A season of improved ratings and viewership for the Nationwide Series on ESPN2 ended on a high note this past weekend as the Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway delivered a 1.6 household coverage rating, an increase of 33 percent from the 1.2 rating for last year’s race that also aired on ESPN2. ESPN2’s coverage of 23 Nationwide Series races during the 2008 season averaged a 1.5 rating, a seven percent gain from last year’s 1.4 average. The coverage also saw a double-digit increase in the Males 25-54 demographic, averaging 1.3 vs. 1.1 last year. The event at Homestead-Miami Speedway, in which Clint Bowyer wrapped up the series championship, averaged 2,096,644 viewers, up 38 percent from last year’s telecast. Live NASCAR racing returned to the ESPN networks in 2007 and the Nationwide Series immediately became ESPN2’s highest-rated series. ESPN2 airs highlights of the NASCAR Nationwide Series awards banquet on Sunday, Nov. 30, at noon ET.(ESPN PR)(11-19-2008)
