NASCAR ratings are running on fumes.
NASCAR Cup Series racing from Kentucky earned a 1.6 final rating and 2.7 million viewers on NBCSN Saturday night, down 16% in ratings and 15% in viewership from last year (1.9, 3.2M) and down 20% and 16% respectively from 2015 (2.0, 3.2M).
Martin Truex Jr.‘s win was the lowest rated and least-watched edition of the Kentucky race, first run in 2011.
Kentucky was the 14th of 17 Cup Series races this year to at least tie an all-time or decade-plus ratings low, and the 12th to do so in viewership. Dating back to last year’s Kentucky race, 29 of 32 Cup Series races have posted declines. 27 of those have at least tied an all-time or decade-plus ratings low, and 25 have done so in viewership.
| NASCAR RATINGS/VIEWERSHIP Dating back to Kentucky last year, excluding rainouts ‡: Data unavailable prior to listed year |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race | Net | Rtg. | +/- | Lowest Since | Vwrs. | +/- | Lowest Since |
| 2017 Kentucky | NBCSN | 1.6 | -16% | ever | 2.71M | -15% | ever |
| 2017 Daytona (Jul.) | NBC | 3.2 | -6% | 2015 | 5.42M | -5% | 2015 |
| 2017 Sonoma | FS1 | 2.0 | -17% | 1998‡ | 3.24M | -17% | 2002‡ |
| 2017 Michigan (Jun.) | FS1 | 1.85 | -16% | 1996‡ | 3.14M | -9% | 2000‡ |
| 2017 Pocono | FS1 | 2.2 | -4% | 2000‡ | 3.56M | -2% | 2001‡ |
| 2017 Dover | FS1 | 2.1 | -16% | 1998‡ | 3.36M | -16% | 2001‡ |
| 2017 Charlotte (May) | FOX | 2.8 | -18% | 1996‡ | 4.64M | -19% | 2000‡ |
| 2017 Kansas | FS1 | 1.6 | -15% | T-ever | 2.62M | -17% | 2015 |
| 2017 Talladega (May) | FOX | 3.5 | -13% | 1997 | 5.90M | -11% | 2001‡ |
| 2017 Richmond | FOX | 2.9 | -6% | T-2001 | 4.58M | -4% | 2004‡ |
| 2017 Texas | FOX | 2.7 | even | T-ever | 4.53M | +4% | — |
| 2017 Martinsville (Apr.) | FS1 | 2.3 | -8% | 1998‡ | 3.96M | -6% | 2001‡ |
| 2017 Fontana | FOX | 3.2 | -20% | 1998‡ | 5.19M | -24% | 2001‡ |
| 2017 Phoenix (Mar.) | FOX | 3.3 | -18% | ever | 5.39M | -19% | ever |
| 2017 Las Vegas | FOX | 3.6 | -18% | ever | 5.97M | -17% | 2001‡ |
| 2017 Atlanta | FOX | 3.8 | -7% | 2014 | 6.60M | -3% | 2014 |
| 2017 Daytona 500 | FOX | 6.6 | even | T-2014 | 11.92M | +5% | — |
| 2016 Homestead | NBC NBCSN |
3.5 | -20% | 2014 | 6.08M | -20% | 2014 |
| 2016 Phoenix (Nov.) | NBC | 2.4 | -23% | 2000‡ | 4.03M | -21% | 2001‡ |
| 2016 Martinsville (Oct.) | NBCSN | 1.6 | -20% | 2000‡ | 2.67M | -20% | 2000‡ |
| 2016 Kansas (Oct.) | NBC | 2.1 | -15% | ever | 3.45M | -15% | ever |
| 2016 Talladega | NBCSN | 2.2 | -15% | 2000‡ | 3.58M | -16% | 2001‡ |
| 2016 Dover | NBCSN | 1.5 | -21% | 2000‡ | 2.56M | -21% | 2001‡ |
| 2016 N.H. (Sept.) | NBCSN | 1.55 | -14% | 2000‡ | 2.54M | -14% | 2001‡ |
| 2016 Chicago | NBCSN | 1.6 | -16% | ever | 2.69M | -17% | ever |
| 2016 Richmond | NBCSN | 1.6 | -11% | 2001‡ | 2.71M | -12% | 2001‡ |
| 2016 Darlington | NBC | 2.8 | -24% | 2000 | 4.64M | -22% | 2001‡ |
| 2016 Michigan | NBCSN | 2.1 | -19% | 1998‡ | 3.38M | -21% | 2000‡ |
| 2016 Watkins Glen | USA | 2.3 | -8% | 1999‡ | 3.83M | -4% | 2001‡ |
| 2016 Brickyard | NBCSN | 3.1 | +3% | — | 5.22M | +11% | — |
| 2016 N.H. (Jun.) | NBCSN | 2.1 | -13% | 1998‡ | 3.30M | -10% | 2000‡ |
| 2016 Kentucky | NBCSN | 1.9 | -5% | ever | 3.19M | -1% | ever |
[Wknd. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily 7.11]
