NASCAR's 2011 season is off to an excellent start both on the track and on television. A Cinderella story at the Daytona 500 in the form of Trevor Bayne and Jeff Gordon, an established draw, winning in Phoenix probably has something to do with that, and with NASCAR's very good TV ratings so far.

From FOX Sports VP of communications Dan Bell on Twitter:

NASCAR on FOX dominates all other sports competition on broadcast or cable tv this weekend with a 5.3 overnight rating, +6% from last year.

That rating for the Subway Fresh Fit 500 was no doubt helped by a lack of competition on other networks on Sunday. NBC had two relative unknowns in the Accenture Match Play; CBS was broadcasting a blowout between Ohio State and Indiana; there was only one ABC Sunday basketball game, the Lakers' close win over the Thunder, and it ended before the Sprint Cup Series race was winding down.

Still, NASCAR and FOX have to be happy with that big number.