Sunday‘s NASCAR Cup Series race from the Brickyard road course averaged a 1.8 rating and 2.83 million viewers on NBC, marking the lowest rated and least-watched Cup Series race from the Brickyard on record (excludes rainouts). Prior to this year, NASCAR raced on the Brickyard oval rather than the road course.
A.J. Allmendinger‘s win declined a third in ratings and 35% in viewership from last year, when the race was run over July 4 weekend and one of the first marquee sporting events in months (2.7, 4.34M). It also dropped 5% in both measures from 2019, when it took place in September and aired opposite NFL games (1.9, 2.97M).
The race was punted off of the NBC broadcast network before its conclusion. An hour of bonus coverage on NBCSN — which overlapped some with the NBC broadcast — averaged 693,000, with a half-hour of post-race coverage considerably higher at 1.38 million.
.@NBC earned a 1.8 rating and 2.831 million viewers for Sunday’s @Verizon 200 @IMS, down from a 2.7 rating and 4.343M viewers for 2020 Brickyard 400.
➖ This year’s race, which started hours earlier than 2020 Brickyard 400, was still the highest-rated sport event of the weekend. pic.twitter.com/wmJKJls9bu
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) August 17, 2021
