For the second time this season, NASCAR Sprint Cup racing failed to attract even 2% of U.S. television homes.
NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Richmond drew a 1.8 final rating and 3.1 million viewers on NBCSN Saturday night, down 38% in ratings and 45% in viewership from last year (3.0, 4.9M) and down 45% and 41%, respectively, from 2013 (3.3, 5.2M), both of which aired on broadcast network ABC.
Even including rainouts, Matt Kenseth‘s win ranks as the lowest rated and least-watched edition of the fall Richmond race since at least 2001. The previous lows were a 2.5 and 4.0 million in 2008, when the race was postponed to Sunday afternoon and aired on ESPN.
As recently as 2007, the race had a 4.2 and 6.8 million on ABC.
All 14 Sprint Cup races on cable this season have had a decline in ratings and viewership, with each either hitting record lows or the lowest marks in over a decade. NASCAR cable partners NBCSN and Fox Sports 1 are each in several million fewer homes than previous partners ESPN and TNT were last season.
Just once this season has a Sprint Cup telecast drawn a lower rating and fewer viewers — rain-delayed coverage from Kansas on FS1 in May (1.6, 2.5M). The season’s four lowest rated and least-watched races each took place on a Saturday night, with Kentucky (2.0, 3.2M) and Bristol (2.1, 3.6M) joining Richmond and Kansas.
Ratings/Viewership For NASCAR on Cable This Year
*: Inaugural year of race
≤: Data was not available prior to the listed year
| Race | Net | Rtg. | Lowest Since | Vwrs. | Lowest Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martinsville | FS1 | 2.4 | ≤ 1998 | 4.06M | ≤ 2001 |
| Kansas | FS1 | 1.6 | 2011* | 2.48M | 2011* |
| Dover | FS1 | 2.5 | ≤ 1998 | 3.94M | ≤ 2001 |
| Pocono | FS1 | 2.3 | ≤ 2000 | 3.61M | ≤ 2001 |
| Michigan | FS1 | 2.2 | ≤ 1996 | 3.52M | ≤ 2000 |
| Sonoma | FS1 | 2.3 | ≤ 1998 | 3.72M | ≤ 2002 |
| Kentucky | NBCSN | 2.0 | 2011* | 3.22M | 2011* |
| New Hampshire | NBCSN | 2.4 | ≤ 1998 | 3.67M | ≤ 2000 |
| Indianapolis | NBCSN | 3.0 | 1994* | 4.70M | 1994* |
| Pocono II | NBCSN | 2.6 | ≤ 1998 | 4.26M | ≤ 2000 |
| Watkins Glen | NBCSN | 2.5 | ≤ 1999 | 3.98M | ≤ 2001 |
| Michigan II | NBCSN | 2.6 | ≤ 1998 | 4.29M | ≤ 2000 |
| Bristol II | NBCSN | 2.1 | ≤ 1998 | 3.61M | ≤ 2000 |
| Richmond | NBCSN | 1.8 | ≤ 2001 | 3.06M | ≤ 2001 |
(Sat. numbers via TV Media Insights)
