Fox earned a 6.1 overnight rating yesterday afternoon for Denny Hamlin's come-from-behind win in the Daytona 500, down 16% from a 7.3 for Joey Logano's win last year. However, yesterday's race, which featured Hamlin beating out Martin Truex Jr. in the closest finish in Daytona 500 history, is up 9% from a 5.6 overnight in '14, when Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the rain-delayed event. Fox drew a 10.0 overnight in '13 for Jimmie Johnson's win. Yesterday's race peaked at a 6.9 rating between 4:30-5:00pm ET, and projects to be the most-watched sports event of the weekend. It also will likely end up in the top 10 among all TV telecasts last week (Josh Carpenter, Assistant Editor).
TWO THUMBS UP: In Tampa, Tom Jones writes when it comes to "camera work, graphics, direction and production, it's hard to find a much better sports broadcast than what Fox does with NASCAR, and in particular, the Daytona 500." Jones' "gripe with Fox's coverage always has been with the broadcasters, who seem a little too cozy with NASCAR and the drivers when it comes to on-air comments." But there is a "sense that the addition of Jeff Gordon ... will help." He is "already a favorite," and after a "little warmup last week with Daytona qualifying, Gordon jumped into the deep end on his first full-length race and was splendid" on yesterday's coverage. He sounded like he "has been calling races for years, and even better, the entire lead crew sounded like they had worked together for years" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 2/22). SI.com's Richard Deitsch wrote he "liked the chemistry" between the crew of Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip and Gordon. Yesterday was a "good sign for Fox" (SI.com, 2/21). FS1’s Mike Hill said, “Shout out to Jeff Gordon, great job in the booth today” (“Fox Sports Live,” FS1, 2/22).
TWITTER REAX: Gordon's voice on the telecast drew wide praise on Twitter. Media consultant Ben Grossman: "Jeff Gordon made the end of #DaytonaDay better by predicting upcoming moves would happen at the end. Built anticipation which paid off." Awful Announcing's official account: "From what I saw today, thought Jeff Gordon was outstanding in his broadcast debut for Fox at Daytona." PR consultant Joe Favorito added, "The two best surprises in the broadcast booth this yr both go to @FOXSports; 1st @AROD in #worldseries & @JeffGordonWeb for #Daytona." Newsday's Neil Best: "True I only watch one car race a year so I lack perspective. But that was a heck of a finish. Also, nice work by rookie analyst Jeff Gordon." The Charlotte Observer's Jonathan Jones: "In-game commentating is really tough and Jeff Gordon is doing a great job. In and out with smart analysis. Impressive already."
STORYBOOK ENDING: SI.com's Andrew Lawrence wrote while runner-up Martin Truex Jr. "did not get the ending he had hoped, the final act he co-authored with Hamlin transformed NASCAR's premier event into a certified blockbuster." This was a "result achieved without any fettling from the Cup series’ myriad new rules," making it something for the sport’s "many hardline fans to truly savor." Lawrence: "What’s more, this conclusion drew a massive general audience without a bankable star in a headlining role. ... Surely NASCAR’s corporate stewards are pinching themselves, still" (SI.com, 2/21). YAHOO SPORTS' Dan Wetzel wrote the Daytona 500 needs "nothing" added right now, but rather, needs "focusing on what it already has, which is a product that has stood the test of time, that is rich with authenticity, that is comfortable in its own skin, that is big enough to attract a six-figure live crowd and an eight-figure television audience ... yet small enough to feel like a spring afternoon drinking beers on the back porch with friends." What NASCAR "needs to be is NASCAR, casual and content and proud of what it offers." Execs are not "wrong to eye innovation, but the beauty of the place is its core personality." Wetzel: "This isn't the NFL." There is "just only so big it can get, only so many fans that will ever truly get hooked" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 2/20).
