona 500 averaged a 4.4 rating and 8.17 million viewers on FOX, down 7% in ratings and 8% in viewership from last year (4.7, 8.87M) and the third-smallest audience ever for the race. Only the rain-affected races in 2020 (4.4, 7.33M) and 2021 (2.8, 4.91M) averaged fewer viewers.
The six smallest Daytona 500 audiences on record have come in the past six years. (For the full list of Daytona 500 ratings dating back to 1979, see the following link.)
While ratings and viewership declined, the race averaged its highest share — 15.16, meaning that 15% of homes with televisions in use were tuned to the race — since 2016 (15.23). As television viewing declines, the share of the audience will tend to increase even as ratings and viewership decline.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s win, which peaked with 10.1 million viewers, was easily the most-watched sporting event of President’s Day weekend, cruising past the second-place NBA All-Star Game. The NBA game — which hit a record-low overall — still came out ahead of Daytona in adults 18-49 and 18-34.
The race did face some noteworthy sporting competition, airing directly opposite Tiger Woods’ first PGA Tour event of the season — which increased 31% year-over-year.
While the 500 declined, other Daytona Speedweeks events posted gains over last year. The Xfinity Series race there pulled a 0.9 (flat) and 1.69 million (+14%) on FS1 Saturday, the highest for any Xfinity Series race on cable since the same event three years ago.
The rain-shortened Truck Series race drew a 0.6 (flat) and 1.03 million (+1%) on FS1 Friday, the largest audience for that series since Bristol last April. Even the ARCA race posted gains with a 0.53 (+13%) and 846,000 (+12%).
Going back further, the Duel at Daytona hit a multi-year high last Thursday (as previously noted) and qualifying last Wednesday was also up to a 0.47 (+2%) and 795,000 (+6%).
(Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 2.22)
