Viewership of NBC Sports Network's broadcast of the Grand Prix of Baltimore presented by SRT on Sept. 1 jumped 54 percent over the 2012 Labor Day weekend race coverage on the 2.04-mile, 12-turn street circuit.

Through nine IZOD IndyCar Series races broadcast by NBCSN, viewership is up 3 percent over the same number of events in 2012.

The NBCSN broadcast of the Firestone Indy Lights Grand Prix of Baltimore, which followed the IZOD IndyCar Series race, recorded its highest viewership in 10 races this season. 

Simon Pagenaud won the contentious and entertaining IZOD IndyCar Series race in Baltimore -- his second victory of the season in the No. 77 Schmidt Hamilton HP car. Josef Newgarden of Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing earned his maiden podium finish, becoming the 15th different driver to stand on the podium this season, while Sebastien Bourdais placed third in the No. 7 Dragon Racing car. He advanced 19 positions in the 75-lap race.

With three races, including the doubleheader on the streets of Houston next month, left in the season, Helio Castroneves of Team Penske has a 49-point lead over two-time series champion Scott Dixon of Target Chip Ganassi Racing in the title chase. Castroneves, a three-time Indianapolis 500 Mile Race winner, is seeking to secure his first series championship and the first for Team Penske since Sam Hornish Jr. in 2006.

NBCSN will broadcast the final three races (Oct. 5 and 6 at Houston and Oct. 19 at Auto Club Speedway).