ESPN’s coverage of the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Michigan had a 3.9 household coverage rating, with 3,743,919 households (5.30 million viewers). Comparisons to the 2007 race are not direct as last year’s race aired on a Tuesday morning on ESPN2 after a two-day rain delay and earned a 1.7 rating. ESPN2′s coverage of the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Michigan was up from last year, earning a 1.3 household coverage rating in 1,269,087 households. The 2007 race earned a 1.2 rating. Ten of the past 11 telecasts on ESPN2 have shown increases as compared to the same race last year that also aired on ESPN2. This report came from ESPN Communications and the Jayski.com webpage.
Some folks have commented that they doubt those figures. But they come from neutral sources like the Nielsen Rating System. Add the fact that attendance is down due to the economy and many, of the absentees, are watching the races on the tube.
We are in the midst of reading Peter Golenbock’s book MIRACLE-BOBBY ALLISON AND THE SAGA OF THE ALABAMA GANG. Comparing the racing of that era to today’s drivers, who give us the impression that they are the talking puppets of corporate America, the current crop of NASCAR drivers don’t even come close to the drivers and teams of Bobby Allison’s era. At the time the NASCAR Cup Series was closely followed by a tight knit cult who looked on stockcar and open wheel racing as their thing. And woe be to anyone who would cast aspersions on their favorite sport especially the mainstream media. Now that the mainstream media has been following the sport for the past decade, NASCAR still rules with an iron hand and has sanitized the sport so it’s no longer as interesting like it was ten years ago.
If you’re interested in purchasing this book, here’s one place to do so:
Belle Island Village – a 26-acre, themed destination with retail, hospitality and entertainment venues – announced today that Entertainment Design Group, Inc. (EDG), a nationally-known event and entertainment production and design firm, will manage the interior design, theme development, audio-visual package and installation of Belle Island’s Darrell Waltrip Racing Experience and the Debbie Reynolds Hollywood Motion Picture Museum.
The Darrell Waltrip Racing Experience, a multi-million-dollar, 25,000-square-foot, highly interactive attraction spotlights all aspects of the stock car racing world, featuring racing legend Darrell Waltrip and fellow racing industry veteran Jeff Hammond.
Robbie Gordon’s No. 7 Dodge of NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series will had a new look when it sported the flaming red logo of the Barrett-Jackson Auction Company during the Sharpie 500. The Barrett-Jackson badge adorned the flanks and deck lid of Gordon’s car as it raced under the lights at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., last weekend. That race helped Barrett-Jackson gear up for the inaugural Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event in Las Vegas Oct. 15-18, 2008.
“We’re thrilled to be part of Robbie Gordon’s team at Bristol, NASCAR’s most electric venue,” said Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. “NASCAR fans are some of the most passionate in all of sports and we’re proud to have this opportunity to reach millions of them across the country who might be interested in the collector car hobby. Tomorrow’s race will be a major milestone on our way to the inaugural Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas event in October.”
Yes, He REALLY Said That -Jeff Gordon, on if he favors Cup racing in the rain. “No. I like to race when I can see what’s in front of me.” That one came from the Valvoline Track Talk Newsletter.
Also, BEHIND(GARAGE) CLOSED DOORS, another feature of that widely distributed newsletter. by the anonymous author is curious if the drag racing fans will accept the shortened from a quarter-mile 1,320 feet to 1,000 feet due to Scott Kalitta’s fatal accident, will be accepted by the folks who pay for the tickets? The first event for that change will be the NHRA Nationals held at Indianapolis Raceway Park over the upcoming Labor Day weekend.
Here’s what’s happening on TV for motorsports this very busy Labor Day weekend. It all starts Friday with Speed offering Cup Practice from Fontana at 3 p.m. followed by Nationwide practice at 5 p.m. from the same track. Speed continues on with Cup Qualifying from Fontana at 6:30 p.m. with more Nationwide Practice at 8:30 p.m.
Saturday starts off at 2:30 p.m. with Speed airing the ALMS race from Belle Isle, Mich. at 2:30 p.m. Stick with Speed as that channel comes back at 5:30 p.m. with Nationwide Qualifying from Fontana at 5:30 p.m. followed by more Nationwide Practice at 7 p.m. and Final Practice at 8 p.m. ESPN2/TSN both offer the Nationwide race from Fontana at 10 p.m.
Sunday continues the wall-to-wall racing action starting at 12:30 a.m. with the NHRA Qualifying from Indy on ESPN2. At 1 a.m. TSN offers the Canadian Tire Series race from Trois Rivieres, Que. Speed comes back at 11 a.m. with the AMA SuperBikes from Road Atlanta. The Duce also returns with NHRA Qualifying from Indy at 11:30 a.m. Speed is back on the airwaves with the Grand-Am Rolex event from the new track at Millville, NJ at 1 p.m. ABC/TSN will air the IRL IndyCar race from Belle Isle at 3:30 p.m. More Indy National Qualifying goes on The Duce at 5 p.m. Speed brings back more AMA SuperBike action at 7 p.m. from Road Atlanta. and ESPN/TSN both air the Cup race from Fontana at 8 p.m. More bike action is on Speed with the FIM event from San Marino at 10 p.m. ESPN2 returns with the NHRA Finals from Indy at noon and 7 p.m. on Labor Day Monday. (END)
NOTE: INFORMATION FOR THIS COLUMN CAME FROM VARIOUS REFERENCED SOURCES, PRESS RELEASES, NOTES AND OTHER SOURCES.
Two points about the tv numbers . Yes , many fans are skeptical of the viewing numbers announced by ESPN , FOX , SPEED , TNT , etc . All you have to do is read just the popular NASCAR blogs and you see constant reference to fans leaving the tv audience in droves . The sport has declined for the last several years , yet the tv numbers stay the same or even increase slightly . If the Nielsen numbers go down , the networks and NASCAR have to drastically reduce the amount they can charge for advertising . I sure see a reason that they would want to fudge the numbers. And i doubt it would be all that difficult .
Rather than concerning themselves with one or two tenths of a percentage point in viewership , the networks and NACAR should be asking themselves why they only get 3 or 4 percent of the viewing audience . Compared to many other broadcasts , spoting and non-sporting , those numbers should be embarassing to everyone concerned .