Following the Cup race at the Richmond Raceway, the official numbers are in. Apparently, Fox earned a 2.3 rating and 3.958 million viewers for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup race. This was actually great news as it meant that viewership went up to double digits. Especially when compared to last year’s Bristol dirt race and Richmond’s spring event. Former NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer attributed it to a better standard of racing.

Speaking about the Richmond race, he said, “Been some great racing this year. This weekend wasn’t as wild as others. Strategy was the name of the game! I wasn’t sure how it would be perceived. Ratings tell the story”. This just goes to show how much the Next Gen cars have changed the game.

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What next for NASCAR after positive TV signs?

Hopefully, for the sport, the trend continues to grow upward. It will also be a form of vindication for NASCAR as it will prove their Next Gen model is revolutionary. Of course, the season is still a little young, but the only direction that the sport can go is upwards.

Now, the next race is at the Martinsville Speedway, which is yet another short track. It is also worth mentioning that Martinsville is celebrating its 75th anniversary. So, the speedway authorities will be keen to deliver an exciting race for the fans. The more exciting the race is, the higher the TV ratings will climb, it is a win-win situation.

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Of course, no one can predict how a race will pan out, whether it will be action-dominated or strategy-dominated. Richmond, according to Bowyer, saw a more tactical game being played, and many fans enjoyed that. However, there is no guarantee that the same thing will happen at the Martinsville Speedway. One thing is for sure, it will be an anxious wait for the paddock to see how things will turn out.