ESPN News, PR's, TV News, Talent news on my ESPN News Page

TV Listings, TV Partner Links and announcer lineups on my TV Listings Page

Race and Commercial Breakdowns on the TV Commercial News page

SPEED adds Rudd and Palumbo: Former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Ricky Rudd signed with SPEED this week to be an analyst on the popular weekend motor sports news program, SPEED Center. Rudd, a winner of 23 Cup Series races, including the 1997 Brickyard 400, was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers. "Anytime you add someone with Ricky's credentials, you give the viewers a voice and a perspective that has real impact," said SPEED President Scott Ackerson. Scheduled to begin Feb. 12, Rudd could be in for a long run on the network. After all, his 788 consecutive starts are the most in Cup history, earning the Chesapeake, Va., native the honorary title of NASCAR's "Ironman." "I'm really looking forward to the next chapter," said Rudd, the 1977 Rookie of the Year. "It's going to be a lot of fun working with the gang at SPEED." Also added to the SPEED team this week, former Miss Sprint Cup Monica Palumbo joins the network as a Social Media Reporter. Palumbo, the longest-serving Miss Sprint Cup, held the position from 2008 through last season and appeared on NASCAR Race Hub and other SPEED programs in that role. As a Social Media Reporter, Palumbo works with producers, creating original SPEED content for Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social media outlets. In addition, she provides reports from various tracks and locations and serves as a broadcast contributor with social media updates from second-screen touch points.(SPEED)(2-8-2012)

FOX announces 2012 Broadcast Schedule: FOX Sports gears up for its 12th season of NASCAR coverage by unveiling the 2012 NASCAR on FOX broadcast schedule featuring 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup points races and 15 events total, highlighted by the 54th running of the Daytona 500, live on Sunday, Feb. 26 (1:00-5:30 pm/et) from Daytona International Speedway. Coverage of the "Great American Race" begins that day with a special one-hour pre-race program (12:00-1:00 pm/et) from the DIS infield and a completely remodeled Hollywood Hotel. The flag officially drops on FOX Sports' 2012 Speedweeks coverage with the Budweiser Shootout, live on Saturday, Feb. 18 in prime time (8:00-10:00 pm/et), followed by live coverage of Daytona 500 Qualifying on Sunday, Feb. 19 (1:00-4:00 pm/et).
Michael Waltrip, driver, owner and pitch-man extraordinaire, joins the FOX NASCAR SUNDAY prerace team, taking a seat in the famed Hollywood Hotel alongside big brother Darrell Waltrip and host Chris Myers. Darrell and former champion crew chief Larry McReynolds return to provide race analysis for all NASCAR on FOX Sprint Cup events, and Mike Joy returns as race announcer. Veteran analyst Jeff Hammond takes his extensive experience as a former championship-winning crew chief to the action in the garages and on pit road. Dick Berggren, Steve Byrnes, Matt Yocum and Krista Voda also return to cover pit road. NASCAR on FOX "storm scout" and meteorologist Rick Dickert of FOX-owned KTTV in Los Angeles rejoins the crew to provide weather updates to viewers on the FOX NASCAR SUNDAY prerace show as well as during race coverage.(FOX), see the full schedule on my 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Schedule.(2-7-2012)

PBS to air "Racing Dreams" special: Award-winning fimmaker Marshall Curry returns to POV in 2012 with Racing Dreams, a chronicle of two boys and a girl who do something extraordinary: They fearlessly race extreme go-karts at speeds of up to 70 miles per hour in pursuit of trophies and, just maybe, careers as NASCAR drivers. And as the youngsters compete on the track, they also navigate the treacherous road from childhood to young adulthood. Racing Dreams, winner of the Best Documentary Feature Award at the Tribeca Film Festival and executive-produced by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, has its national broadcast premiere on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012, at 9 p.m., as a special broadcast on PBS's POV (Point of View) series. The film will also stream in its entirety on POV's website www.pbs.org/pov/racingdreams Feb. 24 - March 24. Fondly described as "talladega Nights meets Catcher in the Rye," Racing Dreams is a dramatic, funny and sometimes heartbreaking look at the world of NASCAR culture as lived by three young aspirants to race-car glory and their families. The film follows Annabeth Barnes (11 years old), Josh Hobson (12) and Brandon warren (13) as they compte in the Pavement Series, a yearlong national championship of five races around the country organized by the World Karting Association (WKA).(PBS)(2-6-2012)

National Speed Sport News to return: With an all-new monthly print publication launching in March and an aggressive plan for the future, Turn 3 Media, LLC, is bringing back the National Speed Sport News brand, identified for its namesake weekly newspaper that was widely recognized as the "Bible" of American auto racing news. Turn 3 Media, LLC, a North Carolina company founded by publishing veteran Curt Moon, former SPEED executive Joe Tripp, and motorsports television personality Ralph Sheheen, has acquired the exclusive rights to National Speed Sports News from The Kay Publishing Company. Founded in 1934 and edited by "The Dean of American Motorsports Journalism" Chris Economaki beginning in 1950, National Speed Sport News ceased publication of its venerable weekly newspaper following the March 23, 2011 issue. As Publisher, Sheheen will manage the editorial direction of the new SPEED SPORT Magazine and will help drive reach and brand awareness through his extensive television exposure. He will also lead efforts to expand the brand into video and television media. SPEED SPORT Magazine will debut with a March Season Preview issue, exactly one year after the original National Speed Sport News ceased publication.(NSSN)(2-3-2012)

NASCAR and Turner restructure and extend digital partnership: UPDATE: NASCAR and Turner Sports announced a restructuring and extension of their long-standing digital partnership. The new agreement takes the relationship through 2016, with NASCAR managing business and editorial operations for its digital platforms beginning in 2013 and Turner Sports continuing to oversee advertising sales and sponsorships across NASCAR-branded digital platforms. Under the new partnership, NASCAR will assume operational control in 2013 of all of its interactive, digital and social media rights including technical operations and infrastructure of all NASCAR digital platforms. Turner will continue to represent sponsorships and advertising for all NASCAR digital platforms, with the unique users from the NASCAR digital properties continuing to roll up to the Turner digital portfolio. NASCAR's comprehensive digital and social media portfolio includes NASCAR.COM. NASCAR.COM, and the sport's other digital and social media platforms, have been managed by Turner Sports since 2001.(NASCAR)(1-30-212)
UPDATE: In a phone interview Monday, NASCAR Vice President of Digital Media Marc Jenkins said NASCAR is at the "tail end" of the process of thinking of what it wants to do with its website. He said NASCAR is working toward having several camera angles for fans to watch a race on the website, like what was done during the Chase For The Sprint Cup on the current website. "That drives a better fan experience when watching the race," Jenkins said. "In my mind, more important than just a pure stream of the race broadcast is the alternate camera angles, it's the dynamic leaderboard, it's the [car] data, it's all those things that help people enjoy the race more." Jenkins said they also hope the NASCAR site will help drive traffic to the drivers' websites and could offer a content management system teams and drivers could use in production of their websites.(Scene Daily)
AND: The lack of an iPhone app for the sport has been a glaring, gaping hole in the interactive experience. "I can assure you it will be an important thing for us moving forward," NASCAR chief marketing officer Steve Phelps said last week. "Whether we have it for '12 or not, it's probably not something that's going to happen. But digital and social media is going to be a major plank for us as a sport. It's going to be a way for us to engage our fans, candidly, in a way we've never been able to before. We think our sport lends itself (to an app) as well as any sport - maybe better - because of the community nature and social nature of the sport. It clearly is coming." But fans may begin to see changes in the app world even earlier than expected. Tim Considine, Sprint's director of sports marketing, told SB Nation in a statement Monday: "Sprint is working with its internal partners to develop NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile for the iPhone, with an expected launch in the first half of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season."(SB Nation)(1-31-2012)

