CONCORD, N.C. — Aug. 2, 2007 — He didn’t know it at the time, but when Terry McCarl waved at Donny Schatz last weekend en route to capturing Round 7 of the SuperClean Summer of Money, more than half a million viewers on ESPN2 were along for the ride.
Continuing its impressive television ratings this season, the World of Outlaws Powered By Q event that aired Sunday from the high-banks of K-C Raceway drew a season-high .46 household rating with 516,000 viewers tuned in, according to Nielsen Media Research. The show outperformed its lead-in by 70.4 percent.
Among men 18-49, the SuperClean Summer of Money race was the 16th highest-rated event during the week of July 23-29 on ESPN2, which also aired NASCAR, NHRA, Indy Racing League and Champ Car World Series coverage in addition to Major League Baseball games.
“We have built a strong team and placed great resources behind our television package,” World Racing Group President Tom Deery said. “It is rewarding to see our efforts are pay off. What is especially exciting to note when reviewing the Nielsen numbers of our program and those around us is that our fans are specifically tuning in to watch the World of Outlaws. We always knew we had great fans in the stands, now we know we have great fans watching on television, too.”
Those 516,000 viewers were treated to some serious excitement as the event itself from K-C Raceway in Chillicothe, Ohio, was filled with action from beginning to end. The race will forever be remembered as “The Wave” after second-place running Terry McCarl deftly powered his 850-horsepower winged machine to the outside of defending World of Outlaws champion Donny Schatz. As the two entered Turn 1 side-by-side, McCarl edged ahead and incredibly waved goodbye at Schatz as he went to the lead, eventually holding off Schatz by .091 seconds — or a couple of feet — at the checkered flag.
The packed grandstands buzzed over the finish, with not a sole able to sit down. McCarl’s celebration in the XLER8 Victory Lane ignited the crowd as well as announcers Bobby Gerould and Brad Doty, who were stunned by such a brazen move as McCarl’s wave.
The question now on everybody’s minds is what can happen next? The K-C Raceway event had a little bit of everything, but the SuperClean Summer of Money championship will be decided this weekend at 1/3-mile Charter Raceway Park, where the unexpected is always possible.
Will Donny Schatz hold off the Mopar-powered, Kasey Kahne-owned car driven by Joey Saldana and grab the title? Will McCarl prove to be the spoiler again? Don’t be left out at the water cooler on Monday morning, make sure to catch the SuperClean Summer of Money excitement by tuning in ESPN2 at 11 a.m. Eastern (10 a.m. Central) on Sunday, Aug. 5.
Continuing its impressive television ratings this season, the World of Outlaws Powered By Q event that aired Sunday from the high-banks of K-C Raceway drew a season-high .46 household rating with 516,000 viewers tuned in, according to Nielsen Media Research. The show outperformed its lead-in by 70.4 percent.
Among men 18-49, the SuperClean Summer of Money race was the 16th highest-rated event during the week of July 23-29 on ESPN2, which also aired NASCAR, NHRA, Indy Racing League and Champ Car World Series coverage in addition to Major League Baseball games.
“We have built a strong team and placed great resources behind our television package,” World Racing Group President Tom Deery said. “It is rewarding to see our efforts are pay off. What is especially exciting to note when reviewing the Nielsen numbers of our program and those around us is that our fans are specifically tuning in to watch the World of Outlaws. We always knew we had great fans in the stands, now we know we have great fans watching on television, too.”
Those 516,000 viewers were treated to some serious excitement as the event itself from K-C Raceway in Chillicothe, Ohio, was filled with action from beginning to end. The race will forever be remembered as “The Wave” after second-place running Terry McCarl deftly powered his 850-horsepower winged machine to the outside of defending World of Outlaws champion Donny Schatz. As the two entered Turn 1 side-by-side, McCarl edged ahead and incredibly waved goodbye at Schatz as he went to the lead, eventually holding off Schatz by .091 seconds — or a couple of feet — at the checkered flag.
The packed grandstands buzzed over the finish, with not a sole able to sit down. McCarl’s celebration in the XLER8 Victory Lane ignited the crowd as well as announcers Bobby Gerould and Brad Doty, who were stunned by such a brazen move as McCarl’s wave.
The question now on everybody’s minds is what can happen next? The K-C Raceway event had a little bit of everything, but the SuperClean Summer of Money championship will be decided this weekend at 1/3-mile Charter Raceway Park, where the unexpected is always possible.
Will Donny Schatz hold off the Mopar-powered, Kasey Kahne-owned car driven by Joey Saldana and grab the title? Will McCarl prove to be the spoiler again? Don’t be left out at the water cooler on Monday morning, make sure to catch the SuperClean Summer of Money excitement by tuning in ESPN2 at 11 a.m. Eastern (10 a.m. Central) on Sunday, Aug. 5.
