Final Nielsen figures show that small markets boosted the ratings considerably for Fox’s airing of the March 23 Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, but the numbers were still down 11.3 percent from last year. Today’s Sports Business Daily says the final figures show the race earned a 5.5 rating and 13 share. While that was up from the 5.1/11 overnight figures, it was still well short of the 6.2/16 the race drew in 2002, when sports events weren’t competing with war news for viewers’ attention.( Winston Cup Scene Daily Newsletter – free)(4-1-2003)
