Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series from Atlanta earned a 3.3 rating and 5.6 million viewers on FOX, down 13% in ratings and 15% in viewership from last year (3.8, 6.6M) and down 20% and 17% respectively from 2016 (4.1, 6.8M). The race was scheduled to begin at 2 PM ET, pushed up to 1 PM, and then delayed until 3:30.
The later start pushed the race in direct competition with NBC’s Winter Olympics coverage, but the Games were not significant competition. NBC’s afternoon window had a mere 1.85 rating and 2.8 million viewers. ABC’s competing NBA game was a tougher foe (1.9, 3.0M).
Despite the lower numbers, NASCAR on FOX ranked as the highest rated and most-watched non-Olympic sporting event of the weekend.
ORIGINAL POST: 2-26-2018
.@FoxTV earned a 3.1 overnight rating for yesterday's #FoHQT500 @amsupdates, off from a 3.6 for last year's race, which didn't face direct competition from the @Olympics.
— @FOXSportsPR says the race was top-rated event during the time period.
(📸: @tiltoncreative/@GettyImages) pic.twitter.com/Lkkx8rmce0
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) February 26, 2018