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HAMPTON, Ga. — NASCAR enters it's most difficult period for TV ratings with college football and the NFL beginning.

A NASCAR official, though, is confident ESPN can help retain some viewers.

If so, it would continue a trend where ratings for Sprint Cup races are up in some Southern markets. Even with the increases, there remain many major U.S. cities that have seen their ratings for Cup races fade since last year.

Typically, NASCAR's ratings go down in the fall when Cup races go head-to-head against the NFL on Sunday or college football on Saturday night.

Unlike past years when most of the Chase races were on network TV, ESPN will air all but one Chase race this season.

Going from a network to a cable channel might not seem like a step forward, but Paul Brooks, NASCAR senior vice president, says the move should help the sport because of all the crossover promotion ESPN's various programs can provide for the Cup races.

"They're turning the dial up at a time when we need it most," Brooks said of ESPN. "We've worked pretty hard with ESPN to get this to a pretty good place. We're anxious to see the results of this."

The move to ESPN, Brooks said, also is a natural considering that Cup races on ESPN (non-rainouts) drew a larger audience than Cup races on ABC last year.

"The reason is," Brooks said, "our ideal candidate &ellipses; that will show an interest in NASCAR is a general sports fan. (ESPN's) leadership in sports and the audience they hold, especially in those key demographics, that's our best pond to fish in."

If ESPN can help raise ratings, it could strengthen some Southern markets. Seven of the largest 15 TV markets in the South have seen an increase in TV ratings for Cup races this season compared to last year, according to The Nielsen Company.

Miami's ratings are up 18 percent. Ratings in Norfolk, Va., are up 16 percent. Greensboro's ratings are up 15 percent.

"I think it's been really good racing and great storylines and we're building on the momentum," Brooks said. "I think we're encouraged with these core markets that are responding in some really good ways."

Not all Southern markets are up. Atlanta, Tampa and Raleigh are each down more than 15 percent from last year.

Up-and-down ratings have been common this season. Ratings in Norfolk are up 34 percent for Cup races on Fox and ABC only, but Richmond's ratings are down 6 percent for those network races.

Birmingham, Ala., had the largest increase in ratings among Southern markets for the Cup races on TNT this summer, increasing 9 percent from last year. Greensboro saw an increase of 4 percent for the TNT-only races. The Tampa market, though, was down 31 percent for those races compared to last year.

PIT STOPS: Industrialist Warren Buffet attended Sunday night's as a guest of the Mars family, whose company sponsors Kyle Busch's car. &ellipses; Chase Elliott, son of Bill Elliott, won the PASS series race Saturday at North Wilkesboro Speedway. It was the first major race there since the Cup series left that track after the 1996 season. A crowd estimated at more than 7,000 attended the race.

Contact Dustin Long at 373-7062 or dustin.long@news-record.com