30-Year Media Tour Veterans Honored: In the 30-year history of the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway, only seven people have taken part in every event. Those seven - Bill Funderud, Bruce Martin, Bryant McMurray, Bob Moore, Al Pearce, Thomas Pope and Deb Williams - were honored Tuesday morning during a special breakfast that included discussion of media Tour memories.(CMS Media Tour Notes)(1-25-2012)

SPEED Announces Changes to NASCAR Programs: Several NASCAR on SPEED programs take fresh approaches in 2012, with the network's longest-running NASCAR program, Trackside, frequently splitting into two 30-minute editions, one on Friday evenings and the second on Saturday. Krista Voda hosts with Kyle Petty, Rutledge Wood and Marianela Pereyra all returning to the show.
NASCAR RaceDay, which saw huge audience increases during last season's 10-race NASCAR Chase for the Championship, returns with John Roberts as host, Petty, Kenny Wallace and [Larry] McReynolds providing analysis and Wendy Venturini, Wood and Matt Clark [replacing Hermie Sadler] reporting from the garage.
Trotta adds to her responsibilities for 2012, taking on a host role for the popular tech show NASCAR Performance, working with McReynolds, Jeff Hammond and Chad Knaus from SPEED's Charlotte-based studio.
Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain, rolling into its 10th season on SPEED, gets a prime time television look, and the popular post-race show, NASCAR Victory Lane, also takes a new slant, immediately following NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races with a second airing in prime time.(SPEED)(1-24-2012)

NASCAR Sprint Media Tour this week: More than 230 motorsports journalists from around the globe will descend upon the heart of NASCAR country on Monday for the 30th annual NASCAR Sprint Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway. What started as a 1983 "experiment" with a handful of media that struggled to fill one charter bus, the four-day Tour has evolved into the nation's premier preseason media event in professional sports. "The NASCAR Sprint Media Tour is four days of non-stop news and a great way for fans to hear the latest about their favorite teams just a few weeks before the start of the season," said Marcus Smith, president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway. "It's the Tour's 30th year and it's stronger than ever, with a record number of media coming to this year's event that features more than 20 stops throughout the four days. We're excited to host to such a fantastic and meaningful event." More than 20 stops will keep the participating media busy over the four-day tour including visits to Hendrick Motorsports, Michael Waltrip Racing, Richard Childress Racing and the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions Stewart-Haas Racing, plus Joe Gibbs Racing and Roush-Fenway Racing are among the many teams that will also be making announcements.(CMS)(1-23-2012)

Kyle Petty selling SC house: Kyle Petty aims to shift gears on his Isle of Palms, South Carolina property. The former NASCAR driver, who is the son of racing legend Richard Petty and grandson of stock car icon Lee Petty, is asking $4.5 million for the fully-furnished beachfront property. He currently works as a television racing analyst and co-host on the SPEED network's NASCAR RaceDay and NASCAR Smarts, and also as an occasional commentator for TNT.(Realtor.com)(1-5-2012)

Edwards to Co-Host "LIVE! with Kelly": #99-Carl Edwards will take a turn co-hosting the syndicated morning program "LIVE! with Kelly" on Tuesday, January 10, during a special themed week of sports co-hosts with Kelly Ripa. Edwards was selected along with Reggie Bush, Boomer Esiason, Jesse Palmer and Apolo Anton Oh# Actress Kate Beckinsale will be a guest on the show when Edwards co-hosts with Ripa. Edwards was a guest on the popular show last June after his win in the Sprint All-Star race, and has appeared in the past with the NASCAR Chase contenders. This will be his first stint as co-host. "LIVE! with Kelly" is distributed in national syndication by Disney-ABC Domestic Television. Produced by WABC-TV in New York and executive produced by Michael Gelman, "LIVE! with Kelly" airs in more than 200 markets across the U.S.(RFR)(1-3-2012)

NASCAR Targets New Audiences: After a few bumpy years marked by declining TV ratings and weakened traction in the vital 18- to 34-year-old male demographic, NASCAR regained some footing in 2011. TV viewership rose year-over-year in all three NASCAR [National] series, both overall and among the target group of young men. And the sport landed several key sponsorship renewals, including Sprint, UPS and Kraft Foods. But if NASCAR is to continue its assault on the professional team sports occupying much of the nation's bandwidth, it needs to reach new audiences in new places. With that in mind, it has embarked on a five-year plan with five key goals: Build the star power of individual drivers, increase engagement among children and college-age consumers, attract a multicultural fan base, craft more cohesive digital- and social-media strategies and improve the racetrack experience for fans. NASCAR CMO Steve Phelps is overseeing the execution. While some efforts kicked off in 2010, work over the next 18 months on the digital-media and multicultural-marketing fronts will be crucial. Mr. Phelps, star of a 2010 episode of "Undercover Boss," sat down with Ad Age to discuss the process of individual brand-building, the promise of a Hispanic fan base, and why the sport's legacy digital partnership won't work long term.(See full interview at AdAge.com)(1-2-2012)

NASCAR looking to regain digital rights: NASCAR is close to reaching an agreement to buy its digital rights back from Turner Sports, a move that could see the sanctioning body manage its own digital business as soon as 2013. Specific terms of the pending agreement were not available, and sources said the deal is not expected to be official until next year. It's not clear how much NASCAR will pay to reclaim its rights, but sources said it would be in the mid-eight figures. The move puts NASCAR in a stronger position to sell its media rights, which are expected to go on the market next year. NASCAR's current eight-year, $4.48 billion media deal with Fox, ESPN and Turner ends in 2014. The company is preparing to put those rights up for sale, and its executives know that any network that bids on TV rights will also want digital rights to stream races online. Though NASCAR is moving now to reclaim its rights, Turner will continue to run NASCAR.com for at least a year. That will give NASCAR time to build up an infrastructure that can support and manage its digital assets independently. The group will hire staff to oversee the site and likely base the group in Charlotte. NASCAR has been looking to reclaim its digital rights for some time. The sanctioning body sold its interactive rights to Turner in 2000. In 2008, it extended that partnership through 2014. But in recent years, NASCAR officials began to regret taking a big paycheck from Turner rather than controlling the sport's digital future. During the last few years, senior NASCAR officials, who declined to speak on the record, complained that the deal was so restrictive that even simple digital initiatives were difficult to undertake. For example, if NASCAR wanted a Facebook page or Twitter handle, it had to get Turner to create or approve them. The sport and its tracks also couldn't create mobile applications without Turner's approval.(Sports Business Daily) - subscription required.(12-20-2011)

Ackerson named interim president of SPEED: FOX Sports Media Group has announced Emmy Award winning producer Scott Ackerson will serve as interim president of SPEED, beginning Jan. 1. Ackerson currently serves as Executive Vice President and Executive Producer for FSMG and will continue in that role. He previously was Coordinating Producer for FOX NFL SUNDAY. Ackerson joined FOX Sports in 1994, leading FOX NFL SUNDAY to its 17-year run as America's most-watched NFL pregame show. Under his direction, the network's signature studio program won four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Studio Show and became a cultural phenomenon watched by millions nationwide every Sunday. Its continuous run at the top places it alongside such iconic programs as "Today" and "60 Minutes."(Fox Sports)(12-20-2011)

Richie Evans to be featured in one-hour special: He wasn't born and raised in the South like several of his NASCAR Hall of Fame predecessors. The majority of his racing took place in the Northeast and he wasn't a household name like many NASCAR legends, but New York's Richie Evans will be immortalized alongside those stock car heroes in the 2012 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Evans, recognized as the "king of Modified racing," captured nine NASCAR Modified championships in 13 years, including a streak of eight consecutive beginning in 1978. He won an estimated 475 feature races, earning him multiple track championships throughout the Northeast. Evans' life and career was cut short, however, when he was fatally injured in 1985 during a practice session at Martinsville Speedway. Afterward, the 44-year-old's #61 became the first and only car number retired in any NASCAR division.
SPEED and NASCAR Media Group celebrate the life and accomplishments of "The Rapid Roman" in a one-hour biography special premiering Friday, Dec. 16 at 8 pm/et. Evans will be inducted into the third class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Jan. 20 alongside Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Dale Inman and Glen Wood.(much more at SPEED)(12-15-2011)

