Fewer Watch Indy on TV

As expected because of the recent split in Indy car racing, Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 telecast on ABC drew a considerably lower TV rating than usual.

The overnight Nielsen rating, representing the nation’s 33 largest TV markets, was a 6.8. The last three years, the overnight rating was an 8.6 or 8.5. The 10:30-11 a.m. rating was a 7.7, but for the next half hour it was 6.9.

Although official cable ratings won’t be available until today, ESPN projected a 3.0 rating for its 4 1/2 hours of U.S. 500 coverage, and a 3.4 for the race, new highs for Indy car racing on ESPN. The previous high was a 2.1 for a race in Loudon, N.H., in 1993.