Continuing a trend of year-over-year growth, NASCAR’s second race of the season had a modest bump in overnights.

NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Atlanta drew a 5.1 overnight rating on FOX Sunday afternoon, up 6% from the second race of last season (4.8) but down 4% from the second race in 2013 (5.3), both of which took place from Phoenix. Last year’s Atlanta race, which aired on ESPN over Labor Day weekend, drew a 3.0 overnight.

Overnights have now increased for all four NASCAR telecasts on FOX this season — the Sprint Unlimited, Daytona 500 Pole Qualifying, Daytona 500 and Sunday’s race.

Despite the increase, the 5.1 overnight is the fourth-lowest for the second Sprint Cup race of the season since FOX began airing NASCAR in 2001 — ahead of only last year, 2010 (5.0) and 2012 (also 5.0). After topping a 6.0 overnight in six straight seasons (2003-08), the season’s second race has failed to reach 5.5 in the past seven (2009-15).

NASCAR was the highest rated sporting event of the weekend in the metered markets, finishing well ahead of second-place NBA action on ABC (3.7 for Cavaliers/Rockets).



(Wknd. overnights via ShowBuzz Daily)