NASCAR snapped a two-month streak of declining ratings last weekend.
Last Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Martinsville (Va.) averaged a 1.65 rating and 2.72 million viewers on NBC, marking the most-watched fall race at the track since 2017 (2.78M). Ratings increased 20% and viewership 21% from last year, when the race aired on NBCSN (1.4, 2.25M).
Unlike last year, Martinsville was the penultimate race of the season. Compared to last year’s penultimate race — Phoenix on the NBC broadcast network — ratings inched up 1% (from 1.63) and viewership 6% (from 2.57M).
The race snapped a streak of six straight to decline to multi-year lows (excluding makeup races). It was the first race to increase since Darlington on Labor Day weekend.
Even with the increase, Chase Elliott‘s win ranks as the fourth-lowest rated and fifth-least watched Cup Series race on broadcast TV since at least 2000. Five of the seven least-watched have come this year.
The previous day’s Xfinity Series race at Martinsville averaged a 0.8 and 1.32 million on NBC. It was the first Xfinity race at the track since 2006.
In other action, Sunday’s Formula 1 Romagna Grand Prix averaged a 0.31 and 512,000 on ESPN2. It was the first edition of the race.
The NHRA season finale at Las Vegas averaged a 0.14 and 232,000 on FS1. Figures for last year’s finale at Pomona (Ca.) were not available.
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 11.3]
