NASCAR RATINGS A JOYRIDE.

Byline: TIM HADDOCK Motor Sports

NASCAR's inaugural Chase for the Championship intensified a number of existing rivalries and even created one or two new ones.

Kurt Busch vs. Jimmie Johnson.

Ford vs. Chevy.

Hendrick Motorsports vs. Roush Racing.

Time vs. Mark Martin.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. vs. the world.

But one rivalry might have slipped under the odometer: NASCAR vs. the NFL.

Television ratings from the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where Busch became the first NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champion, were the highest ever. Ever in this case being the past six years.

Still, the number of viewers watching the season finale increased dramatically, said Dick Glover, NASCAR's vice president of broadcasting and new media. Viewership was up 47 percent from a year ago for the Homestead race and the 5.6 rating and 11 share was the best overnight rating in the track's six-year history.

``It shows clearly that the goals we set out work,'' said Glover, who heads up NASCAR's Los Angeles office. ``And it bodes well for the future. We think ratings are a lagging indicator. They are the last to catch up.''

Breaking down the numbers even further, the 5.6 rating was a 24-percent improvement over Homestead's previous best rating, a 4.5 in 2002 when Tony Stewart clinched the NASCAR Winston Cup championship.

When matched against the NFL, Sunday's race at Homestead drew the highest rating of a NASCAR race against football. The previous high was a 4.7 rating for the 2003 fall race at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama.

But what do all of these numbers mean?

Glover pointed to two areas. One, the new Chase for the Championship format was a success. Two, NASCAR is developing enough interest to compete with other sports, especially the NFL, and other forms of entertainment.

Nationally, NASCAR has become the No. 2 sport of choice for television viewers. Ratings show that over the course of the season, NASCAR races are watched by more television viewers than NBA games, Major League Baseball games and NHL games. Of course, women's NCAA volleyball is attracting more television viewers than the NHL presently.

Note to Gary Bettman: End the lockout.

Back to stock cars.

The only sport NASCAR has yet to surpass in television ratings is the NFL. Glover said NASCAR has no illusions about overshadowing the NFL. The NFL is the envy and the admiration of the rest of professional sports, he said. But then again, he said who other than former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle ever expected the Super Bowl to become the television monster of the sports world?

``The NFL is clearly in a class by themselves,'' Glover said. ``We're a good, strong No. 2. That's a very strong position to be in.''

It will be interesting to see if it can maintain it for another year. That's because the television contract with NBC and Turner Broadcasting runs out after the 2006 season. NASCAR has the option to extend Fox's broadcast rights until 2008. Glover wouldn't come out and say NASCAR is ready to start accepting bids for the NBC portion of the TV contract, but clearly it has become a hot commodity.

There are a number of reasons for an increase in interest. Glover pointed to how fan-friendly NASCAR is and how it is still, at its heart and soul, a family-run business.

The networks have worked hard to promote the races from week to week.

The Chase produced the closest points race in the history of the sport and even though the top-10 drivers were battling each week for the championship, two drivers out of the Chase were able to win races down the stretch.

But finally, and probably most importantly, NASCAR is extending its footprint across the nation, as Glover put it. Realignment has begun. California Speedway earned a second race. Phoenix International Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway will be getting two dates in 2005. A NASCAR Busch Series race is headed to Mexico. Tracks are in the planning stages in the Seattle area and New York City.

NASCAR is stepping out of its Southern shadow and making its mark on the country. Right now, the country, at least 11 million of them, is watching. How long is another matter.

One thing is certain: NASCAR has a full tank of gas, fresh tires and whole lot of momentum. In racing terms, things couldn't be better.

``We're happy to have success,'' Glover said, ``and still have growth to talk about.''

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Kurt Busch is the NASCAR Nextel Cup champ, but the series feels like a winner with its growing popularity.

Associated Press