May 29, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Verizon Indy Car driver James Hinchcliffe (5) leads a group of cars down the front straightaway during the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

While the local blackout was lifted for the centennial race, Indy 500 TV Ratings slipped nationally compared to 2015, but remained the top race of the weekend.

The greatest spectacle in racing certainly delivered on track once again at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with the surprising Alexander Rossi making the fuel last to win the Indianapolis 500. With the 100th running, IndyCar and television executives hoped for a large audience, but surprisingly the numbers slipped from the 99th running in 2015.

Per an ESPN report as seen on RACER.com, the Indy 500 pulled a 3.8 rating and 5.9 million viewers nationally on over-the-air ABC. These numbers come from the Nielsen fast-nationals, which have boosted the race in recent years in the final ratings. By comparison, the 99th edition drew a 4.2 rating and 6.5 million viewers in 2016. The race was also down compared to 2014, marking a three-year low.

The report did also show a very big increase in the Indianapolis market, where the race was shown live for the first time in 66 years thanks to a complete track sellout. The race increased by 161 percent from last year in central Indiana, scoring a 33.6 rating. Those numbers are easily competitive for the other biggest sports draw in the city, the Indianapolis Colts.

Speaking of competition, the Indy 500 still did come out on top for all motorsports events on the weekend. NASCAR saw numbers slip for the Coca-Cola 600 to their lowest point since moving to FOX in 2001. However, arguably the better comparison of NASCAR versus IndyCar is to compare this race to the Daytona 500, their crowned jewel. In that case, NASCAR blew them away with a 6.6 rating and 11.6 million viewers. Meanwhile, Formula One remained steady with last year’s numbers on NBC for the Monaco Grand Prix, though still small by comparison to IndyCar or NASCAR.

Certainly the momentum on the television side of things is not as high as IndyCar executives may have been hoping for, but there are still positives to take away from the weekend. The fans were the other big winners on Sunday, with a packed house at IMS and central Indiana getting to watch the race live either in person or at home. Momentum could also be being carried into further races on the schedule, with Road America reportedly having to make more space for campers for the June race.

What did you think of the television coverage of the Indianapolis 500? Were you watching at home, or did you head out to the speedway for the greatest spectacle in racing? Leave your comments below or send them to us on social media.