The following lists rating trends for the Daytona 500. The '96 Dayton 500 received a 9.2 national household rating, representing an 18% increase over the '95 rain-delayed race. ^ = excludes rain delay coverage (Nielsen Sports Marketing).
| YEAR | RATING | | YEAR | RATING | | YEAR | RATING |
| '80 | 8 | '86 | 8.4 | '92 | 9.3 |
| '81 | 8.4 | '87 | 9.8 | '93 | 8.4 |
| '82 | 9.4 | '88 | 7.4 | '94 | 9.6 |
| '83 | 8.7 | '89 | 8.1 | '95 | 7.8^ |
| '84 | 8.7 | '90 | 7.3 | '96 | 9.2 |
| '85 | 8.3 | '91 | 7.6 | '97 | — |
DAYTONA CAMERAS: CBS will have 31 main cameras for its coverage of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, but a "whopping total of 87 cameras potentially can be used" (Bernard Fernandez, PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 2/14). CBS will also feature the "Akela Plus," the "largest crane camera in the world" at 85 feet, to get shots from above the track. It will be in the infield between turns one and two. CBS Sports' Daytona Dir Bob Fishman said the 87 cameras "sounds like we've lost our minds" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 2/14). CBS ADDS MORE DRIVE: CBS Sports and Gateway Int'l Raceway have reached a multi-year deal to broadcast the inaugural Gateway 300, the newly created NASCAR Busch Series race, from Madison, IL, on Saturday, July 26 (CBS).