President of SPEED resigns from network: Hunter Nickell, President of SPEED, is leaving the network at years end. During Nickell's tenure, SPEED reached several significant milestones, adding nearly 16 million homes to its current Nielsen Household reach of 84 million homes in North America. Nickell will finish several projects with SPEED over the next few months and continue to explore opportunities within the FOX Sports Media Group. An interim replacement will be named shortly. Increasing its relationship with NASCAR under Nickell's leadership, SPEED added several high-profile events to its programming lineup, including the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction ceremonies and all three of the NASCAR post-season awards banquets. Nickell also generated increased SPEED programming and marketing presence at every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on the circuit, giving SPEED unmistakable leadership in on-site network visibility. Nickell came to SPEED in 2005 after 12 years as general manager of FSN South, where he oversaw the nation's largest regional sports television network.(SPEED)(12-13-2011)

Media votes top 10 moments of 2011: Members of NASCARMedia.com voted in a week-long poll, casting ballots for the top-10 moments from the just-completed NASCAR season. Tony Stewart's walk-off win in the season finale, however, didn't exactly prevail in a landslide among voting by members of the news media. Trevor Bayne's historic Daytona 500 victory - which opened the year on a spectacular note at Daytona International Speedway - barely missed out on the #1 spot.
#1 - Tony Stewart's Homestead-Miami win to clinch the Championship
#2 - Trevor Bayne's Daytona 500 Win
#3 - Brad Keselowski's win at Pocono after breaking his left ankle in a testing accident
#4 - Jeff Gordon's 85th NASCAR Sprint Cup Win
#5 - Regan Smith's Darlington Southern 500 Win
#6 - Jimmie Johnson's .0002 second margin of victory in the Aaron's 499 at Talladega
#7 - Paul Menard Holds Off Jeff Gordon to Win Brickyard 400
#8 - Austin Dillon Becomes Youngest NASCAR Camping World Truck Champion
#9 - Danica Patrick Posts Best Finish in NASCAR by a Female Driver with 4th place at Las Vegas
#10 - 2010 Sunoco Rookies Stenhouse and Dillon win 2011 Nationwide and Craftsman Truck Series Championships(NASCAR)(12-11-2011)

Kyle Busch Led NASCAR Drivers in Securing TV Exposure for Sponsors: #18-Kyle Busch's memorable 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series campaign led to $68 million of television exposure for his sponsors, a figure higher than any other driver managed to generate this past season, and nearly $1.7 million more than Series Champion Tony Stewart. According to research conducted by Joyce Julius & Associates, Inc. — which has monitored every NASCAR race telecast over the last 27 seasons — Busch's sponsors as a group appeared for 27 hours, 23 minutes, 10 seconds (27:23:10) during live and replayed telecasts of the season's 36 points races. When also factoring in verbal mentions (292) of Busch's sponsors, the 12th-place driver amassed more than $68.3 million of in-broadcast exposure value for his backing brands.
Joyce Julius calculates television exposure value by comparing the in-broadcast visual and verbal exposure to the estimated cost of a national commercial during the telecast and applying Joyce Julius Recognition Grading — which takes into account such factors as size and placement of the image on screen, as well as brand clutter and integration of the brand into the activity. While Busch hung on to lead the driver exposure battle wire-to-wire, Stewart's stellar run during this year's Chase may be more impressive, as the newly crowned champion moved up from 9th to 2nd in cumulative sponsor brand exposure, improving from $30 million at the start of the final 10 races to $66.7 million by season's end. Stewart's dominance during the Chase race broadcasts is further evidenced by the attention paid to him by the TV announcers. Stewart began the Chase 6th in individual driver mentions, but ended the season on top, collecting 57% of his driver mentions for the entire season during the final 10 races. Stewart also amassed the most interview time of any driver, appearing on camera for more than one hour, 20 minutes throughout 2011. Series points runner-up Carl Edwards managed to accrue the most mentions for his sponsors (610), while he was also interviewed most frequently (75 times) of any other driver. Not surprisingly, Stewart was the top exposure-gathering Chevrolet driver, collecting $6.3 for the auto brand. Edwards led the Ford drivers, delivering $8.1 million of in-broadcast exposure, while the attention Busch drew during 2011 race broadcasts led to $11.9 million for Toyota.(Joyce Julius & Associates)(12-6-2011)

Hermie Sadler returns to SPEED: Hermie Sadler is returning to SPEED in 2012 working pit road for the truck series and also doing other at-track programs. Sadler was informed he would not be returning to the RaceDay program earlier this year, but no replacement for that role has yet been named by the network. Sadler informed us that his new deal is two years with SPEED. He is expected to work on NASCAR Live, qualifying and practice shows for SPEED on the weekends.(Daly Planet)(11-30-2011)

Changes in the Hollywood Hotel: Michael Waltrip joins the FOX NASCAR Sunday prerace team next season, taking a seat in the Hollywood Hotel alongside big brother Darrell and host Chris Myers. And in an innovative new role for Fox's NASCAR prerace show, veteran analyst Jeff Hammond takes his extensive experience as a former championship-winning crew chief to where the action is, in the garages and pit road. Both moves were announced today by FOX Sports Media Group President, Co-COO and Executive Producer, Eric Shanks. “Michael is simply one of NASCAR’s most gregarious, genuine personalities, and we loved the dynamic between him and Darrell when we paired them up on occasion last season,” said Shanks. “Michael has also been featured in numerous television commercials over the last decade, which makes him familiar to a much broader audience. I expect a lot of ‘gotta see’ TV coming out of an all-Waltrip Hollywood Hotel next season.” In addition to his FOX NASCAR SUNDAY prerace work, the younger Michael also contributes analysis and updates in-race as time permits. Michael Waltrip adds NASCAR on FOX to on-air positions that already include FOX’s sister network SPEED and Showtime’s “Inside NASCAR.” Waltrip is a co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, the first full-time three-car team to field Toyota Camrys when Toyota entered the Sprint Cup racing in 2007. Currently, MWR features Sprint Cup drivers David Reutimann (#00) and Martin Truex Jr. (#56). Waltrip made his NASCAR Sprint Cup series debut in 1985 at the Coca-Cola 600 and is a two-time Daytona 500 Champion (2001, 2003). His first book, “In the Blink of an Eye,” marking the 10th anniversary of his 2001 Daytona 500 victory, was released in February 2011, and spent 11 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list.
Shifting to Hammond, the plan is to use his extensive experience as a former NASCAR crew chief to work the pavement and mine the grease pits for the latest news and go wherever big stories develop all race-day long. Having a former crew chief serve in this role is a first for network television’s NASCAR coverage. Hammond has been a member of the NASCAR on FOX broadcast team since 2001 the network’s first covering the sport. In 1982, he became a NASCAR Cup crew chief, working for Darrell Waltrip at the pinnacle of the legendary driver’s career. Together, they saw Victory Lane an impressive 43 times, including Waltrip’s memorable Daytona 500 victory in 1989. Hammond, known as a methodical strategist, was Waltrip’s pit boss in two of his three NASCAR Championship seasons (1982 and 1985). In total, he has 508 NASCAR Cup races on his crew chief resume, while his television credits also includes work for FX, ESPN, Turner and TNN.(FOX)(9-29-2011)

