The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Int'l Raceway last Sunday finished with 4.58 million viewers, marking the third-lowest Sunday Cup Series audience for Fox in the last decade. The race from Texas on April 9 this season drew 4.53 million viewers, while the spring race from Dover Int'l Speedway in '14 also was around 4.5 million viewers. For the '17 season to date, two Cup Series races have seen audience gains, including the Daytona 500, while six races have seen year-over-year declines. The Bristol Motor Speedway race is excluded as it was rained out and ran on a Monday (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor). In Richmond, Michael Phillips reports the "historic low" for the '17 spring race at RIR was "down more than 1 million viewers from last year and only about half of what the race drew" in '08. NASCAR's decline on TV is "especially concerning given that the race was available on free, over-the-air TV in an attractive time slot." But even with "sagging ratings, NASCAR remains an attractive TV property." NASCAR also has "time to figure out the issues." The current TV contract with Fox and NBC "runs for another five years." However, the impending retirement of Dale Earnhardt Jr. is "unlikely to help matters" (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, 5/3).
REPLACING DALE: In Orlando, George Diaz writes driver Alex Bowman "leads the field to replace" Earnhardt at Hendrick Motorsports. However, the "most appealing and intriguing pick" is Carl Edwards, though he "reportedly has no interest in the job, nor has Hendrick Motorsports reached out to him." Bowman is "under contract" with Hendrick, but "does not have a ride in the Cup Series this season" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 5/2). In Daytona Beach, Godwin Kelly writes he would "go with" Bowman, as he "did a nice job" driving the No. 88 for some races in '16. But writer Ken Willis notes he would pick Erik Jones as he is a "star in waiting" (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 5/3).
BUTTS IN SEATS: MOTORSPORT.com's Lee Spencer wrote under the header, "How NASCAR Can Get More Fans In The Stands." There is "plenty of buzz regarding significant changes" to the '18 schedule. Spencer: "How about starting with moving Richmond to a one-day show on a Wednesday night?" It is an "easy commute from Charlotte -- where most of teams are based." The industry "would have plenty of time to recover for the next two-day show." It is time for NASCAR to "think outside of the box." What the sport has seen in '17 so far has been the "best competition in years" (MOTORSPORT.com, 5/1).
