ESPN on ABC’s live telecast of Saturday’s Aarons 312 Nationwide Series race at Talladega Superspeedway scored big increases in ratings and household impressions over last year’s race, continuing an upward trend to series TV numbers in 2008.

The race earned a 2.6 rating and 2,962,000 household impressions, increases of 28 and 29%, respectively, over the same categories for last year’s ABC telecast (2.1; 2,291,000). The event also earned the largest numbers for a Nationwide Series race on the ESPN networks since live NASCAR racing returned to ESPN in 2007, eclipsing the previous high of 2.4/2,699,000 for the March, 2007, event from Las Vegas that aired on ABC.

The Talladega telecast also earned large increases across the board in important demographic categories, increasing 67% in Males 18-34, 50% in males 55 and older and 44% in persons 55 and older. Cable ratings for the series have also increased in 2008. The average rating for the five Nationwide Series events that have aired on ESPN2 is 1.9, a 10% increase over the 1.7 from this point last season. ESPN2 numbers do not include the rain-delayed event from California Speedway in February that was run on a Monday.

ESPN’s multi-platform approach to NASCAR coverage is also showing increases in areas other than television. ESPN.com’s motorsports section has grown 32% in visits during 2008, and ESPN’s Fantasy Racing was up 43% in visits and 15% in page views during the Talladega weekend as compared to the same weekend last year. ESPN-owned Jayski.com was up 16% in visits during Talladega weekend.

[ESPN]

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