NASCAR TV ratings drop again, remain strongest in South

0 Comments | USA TODAY, November, 2007 | by Michael Hiestand

NASCAR ends its season Sunday with ratings down again this year. And while it has fan interest beyond its Southern base, it's still an also-ran in big cities outside the South.

This season's NASCAR Nextel Cup races -- airing on Fox, TNT, ESPN and ABC -- are averaging 4.2% of U.S. TV households -- down 9% from last year's average and off 21% from 2005.

ABC's Checker Auto Parts 500 on Sunday -- when Jimmie Johnson virtually nailed down the season points title -- showed interest still is largely regional. The race drew 10.5% of households in Greenville, S.C., 9.1% in Knoxville, Tenn. and 7.8% in Birmingham, Ala. But it drew just 1.3% in New York, 1.9% in Los Angeles and 2.4% in Chicago.

Dick Glover, NASCAR vice president/broadcasting, notes the average...