Ratings: NASCAR, F1 and more

Last Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race from Talladega (Ala.) averaged a 1.6 rating and 2.83 million viewers on NBC, the smallest Cup Series audience at the venue (excluding makeup races) in at least two decades. Chase Elliot’s win was the least-watched Cup Series race on broadcast television this season, with the caveat that it was the first of those races to air opposite the NFL.

Since the start of the NFL season on September 8, each Cup Series race has hit a multi-year viewership low.

The Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix averaged a 0.54 rating and 1.04 million viewers on ESPN2 last Sunday morning, the largest audience ever for the race and up 76% from the previous edition in 2019. Sergio Perez’ win, which peaked with 1.2 million viewers, averaged nearly as many viewers in adults 18-49 as the same-day NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega on NBC (495K to 519K). (A comparison in adults 18-34 was not immediately available.)

Formula 1 races are now averaging 1.2 million viewers for the season, up 20% from the full season average last year (949K).

An ESPN airing of the FX reality series “Welcome to Wrexham” averaged 201,000 viewers Wednesday night and was more-than-quadrupled by the competing SMU-UCF college football game on ESPN2 (866K). … Thursday’s Heat-Nets NBA preseason game averaged 648,000 viewers on ESPN, topping every preseason game last year (pending upward revision for last year’s games). The Timberwolves-Lakers nightcap drew 528,000. On Tuesday night, TNT drew 495,000 for Pelicans-Bulls and 466,000 for Pistons-Knicks. … Shifting to the NHL preseason, TNT averaged 268,000 for Bruins-Rangers and 140,000 for Stars-Avalanche on Wednesday, topping last year’s equivalent doubleheader (pending revision).