WRAL's Mary Dunleavy spoke with a NASCAR official about Sunday's big television numbers and what it means for the sport moving forward in the wake of the cornavirus pandemic.
IS >>> THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE SECOND NIGHT OF RACING FOR GNAWS CAR DUE TO COVID-19. BUT NATURE HAD OTHER PLANS. THE TOYOTA 200 HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL THURSDAY AT NOON DUE TO RAIN IN THE DARLINGTON SOUTH CAROLINA AREA. THE RAIN IS EXPECTED FOR MOST OF THE DAY TOMORROW. IF THE CUP RACE THAT'S PLANNED FOR TOMORROW KANE GO ON, THE CONTINGENCY PLAN IS FOR NASCAR TO RUN IT ON THURSDAY. IT'S NASCAR'S PREMIERE NATIONAL SERIES CUP RACE. AND IT CAME BACK TO THIS PAST SUNDAY. IT LOOKS LIKE FOLKS WHO AREN'T RACING FANS ARE READY FOR LIVE SPORTS SO THEY TUNED IN. >> Reporter: NASCAR KILLED IT IN THE RATINGS. MORE THAN SIX MILLION VIEWERS TUNED IN ON SUNDAY. 38% INCREASE FROM THEIR LAST RACE IN PHOENIX TEN WEEKS AGO. >> A LOT OF SPORTS FANS ARE CERTAINLY HUNGRY FOR CONTENT AND HUNGRY TO SEE SPORTS BACK TO TELEVISION. TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST BACK HAS BEEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. >> Reporter: THEY ARE REACHING POPULATIONS THEY TYPICALLY WOULDN'T TOUCH. >> PEOPLE ON THE WEST COAST, CHICAGO AREA AND ELSEWHERE. SO REALLY NEED TO SEE THAT. IT'S A BIG SPIKE IN THE YOUNGER DEM GRAV. >> Reporter: EVERY RACE MOVED FOR WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE A MUCH DIFFERENT LOOK DUE TO COVID-19. EACH MEMBER OF THE NASCAR TEAM ANSWERS A QUESTIONAIRE AND THEN THEY ARE SCREENED ONCE TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY SECHLTS. IF A TEAM MEMBER SHOWS SYMPTOM, THEY WILL HEAD TO THE SECOND SCREENING. >> BACK-TRAYINGS SOFT WARE AS WELL TO SEE WHO THEY HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH, WHO THEY HAVE BEEN AROUND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CONTAIN ALL THOSE PEOPLE. >> Reporter: THERE'S A CERTAIN ENERGY MISSING WITH NO FANS IN THE STANDS. BUT ACCORDING TO NASCAR, ONCE HE HITS 200 MILES PER HOUR, THE FANS DON'T MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE. >> CERTAINLY PRERACE AND POSTRACE. AT THAT POINT THOUGH, I'LL TRY TO GO EARLY. REALLY DIFFERENT. YOU DON'T REALLY NOTICE THE ENVIRONMENT FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT BE DIFFERENT.
