Martinsville Ratings Gets Impressive Small Market Bump for 5.3 Final Number. The viewers in the smaller markets turned out in a big way to give NASCAR on FOX from Martinsville a big boost. Nielsen Media Research reports that the final numbers were a 5.3 rating and 14 share, up from a 4.6 rating and 10 share in the overnights. The race was the second-highest rated sporting event of the weekend, finishing behind the 8.3 rating turned in by The Masters on Sunday. The golf tournament from Augusta declined from a 9.3 overnight rating. The NASCAR numbers represent 5,631,000 households and almost 8 million viewers. Last year’s race was on FX, so a direct comparison can’t be made. It finished with a 4.5 cable rating (within the April 2002 FX universe) and 3.4 million households. The 2001 race on FOX finished with a 5.4 rating and 15 share, slightly ahead of this year’s numbers.( MotorsportsTV )(4-17-2003)
