Go to AutoRacing1's Home PageGo to AutoRacing 1's CART PageGo to AutoRacing1's NASCAR PageGo to AutoRacing 1's F1 PageGo to AutoRacing 1's Links PageGo to AutoRacing1's Race Schedules PageGo to AutoRacing1's Classified Ads PageGo to AutoRacing 1's Rumor's PageGo to AutoRacing1's Hot News PageGo to AutoRacing 1's Discussion ForumsGo to AutoRacing1's Racing Store PageGo to AutoRacing 1's CarTest PageAutoRacing Stock PricesGo to AutoRacing 1's Interviews PageContact the AutoRacing1 Webmaster



October 4, 2001

NASCAR WINSTON CUP RATINGS FROM KANSAS SPEEDWAY

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 4, 2001) -- NBC's coverage of the inaugural NASCAR Winston Cup Series Protection One 400 from the Kansas Speedway on Sunday generated a 4.7 national rating/11 share, (1:15 p.m.-5:15 p.m.), according to Nielsen Media Research. This represents a 104% increase over last year's comparable rating and 
is the highest national rating ever for any auto race in competition with professional football. 

The previous record rating for an auto race televised at the same time as an NFL game was the 4.5 rating delivered by NBC's coverage of the MBNA Cal Ripken, Jr. 400 on Sept. 23, 2001 and the Diehard 500 from Talladega, Ala. on CBS on Oct. 12, 1997.

"NASCAR continues to be the dominant ratings success story of the year," said Ken Schanzer, President, NBC Sports. "The results are starting to flow in and NASCAR is exceeding our expectations, even in the face of the stiffest competition. This property is running on all cylinders."

Sunday's rating peaked at a 5.7/12 from 4:30-5 p.m. ET as NASCAR Winston Cup Series points leader Jeff 
Gordon took the checkered flag in Nascar's Winston Cup debut at the Kansas Speedway. Last year on the comparable weekend, NASCAR Winston Cup racing produced a 2.3 converted national household rating for 
the NAPA AutoCare 500, which aired on ESPN on Oct. 1, 2000. NBC's 45-minute NASCAR pre-race show scored 
an impressive 2.5/7 from 12:30-1:15 p.m. ET.

Ratings continue to be strong as well for the NASCAR Busch Series as Saturday's Mr. Goodcents 300 from the Kansas Speedway pulled a 1.5 national rating on NBC. The race marked the record seventh NASCAR Busch 
Series event scheduled on network television this season. The series is averaging a 2.2 rating on network television and consistently ranks second only to the NASCAR Winston Cup Series among all motorsports on television, while also on par or outrating other sports properties such as hockey, soccer, tennis and golf.
NBC's coverage of NASCAR's Race for the Championship continues at Noon Sunday, October 7 with the 
UAW-GM Quality 500 from Charlotte.

The eight teams worked on race setup Tuesday and because of that, times were well off of Tony Stewart's 
track record of 19.855 seconds (95.371) set last fall. All teams reported times in the neighborhood of 20.50 
seconds to 20.60 seconds. "We're just working on race stuff," said Bobby Hamilton, who won the Virginia 
500 at Martinsville in 1998. "We brought the same car here we had last spring and we've hardly done 
anything  to it today. We've just been working on shock setup and things like that." Ken Schrader and his 
M&M team were doing the same. "We're just setting the shocks in and see what they are like," said Newt 
Moore, Schrader's crew chief. "We're just shaking it down good today." Terry Labonte said he and his 
Kellogg's crew were trying to "break in some brakes" in preparation for the Old Dominion 500, scheduled 
for Sunday, October 14. "It's been a long time since we tested here," said Labonte. "We figured it would be 
good to come up here and try some things and work on the brakes some." Wednesday will be spent working 
on going fast instead of stopping quick. All the teams that are returning plan on spending a good portion of Wednesday dialing in qualifying setups. And no one needs to find the best qualifying setup any worse than 
Hermie Sadler. 

The Emporia, VA driver is driving a limited schedule with the Virginia Lottery as his sponsor. His failed to 
make the spring race here and doesn't want a repeat performance in a few days. "We're going to work on qualifying runs all day Wednesday," said Sadler. "Qualifying is what we really have to shoot for. Tomorrow 
we'll be in qualifying trim all day." Qualifying for the Old Dominion 500 is scheduled for Friday, October 12 
at 3:05 p.m. On Saturday, October 13, the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series will run the Advance Auto 
Parts 200 beginning at 2:45 p.m.


Tickets for the Advance Auto Parts 200 are $30 each and children ages 6-12 get in for $5. All seats are 
unreserved. Great reserved seats for the Old Dominion 500 are available in the towers for $40-$60. Tickets
can be ordered by calling the speedway ticket office toll free at 1-877-722-3849 or (540) 956-3151. Tickets 
also can be ordered online at www.martinsvillespeedway.com