Danica does
Daytona, and ratings roar
Indy driver and pinup fave in her stock car debut
By Toni Fitzgerald
Feb 10, 2010
If Danica Patrick's first stock car race is any indication, ratings for NASCAR's second-tier circuit are about to soar.
Patrick, a driver on the IndyCar circuit the past five years and internet pinup girl for just as long, made her stock car racing debut over the weekend at the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) series season opener in Daytona, boosting the race to record levels on Speed Channel.
It averaged 2.4 million total viewers, up 87 percent over last year's audience of 1.3 million.
The Daytona race was first in its timeslot on basic cable at 4:30 p.m. and averaged a 2.3 Nielsen household rating, up 59 percent over last year's 1.45.
It became the most-watched ARCA race in Speed history. In fact, it became the most-watched non-NASCAR Sprint Cup program of all time on Speed, and it bodes well for Patrick's upcoming debut in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, the circuit below Sprint Cup.
ARCA is one step below Nationwide, and Patrick and her sponsors wanted to see how she fared in Saturday's race before committing to another this weekend in Daytona.
Though Patrick spun out at one point, she recovered to place sixth, and on Monday her team announced that she would indeed be racing again Saturday, one of 12 total Nationwide races on her schedule this season.
Patrick's presence has track owners where she will appear extremely excited. They expect the brunette beauty's presence to boost ticket sales after a rough 2009, when major tracks reported sales slumping from 10 to 20 percent.
After Patrick committed to a race there in June, the New Hampshire Motor Speedway issued a release calling Patrick's appearance "a gift."
Nationwide series ratings could also use a boost. Twenty-six races on ESPN2 last year were down 7 percent from 2008, to a 1.4 rating.
If Patrick does well on the Nationwide circuit, it's no guarantee she'll be promoted to the Sprint Cup, but certainly that's the long-term hope for a series that also saw its ratings decline last year.
Patrick has won one race on the IndyCar circuit, where she'll continue to compete this season, and she's already got a huge number of endorsements, most notably Go Daddy, whose commercials she appeared in on Super Bowl Sunday.
***
In cable ratings for the week ended Feb. 7:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): USA, TBS, TNT, A&E, ESPN.
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): USA, Fox News Channel, TNT, TBS, Nick at Nite.
Top movie (18-49s): TNT’s “A Time to Kill” (Saturday, 5 p.m.) 1.27 million.
Top sporting event (total viewers): Speed’s “ARCA Racing Series” (Saturday, 4:30 p.m.) 2.57 million.
Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s: USA’s “WWE Entertainment” (Monday, 10 p.m.); USA’s “Burn Notice” (Thursday, 10 p.m.); History Channel’s “Pawn Stars” (Monday, 10:30 p.m.).
Show on the rise: Starz' “Spartacus: Blood and Sand” Friday 10 p.m. In its third week, the pay cable network's blood, sex and sandals series hit a series-high 858,000 viewers.
Show on the decline: USA’s “Psych,” Wednesday 10 p.m. The drama averaged 1.39 million viewers 18-49, off 27 percent from 1.91 million the previous week.
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week Ending February 7 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
2197
|
NICK
|
1674
|
|
2
|
FOXN
|
1832
|
NAN
*
|
1326
|
|
3
|
TNT
|
1507
|
USA
|
1169
|
|
4
|
NAN
|
1336
|
TNT
|
1123
|
|
5
|
TBSC
|
1218
|
FOXN
|
1100
|
|
6
|
AEN
|
1210
|
ADSM*
|
963
|
|
7
|
ESPN
|
1079
|
TOON
|
842
|
|
8
|
HGTV
|
1059
|
TBSC
|
748
|
|
9
|
HIST
|
1058
|
AEN
|
717
|
|
10
|
TOON
|
1040
|
ESPN
|
716
|
|
11
|
FAM
|
993
|
HGTV
|
637
|
|
12
|
AMC
|
859
|
HIST
|
626
|
|
13
|
TRU
|
849
|
TRU
|
593
|
|
14
|
TLC
|
822
|
LIF
|
574
|
|
15
|
DISC
|
800
|
FOOD
|
559
|
|
16
|
FX
|
796
|
FX
|
523
|
|
17
|
LIF
|
792
|
DISC
|
512
|
|
18
|
FOOD
|
768
|
SPK
|
506
|
|
19
|
CMDY
|
740
|
FAM
|
502
|
|
20
|
SYFY
|
723
|
AMC
|
501
|
|
21
|
MTV
|
704
|
MTV
|
474
|
|
22
|
SPK
|
675
|
CMDY
|
457
|
|
23
|
BET
|
673
|
TVLD
|
447
|
|
24
|
HALL
|
606
|
TLC
|
438
|
|
25
|
BRAV
|
564
|
HALL
|
393
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE PROGRAMS
Ranked on Households
Week Ending February 7 |
|
Rank
|
Program |
Net
|
(000) |
|
1