NASCAR Driver Exposure Rankings at the Start of the Chase: Although he is off to a slow start in this year's Chase, #18-Kyle Busch's regular season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series could not have gone much better in terms of television exposure for himself and his sponsors. Altogether, Busch's presence during TV coverage of the first 26 Cup Series races helped deliver $57.8 million of exposure value to his sponsors, nearly $14 million more than the next most brand-friendly driver, Jimmie Johnson. According to research conducted by Joyce Julius & Associates, Inc. — which has monitored every NASCAR race telecast over the last 27 seasons — Busch's sponsors as a group appeared for 21 hours, five minutes, 45 seconds (21:05:45) during live and replayed race telecasts. Also contributing were a season-leading 251 mentions of Busch's sponsors.
Joyce Julius calculates television exposure value by comparing the in-broadcast visual and verbal exposure to the estimated cost of a national commercial during the telecast and applying Joyce Julius Recognition Grading — which takes into account such factors as size and placement of the image on screen, as well as brand clutter and integration of the brand into the activity. Further evidence of Busch's regular season TV dominance can be seen from the 4,257 times announcers mentioned his name during the telecasts. Likewise, in terms of logo saturated on-camera interviews, Busch ranked second in total interviews conducted and third in interview length.
Defending Series Champion #48-Jimmie Johnson stood second in cumulative sponsor exposure value with $43.9 million, trailed by #24-Jeff Gordon ($42.1 million) and #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. ($35.1 million) a distant fourth.(more and a chart at Joyce Julius & Associates)(9-28-2011)

Evernham joins SPEED: Beginning Sunday, Ray Evernham joins SPEED as a regular analyst on SPEED Center, the definitive motor sports news program. Evernham will be introduced on Friday's show (11 p.m. ET), promoting his Sunday appearances (10:30 a.m. ET and 7 p.m. ET). Evernham, the dominant crew chief of the 1990s, when he partnered with driver Jeff Gordon for 47 wins in 216 starts, netting three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships, two Daytona 500 victories and a win at the inaugural Brickyard 400, has a wide-ranging resume that offers SPEED a fresh voice across multiple topics and platforms.(SPEED)(9-23-2011)

1992 Hooters 500 Documentary: Ask most NASCAR fans and industry insiders to name the best NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points battle in history and you’ll likely hear the 1992 Hooters 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway [originally broadcast on ESPN]. That memorable season finale had it all – six drivers with a mathematical chance of clinching the title, a nail-biting race considered one of the best of all time, the sport’s closest championship points margin to-date, the points leader’s crash into a spinning car, Richard Petty’s final NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start and Jeff Gordon’s debut with a less-than-championship-caliber pit crew. With all eyes on who will move a step closer to realizing their own championship dreams this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway with two races remaining to qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, SPEED and NASCAR Media Group will flash back to the track’s 1992 Hooters 500 in a one-hour special premiering Thursday, September 1st at 8:00pm/et on SPEED. The program tells the story of NASCAR’s closest championship battle and quite possibly its greatest race through the eyes of Petty, Gordon, Larry McReynolds, Tim Brewer, Peter Jellen, Paul Andrews, Tony Gibson, Ryan Pemberton, Ray Evernham and Robbie Loomis. The Day: 1992 Hooters 500 also examines how TV producers orchestrated network coverage of the unprecedented title chase and kept up with the ever-changing points fluctuation throughout the 500-mile race.(SPEED)(9-1-2011)

ABC alternative TV coverage of Bristol race - NFL games affects some markets: WKRN, Nashville's News 2, will NOT air the Bristol Sprint Cup race due to Tennessee Titans preseason game against the Chicago Bears. The NASCAR race at Bristol on August 27, 2011 will air on ESPN 2 from 6:30pm to 10:00 pm/et [assuming that is just local Nashville for ESPN2].(wkrn.com)
MORE: Due to some ABC affiliates carrying telecasts of NFL pre-season football games or other programming on Saturday night, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol will air regionally on ESPN2 in eight markets: Nashville, Tenn.; Duluth and Rochester, Minn.; Phoenix; Casper, Wy.; Sioux Falls and Rapid City, S.D.; and Weslaco, Tex. In Houston, the race will air on the local ABC affiliate's digital tier station.(ESPN)(8-22-2011)

NASCAR Drivers TV Exposure at midseason: #18-Kyle Busch was mentioned more often and collected the most on-screen time, verbal references and exposure value for his sponsors than any other driver during race telecasts chronicling the first half of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. According to research conducted by Joyce Julius & Associates, Inc. -- which has monitored every NASCAR race telecast over the last 27 seasons -- Busch's sponsors as a group appeared for 12 hours, 31 minutes, seven seconds (12:31:07) during live and replayed telecasts of the season's first 18 races. When also factoring in verbal mentions (142) of Busch's sponsors, the Cup Series points-leader at mid-year amassed nearly $38.4 million of in-broadcast exposure value for his backing brands. Fox and TNT race announcers also mentioned Busch by name on 2,722 occasions during the first half of the season, or about 36% more frequently than the next closest competitor, Carl Edwards. Edwards, who ranked fifth in overall sponsor exposure, did manage to surpass Busch in the number of TV interviews (29 compared to 23) and total interview time (0:30:46 versus 0:29:57). Fan favorite driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., despite receiving nearly half as many announcer mentions as Busch, garnered the second highest cumulative exposure value total for his sponsors with a showing of more than $26.5 million. Rankings are based on the cumulative Recognition Grade exposure value associated with each driver, calculated during live and replay telecasts of the first 18 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events of 2011.(more and a chart at Joyce Julius & Associates)(7-29-2011)

Fox Sports boss David Hill discusses NASCAR TV coverage: Fox Sports Chairman David Hill was at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, chatting with car owners and meeting with NASCAR officials before the drivers meeting. Dustin Long of the Virginian Pilot / Roanoke Times was able to get with Hill briefly before he went into the NASCAR hauler to meet with NASCAR President Mike Helton and others. Here’s what Hill had to say about a few things:
On what they learned from experimenting with the split-screen format this year and its future for Cup races on the network:
HILL said: “We’re still evaluating. It’s something that we’ve looked at and talked with for years and years and years and we got the OK to do it. There are two key categories that we have to determine that it works. The number 1 by like 99% is the viewers. If they think that it doesn’t impact their enjoyment of the race and you’ve got to weight that up against is that advertiser getting his message through, so there’s a whole bunch of things. We’re just slowly working our way through the research. I don’t know what we’re going to come down to. It was great to do the experiment and get some evidence and see how it’s going to play out."
With ESPN doing more of it, how will it help in making your decision on if to do it?
HILL said: “The more it’s done, the more feedback and I’m quite sure that the boys at ESPN are doing exactly the same as we are. We all hate having to break into the race with commercials. That’s a given. If we could do it without commercials, we would but it’s a business and the rights aren’t free. It’s walking that fine line between keeping our viewers totally happy and the clients totally happy."
On if TNT’s Wide Open Coverage is the best way to show racing and ads at the same time:
HILL said: “I just want to take the three, what we’re doing, what ESPN is doing and what Turner has done and probably in the dog days of August, just have a look and say, “What do we think works and then research it again.’ It’s too important to rush into it, but it’s too important not to spend a heck of a lot of time just working on it as much as you can about what’s right, wrong or indifferent. Maybe there’s another way of doing it that none of us have thought of yet and that’s one of the reasons that research is so important because you never know what you’re going to hear in a marketing session."
About his idea of moving Cup races from Fox to SPEED Channel (most likely with the next contact, which would begin after 2014),
HILL said: “Obviously I’d love to put some races on Speed. When we started, we had races on FX. We put races on FX and that was always our plan and that was to help FX, but it didn’t destroy the impetus to the sport. I think if there’s a right balance between what’s on Speed and what’s on the network, it’s going to help grow. You’re still doing exactly the same kind of coverage. You’re not changing your coverage. It’s just the way the whole day goes when the race is on that network."(see full article at the Virginian Pilot)(7-5-2011)

