NASCAR Atlanta TV Rating (2nd Update)

UPDATE Fox averaged 9.5 million viewers for NASCAR’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 from Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, marking the most-viewed non-Daytona 500 Sprint Cup Series race since ’11. The second race of the season was up 8% from 8.8 million viewers last year, when Phoenix held the second event. It also was the best audience for an Atlanta Sprint Cup race since ’08, when the track still had two Sprint Cup races annually. Last year, Atlanta’s lone race came on Labor Day weekend and aired on ESPN. No non-Daytona 500 NASCAR race has averaged over 10 million viewers since '11.

03/04/15 NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Atlanta drew a 5.1 overnight rating on FOX Sunday afternoon, up 6% from the second race of last season (4.8) but down 4% from the second race in 2013 (5.3), both of which took place from Phoenix. Last year's Atlanta race, which aired on ESPN over Labor Day weekend, drew a 3.0 overnight. Overnights have now increased for all four NASCAR telecasts on FOX this season – the Sprint Unlimited, Daytona 500 Pole Qualifying, Daytona 500 and Sunday's race. Despite the increase, the 5.1 overnight is the fourth-lowest for the second Sprint Cup race of the season since FOX began airing NASCAR in 2001 – ahead of only last year, 2010 (5.0) and 2012 (also 5.0). After topping a 6.0 overnight in six straight seasons (2003-08), the season's second race has failed to reach 5.5 in the past seven (2009-15). NASCAR was the highest rated sporting event of the weekend in the metered markets, finishing well ahead of second-place NBA action on ABC (3.7 for Cavaliers/Rockets). Sports Media Watch /showbuzzdaily.com

03/02/15 The second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race of the season drew a 5.1 overnight rating yesterday on Fox from Atlanta Motor Speedway, up 6% from a 4.8 for the second race last year, which aired from Phoenix Int’l Raceway. Yesterday’s race started at 2:15pm ET due to a weather delay. The race from Phoenix in '13 drew a 5.3 overnight. Adam Karp/SportsBusinessDaily.com