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NNSracing.com
As if Kentucky Speedway didn't have enough negative publicity, ESPN reports that the Feed the Children 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race there July 8 earned a 1.2 rating, down 14.3 percent from last year's event.
ESPN cited figures from the Nielsen Company. The 1.2 household coverage rating comes from the broadcast on ESPN.
This was the first year the Nationwide Series wasn't a standalone event at Kentucky, as the Sprint Cup Series held its first race there. As has been widely reported, traffic getting in to and out of the track was abysmal - and Kentucky Speedway was widely criticized. Track officials apologized today.
The 2011 race was held on a Friday, with last year's on Saturday. Last year's race, held in June, earned a 1.4 rating.
The last two Nationwide Series races have seen precipitous drops in TV ratings, as Daytona's was down 15.8 percent.
2011 Nationwide Series Television Ratings
| Race | 2011 | 2010 | % Change | Network |
| Daytona 1 | 2.4 | 3.2 | -25 | ESPN2 |
| Phoenix 1 | 1.5 | 1.0 | +50 | ESPN2 |
| Las Vegas | 2.2 | 1.8 | +22.2 | ABC |
| Bristol 1 | 1.5 | 1.6 | -6.3 | ESPN/ABC |
| California | 1.6 | N/A | N/A | ESPN |
| Texas 1 | 1.1 | N/A | N/A | ESPN2 |
| Talladega | 2.1 | 1.3 | +61.5 | ESPN2 |
| Nashville 1 | 1.5 | 1.1 | +36.4 | ESPN |
| Richmond 1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | N/A | Speed |
| Darlington | 1.0 | 1.1 | -9.1 | ESPN2 |
| Dover 1 | 1.5 | 1.3 | +15.4 | ESPN2 |
| Iowa 1 | 1.6 | N/A | N/A | ABC |
| Charlotte 1 | 1.6 | 1.3 | +23.1 | ABC |
| Chicago 1 | 1.4 | N/A | N/A | ESPN |
| Michigan | 1.5 | 1.2 | N/A | ABC/ESPN |
| Road America | 1.2 | 1.1 | 9.1 | ESPN/ESPN2 |
| Daytona 2 | 1.6 | 1.9 | -15.8 | ESPN |
| Kentucky | 1.2 | 1.4 | -14.3 | ESPN |