While the trend for NASCAR’s Daytona 500 TV ratings had been positive since the early 90′s, unlike many other big sporting events besides the Super Bowl, the past three years have seen a downward reversal to that trend. At 15.954 million average viewers, the rained out 2009 race had the lowest viewership since 2000.
Daytona 500 Historical TV Ratings Data:
| Year | Network | Rating | Share | Households (million) | Viewers (million) | Winner | |
| 2009 | FOX | 9.2 | 19 | 10.516 | 15.954 | Matt Kenseth | |
| 2008 | FOX | 10.2 | 20 | 11.493 | 17.752 | Ryan Newman | |
| 2007 | FOX | 10.1 | 20 | 11.250 | 17.532 | Joe Nemechek | |
| 2006 | NBC | 11.3 | 23 | 12.501 | 19.355 | Jimmie Johnson | |
| 2005 | FOX | 10.9 | 23 | 11.963 | 18.685 | Jeff Gordon | |
| 2004 | NBC | 10.6 | 24 | 11.513 | 17.796 | Dale Earnhardt, Jr. | |
| 2003 | FOX | 9.8 | 21 | 10.473 | 16.835 | Michael Waltrip | |
| 2002 | NBC | 10.9 | 26 | 11.551 | 18.780 | Ward Burton | |
| 2001 | FOX | 10 | 24 | 10.178 | 17.081 | Michael Waltrip | |
| 2000 | CBS | 8.4 | 22 | 8.446 | 12.936 | Dale Jarrett | |
| 1999 | CBS | 9.6 | 25 | 9.509 | 14.518 | Jeff Gordon | |
| 1998 | CBS | 8.6 | 23 | 8.426 | 13.044 | Dale Earnhardt | |
| 1997 | CBS | 8.6 | 23 | 8.311 | 12.833 | Jeff Gordon | |
| 1996 | CBS | 9.2 | 24 | 8.841 | 13.918 | Dale Jarrett | |
| 1995 | CBS | 7.8 | 20 | 7.441 | 11.444 | Sterling Marlin | |
| 1994 | CBS | 9.6 | 26 | 9.043 | 13.577 | Sterling Marlin | |
| 1993 | CBS | 8.4 | 23 | 7.820 | 12.705 | Dale Jarrett | |
| 1992 | CBS | 9.3 | 25 | 8.570 | 13.410 | Davey Allison | |
| 1991 | CBS | 7.6 | 20 | 7.080 | 10.920 | Ernie Irvan | |
| 1990 | CBS | 7.3 | 20 | 6.720 | 10.520 | Derrike Cope | |
| 1989 | CBS | 8.1 | 21 | 7.320 | 12.000 | Darrell Waltrip | |
| 1988 | CBS | 7.4 | 18 | 6.560 | 10.040 | Bobby Allison | |
| 1987 | CBS | 9.4 | 26 | 8.220 | 12.420 | Bill Elliot | |
| 1986 | CBS | 8.4 | 22 | 7.220 | 10.260 | Geoff Bodine | |
| 1985 | CBS | 8.3 | 23 | 7.050 | 9.790 | Bill Elliot | |
| 1984 | CBS | 8.7 | 23 | 7.290 | 12.320 | Cale Yarborough | |
| 1983 | CBS | 8.7 | 26 | 7.250 | 11.000 | Cale Yarborough | |
| 1982 | CBS | 9.4 | 27 | 7.660 | 11.840 | Bobby Allison | |
| 1981 | CBS | 8.4 | 26 | 6.540 | 11.220 | Richard Petty | |
| 1980 | CBS | 8.0 | 21 | 6.100 | 10.800 | Buddy Baker | |
| 1979 | CBS | 10.5 | 29 | 7.820 | 15.140 | Richard Petty | |
| 1978 | ABC | 11.8 | 33 | 8.600 | 20.900 | Bobby Allison | |
| 1977 | ABC | 12.9 | 35 | 9.180 | 16.010 | Cale Yarborough | |
| 1976 | ABC | 12.8 | 37 | 8.910 | 18.310 | David Pearson | |
| 1975 | ABC | 11.8 | 31 | 8.080 | 15.090 | Benny Parsons | |
| 1974 | ABC | 10.9 | 29 | 7.220 | 12.540 | Richard Petty |
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Note that from 1974-1979 ABC televised only the last 90 minutes of the race.
2006-2008 viewing is Live+SD, all other years are Live viewing.
Nielsen TV Ratings Data: ©2009 Nielsen Media Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
just a reminder that keven harvick won in 2007 not joe nemechek