In its second go-around, Charlotte’s “Roval” could not match the pace set last year.
Last Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series playoff race from Charlotte averaged a 1.8 rating and 3.02 million viewers on NBC, down 6% in ratings and viewership from last year (1.95, 3.22M), but flat and up 6% respectively compared to 2017 (1.8, 2.56M).
Chase Elliott‘s win tied the lowest rating for the race — excluding rainouts — since at least 2000. It topped only 2017 as the least-watched edition since at least 2001. Just five years ago, the race had a 3.1 and 5.10 million on ABC.
Charlotte was the 15th race this season to set or tie an all-time or decade-plus ratings low, joining the Daytona 500, Atlanta, Martinsville, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Kansas, Kentucky, Chicagoland, Watkins Glen, Darlington, the Brickyard 400 and both Pocono races.
In its debut last year, the Roval was one of just four races to increase all season.
Even with the lower numbers, the race still delivered NASCAR’s largest audience since Daytona in July (3.29M). It edged the Brickyard 400 earlier in the month, which averaged 2.97 million. For the season, it ranks tenth; ninth if one excludes Daytona, which was not run as scheduled.
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 10.2]
