NASCAR is on a winning streak, of sorts.
Saturday night’s Sharpie 500 drew a 3.3 U.S. rating and 5.3 million viewers on ESPN, up 10% in ratings and 7% in viewers from a 3.0 and 5 million for last year’s race, which aired opposite the Olympics.
This marks the second straight week — and only the third time in 2009 — that a NASCAR race has had increased ratings. Additionally, the 10% increase is the largest for a NASCAR race since September ’08.
Despite the increase, the 3.3 rating is tied as the second-lowest rating for the Sharpie 500 since ’01.
Saturday night’s race topped Yankees/Red Sox on ESPN Sunday night, and an NFL preseason game on ESPN earlier in the week.
Ratings for the Sharpie 500 since ’99.
U.S. rating presented, with cable rating in parentheses ().
| Year | Date | Winner | Net | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Sat., 8/22/09 | Busch | ESPN |
3.3 (3.8)
|
| 2008 | Sat., 8/23/08 | Edwards | ESPN | |
| 2007 | Sat., 8/25/07 | Edwards | ESPN | |
| 2006 | Sat., 8/26/06 | Kenseth | TNT | |
| 2005 | Sat., 8/27/05 | Kenseth | TNT | |
| 2004 | Sat., 8/28/04 | Earnhardt, Jr. | TNT | |
| 2003 | Sat., 8/23/03 | Busch | TNT | |
| 2002 | Sat., 8/24/02 | Gordon | TNT | |
| 2001 | Sat., 8/25/01 | Stewart | TNT | |
| 2000 | Sat., 8/26/00 | Wallace | ESPN | |
| 1999 | Sat., 8/28/99 | Earnhardt | ESPN |
Source: ESPN