Daytona 500: The Inside Story to premiere Thursday night: NASCAR comes to HD Theater [check listings for channel number] this summer with the heart-pounding special, Daytona 500: The Inside Story. The one-hour documentary, produced by award-winning NASCAR Media Group, will offer viewer's an exclusive look back at the unforgettable 53rd installment of motorsports' most iconic race. This year's running was one of the most emotionally-charged in NASCAR history, as it marked the tenth anniversary of the legendary Dale Earnhardt's death on the track's final turn at the 2001 Daytona 500. While race fans reflected upon this tragic event, the upset victory of an unlikely rookie emerged as the serendipitous backstory to this tale of the track. Daytona 500: The Inside Story on June 30 at 9:00pm/et/pt. With Daytona 500: The Inside Story , NASCAR Media Group captures an unforgettable week of tributes to the late Earnhardt that ended with Trevor Bayne's unthinkable drive into Victory Lane. This one-hour documentary delivers never-before-seen footage, extensive pit-to-car radio communication and exclusive interviews with some of NASCAR's biggest names.(Discovery)(6-30-2011)

SPEED honors Richard Petty with documentary: Independence Day 1984 … The twofold historic significance of that memorable day may have been foreshadowed by the unprecedented command to start engines, delivered via telephone by President Ronald Reagan from aboard Air Force One en route to Daytona International Speedway. Seven-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Richard Petty won his 200th and final race July 4, 1984, in front of an audience that included the first sitting United States president ever to attend a NASCAR race. In honor of Petty's final win, SPEED and NASCAR Media Group examine one of NASCAR's finest hours in a one-hour documentary special entitled The Day: The 1984 Firecracker 400 premiering Thursday at 8:00pm/et. SPEED reflects on the landmark race from sunrise to sunset, focusing on the events and emotions for everyone involved, and how The King's victory and the president's visit left an indelible, defining and matchless mark on the sport. Petty, who celebrates his 74th birthday Saturday, retired at the conclusion of the 1992 season with 1,184 Cup Series starts (SPEED)(6-30-2011)

Burton and Ochocinco featured on TV Shows: Jeff Burton, driver of the #31 Caterpillar Chevy, and NFL wide receiver Chad Ochocinco will be featured on various national shows over the next few days about their racing experience at Atlanta Motor Speedway. On Thursday, June 30th, Ochocinco will be LIVE on SportsCenter (ESPN) at 10:35 am/et with footage from the ride-a-long with Burton; Ochocinco will be LIVE on First Take (ESPN News) at 10:50 am/et with footage from the ride-a-long with Burton. Both Burton and Ochocinco will be featured on NASCAR Now (ESPN2) which begins at 5:00pm/et. On Saturday, July 2nd, Both Burton and Ochocinco will be featured on SPEEDs RaceDay which begins at 4:30pm/et. Burton will be LIVE on TNT's pre-race show to talk about his 600th Sprint Cup Series start and Thursday's event with Ochocinco (TNT) at 6:30 pm/et.(RCR)(6-30-2011)

Fox interested in moving some races to SPEED UPDATE: Fox has held informal discussions with NASCAR about a new TV rights agreement that would allow the network to put some of its Sprint Cup races on Speed. David Hill, Fox Sports chairman, said Fox would like to see some of the 13 regular-season races it televises on Speed. A Fox source said the company could ask for as many as six races for the network. Fox is five years into an eight-year, $1.76 billion contract with NASCAR that mandates Fox televise all of its Sprint Cup races on its broadcast channel except for two non-points, specialty events - the Sprint All-Star Race and the Gatorade Duels from Daytona, which air on Speed. If it wants to move regular-season Cup races to Speed before its contract expires in 2014, it would have to amend its agreement. Fox sources were skeptical such a move would be made before the contract ends. The move would allow Speed to use live NASCAR broadcasts to increase the license fee that cable and satellite operators pay each month, which is currently around 30 cents, according to sources. In addition to talking about putting Sprint Cup races on Speed, Fox has raised the possibility of making NASCAR a stakeholder in Speed and turning it into a joint-venture project. Sources familiar with those conversations said that they have been ongoing for several years. By partnering with NASCAR on Speed, Fox could avoid competing with the property if it decided to launch its own channel.(Sports Business Journal)(6-20-2011)
UPDATE: Even though Fox confirmed recently it was considering moving some of its races to Speed, NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France said Sunday at Infineon Raceway that the question is still open. "We're having a lot of discussions right now," France told Sporting News before the Toyota/Save Mart 350. "We're unsure where that's going to go. We're having good discussions, and they're our partner for a long time. We've got to make sure that all of our interests get met. We're not at that place (of moving the races to Speed). There are going to be a lot of discussions. That's just not a direction we're going right now." As to the Cup schedule itself, France says there won't be as many big changes as there have been over the past two seasons. "I'm not anticipating any significant changes," France said. "There are always requests and always tweaks-but nothing like we've done in the last couple of years, when we made some significant changes, so I don't anticipate that."(Sporting News)(6-27-2011)

TNT’s Coverage Gets Underway at Pocono: TNT gears up for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Racing on Sunday, June 12 live from Pocono Raceway. The network will air exclusive coverage of the race beginning at 1:00pm/et with play-by-play announcer Adam Alexander calling the race alongside analysts Kyle Petty and Wally Dallenbach in the booth. In addition, analyst Larry McReynolds will make frequent contributions from the infield as he breaks down crew strategy and analyzes car adjustments.
The network will rev up its pre-race coverage beginning at 12:00pm/et with Countdown to Green delivered by Pizza Hut with Lindsay Czarniak (host), Petty and McReynolds with reports from pit reporters Chris Neville, Ralph Sheheen, Marty Snider and Matt Yocum. #18 Kyle Busch will join TNT’s infield rig for an interview prior to the race to discuss his season both on-and-off the track.
TNT’s acclaimed Pride of NASCAR series will feature a profile of the late Harry Hyde who was a legendary crew chief, winning 56 races and 88 pole positions during his career.
Dallenbach will join Petty and Rutledge Wood on their ongoing live video chat series “30 Minutes You Will Never Get Back” this Friday, June 10.(TNT)(6-10-2011)

TNT Returns to the Track with multiplatform coverage of Sprint Cup Series: TNT and NASCAR.com are set to wave the green flag on the network's Sprint Cup Series coverage debuting on Sunday at Pocono with enhanced features and more interactivity on television and online to provide fans with the most comprehensive multi-platform NASCAR experience possible. This year, TNT RaceBuddy on NASCAR.com will return with twice as many camera views as last year including two mosaics for fans to choose from. Also, the network will debut Inside Trax, offering fans exclusive audio and video from select crew chiefs and their teams each race. Wide Open Coverage returns for TNT's primetime race in Daytona on Saturday, July 2 and will feature the first-ever Sprint Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway in primetime on Saturday, July 9. For the first time this year, TNT NASCAR analyst Kyle Petty and Rutledge Wood's ongoing live video chat series "30 Minutes You Will Never Get Back" will invite TNT announcers to answer questions from the fans. Each Friday, fans can submit questions via Twitter or Facebook to have their questions answered on the show. TNT returns its marquee announce crew with analysts Petty and Wally Dallenbach joining play-by-play announcer Adam Alexander in the booth for each race. Veteran reporters Ralph Sheheen, Marty Snider and Matt Yocum will be joined by Chris Neville, a ten-year veteran motorsports reporter, on pit road. In addition, Lindsay Czarniak will once again host the network's 60-minute pre-race show, Countdown to Green, with Petty and McReynolds joining her on the TNT rig along with special guests each week.(TNT PR)(6-7-2011)

