NASCAR Sprint Cup: Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Play Big Roles in Ratings Slide

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is unmistakably NASCAR’s most popular driver; Jimmie Johnson is unmistakably NASCAR’s most successful driver. One is more charismatic, one more successful. Both are playing a role in why NASCAR is seemingly dwindling in popularity these days. There’s been a lot written in the past several weeks about NASCAR’s poor showings in the television ratings. According to jayski.com, the Chase opener at New Hampshire was ESPN’s lowest rated Chase race to date and the ratings for all of the Chase races have been down from last year. This represents a precipitous drop over the last four years during the Jimmie Johnson era. The fall has brought suggestions from NASCAR fans to alter the Chase format, someh...

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