NASCAR Beats NCAA to Retain TV Crown and Back Its ‘Record-Setting’ Claims With a 10% Bristol Jump

The race at Bristol Motor Speedway was studded with unique elements. Firstly, the tire fiasco threw every driver into a nerve-wracking battle of good pit strategies. Secondly, the veteran drivers including Denny Hamlin showcased their raw racing skills and excelled. You thought that was all? Nope, as NASCAR viewers showered love on the exhilarating Bristol race in added quantities.

Fox had recently run into waves of criticism after broadcasting the Daytona 500 race. The William Byron-Alex Bowman finish had fans confused, and the sketchy Fox coverage was to blame. But the media giant has upped its game over time, especially in the Sunday race in Bristol.

NASCAR beats NCAA in popularity contest

The last weekend was iconic for American sports fans nestled in every nook and cranny of the country. NCAA basketball fanatics were poring over the TV screen. Selection Show garnered a massive viewership, with the men’s section reaching 5.91 million viewers and the women’s reaching 1.94 million on CBS.

However, the ball-hoop sport had to contend with a tough rival. NASCAR’s Food City 500 race was truly one of a kind. It fetched 3.809 million viewers, playing second to basketball initially. The Fox Sports PR team updated on X: “🚨 Little track, big numbers! 💪Sunday’s @NASCAR Cup Series race from @ItsBristolBaby delivered 3,809,000 viewers on FOX, up +11% over last year’s race from Atlanta that aired on the same weekend and up +10% over the Bristol Dirt race that aired on Easter Sunday in primetime 📈”.

Soon the race came out on top before the final round of the 2024 Players Championship. Bristol peaked with 4.57 million viewers from 7-7:15 p.m. This marked 10% more viewers compared to the spring Bristol Dirt Race race last season.

Motorsport reporter Vincenzo Landino tweeted: “Fox Sports announced that Sunday’s @NASCAR race at @ItsBristolBaby scored 3.809 million viewers. +11% compared to the fifth race of the 2023 season. +10% compared to the spring Bristol Dirt Race race last season. Bristol was the most-watched sporting event of the weekend.”

Only the Daytona 500 race could not beat last year’s stats, mainly due to the inclement weather delay. Following that, every race this season has seen a magnificent jump from 2023 numbers. NASCAR on FOX is averaging 4.196 million viewers through five races, up 11% from last year.

Denny Hamlin and other veterans conjured the magic in Bristol, making true racing fans stay glued to the screens.

Hamlin credited his experience and pit crew for Bristol victory

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NASCAR injected resin into the Bristol race track instead of PJ1. As a result, the track started to bite through tires soon after the race was flagged off. But this unexpected turn of events did not faze Denny Hamlin. He depended on a treasure trove of experience and a trustworthy pit crew to reach Victory Lane.

“That’s what I grew up here doing in the short tracks in the Mid-Atlantic, South Boston, Martinsville. Once it became a tire management race, I really liked our chances,” Hamlin said. “We just had a great car, great team. The pit crew just did a phenomenal job all day. Can’t say enough about them.”

NASCAR is gaining momentum with Fox on the fandom charts steadily through the 2024 season. Fox will soon give way to FS1, which will host seven out of ten races after the Richmond race on March 31st. Let us see how they fare in terms of viewership.

Read More: Joe Gibbs Hilariously Calls Out ‘Distressed’ Denny Hamlin Being Unable To “Afford a Pair of Pants”