TNT marketing initiative in Charlotte: TNT’s brand activation will create awareness within the Charlotte EpiCentre and add to Turner Sports’ already growing resume of creative and original marketing campaigns. TNT will be the first to market with a sound-activated initiative that helps demonstrate the depth of TNT’s overall assets. “This fully integrated campaign allows us to reach NASCAR fans on all touch points through unique, eye-catching, high-impact marketing,” said Christina Miller, senior vice president, Turner Sports Strategy/Marketing/Programming. “This is the first time NASCAR has ever done something like this with its partners and we are excited to be able to lead the way with our brand activation.”
The campaign involves branding elements, including the full takeover of a four-story elevator shaft in the main courtyard, staircases, and a 26-foot TNT logo on the ground at the base of the elevator shaft. Enhanced audio technology called “directional audio” will complement the EpiCentre campaign with a concentrated beam of audio (imagine a flashlight, but with audio instead of light) directed to a specific location. When an individual walks through the audio beam, they will hear custom tune-in audio messaging – AC/DC’s “T.N.T.”, engines revving, cars speeding around the racetrack – only heard within the beam. When individuals exit the beam, they won’t hear it anymore.
Working with Valvoline, NASCAR on TNT also will equip several service stations in Charlotte with Summer Series signage, banners, as well as outfit each service tech in “NASCAR on TNT” crew shirts. The centerpiece is an event on May 27th featuring Greg Biffle and a live radio remote by Charlotte’s #1 country music station – WSOC – to generate additional awareness and exposure for the Summer Series.
The TNT NASCAR Summer Series kicks off on June 12 – as part of its six consecutive races of exclusive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series – at the Pocono Raceway for the Pocono 500. Following Pocono, the Series will go to Michigan and the Helluva Good: Sour Cream Dips 400 (June 19), Toyota/Save Mart 350 in Sonoma, Calif. (June 26), Coke Zero 400 from Daytona International Speedway (July 2), Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway (July 9), and end in Loudon, N.H. at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 (July 17).(TNT)(5-26-2011)

Drivers to star in A&E's "The Glades": On April 11-12, Homestead-Miami Speedway hosted Arts & Entertainment Television Network for filming of its police-drama "The Glades" and the episode will air later this summer. A cast and crew of more than 250 turned Homestead-Miami Speedway into an outdoor TV studio for a taping of "The Glades" second season. Homestead-Miami Speedway played itself as the host of NASCAR's series-crowning finales during Ford Championship Weekend featuring Carl Edwards, Tony Stewart, Brian Vickers and Joey Logano. The garage area and the 1.5 mile Homestead-Miami Speedway functioned as a movie set for this summer's "Moonlighting" episode. A&E Network summarizes its TV hit this way: "THE GLADES" is a one-hour drama featuring actor Matt Passmore who plays "Jim Longworth," a sly Chicago cop who relocates to a slower-paced small town in Florida where the sun shines, the golf is plentiful, and the crime less ubiquitous, so he thinks. In this episode, when Longworth investigates a NASCAR-related murder, he goes head to head with NASCAR's top drivers, and takes a few laps around the track.(HMS)(4-14-2011)

Mike Joy Winner of 2011 McLemore Award: NASCAR on FOX anchor Mike Joy has been named the 2011 winner of the Henry T. McLemore Motorsports Journalism award. The McLemore is the most tenured motorsports journalism award, beginning in 1969 with inaugural winner Bloys Britt, who wrote for the Associated Press for 17 years, beginning in the late 1950s. It is an award voted upon by one's peers, and today's voters are past McLemore winners. It will be presented tonight at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame dinner and awards ceremony in Talladega. Joy has spent his entire adult life as a motorsports journalist. Raised in Windsor, Conn., Joy's career started in 1970, working as the public address announcer at New England short tracks. He rose through the ranks of MRN Radio and chronicled the growth of NASCAR by announcing races on CBS, TNN, ESPN, TBS and now FOX, along with ancillary programming on SPEED. His television career began on pit road, where he defined the position. He moved from pit road to the CBS anchor booth in 1998, where he called Dale Earnhardt's historic Daytona 500 victory. Joy resides in North Carolina with his wife Gaye and their two children, Scott and Kaitlyn.(TrueSpeed Communications)(4-14-2011)

National Speed Sport News to cease publication: All good things come to an end. And so is the case for America's Motorsports Authority, National Speed Sport News. After more than 76 years, the publication, which was first published as National Auto Racing News on Aug. 16, 1934, has printed its last issue, dated - March 23, 2011. While hundreds of other newspapers came and went during the past three-quarters of a century, NSSN continued to ride the support of its readers and advertisers in producing the most thorough weekly racing publication on the market. But economic times have been tight and the newspaper business has suffered at the hands of high production costs and modern technology, which provides information to readers instantly.
"This is one of the saddest days of my life," said National Speed Sport News Publisher Corinne Economaki. "The sluggish economy has made it too difficult to continue publication and no matter how I try to make the numbers work - and believe me I have tried - it is just not feasible to keep the business going. For 76 years, since August 1934 when my father Chris sold copies of the first issue at Ho-Ho-Kus Speedway in northern New Jersey, to today, as I oversee the very last copy printed, this paper has been an integral part of my family," Corinne Economaki said.
Through the years National Speed Sport News was the industry leader in covering motorsports, much of it thanks to [hero of Jayski] Chris Economaki, 90, who sold the first issue of NSSN at Ho-Ho-Kus Speedway in New Jersey, and began writing for the publication soon after that and became editor in 1950. Economaki saw the publication through its glory days, launching a career on television and taking his newspaper into thousands of homes across America. In a time when there was no Internet and very little racing was on television or radio, National Speed Sport News thrived.
When National Speed Sport News began its run, there were no seat belts, drivers wore leather helmets and the flathead Ford V8 was one of the most common racing engines. Today, safety is the utmost concern and HANS and other safety devices are all the rage. Fuel-injected engines are everywhere. Not only has technology changed what fans see at the race track, it changed how NSSN gathered the news. In the early years most news arrived at the NSSN office by mail or telephone. Later the telecopier and the fax machine played key roles. Both were replaced by the computer modem and later by e-mail. NSSN was printed by linotype, but later changed to phototypesetting and finally went completely digital in 2002. But after enduring all these changes, a familiar friend will no longer appear at the mailboxes of its loyal readers. NationalSpeedSportNews.com, the online version of the newspaper, will continue to be updated with daily news, giving Internet savvy readers the opportunity to keep up with some of the same news they enjoyed every week. But as far as the newspaper goes, it's the end of an era.(National Speed Sport News)(3-23-2011)

Waltrip Signs Extension with FOX Sports: FOX Sports' Darrell Waltrip has signed a two-year contract extension to continue as lead analyst for the network's Emmy Award-winning NASCAR on FOX coverage. Waltrip's agreement with FOX Sports now extends through the network's current rights agreement with the sport, which expires in 2014. As a legendary stock car driver turned broadcasting fixture with race fans, Waltrip remains committed to entertaining viewers through his candid analysis and homespun analogies each and every weekend during the NASCAR on FOX Sprint Cup schedule. The two-time NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee and three-time NASCAR Champion is thrilled to continue "double duty" as a NASCAR on FOX prerace and race analyst, a rare duel role in sports broadcasting. "Being part of the NASCAR on FOX team has given me an opportunity to share my passion and love for NASCAR. I never thought there would be anything that could replace the thrill of driving race cars. I was wrong. Bringing that thrill to the fans at home every week is just as exciting!" exclaimed Waltrip.(Fox Sports)(3-7-2011)

Fox debuts thermal-cam at Daytona 500: During FOX Sports’ exclusive live coverage of the 53rd Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 20 from Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida, the network unveils FOX Thermal-Cam, a special camera designed to register variations in the heat signature of objects in its line of site. It’s FOX’s plan to use the unique feature during the race-cast to demonstrate the extreme temperatures which develop during typical racing conditions. A feature made more important this season as cars running in the rear of a piggy-backed pair lose air flow while drafting and must eventually switch places with the lead car to avoid overheating the engine. It can also reveal the on-track groove cars are using, as well as the difference between tires about to be changed compared to fresh replacements. The camera is supplied to FOX by FLIR, a world leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of thermal imaging and stabilized camera systems with US headquarters in Boston.(Fox PR)(2-18-2011)

