Christopher Bell (20) led 100 laps of the Food City Dirt Race and said the track conditions were favorable to drivers who had more experience in dirt racing. Fellow dirt racers Tyler Reddick, Austin Dillon, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Chase Briscoe and Justin Haley rounded out the top six in the lineup.

TV News: Weekend TV Ratings (Update)

–Mark Cipolloni–

TV Rating Analysis

As we predicted yesterday, the NASCAR final ratings from Bristol would improve from the overnights.

Fox earned 3.45 million viewers for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Food City Dirt Race at Bristol, down 13.90 from 4.0 million for last year’s event. The TV rating was a 1.88, down 14.16% from a year ago, also on FOX. The all-important 18-49 year old viewers were down 16.94% as the NASCAR fanbase continues to age out.

The NASCAR Truck Race at Bristol on FS1 was also down across the board, but not as severe a drop as the Cup race experienced.

The percent of viewers in the all important 18-49 year old bracket continues to be about 1/5 of the audience for NASCAR, an ominous sign as F1 continues to garner close to 50% of its audience in that category.

NASCAR viewership totals through 9 races compared to last season (2023):

  1. Clash: (Down 14.8%)
  2. Daytona 500: (Down 7.7%)
  3. Auto Club: (Down 5.6%)
  4. Las Vegas: (Down 12.2%)
  5. Phoenix: (Down 15.1%)
  6. Atlanta (Down 14.5%)
  7. COTA (Down 16.1%)
  8. Richmond (Down 41.8% – FOX)
  9. Bristol Dirt (Down 13.9%)

TV Rating Data

Network Event Location Total
Viewers
18-49
Viewers
Ratio:
18-49 Yr Old/
Total Viewers
2023
Rating
2022
Rating
Rating
% Chg.
2022
Network
2022
Viewers
2022
18-49
Viewers
Total
Viewers
% Chg
18-49
Viewers
% Chg
FOX NASCAR Cup race Bristol 3,450,000 799,000 23% 1.88 2.19 -14.16% FOX  4,007,000 962,000 -13.90% -16.94%
FS1 NASCAR Truck race Bristol 1,057,000 226,000 21% 0.61 0.65 -6.15% FS1 1,167,000 317,000 -9.43% -28.71%

 


April 10, 2023 

–by Mark Cipolloni–

We will have the final ratings tomorrow, but if the overnight ratings are any indication, the NASCAR dirt race at Bristol on Easter night not only was poorly attended, the TV viewership plummeted.

In other words – a complete rejection by NASCAR fans of the race on dirt.

NASCAR’s Food City Dirt Race coverage starting at 7 pm on FOX averaged 2.9 million total viewers and a 0.5 overnight rating.  That is down 27.6% in viewers from last year’s final of 4.007 million, and down 77.2% in TV rating from a 2.19 in 2022.

The race was held on Easter Night both years, and both years on FOX.

We expect the final rating to be a little higher, which we will have on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Last year’s Analysis

Network Event Location Total Viewers 18-49 Viewers 2022 TV Rating 2021 TV Rating % Chg.
FOX NASCAR Cup Race L Bristol Dirt 4,007,000 962,000 2.19 1.84 +19.0%
FS1 NASCAR Truck Race L Bristol Dirt 1,167,000 317,000 0.65 0.40 +62.5%