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3951
|
|
2
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
3664
|
|
3
|
The Penguins Of
Madagascar
|
NICK
|
3629
|
|
4
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
3415
|
|
5
|
iCarly
|
NICK
|
3383
|
|
6
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3292
|
|
7
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
3290
|
|
8
|
iCarly
|
NICK
|
3156
|
|
9
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
3135
|
|
10
|
Pawn Stars
|
HIST
|
3105
|
|
11
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
3085
|
|
12
|
The O'Reilly Factor
|
FOXN
|
3063
|
|
13
|
The O'Reilly Factor
|
FOXN
|
3043
|
|
14
|
Fanboy & Chum Chum
|
NICK
|
3036
|
|
15
|
Burn Notice
|
USA
|
3023
|
|
16
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
3000
|
|
17
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
2972
|
|
18
|
The O'Reilly Factor
|
FOXN
|
2910
|
|
19
|
iCarly
|
NICK
|
2906
|
|
20
|
iCarly
|
NICK
|
2879
|
|
21
|
Pawn Stars
|
HIST
|
2871
|
|
22
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2852
|
|
23
|
iCarly
|
NICK
|
2849
|
|
24
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2790
|
|
25
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2760
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending February 7 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
TBSC
|
560
|
ADSM*
|
481
|
|
2
|
USA
|
535
|
NAN
*
|
368
|
|
3
|
MTV
|
409
|
NICK
|
353
|
|
4
|
CMDY
|
371
|
TBSC
|
311
|
|
5
|
ESPN
|
353
|
ESPN
|
275
|
|
6
|
TNT
|
336
|
MTV
|
269
|
|
7
|
AEN
|
322
|
USA
|
262
|
|
8
|
FAM
|
309
|
CMDY
|
227
|
|
9
|
DISC
|
278
|
TNT
|
224
|
|
10
|
VH1
|
265
|
TOON
|
194
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending February 7 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Teen Mom: Check Up With Dr. Drew
|
MTV
|
1905
|
|
2
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1521
|
|
3
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
1298
|
|
4
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1260
|
|
5
|
Burn Notice
|
USA
|
1194
|
|
6
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1120
|
|
7
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1082
|
|
8
|
For The Love Of Ray J 2
|
VH1
|
1073
|
|
9
|
Pawn Stars
|
HIST
|
1067
|
|
10
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
1056
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending February 7 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
1196
|
ADSM*
|
664
|
|
2
|
TBSC
|
966
|
NAN
*
|
623
|
|
3
|
TNT
|
790
|
USA
|
598
|
|
4
|
AEN
|
748
|
TNT
|
590
|
|
5
|
ESPN
|
672
|
NICK
|
575
|
|
6
|
HIST
|
630
|
TBSC
|
573
|
|
7
|
CMDY
|
592
|
ESPN
|
482
|
|
8
|
FAM
|
588
|
AEN
|
431
|
|
9
|
DISC
|
573
|
TRU
|
374
|
|
10
|
TRU
|
545
|
HIST
|
366
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending February 7 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
2778
|
|
2
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
2301
|
|
3
|
Burn Notice
|
USA
|
2265
|
|
4
|
Teen Mom: Check Up With Dr. Drew
|
MTV
|
2201
|
|
5
|
Pawn Stars
|
HIST
|
2143
|
|
6
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1977
|
|
7
|
Pawn Stars
|
HIST
|
1972
|
|
8
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1661
|
|
9
|
The Real Housewives Of
Orange
County
|
BRAV
|
1655
|
|
10
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1573
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending February 7 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
1274
|
TNT
|
668
|
|
2
|
TNT
|
897
|
USA
|
643
|
|
3
|
AEN
|
803
|
TBSC
|
498
|
|
4
|
TBSC
|
802
|
NAN
*
|
497
|
|
5
|
HIST
|
717
|
AEN
|
466
|
|
6
|
ESPN
|
655
|
NICK
|
457
|
|
7
|
FOXN
|
581
|
ADSM*
|
448
|
|
8
|
DISC
|
557
|
ESPN
|
435
|
|
9
|
HGTV
|
551
|
HIST
|
410
|
|
10
|
TRU
|
545
|
TRU
|
380
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending February 7 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
2679
|
|
2
|
Pawn Stars
|
HIST
|
2339
|
|
3
|
Burn Notice
|
USA
|
2256
|
|
4
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
2240
|
|
5
|
Pawn Stars
|
HIST
|
2138
|
|
6
|
American Pickers
|
HIST
|
1712
|
|
7
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
1696
|
|
8
|
NFL Prime Time
|
ESPN
|
1610
|
|
9
|
Project Runway
|
LIF
|
1604
|
|
10
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
1567
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
|
|
