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NASCAR's return after hiatus scores huge television ratings
Kevin Harvick's victory was the only show in town. Pool Photo-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Content Services, LLC

NASCAR's return after hiatus scores huge television ratings

Sports fans yearning for new content and live action amid the coronavirus pandemic flocked to NASCAR on Sunday.

On Monday afternoon, Fox Sports Executive Vice President and Head of Strategy and Analytics Michael Mulvihill confirmed that The Real Heroes 400 event at Darlington Raceway was a huge television hit:

NASCAR and the UFC have been the first two major competitions to return to action in the United States during the virus outbreak. John Ourand of Sports Business Journal reported the UFC 249 show that occurred at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on May 9 generated over 700,000 pay-per-view buys.  

Last week, NASCAR expanded its schedule for the period of May 17 through June 21. Fans are not allowed to attend any of those races. 

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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