NASCAR Kansas TV rating

ESPN earned its highest rating and viewership ever for a NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Kansas Speedway with its live telecast of the event on Saturday, Oct. 20.

The telecast saw a 36 percent jump from the 2011 race with a 1.5 household coverage rating (1.3 U.S. rating) and an average of 1,502,310 viewers, according to the Nielsen Company. The 2011 race earned a 1.1 rating and ESPN’s previous high was a 1.3 in both 2007 and 2008.

ESPN’s live telecast of the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Kansas on Sunday, Oct. 21, earned a 3.0 household coverage rating (2.5 U.S. rating), averaging 3,896,638 viewers. Last year’s race earned a 3.1 rating while the 2010 race earned a 2.7.

Among markets around the country, Greensboro, N.C., was the highest-rated for the Sprint Cup race at 8.2, while the race’s home market of Kansas City was fifth at 5.8. Charlotte (6.6), Greenville, S.C. (6.1) and Knoxville, Tenn. (5.9) were second through fourth.