There are few things more important to NASCAR than TV ratings. TV networks are largely responsible for funding the NASCAR circus, and TV is how most NASCAR fans watch races. We kept track of the 2024 TV ratings this year and compared/contrasted them to the previous year.
We will keep track of TV ratings totals for the entire season and individual races. The totals will be compared to the 2023 season totals, and the individual races will be compared to what we consider the most comparable race on the 2023 calendar.
Some races have outside factors that influence TV ratings. We will provide a brief explanation of those factors and what they really say about NASCAR TV ratings.
Fans are always curious about TV ratings. They understand how important ratings are and that they heavily impact the sport.
Season as a Whole: The Final Tally
All races, including The Clash, The Duels, and the All-Star Race (39 Total)
2024 Total/Average Viewership to Date: 110.685Million/2.838 Million Per Race
2023 Total Viewership to Date: 109.362 Million/2.804 Million Per Race
Total Viewership Difference (2024 vs 2023): +1.323 Million (+1.210%)
Average Viewership Difference (2024 vs 2023): +0.034Million(+1.210%)
Points Races (36 Total)
2024 Total/Average Viewership To Date: 104.961 Million/2.916 MillionPer Race
2023 Total/Average Viewership To Date: 101.977 Million/2.833 Million Per Race
Total Viewership Comparison (2024 vs 2023): +2.984 Million(+2.926%)
Average Viewership Comparison (2024 vs 2023): +0.083 Million(+2.926%)
Exhibition/Qualifying Races
2024 Total/Average Viewership To Date: 5.724 Million/1.908 Million Per Race
2023 Total/Average Viewership To Date: 7.385 Million/2.462 Million Per Race
Total Viewership Difference (2024 vs 2023): -1.66 Million (-22.49%)
Average Viewership Difference (2024 vs 2023): -0.55 Million (-22.50%)
Cable races: Points and Exhibition/Qualifying Races
2024 (19 Races) Total/Average Viewership To Date: 41.200 Million/2.168 Million Per Race
2023 (18 Races) Total/Average Viewership To Date: 42.794 Million/2.377 Million Per Race
Total Viewership Difference (2024 vs 2023): –1.594 Million (-3.725%)
Average Viewership Difference (2024 vs 2023): -0.209 Million (-8.792%)
Network races: Points and Exhibition/Qualifying Races
Viewership Comparison (2024 vs 2023): -2.136 Million (-58.6%)
*NOTE: The 2024 Clash at the LA Coliseum was moved up one day due to weather and moved from free, over-the-air TV on FOX to a cable channel, FS1. This is why there was such a major drop in TV viewership.
Duels at Daytonaon FS1*
Strong start to Daytona Speedweeks! Thursday night’s @NASCAR Duel at Daytona scored 1,640,000 viewers on FS1, up +7% over last year’s 1,535,000 and good for the best performance for the event since 2020. It also ranked as the No. 1 sports telecast of the day 📈. pic.twitter.com/tu8XoneecG
Viewership Comparison (2024 vs 2023): +0.105 Million (+6.8%)
Daytona 500 on Fox
Per FOX:
The 66th running of the Daytona 500 posted 5,964,000 viewers for the make-up race on Monday which saw William Byron take the checkered flag. •Off 27% from last year’s showing of 8,173,000 viewers that aired as scheduled on a Sunday. •22% better than 2021’s…
Viewership Comparison (2024 vs 2023): -2.209 Million(-27.0%)
*NOTE: The 2024 Daytona 500 was moved from Sunday afternoon to Monday evening due to rain. The race did stay on Fox, and it pulled in almost twice as many viewers as the highest-rated Monday race of 2023, the Coca-Cola 600. According to Fox, it also peaked at just over 8 million viewers, which was almost as high as the 2023 Daytona 500’s average.
Atlanta (Spring) on Fox
.@FoxTV got 4.546 million viewers for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta, up 5% from 4.315 million for the equivalent weekend last year at Fontana.
Viewership Comparison (2024 vs 2023): +0.231 Million (+5.4%)
Las Vegas (Spring) on Fox
.@FoxTV got 4.359 million viewers for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas, up 9% from last year (3.991 million), the most watched sports event of the weekend in the U.S. pic.twitter.com/tipxbX6m3n
Viewership Comparison (2024 vs 2023): +0.368 Million (+9.2%)
Phoenix (Spring) on Fox
.@FoxTV got 4.028 million viewers for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix, up 19% from 3.389 million last year and the most-watched sports event of the weekend.
Viewership Comparison (2024 vs 2023): +0.387 Million (+11.3%)
*NOTE: This race weekend was Atlanta in 2023, so, that’s our 2023 Viewership comparison. Bristol Dirt was held on Easter Sunday 2023, and that race garnered 3.45 Million Views.
