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Greensboro Leads ESPN's NASCAR Ratings for 2014 Season: For the seventh time in eight years, the Greensboro, N.C., television market led the nation's metered markets with the highest average rating for ESPN's 17 weeks of NASCAR Sprint Cup telecasts, according to Nielsen Media. The 2014 season concluded Nov. 16 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The Greensboro market averaged an 8.5 rating for the 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup races on ESPN's schedule (including three Saturday night races that aired on ABC), edging out Greenville, S.C., (8.4) for the top spot. Indianapolis was third with a 7.7 average rating, followed by Birmingham, Ala., at 6.3 and Charlotte, N.C., at 6.2. Rounding out the top 10 markets were Raleigh-Durham, N.C., 6.0; Richmond, Va., 5.8; Knoxville, Tenn., and Nashville, Tenn., tied for eighth at 5.5; and Orlando, Fla., Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla., and Norfolk, Va., tied for 10^th at 5.1.
Over the eight years of ESPN's NASCAR TV contract, which expired at the end of this season, Greensboro led the nation with the highest average rating every year but 2009, when Knoxville, Tenn., took the top spot. Greensboro slipped to fifth that year but bounced back the following year and led every year afterward.
The Greensboro market also led the nation with the highest average rating this year for the 10 races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, averaging an 8.2 rating. Greenville, S.C., was again second at 7.7, with Indianapolis (6.6), Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham (tied at 6.0) completing the top five.
ESPN averaged a 2.9 U.S. household rating for its 17-race NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule for the fourth straight year in 2014, while the Chase averaged a 2.7 U.S. household rating for the third straight year.(ESPN)(11-20-2014)

LiftMaster to sponsor Kahne: LiftMaster, the number-one brand of professionally installed residential garage door openers, will join 11-time Sprint Cup Series champions Hendrick Motorsports beginning with the 2015 NASCAR season when it will become a primary sponsor of driver Kasey Kahne and his #5 Chevy SS team. The new relationship will feature LiftMaster, which is headquartered in Elmhurst, Illinois, as a primary sponsor in three Sprint Cup races annually and as an associate-level partner in all other events. The agreement covers the 2015, 2016 and 2017 NASCAR seasons. In 2015, the #5 LiftMaster Chevy SS will appear in Sprint Cup Series races May 24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, July 11 at Kentucky Speedway and Oct. 18 at Kansas Speedway.(Hendrick Motorsports), see an image of the car on the #5 team paint schemes page.(11-20-2014)