The 2008 NASCAR season has started off with a bang in the ratings.
The UAW-Dodge 400 500 drew a 7.1 final Nielsen rating on Sunday evening, the highest non-Daytona 500 rating in two years. The 7.1 is the highest rating ever for a NASCAR race from Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The 7.1 rating is up 13% from a 6.3 last year, when the race aired on the final week of the college basketball season.
The race did better than several other marquee sporting events, including the 2008 Pro Bowl (6.3), the 2007 NBA Finals (6.2), and the 2008 Sugar Bowl (7.0).
So far this season, all but one NASCAR broadcast on FOX has seen increased ratings. The lone NASCAR telecast to see a decline was the rain-soaked Auto Club 500, which still drew a strong 6.1 overnight two weeks ago.
Ratings for NASCAR on FOX.
Overnight ratings indicated by asterisk (*)
^ = race finished on Monday
5.1: Budweiser Shootout (Sat., Feb. 9, 8 PM FOX); up 6% from ’07.
2.9: Daytona 500 Pole Qualifying (Sun., Feb. 10, 1 PM FOX); up 4% from ’07.
10.2: Daytona 500 (Sun., Feb. 17, 2 PM FOX); up 1% from ’07.
6.2*: Auto Club 500^ (Sun., Feb. 24, 3:30 PM FOX); down 1% from ’07.
7.1: UAW-Dodge 400 (Sun., Mar. 2, 3:30 PM FOX); up 13% from ’07.