COTA on Fox
.@FoxTV got 3.310 million viewers for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race @COTA, up 6% from last year (3.129 million) and the fifth straight increase for the series. pic.twitter.com/UGqNdkmHfV
.@FoxTV got 3.310 million viewers for Sunday night's NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond; last year's spring race was on FS1 so there's no direct YOY comparison.
*NOTE: Richmond in 2023 was held during the day and on cable, whereas the 2024 race was at night on network TV. The 2024 race was also held on Easter Sunday, and it compiled 0.140 (4.1%) FEWER viewers than the 2023 Easter race (Bristol Dirt)
Martinsville on FS1
.@FS1 got 2.191 million viewers for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville, nearly flat from 2.218 million viewers last year (the race @ChaseElliott returned from injury) despite immense competition from the @WFinalFour championship game, which got 18.7 million viewers. pic.twitter.com/gpDg5ZCGj9
*NOTE: The 8th race of the year in 2023 was Bristol Dirt, but that was on Easter on network TV. We used the spring Martinsville race for this comparison since the two races were only one week apart. However, the Bristol race will be used for the “Season as a Whole” Comparison used below.
Texas on FS1
.@FS1 got 2.310 million viewers for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas; there's no direct comparison to last year since @TXMotorSpeedway was held during the playoffs in fall of 2023, but that event got 2.0 million viewers on @USANetwork. pic.twitter.com/kJ3LCTV3Eo
*NOTE: The 9th race of the year in 2023 was the spring Martinsville race where Chase Elliott returned. We used the fall Texas race for this comparison since that was the same track, but, the time of year means there is no great comparison. The Martinsville race will be used for the “Season as a Whole” Comparison used below.
Talladega on FOX
.@FoxTV got 4.307 million viewers for Sunday's NASCAR race @Talladega, down 5% from 4.554 million last year but still the second most-watched sport of the weekend after two @NBA playoff games. pic.twitter.com/Qvyic0S1VV
*NOTE: The 2023 race was postponed to Monday, and run during the middle of a weekday on FS1. The viewership is much lower than a typical Cup Series race as a result.
Kansas on FS1
.@FS1 got 2.296 million viewers for Sunday's delayed NASCAR race at Kansas that featured the closest finish in the sport's history, down 2% from 2.352 million for last year's race that ran on time. pic.twitter.com/8J88yWEBEn
.@FS1 got 2.573 million viewers for Sunday's @NASCAR All-Star Race at Wilkesboro, up 17% from 2.203 million last year and up from 2.481 million the prior year at Texas.
🔲 Top five markets: 1) Greensboro – 5.0 2) Charlotte – 4.5 3) Indy – 2.9 4) Raleigh – 2.4 5) Nashville – 2.0 pic.twitter.com/PpCmFlCr7S
*NOTE: Both the 2023 and 2024 races dealt with weather issues. The 2023 race was postponed to Monday (Memorial Day) due to rain, and the 2024 race was rain-shortened after a (roughly) 2-hour rain delay. Both races lagged significantly behind the 2022 race run on schedule, with the 2024 race dropping 19.8% from 2022.
Gateway on FS1
🚨 @NASCARonFOX drives double-digit viewership increase in the Gateway to the West! 📈
Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race from St. Louis delivered 2,459,000 viewers on FS1, up +14% over last year pic.twitter.com/gNPNRyAqsY
*NOTE: The 2023 race at Gateway saw Chase Elliott suspended and a 2+ hour lightning delay six laps into the event. This likely sliced the TV ratings some.
Sonoma on FOX (ESTIMATE)
2024 Viewership: 2.895 Million
2023 Viewership: 2.912 Million
Difference: -0.017 Million (-0.6%)
Iowa on USA
.@USANetwork got 2.693 million viewers for the first ever NASCAR Cup Series race @IowaSpeedway, the most-watched sports program of the week on U.S. cable TV and most-watched Cup event on cable since Pocono last summer. pic.twitter.com/F4RKmG7NWl
*NOTE: There is no direct comparison to Iowa due to it being an inaugural event, and this race is compared to the first NBC broadcasted race of 2023, Nashville on network TV (NBC), for our season as a whole comparison. However, Adam Stern reports that this is the most-watched NASCAR race on cable since Pocono in 2023, making it the most-viewed cable race of 2024 so far.
*NOTE: The 2024 race at New Hampshire featured a long rain delay with 82 laps to go with confusing messaging about whether/when the race would be restarted. The 2023 race was delayed from Sunday to Monday, and it was held in mid-July. For the season as a whole comparison, we will use the Chicago Street Race since that was the 18th race of 2023.