NASCAR released its telecast times for the 2011 season, primarily preserving the earlier and consistent start times established in 2010. Regular season points races in the Eastern and Central regions of the country will begin at 1:00 pm/et; West Coast events will begin at 3:00 pm/et; and night races will begin at 7:30 pm/et (Note: NASCAR’s longest race, the Coca-Cola 600, will start at 6:00 pm/et on May 29).
In addition, NASCAR announced new start times for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with six of the first seven races beginning at 2:00 pm/et and the last three races, including the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, beginning at 3:00 pm/et. The 52nd annual Bank of America 500 from Charlotte Motor Speedway is the only night race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, and will begin at 7:30 pm/et.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points races will again be seen on either FOX, TNT, ESPN or ABC.
“The 2011 broadcast schedule strikes the right balance between keeping the start times in familiar slots and highlighting the races down the stretch, building more excitement at the end of the season,” said Paul Brooks, senior vice president of NASCAR and president of NASCAR Media Group. “Continuing to raise the profile of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup was also on the top of our list and we believe these new start times for those 10 races will help do just that.”
The preseason non-points Budweiser Shootout at Daytona will be on FOX (8:10 pm/et on Feb. 12). In addition, two other non-points events – the Gatorade Duel at Daytona (2:00 pm/et on Feb. 17) and the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (7:30 pm/et on May 21 at Charlotte Motor Speedway), will be on SPEED.
FOX will have the first 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points races, beginning with the 53rd running of the Daytona 500 (Feb. 20, 1:00 pm/et) and ending with the June 5 race at Kansas Speedway, the first of two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at that track this year.
TNT will have the next six events, beginning with the Pocono 500 at 1:00 pm/et on June 12 at Pocono Raceway and ending with New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s first of two races on July 17 at 1:00 pm/et. In addition, TNT will have the inaugural Kentucky Speedway NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on July 9 at 7:30 pm/et.
ESPN and ABC will carry the final 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events. ABC will telecast three races, including the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup “cutoff race” – the Richmond 400 on Sept. 10 at 7:30 pm/et.
ESPN will telecast 14 races, including the first race of the Chase at Chicagoland Speedway on Sept. 18 at 2:00 pm/et and the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 20 at 3:00 pm/et.
ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 will telecast 33 of the 34 NASCAR Nationwide Series races in 2011. ESPN2 opens the season with the DRIVE4COPD 300 at 1:15 pm/et on Feb. 19 at Daytona International Speedway. ESPN2 will also telecast the season finale Ford 300 on Nov. 19 at Homestead-Miami Speedway (4:30 pm/et).
SPEED will air one NASCAR Nationwide Series race in 2011 with the 24th running of the Bubba Burger 250 from Richmond International Raceway on April 29 at 7:30 pm/et.
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to SPEED for a ninth consecutive season. As was the case last year, SPEED will show the entire 25-race schedule, opening with the NextEra Energy Resources 250 on Feb. 18 at 8:00 pm/et at Daytona.(NASCAR)(2-7-2011)

ESPN2’s NASCAR Now Returns Feb. 7: ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program NASCAR Now returns for its fifth season on Monday, Feb. 7, at 5:00pm/et to coincide with the beginning of the 2011 NASCAR season. The program includes highlights, opinion, debate, analysis and the latest news from drivers, crew chiefs and insiders.
With hosts Allen Bestwick, Nicole Briscoe, Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake, NASCAR Now originates from ESPN’s high definition studios in Bristol, Conn., with reporters and analysts checking in from locations around the country wherever NASCAR news is happening. In addition to reports from races, NASCAR Now reporters also visit race shops and special events.
Monday’s show [Feb 7th] will include interviews with NASCAR president Mike Helton and five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion crew chief Chad Knaus as well as thoughts from ESPN NASCAR analyst Dale Jarrett.
NASCAR Now will originate from Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., site of the NASCAR season-opening Daytona 500, with special hour-long programs starting Sunday, Feb. 13 and including a Daytona wrap-up special on Sunday night, Feb. 20. Massaro will host the first week of episodes beginning Feb. 7 with reports from Daytona starting Feb. 10.
The first two weeks of programs will include new and exclusive interviews surrounding the 10th anniversary of the death of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt, who was killed in a last-lap crash in the 2001 Daytona 500. Among the elements:
* NASCAR Now lead reporter Marty Smith in a new, exclusive interview with Dale Earnhardt Jr.
* Dr. Alfred Alson, the first doctor to arrive on the scene of Earnhardt’s fatal crash, speaks on camera for the first time about that day.
* Jeff Gordon, Darrell Waltrip, Larry McReynolds and others reflect on what they remember from the day Earnhardt died.
* Personalities including NASCAR champion Ned Jarrett and Hall of Fame journalist Tom Higgins tell Earnhardt stories.
* A unique look at Earnhardt through the eyes of the man who regularly cut his hair and trimmed his iconic moustache.
Other NASCAR Now features leading to Daytona will include a look at the driver/crew chief changes at Hendrick Motorsports, with interviews with the drivers and their new crew chiefs together; defending Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray reviews last year’s race through his eyes; members of Jimmie Johnson’s team put Johnson’s fifth consecutive Sprint Cup championship into perspective; Danica Patrick discusses her first season in NASCAR and expectations for 2011; Brian Vickers talks to Smith about his return to racing this season; and ESPN Sports Science explores the repaving of Daytona and how it will affect the racing.
The first week of the program also will include segments of a roundtable discussion hosted by ESPN’s Dr. Jerry Punch with analysts Andy Petree and Ricky Craven and reporter Smith. Among the topics will be discussion of the resurgence of Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress Racing; Brad Keselowski and the changes at Team Penske; the new NASCAR rule requiring drivers to choose one series for points; drivers and teams under the radar; Carl Edwards and Roush Fenway Racing; and Denny Hamlin and Joe Gibbs Racing.
In addition to the Monday through Friday program, ESPN2 also airs an hour-long edition of NASCAR Now at on the morning of each NASCAR Sprint Cup race, and a weekend wrap-up edition will begin in September to coincide with the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The Monday edition of NASCAR Now expands to an hour and features a roundtable discussion of the latest NASCAR news with ESPN analysts and reporters as well as special guests.
The NASCAR Now team also includes Terry Blount, motorsports writer for ESPN.com; analyst Tim Brewer, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion crew chief; D.J. Copp, tire changer in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series; and analyst Brad Daugherty, five-time NBA All-Star and NASCAR team owner.
Others are Ed Hinton, motorsports writer for ESPN.com; Ryan McGee, motorsports writer for ESPN the Magazine; and David Newton, motorsports writer for ESPN.com. NASCAR Now viewers also will see analysis and reports from other members of the NASCAR on ESPN race coverage team including analyst Rusty Wallace and pit reporters Dave Burns, Jamie Little and Vince Welch.
Veteran NASCAR drivers Johnny Benson Jr. and Ken Schrader will be frequent guests on the Monday roundtable edition of NASCAR Now in 2011. The first roundtable, airing on Monday, Feb. 21, the day after the Daytona 500, will be moderated by Bestwick and include Jarrett, Wallace and the Daytona 500 winner.(ESPN PR)(2-5-2011)

New show at SPEED: In 2011, SPEED is expanding its motor sports news efforts, rebranding its popular weekly program, adding multiple weekend news updates and increasing use of the SPEED Ticker to keep fans current on everything from the world of racing. The newly named SPEED Center is a series of studio-based motor sports news programs airing live from a purpose-built set at the SPEED Studios in Charlotte, N.C. Programs air at a variety of times during the race weekend, culminating in a one-hour show on Sunday nights at 7:00 pm/et. The first Sunday night show premieres Feb. 13. Adam Alexander, a longtime pit reporter for SPEED’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series coverage and spot host of NASCAR Race Hub and The SPEED Report, takes the role of lead host for SPEED Center, with racer Hermie Sadler filling Alexander’s position on pit road. Sadler continues to serve in his primary role as a reporter for NASCAR RaceDay and NASCAR Live! (SPEED)(2-6-2011)

