Chase For the Cup: Finale Earns ESPN’s Largest Sprint Cup Audience

A turnaround season for NASCAR ended with the largest Sprint Cup audience ever on ESPN.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Ford 400 from Homestead (FL), the final race in the Chase For the Cup, earned a 4.0 U.S. rating and 6.799 million viewers on ESPN Sunday afternoon — up 21% in ratings and viewership compared to last year (3.3, 5.605M), and up 11% and 21%, respectively, from 2009 (3.6, 5.607M, ABC).

Going into Sunday’s race, Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards were separated by only three points atop the Sprint Cup standings. Stewart won the race, with Edwards finishing second, to clinch the championship.

Sunday’s season finale ranks as the most-viewed NASCAR Sprint Cup race ever on ESPN (dates back to 2007), topping the previous record of 6.668 million for the 2008 Brickyard 400 (Indianapolis).

In addition, the race ranks as the most-viewed Chase For the Cup telecast on any network since the 2008 Amp Energy 500 (Talladega), which earned 7.444 million on ABC.

The race also stands as the highest rated (tie) and most-viewed edition of the Ford 400 since 2007 (4.2, 7.117M, ABC).

The strong numbers can be partly attributed to a 75-minute rain delay that pushed the conclusion of the race into primetime.

Final ratings and viewership for the entire Chase For the Cup are available here.

Ratings/Viewership For Ford 400 Dating Back to 2001

(Sunday’s numbers from ESPN)