NASCAR’s return to North Wilkesboro Speedway was a hit with fans and drivers but didn’t produce a bump in TV audience. Sunday’s Cup Series All-Star Race averaged a 1.28 Nielsen rating and 2.203 million household viewers on FS1, per numbers from ShowBuzzDaily.com. The All-Star Open lead-in race averaged 0.86/1.477m. Those were both down from last year’s All-Star weekend in Texas, which averaged 1.38/2.481m for the All-Star Race and 0.91/1.555m for the Open, also on FS1.
NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck Series race from North Wilkesboro on Saturday afternoon, though, was on FOX and got a healthy boost in audience from the broadcast network, averaging 0.58/944,000 viewers. That’s more than double its previous audience on FS1 at Darlington, although that race was run on Friday night.
Indy 500 qualifying for the NTT IndyCar Series peaked with a 0.56 rating and 842,000 household viewers on NBC’s telecast of the Last Chance drama and Fast Six pole shootout on Sunday afternoon, down from 0.56/915K last year on NBC. Saturday’s qualifying coverage on NBC averaged 0.47/746K.
Delayed coverage of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series finals from Chicago followed NASCAR Sunday night on FS1 and averaged 0.21/327,000 viewers,
In the 18-49 age demographic, the All-Star Race averaged 447,000 viewers, Trucks 144K, Indy’s Sunday qualifying 123K and NHRA 79K.