SPORTS

Indy 500 TV ratings surpass Coca-Cola 600's for 1st time in 10 years

Matthew Glenesk

matthew.glenesk@indystar.com

Juan Pablo Montoya takes the checkered flag, winning his second Indy 500 with a .1 second margin of victory over teammate Will Power in the 99th running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 24, 2015. Finishing behind them were Charlie Kimball, Scott Dixon, Graham Rahal, Marco Andretti and Helio Castroneves.

For the first time in 10 years, the Indianapolis 500 got higher TV ratings than its NASCAR counterpart, the Coca-Cola 600.

Both races were Sunday over Memorial Day Weekend, and the Indy 500 scored a 4.1 national rating, averaging 6,394,097 viewers, according to Nielsen Fast National data. It's the race's best viewership since 2011. In contrast, NASCAR's Charlotte race drew a 3.8 number.

Per Awful Announcing, it's the first time since 2005 that the 500 outrated the Coca-Cola 600 save for 2009 when the NASCAR race was delayed until Monday.

Despite a local live blackout, Indianapolis led all metered markets with a 12.7 rating, followed by Dayton, Ohio, at 9.9 and Louisville, Ky., at 8.7. Milwaukee (7.5) and Albuquerque, N.M., (6.5) were fourth and fifth, respectively.