NASCAR ratings were generally down during its regular season, with last Saturday night’s race being no exception.
Saturday’s Air Guard 400 drew a 3.1 final rating and 5.288 million viewers on ABC, down 11% in ratings and 5% in viewership from last year (3.5, 5.535 mil) and down 26% and 22%, respectively, from 2007 (4.2, 6.804 mil).
The 2008 race was postponed to Sunday afternoon due to rain and aired on ESPN (2.5, 3.974 mil).
This marks the lowest rated regularly scheduled edition of the Air Guard 400 (formerly the Chevy Rock and Roll 400) since 2003 (3.0). The race is also tied as the least-viewed since ’03 (5.077 mil).
The 3.1 rating is the lowest for any primetime NASCAR race on broadcast television since the current television deals went into effect in 2007.
Of the 21 NASCAR races that can be compared to last year, 16 have had a decline in ratings and 15 have had a decline in viewership.
Ratings/Viewership For NASCAR Races Entering Chase For The Cup
| Date | Race | Net | Rating | vs. ’09 | vs. ’08 | Viewers | vs. ’09 | vs. ’08 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun., 2/14/10 | Daytona 500 (Daytona) | FOX |
7.7
|
-16%
|
-25%
|
13,294
|
-17%
|
-25%
|
| Sun., 2/21/10 | Auto Club 500 (Fontana) | FOX |
5.6
|
-7%
|
-10%
|
9,151
|
-10%
|
-16%
|
| Sun., 2/28/10 | Shelby American (Vegas) | FOX |
4.4
|
-32%
|
-38%
|
7,154
|
-36%
|
-41%
|
| Sun., 3/7/10 | Kobalt Tools 500 (Atlanta) | FOX |
5.3
|
-4%
|
-17%
|
8,510
|
-4%
|
-19%
|
| Sun., 3/21/10 | Food City 500 (Bristol) | FOX |
4.4
|
-2%
|
-20%
|
7,357
|
even
|
-17%
|
| Mon., 3/29/10 | Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 (Martinsville) | FOX |
2.0
|
—
|
—
|
2,891
|
—
|
—
|
| Sat., 4/11/10 | Subway Fresh Fit 600 (Phoenix) | FOX |
3.7
|
3%
|
-16%
|
5,977
|
even
|
-17%
|
| Mon., 4/19/10 | Samsung Mobile 500 (Texas) | FOX |
2.1
|
—
|
—
|
2,907
|
—
|
—
|
| Sun., 4/25/10 | Aaron’s 499 (Talladega) | FOX |
5.2
|
4%
|
-9%
|
8,452
|
4%
|
-6%
|
| Sat., 5/1/10 | Heath Calhoun 400 (Richmond) | FOX |
3.7
|
-8%
|
-18%
|
6,194
|
-7%
|
-15%
|
| Sat., 5/8/10 | Southern 500 (Darlington) | FOX |
4.2
|
5%
|
-13%
|
6,969
|
4%
|
-11%
|
| Sun., 5/16/10 | Autism Speaks 400 (Dover) | FOX |
3.7
|
-8%
|
-18%
|
5,756
|
-5%
|
-19%
|
| Sun., 5/30/10 | Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte) | FOX |
4.0
|
21%
|
-15%
|
6547
|
23%
|
-14%
|
| Sun., 6/6/10 | Gilette Fusion ProGlide 500 (Pocono) | TNT |
3.3
|
-3%
|
-15%
|
5344
|
-2%
|
-12%
|
| Sun., 6/13/10 | Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 (Michigan) | TNT |
2.9
|
-12%
|
-12%
|
4333
|
-15%
|
-15%
|
| Sun., 6/20/10 | Toyota/Save Mart 350 (Sonoma) | TNT |
2.7
|
-21%
|
-27%
|
4479
|
-23%
|
-26%
|
| Sun., 6/27/10 | Lenox Industrial Tools 301 (Loudon) | TNT |
3.0
|
-14%
|
-12%
|
4909
|
-12%
|
-11%
|
| Sat., 7/3/10 | Coke Zero 400 (Daytona) | TNT |
3.6
|
16%
|
-5%
|
6127
|
16%
|
-4%
|
| Sat., 7/10/10 | Lifelock.com 400 (Chicago) | TNT |
2.8
|
-7%
|
-13%
|
4608
|
-4%
|
-10%
|
| Sun., 7/25/10 | Brickyard 400 (Indianapolis) | ESPN |
3.6
|
-12%
|
-16%
|
5709
|
-12%
|
-14%
|
| Sun., 8/1/10 | Pennsylvania 500 (Pocono) | ESPN |
3.8
|
—
|
even
|
6202
|
—
|
even
|
| Sun., 8/8/10 | Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen (Watkins Glen) | ESPN |
3.2
|
—
|
7%
|
4932
|
—
|
2%
|
| Sun., 8/15/10 | Carfax 400 (Michigan) | ESPN |
3.1
|
-11%
|
-6%
|
4917
|
-13%
|
-7%
|
| Sat., 8/21/10 | Irwin Tools Night Race (Bristol) | ABC |
3.5
|
6%
|
17%
|
5842
|
10%
|
17%
|
| Sun., 9/5/10 | Emory Healthcare 500 (Atlanta) | ESPN |
3.4
|
-3%
|
3%
|
5517
|
-5%
|
-2%
|
| Sat., 9/11/10 | Air Guard 400 (Richmond) | ABC |
3.1
|
-11%
|
—
|
5288
|
-4%
|
—
|
(Ratings for Saturday’s race from ESPN)
