TV ratings for Kentucky race up 7 percent

ESPN2's coverage of Saturday night’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Kentucky Speedway earned a 1.3 rating, ESPN officials say.

The rating was 7 percent higher than the same race last year and marked the seventh straight series race on ESPN2 to show an increase over the ESPN2 coverage in 2007, according to the network. The race was viewed in 1.278 million households.

Network officials say that ESPN2 ratings for the series this season are up 17 percent, excluding the rain-delayed race in California that was run on a Monday.