NBC posts record rating for Kansas race

October 4, 2001
4:23 PM EDT (2023 GMT)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- NBC’s coverage of the inaugural NASCAR Winston Cup Series Protection One 400 from the Kansas Speedway on Sunday generated a 4.7 national rating/11 share, (1:15 p.m.-5:15 p.m.), according to Nielsen Media Research.

This represents a 104% increase over last year’s comparable rating and is the highest national rating ever for any auto race in competition with professional football.

The previous record rating for an auto race televised at the same time as an NFL game was the 4.5 rating delivered by NBC’s coverage of the MBNA Cal Ripken, Jr. 400 on Sept. 23, 2001 and the DieHard 500 from Talladega, Ala. on CBS on Oct. 12, 1997.

“NASCAR continues to be the dominant ratings success story of the year,” said Ken Schanzer, President, NBC Sports. “The results are starting to flow in and NASCAR is exceeding our expectations, even in the face of the stiffest competition. This property is running on all cylinders.”

Sunday’s rating peaked at a 5.7/12 from 4:30-5 p.m. ET as NASCAR Winston Cup Series points leader Jeff Gordon took the checkered flag in NASCAR’s Winston Cup debut at the Kansas Speedway. Last year on the comparable weekend, NASCAR Winston Cup racing produced a 2.3 converted national household rating for the NAPA Autocare 500, which aired on ESPN on Oct. 1, 2000.

NBC’s 45-minute NASCAR pre-race show scored an impressive 2.5/7 from 12:30-1:15 p.m. ET.

Ratings continue to be strong as well for the NASCAR Busch Series as Saturday’s Mr. Goodcents 300 from the Kansas Speedway pulled a 1.5 national rating on NBC.

The race marked the record seventh NASCAR Busch Series event scheduled on network television this season. The series is averaging a 2.2 rating on network television and consistently ranks second only to the NASCAR Winston Cup Series among all motorsports on television, while also on par or outrating other sports properties such as hockey, soccer, tennis and golf.

NBC’s coverage of NASCAR’s Race for the Championship continues at Noon Sunday, October 7 with the UAW-GM Quality 500 from Charlotte.