*NOTE: The 2023 race this weekend was Atlanta, which will be used for the “season as a whole” comparison. However, for the 2023 viewership comparison, we used the 2023 Nashville TV ratings since that race is a closer comparison
*NOTE: The 2023 race this weekend was New Hampshire, which will be used for the “season as a whole” comparison. However, for the 2023 viewership comparison, we used the 2023 Chicago Street Race TV ratings since that race is a closer comparison. Both races featured weather delays.
Pocono on USA via SportsTVRatings
2024 Viewership: 2.391 Million
2023 Viewership: 2.808 Million
Difference: -0.417 Million (-14.9%)
Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis on NBC (From Sports Media Watch)
Despite major breaking news coverage, NASCAR Brickyard 400 ratings hit four-year high in return to oval format: https://t.co/ydcJzFbhpA
*NOTE: The 22nd race of the 2023 season was Richmond on USA. That race will be used for the Season as a Whole Comparison, but for the direct comparison, we are using the 2023 race on the Indianapolis Road Course, which was also on NBC.
Richmond on USA
.@USANetwork got a 1.2 rating and 2.22 million viewers for Sunday's NASCAR race at Richmond, down from a 1.4/2.43 million last year, though this year went up against the @Olympics Closing Ceremony on NBC.
*Note: Michigan on USA was the 23rd race of the 2023 season. That race will be used for the Season as a Whole Comparison, but for the direct comparison, we are using the 2023 Richmond race, which was also on USA.
Michigan on USA via SportsTVRatings
2024 Viewership: 2.111 Million*
2023 Viewership: 2.603 million**
Difference: -0.492 Million (-18.9%)
*NOTE: This year’s Michigan race was split with a start on Sunday and pushed to Monday morning. Both races were held on USA Network.
**NOTE: Indianapolis G.P. on NBC was the 24th race of the 2023 season. That race will be used for the Season as a whole comparison, but for the direct comparison, we are using the 2023 Michigan race, which was also on USA.
*NOTE: Watkins Glen on USA was the 25th race of the 2023 season. That race will be used for the Season as a whole comparison, but for the direct comparison, we are using the 2023 Daytona race, which was also on NBC.
*NOTE: Daytona on NBC was the 26th race of the 2023 season. That race will be used for the Season as a whole comparison, but for the direct comparison, we are using the 2023 fall Darlington race, which was also on USA.
*NOTE: Darlington on USA was the 27th race of the 2023 season. That race will be used for the season as a whole comparison, but for the direct comparison, we are using the 2023 summer Atlanta race, which was also on USA.
PLAYOFFS: Watkins Glen on USA via SportsTVRatings
2024 Viewership: 1.809 Million
2023 Viewership: 1.30 Million*
Difference: +0.509 Million (+39.2%)
*NOTE: Kansas on USA was the 28th race of the 2023 season. That race will be used for the season as a whole comparison, but for the direct comparison, we are using the 2023 summer Watkins Glen race, which was also on USA.
PLAYOFFS: Bristol Night Race on USA via Adam Stern
.@USANetwork got a 0.98 rating and 1.868 million viewers for Saturday night's Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol, up 10% in rating and 20% in viewership from last year's event (0.89 rating, 1.562 million). pic.twitter.com/BIet1bKqRF
*NOTE: Texas on USA was the 30th race of the 2023 season. That race will be used for the season as a whole comparison, but for the direct comparison, we are using the 2023 Playoff Kansas race, which was also on USA.
PLAYOFFS: Talladega on USA via Adam Stern
.@NBC got a 1.74 rating and 3.127 million viewers for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega, up 23% and 25% respectively from last year.
🔲That makes the @YellaWood 500 the most-viewed Cup playoff race since the 2022 championship and most-viewed fall Dega race since 2018. pic.twitter.com/0GM1uDBbRK
#NASCAR got 2.229mil viewers at Las Vegas last Sunday.
That's up 1.6% compared to last year's Vegas race.
This year's race also went up against F1 at COTA. The last 3 years did not go head-to-head against F1 for race 33 – instead race 34 went head-to-head. pic.twitter.com/Si15aJy101
.@NBC got a 1.31 rating and 2.344 million viewers for Sunday's Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, up 1% and 4% from last year respectively.
🔲 @NASCAR's Cup Series has tallied viewership increases for four straight weeks and six of the last seven races. pic.twitter.com/RYliztj2JX
*NOTE: NBC has not provided a non-rounded number. Other sources, such as SportsTVRatings, no longer publish ratings, so, we will utilize this rounded number from NBC.
PLAYOFFS: Cup Series Championship Race on NBC vis Adam Stern
.@NBC got a 1.60 rating and 2.895 million viewers for Sunday's NASCAR Championship race at Phoenix, roughly flat from last year (1.62, 2.9 million).
🔲 NASCAR finished the 2024 season averaging 2.892 million viewers per event on U.S. television, up 1% from last year. pic.twitter.com/CI3r0jbXEU
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