The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series delivered a remarkable performance on Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway, with 1.219 million viewers tuning in to watch Connor Zilisch win the Suburban Propane 300. This represents a 12% increase in ratings and a 22% rise in total viewers compared to the same race last season. The broadcast on The CW not only became the most-watched spring Bristol race ever but also outperformed NHL broadcasts by 21% in total viewers. Fan reactions highlighted the quality of racing in the O’Reilly Series, with many praising it as superior to the NASCAR Cup Series, which averaged 1.95 million viewers, down 5% from the previous year. The Cup Series faced challenges with viewership as it fell below the two million mark for the first time this year. This shift in ratings comes amid changes in NASCAR's media rights structure, leading to more races being broadcast on cable rather than major networks. The O’Reilly Series continues to show growth, contrasting with the stagnation seen in the Cup Series viewership.