Overnight ratings increased for the second race of the NASCAR Sprint Cup season, but remained low historically.
Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Subway Fresh Fit 500 earned a 5.3 overnight rating on FOX, up 6% from last year (5.0), and even with 2011 (5.3). The 5.3 is tied as the highest in the history of the Phoenix race (dates back to 2005).
With that said, the 5.3 is tied as the third-lowest for the second race of the NASCAR season since FOX began televising races in 2001. From 2001-08, the second race of the season (Rockingham until 2004, Fontana from 2005-10) earned an overnight of at least 6.0 each year.
Even so, the Phoenix race earned the top overnight of the weekend for a sporting event on broadcast, finishing comfortably ahead of the second-place Thunder/Clippers NBA game on ABC (3.8).
(Sunday’s overnight from Sports Business Daily)
