TV ratings: IndyCar Detroit 2 up, NASCAR Dover down

The Verizon IndyCar Series was dogged by rain in its last broadcast network appearances of the year, but still ended up with some forward momentum. According to SportsMediaWatch, the second race of the double-header at Detroit's Belle Isle earned a 1.0 overnight rating on ABC Sunday afternoon, which was up 43% from last year (0.7). Saturday's rain-shortened race had a 0.7 overnight on Saturday, down from a 0.8 in 2014.

Meanwhile, NASCAR's Sprint Cup returned to FOX Sports 1 and took the predictable audience hit. Sunday's telescast from Dover got a 2.3 overnight rating on Fox Sports 1 Sunday afternoon, down 30% from last year on FOX (3.3).

The NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday afternoon at Dover, however, did get the FOX boost, earning a 1.2 overnight rating on Saturday afternoon, which SMW says was up 20% from last year (1.0 on ESPN).

The TUDOR United SportsCar Championship race replay from Detroit on FOX Sports 1 Saturday afternoon averaged 246,000 viewers, according to SportsTV.com, but a second replay on FS1 Sunday from 5:00-7:00 p.m. averaged more than double that audience, at 493,000.

The live telecast of the MotoGP round from Italy averaged 125,000 viewers on FS1.

These numbers will be updated as additional data becomes available.