Indy 500 historical TV Ratings
A reader ask, Dear AR1.com, You have written on numerous occasions that Tony George destroyed IndyCar racing by splitting the sport in half and essentially killing it. A long time ago you published the historical Indy 500 TV Ratings that showed how good the Indy 500 TV ratings were before Tony George came in and did his destruction. Can you please publish them again? Dave Duncan
Dear Dave, Here you go…… Notice how good those CART years were. Anton (Tony) George's legacy will be his creation of the IRL and how it nearly destroyed what was the biggest racing series in the USA.
|
Year |
Date | Winner | Net | Rating/Share | Series |
| 2010 | Sun., 5/30/10 | Franchitti | ABC | 3.6 | IRL |
| 2009 | Sun., 5/31/09 | Castroneves | ABC | 4.0 | IRL |
| 2008 | Sun., 5/25/08 | Dixon | ABC | 4.6/13 | IRL |
| 2007 | Sun., 5/27/07 | Franchitti | ABC | 4.3/12 | IRL |
| 2006 | Sun., 5/28/06 | Hornish, Jr. | ABC | 5.0/14 | IRL |
| 2005 | Sun., 5/29/05 | Wheldon | ABC | 6.5/18 | IRL |
| 2004 | Sun., 5/30/04 | Rice | ABC | 4.1/11 | IRL |
| 2003 | Sun., 5/25/03 | de Ferran | ABC | 4.6/14 | IRL |
| 2002 | Sun., 5/26/02 | Castroneves | ABC | 4.8/15 | IRL |
| 2001 | Sun., 5/27/01 | Castroneves | ABC | 5.8/17 | IRL |
| 2000 | Sun., 5/28/00 | Montoya | ABC | 5.5/15 | IRL |
| 1999 | Sun., 5/30/99 | Brack | ABC | 5.5/18 | IRL |
| 1998 | Sun., 5/24/98 | Cheever, Jr. | ABC | 6.0/19 | IRL |
| 1997 | Tue., 5/27/97 | Luyendyk | ABC | 5.0/18 | IRL |
| 1996 | Sun., 5/26/96 | Lazier | ABC | 7.1/23 | IRL |
| 1995 | Sun., 5/28/95 | Villeneuve | ABC | 9.4/28 | CART |
| 1994 | Sun., 5/29/94 | Unser, Jr. | ABC | 9.1/31 | CART |
| 1993 | Sun., 5/30/93 | Fittipaldi | ABC | 9.3/30 | CART |
| 1992 | Sun., 5/24/92 | Unser, Jr. | ABC | 10.9/33 | CART |
| 1991 | Sun., 5/26/91 | Mears | ABC | 8.0/27 | CART |
| 1990 | Sun., 5/27/90 | Luyendyk | ABC | 7.4/26 | CART |
| 1989 | Sun., 5/28/89 | Fittipaldi | ABC | 7.8/28 | CART |
| 1988 | Sun., 5/29/88 | Mears | ABC | 8.5/29 | CART |
| 1987 | Sun., 5/24/87 | Unser | ABC | 11.1/36 | CART |
| 1986* | Sat., 5/31/86 | Rahal | ABC | 8.8/31 | CART |
| 1985 | Sun., 5/26/85 | Sullivan | ABC | 9.7/18 | CART |
| 1984 | Sun., 5/27/84 | Mears | ABC | 12.9/25 | CART |
| 1983 | Sun., 5/29/83 | Sneva | ABC | 14.1/27 | CART |
| 1982 | Sun., 5/30/82 | Johncock | ABC | 12.3/25 | CART |
| 1981 | Sun., 5/24/81 | Unser | ABC | 12.8/24 | CART |
| 1980 | Sun., 5/25/80 | Rutherford | ABC | 13.8/27 | CART |
| 1979 | Sun., 5/27/79 | Mears | ABC | 13.5/24 | CART |
| 1978 | Sun., 5/28/78 | Unser | ABC | 13.4/26 | USAC |
| 1977 | Sun., 5/29/77 | Foyt | ABC | 15.6/32 | USAC |
| 1976 | Sun., 5/30/76 | Rutherford | ABC | 17.9/34 | USAC |
| 1975 | Sun., 5/25/75 | Unser | ABC | 14.9/30 | USAC |
| 1974 | Sun., 5/26/74 | Rutherford | ABC | 16.4/31 | USAC |
| 1973* | Wed., 5/30/73 | Johncock | ABC | 16.5/30 | USAC |