Hey folks, it’s your old pal, the sportswriter who’s been around the track more times than a NASCAR driver with a broken GPS. Let’s talk about these ratings, huh? NBC got a 1.67 rating for the Verizon 200 NASCAR Cup Series race. A 1.67! I tell ya, my high school GPA was higher, and that’s saying something!

Now, some people are all worked up because the rating is down from last year. But let me tell you something, folks, ratings in 2023 are like my golf game – they don’t matter, and nobody’s watching anyway!

The race was up against pre-season football and preemption in some markets. Pre-season football! That’s like comparing my comedy to Shakespeare. Sure, we both get laughs, but one of us doesn’t wear tights!

And let’s not forget about the 2.838 million viewers. That’s a lot of people! I haven’t seen that many people since my last family reunion, and trust me, that’s a crowd you want to avoid.

But back to the ratings. Who cares if they’re down? We didn’t have all these fancy numbers and metrics in my day. We had two things: the race and the fans. And if the fans were happy, then everything was A-OK! Like my wife’s cooking – I don’t need a rating to tell me it’s good. I know it’s good because I’m still alive!

So let’s not get all bent out of shape about a 1.67 rating. In 2023, ratings are like my hairline – they’re there but don’t matter. What matters is the race, the fans, and the love of the sport. And if you ask me, that will never go out of style.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to write about something that matters, like why my local diner still won’t give me a discount on the meatloaf special.

Yours in sports and bad jokes,
The NASCAR Guy