TV Ratings: NASCAR up, IndyCar declines

Sunday's Monster Energy NASACAR Cup Series AAA400 at Dover was a ratings boost for Fox Sports 1, with the race drawing a 2.07 rating and averaging 3.36 million households. According to SportsBusiness Journal, Sunday's race was one of FS1's most-watched telecasts of 2017; last year's Dover race, which took place in May, earned a 2.2. On this weekend last year, the Pocono Cup race only drew a 0.87 (severely impacted by an hours-long rain delay and eventual postponement to Monday.)

Ratings were more disappointing for the Verizon IndyCar Series, which saw drop-off from last year's numbers on ABC's final broadcast weekend of the season. Dual Race 1 drew a 0.57 and averaged 847,000 viewers – a 20 percent drop from 2016, which saw a 0.71/1.013 million viewers. Sunday's race was down 30 percent: Race 2 earned a 0.62/918,000 viewers, down from last year's 0.89 rating and just under 1.4 million viewers.

Saturday's Xfinity Series race at Dover on Fox Sports 1 scored a 0.66 rating and just over one million viewers., down from last year's 1/1.45 million viewers from Pocono (also delayed by rain).

The NHRA New England Nationals final eliminations drew a 0.73/1.18 million viewers on Fox Sports 1 for the same-day delayed session. Last year's session was also postponed until Monday due to rain.