TV ratings: Positive numbers for Daytona 500 despite rainout

After a promising start to its season of NASCAR coverage, Fox Sports ended up with a year-on-year downturn for the Daytona 500 after Sunday's race was postponed to Monday by rain, but the numbers still yielded some positives.

Sunday afternoon's telecast, which lasted just 20 laps, peaked with 11.2 million viewers on Fox and averaged a 6.26 rating. The balance of the race on Monday -- which also aired on the Fox broadcast network -- averaged a 4.2 rating and 7.0 million viewers. Overall, Fox claimed an average of a 4.4 rating and 7.3m viewers.

The top five markets for the race were Jacksonville, Fla. (11.6 rating), Greensboro, N.C. (11.1), Orlando, Fla. (10.8), Indianapolis, Ind. (9.7) and Charlotte, N.C. (8.8).

Last year's Daytona 500 averaged a 5.31 rating and 9.2m viewers.

NASCAR's Xfinity Series race from Daytona Saturday on FS1 averaged a 1.09 rating and 1.8m viewers. That's up from 0.97/1.5m last year on the cable network.

The Gander Outdoors Truck Series race on Friday night averaged a 0.59/1.0m on FS1, down a tick from a 0.66/1.0m last year.