NASCAR Community Including Brad Keselowski React as Viewership Comparisons With Miami F1 Race Comes to Light
Follow Us
USA Today via Reuters
Apr 24, 2022; Talladega, Alabama, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kurt Busch (45) hits Bubba Wallace (23) while racing to the checkered flag behind Martin Truex Jr (19) and Ross Chastain (1) during the Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
On Sunday, it was a blockbuster weekend for US motorsports as Formula One hosted the inaugural Miami Grand Prix. On the same weekend was the Goodyear 400 NASCAR Throwback Weekend at the Darlington Raceway. Once both races wrapped up, the TV viewership numbers came in for both events. Naturally, the NASCAR community reacted to the comparison, and one of them was Brad Keselowski.
Will never understand why 18-49 is coveted more than female.
— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) May 10, 2022
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Always have wondered that as well.
— Jesse Little (@jesselittle97) May 10, 2022
No it’s not lol. It’s up 18% overall viewership. What the hell are you even talking about
— sportsguy070 (@CjNascar6767) May 10, 2022
It’s the 18-49 demo tv producers really care about, that’s a loss for NASCAR
— Kyle Nadeau (@Kyle_Nadeau) May 10, 2022
As it turns out, the Darlington race earned a 1.45 rating, compared to F1’s 1.08 rating. Meanwhile, it drew a grand total of 2.614 million viewers, while the Miami race had 2.066 million viewers. Interestingly, though, when looking at the 18-49 demographic, NASCAR had 517,000 viewers. On the other end of the spectrum, F1 boasted 735,000 viewers.
doing backflips over 200,000 more on a main channel like ABC compared to FS1 is hilarious
— Jake (@JakeGray_5) May 10, 2022
interesting.. 2.6 mil w/517k for 18-49 while f1 brought in 2.0 mil w/735k for 18-49
nascar has some momentum riding on its back and that's helping it hold its own but f1 is doing way better in the key demo
safe to say, these two leagues will be at war for another 10 years 😤
— Jacob Morgan (@Jacobdean1342) May 10, 2022
No excuse for this. To go head to head with F1, same start time, Mother's day weekend, this should have been on network tv. Embarrassing really.
— Chris L (@chris24147) May 10, 2022
Many were upset that Fox Sports did not air the Darlington race. For them, the Darlington Throwback weekend is a massive event. Additionally, there could have been opportunities to rope in the younger viewers and educate them about NASCAR. Commentators and pundits like Mike Joy, Clint Bowyer, and Dale Earnhardt Jr could have been instrumental in this.
How did the NASCAR and F1 races pan out?
On the F1 front, Max Verstappen snatched victory and scripted his name in US motor sport history. Behind him were the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz respectively, with teammate Sergio Perez in 4th place. Meanwhile, the NASCAR Cup race at Darlington concluded with Joey Logano winning. Though it is worth noting that it was a slightly controversial victory, as he did a bump and run on William Byron.
Put cup races on Fox and the numbers are much different.
— Justin Boyles 🥋 (@Jboyles_12) May 10, 2022
Really disappointed Nascar didn’t show this one on FOX. Throwback weekend was always on the big NBC when it was on Labor Day. With Mike Joy & all the knowledge he has in the history of the sport this could’ve been a neat opportunity for the younger demographic.
— The 🐐 (@NickSabanGoat) May 10, 2022
If the race was on FOX, I think NASCAR is on Par or exceeding F1 in the 18-49 demographic. Regardless, overall viewership being higher on FS1 is an accomplishment in itself.
— Jimmy Zajac (@SlimJimJZ) May 10, 2022
F1 won in the demographic that matters while nascar won overall
— Logan (@LoganBolton7) May 10, 2022
It was a move that the late great Dale Earnhardt was famous for, in his heyday. The man was known as the Intimidator, and his bump tactics was part of his arsenal to ‘intimidate’ other drivers. Admittedly, people must have thought that the Darlington race was far more exciting, so that explained the high viewership numbers.
Trending
Kendall Jenner Accidentally Leaks Lewis Hamilton’s MET Gala 2024 Plans During $136,000 Tommy Hilfiger Joyride
May 06, 2024 03:09 PM EDT
F1 Fans Slam Insecure Fernando Alonso For Playing Race Card Against Lewis Hamilton in Miami
May 04, 2024 08:52 PM EDT
Carlos Sainz Misses Lando Norris’ Miami GP Celebrations to Get Potential Audi Move Completed
May 06, 2024 08:13 PM EDT
MET Gala 2024: Travis Kelce Left Awestruck as Lewis Hamilton Steals the Show With Black History- Inspired Look On the Red Carpet
May 07, 2024 10:04 AM EDT
Patrick Mahomes & Wife Brittany’s Miami GP Double Date in Trouble as Travis Kelce Apparently Ditches Taylor Swift for Kentucky Derby
May 04, 2024 09:54 PM EDT
Get instantly notified of the hottest F1 stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.
Follow Us
NASCAR Drivers and Fans Outraged at Eye-Watering Prices of F1 Merchandise at the Miami GP
but my eyeballs told me only one event was a good watch.
— DC42 🚣 (@DoucheCanoe42) May 10, 2022
Big W for NASCAR, considering it was on FS1.
— Rafael Reis #StandWithUkraine (@Rafaael_Reis) May 10, 2022
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
NASCAR fans doing backflips over these numbers is hilarious. That 18-49 is telling.
— Mike Chase (@Mike_Chase2021) May 10, 2022
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Of course, NASCAR will want to try and win over the 18-49 demographic. Formula One has definitely done a lot to bring in a younger audience. In fact, the Netflix series Formula One: Drive to Survive has been a massive boon in boosting popularity.
Unfortunately, NASCAR does not have anything like that just yet. Hopefully, a streaming service finally comes up and shoots a documentary-drama series on the stock car series. Given this strategy is working well with F1, would you like to see something similar in NASCAR?
Written by:
Edited by:
Melroy Fernandes
