NASCAR: Homestead finale completes ratings rise for Chase

Whatever your opinion of the latest iteration of NASCAR Chase playoff system for determining the Sprint Cup champion, it produced solid numbers in terms of TV audience. ESPN's live telecast of the decisive finale – the Ford Ecoboost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, Nov. 16, maintained the recent trend of increased audience figures that reversed the downward trajectory affecting NASCAR for much of the year, and ensured an increase in overall viewership for the 10 races of the Chase.

Although the 3.1 U.S. household rating for the telecast was the same as last year, it averaged 5,223,000 viewers, which was up from 5,119,000 for last year's race and 4,769,000 for the race in 2012, according to Nielsen Media. Overall, the 10 races in the Chase averaged 4,408,000 viewers, up from 4,283,000 for last year's playoff series. The 10 races averaged a 2.7 U.S. rating in both years.