NASCAR Atlanta TV Ratings drop

UPDATE One week after a near record-low for the Daytona 500, NASCAR's second race of the season earned its lowest rating in 16 years. NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Atlanta earned a 4.1 'final' rating and 6.8 million viewers on FOX Sunday afternoon, down 27% in ratings and 28% in viewership from last year (5.6, 9.5M) and down 23% in both measures from the second race of the 2014 season, Phoenix (5.3, 8.8M).

Jimmie Johnson's win earned the lowest rating for NASCAR's second race of the season in 16 years – since Rockingham on TNN in 2000 (3.9). The previous low over that span was the 5.3 for Phoenix in 2014. NASCAR's second race of the season – previously Phoenix (2011-14), Fontana (2005-10) and Rockingham (prior to 2005) – is usually the highest rated outside of Daytona. For the weekend, NASCAR on FOX was the top sporting event on any network – ranking comfortably ahead of the Warriors/Thunder NBA game on ABC Saturday night (3.2, 5.3M). Sports Media Watch

02/29/16 Fox drew a 3.7 'overnight' rating yesterday afternoon for Jimmie Johnson's win in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race from Atlanta Motor Speedway. The rating for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 is down 27% from a 5.1 overnight for last year's race, which was also won by Johnson. In '14, Fox earned a 4.8 overnight for NASCAR's second race of the season, which took place at Phoenix Int'l Raceway.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
3.75 rating FOX 1:15 pm Sunday Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 (Atlanta, GA) down 27% from 5.13 in 2015

NASCAR Xfinity Series
0.91 rating FS1 1:30 pm Saturday Heads Up Atlanta 250 (Atlanta, GA)