UPDATE: Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Texas 500 earned a 1.7 rating and 2.82 million viewers on FS1, down 37% in ratings and 38% in viewership from last year (2.7, 4.5M) and down 37% and 35% respectively from 2016 (2.7, 4.3M), both of which aired on FOX.
Kyle Busch’s win was the lowest rated edition of the race (dates back to 1997) and the least-watched since at least 2000 (viewership prior to 2001 was not available).
The race has hit an all-time low in ratings and/or viewership every year for the past decade (excluding rainouts). The move from FOX to FS1 – and competition from the final round of the Masters – only exacerbated the free fall.
Despite the record-low numbers, Sunday’s race was the most-watched sporting event of the weekend outside of the Masters.
Original post: 4-9-2018
.@FS1 earned a 1.7 overnight rating for yesterday's #OReilly500 @TXMotorSpeedway.
— Last year's race was run on @FoxTV, so it's not a direct comparison, but that race drew a 2.5.
— Fox says the 1.7 was FS1's best overnight for a live event since college football in November. pic.twitter.com/39DhdgBAkW
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) April 9, 2018