IndyCar Viewership Up 18.8% Across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2
The IRL IndyCar Series is averaging 1.9 million viewers across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 through 13 races, up 18.8% from 1.6 million viewers through the first 12 races of last season. Following the IRL/Champ Car merger, nine races have seen double digit jumps in viewership, with the RoadRunner Turbo Indy 300 seeing the biggest gain, up 191.8%. ESPN's three races have each seen gains, as the net has averaged 754,000 viewers, up from 550,000 viewers for the same three races on the net last year. The following lists race-by-race viewership for the '08 IRL IndyCar Series, with comparisons to the same races last year (THE DAILY).
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'08 IRL INDYCAR SERIES VIEWERSHIP
|
|
DATE
|
RACE
|
TRACK
|
START
|
NET
|
VIEWERS (000)
|
'07 VIEWERS (000)
|
% +/-
|
|
3/29
|
GAINSCO Auto Insurance Indy 300
|
Homestead-Miami
|
8:02pm
|
ESPN2
|
1,076
|
829
|
29.8%
|
|
4/6
|
Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg |
Streets of St. Petersburg |
2:30pm
|
ESPN
|
575
|
388
|
48.2%
|
|
4/20
|
Indy Japan 300 (a) |
Motegi |
11:00am
|
ESPN2
|
377
|
379
|
-0.5%
|
|
4/20
|
Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach (b) |
Streets of Long Beach |
5:30pm
|
ESPN2
|
621
|
721
|
n/a
|
|
4/27
|
RoadRunner Turbo Indy 300 |
Kansas |
5:35pm
|
ESPN2
|
1,068
|
366
|
191.8%
|
|
5/25
|
Indianapolis 500 |
Indianapolis |
1:00pm
|
ABC
|
7,245
|
6,402
|
13.2%
|
|
6/1
|
ABC Supply Co./A.J. Foyt 225 |
Milwaukee |
4:00pm
|
ABC
|
1,066
|
1,345
|
-20.7%
|
|
6/7
|
Bombardier Learjet 550 |
Texas |
10:27pm
|
ESPN2
|
1,148
|
875
|
31.2%
|
|
6/22
|
Ethanol Indy 250 |
Iowa |
1:30pm
|
ABC
|
1,690
|
1,593
|
6.1%
|
|
6/28
|
SunTrust Indy Challenge |
Richmond |
8:00pm
|
ESPN
|
947
|
803
|
17.9%
|
|
7/6
|
Camping World Grand Prix |
Watkins Glen |
3:30pm
|
ABC
|
1,545
|
1,385
|
11.6%
|
|
7/12
|
Firestone Indy 200 (c) |
Nashville |
8:00pm
|
ESPN
|
754
|
508
|
48.4%
|
|
7/20
|
Honda 200 (d) |
Mid-Ohio |
2:06pm
|
ABC
|
1,827
|
2,432
|
-24.9%
|
NOTES: Last year's IndyCar viewership average does not include telecast of Long Beach Grand Prix. On February 26, 2008, it was announced that former Champ Car events at Long Beach, Edmonton, and Surfers Paradise, Australia, would be added to the '08 schedule. As a result of the scheduling conflict between the Motegi race and Long Beach, IndyCar teams competed in the Indy Japan 300, while some of the former Champ Car teams raced at Long Beach. (a) = After a rain delay in Japan which postponed the race Friday night, the Indy Japan 300 aired live from 10:00pm-12:27am ET on April 19 on ESPN Classic. The tape-delayed broadcast aired on April 20th at 11:00am ET on ESPN2; rating listed is for the replay. Last year's viewership reflects telecast on ESPN. (b) = Race aired on NBC last year as part of Champ Car schedule. (c) = Last year's race rained out on Saturday night and run on Sunday afternoon (d) = '07 event aired for only 66 minutes after British Open Final Round went into a playoff.
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