Late season race times moved to avoid conflict with NFL: NASCAR will stray from last year's standardized start times this season in an effort to boost sagging television ratings. Specifically NASCAR races in the last third of the season will slide back to a later green flag to avoid going head-to-head with NFL kickoffs. While the majority of the races televised in the first half of the year as part of the FOX television package will remain in the 1 p.m. ET start range, green flags will slide back later in the year. A 2 p.m. ET beginning is the plan for most of the races in September through November with west coast venues including Texas and Phoenix near the tail end of the schedule, going to a 3 p.m. ET start. The Homestead-Miami season-ending Ford 400 will also begin at 3 p.m. ET.(CBS Sports)(1-28-2011)

Aflac Motorsports Journalism Awards of Excellence announced: The 26th annual Aflac Motorsports Journalism Awards of Excellence ceremony was held Thursday, honoring five individuals with the coveted accolades in motorsports media. This year's recipients were Nate Ryan (USA Today), Lauren Stowell (ESPN), Kris Johnson (NASCAR Illustrated), Mark Rebilas (US Presswire) and Brian Tetzler (KWGN/KDVR) for exceptional motorsports media coverage in 2010. The ceremony, which honors the legacy of motorsports journalism pioneer Russ Catlin, was orchestrated by Aflac, the #1 provider of voluntary and guaranteed-renewable insurance in the United States, and held in conjunction with the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway. The Aflac Motorsports Journalism Awards of Excellence recognize the best motorsports coverage in five categories, including Daily and Other Writing, Local and National Broadcast, and Photojournalism. More than 150 entries were submitted this year, making it one of the most competitive seasons to date.(Breaking Limits)(1-28-2011)

ESPN Extends Contract of Rusty Wallace Through 2014: Champion NASCAR driver Rusty Wallace, ESPN’s lead studio analyst for auto racing, has reached a new contract extension to remain with ESPN through the 2014 season, it was announced by Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president, production. Wallace joined ESPN after retiring from driving following the 2005 NASCAR season. A 55-time winner in NASCAR’s top series and the 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, Wallace is lead analyst for ESPN’s NASCAR studio programs, including NASCAR Countdown and NASCAR Now. Wallace also contributes NASCAR analysis to SportsCenter, First Take and ESPNEWS and calls selected NASCAR Nationwide Series races from the booth. He spent the 2006 season as an analyst for ESPN’s coverage of the IndyCar Series before moving to NASCAR in 2007 as the stock car racing series returned to ESPN.(ESPN)(1-25-2010)

Fox Sports chairman would like to see shorter races: Fox Sports chairman David Hill says he thinks NASCAR races are too long and would like to see them cut down to run during a three-hour window. Hill says Monday night that NASCAR recognizes it needs to make changes to stop its current slide in both attendance and television ratings. He says that NASCAR chairman Brian France is "really trying very hard" to find solutions, but nothing will happen overnight. Hill believes there are simply too many entertainment options to hold a fan's interest over the length of an entire race. Fox has three years remaining on its television deal with NASCAR, and Hill says it's too soon to tell if the network will renew.(Associated Press/ESPN.com)
AND: He's still against streaming races online and says noting is immiment in that area. And, he says that NASCAR needs to emphasize winning more with its points structural.(Hampton Roads)(1-25-2011)

Sprint Cup Race Start Times Still In Limbo: Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody has learned that standardized start times for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races could become a thing of the past this season. A year ago, all Sunday afternoon Sprint Cup events took the green flag just after 1:00 pm/et. Not all tracks were happy with the change, however, and the move was blamed by some for a drop in television ratings. Sources tell Sirius Speedway that starting times for the 2011 season have yet to be finalized, as NASCAR decides whether to put the decision back into the hands of individual tracks. It is expected that next month’s season-opening Daytona 500 will once again take the green flag just after 1:00pm/et.(Sirius Speedway)(1-20-2011)

Evernham to consult for Hendrick Companies: Ray Evernham Enterprises (REE) has been retained to consult for the Hendrick Companies, a management company formed in 2005 to oversee strategic initiatives for chairman Rick Hendrick. REE will consult on special projects related to Hendrick's core businesses. In that role, REE's initial focus will be development of the Hendrick Performance retail brand of high-performance parts, vehicles, products and related services. With Hendrick as car owner, Evernham won three NASCAR Cup championships in the 1990s as crew chief for driver Jeff Gordon. He left the Hendrick organization in 1999 to found his own team, Evernham Motorsports, and most recently was a television analyst for ESPN. (Hendrick PR)
AND: Ray Evernham has reunited with former boss Rick Hendrick in a business deal that will not allow Evernham to remain an analyst for ESPN's NASCAR coverage. "It's no secret that I've missed all the relationships I had at Hendrick," Evernham told ESPN.com on Tuesday. "So being able to go work with Rick and the people I knew at Hendrick Automotive, it's going to be like going back to work in the family business side. "Unfortunately, it could cause a conflict and I don't want to put ESPN or Rick Hendrick or myself in that position. I have had a great relationship with ESPN. If there was any way I could have worked that out I would have loved to do it. That was one of the hardest things about making the decision."(ESPN.com)(1-5-2011)

New producer for ESPN broadcasts: supposedly James Shiftan will step into the ESPN race producer role vacated with the removal of Neil Goldberg last season. Shiftan took a leave of absence from NASCAR last year, leaving Coordinating Producer Jill Fredrickson to produce the final races.(Daly Planet)(12-29-2010)

Edwards to appear in HBO mini-series: #99-Carl Edwards has been cast in HBO’s forthcoming Civil War mini-series, “To Appomattox”, as General John B. Gordon, a Confederate General selected by Robert E. Lee to surrender the Army of Northern Virginia. The real Gordon became one of the two authors of "Honor Answering Honor" and, by this gesture, returned the private Southern soldier to the Union with respect and dignity. The series centers around the final battle of the Civil War and stars Michael C. Hall (Dexter) as General Ulysses S. Grant, William Petersen (CSI) as General William Tecumseh Sherman, Paul Giamatti (John Adams) as James “Pete” Longstreet and Bill Paxton (Big Love) as Stonewall Jackson (NASCAR Examiner), the series is in discussions with additional NASCAR affiliated drivers to play other featured roles.(12-20-2010)

Congrats: Congratulations to SPEED's Wendy Venturini and her husband Jarrad Egert, who works for Joe Gibbs Racing, on the birth of their son Caleb James on Dec. 22 at 10:58pm. Mom & baby doing fine.(12-24-2010)

Johnson Even More Dominating on Television than the Track: While it should come as no surprise five-time NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson received the most attention during race telecasts this past season, the degree to which he dominated is staggering when considering Johnson was interviewed an entire half-hour longer, and mentioned 1,800 more times by the announcers than Series runner-up Denny Hamlin throughout the year.
According to research conducted by Joyce Julius & Associates, Inc. — which has monitored every NASCAR race telecast over the last 25 years — Johnson’s name was mentioned 7,875 times during the 36 live event telecasts (and replays) of the 2010 season. Johnson also appeared in a series-high 88 interview segments, which collectively added up to one hour, 31 minutes, 35 seconds (1:31:35) of television face time for the driver.
Hamlin in comparison, who won the most races (eight) and was leading The Chase heading into the final race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, drew 6,072 announcer mentions and 56 interviews totaling 1:01:50.
Kyle Busch also proved to be a popular interview subject, as the eighth-place driver finished tied for third among all racers with 47 interviews lasting a combined 1:07:13.
In contrast, Matt Kenseth, a top-five points finisher, appeared in front of the cameras just 14 times in 2010 for a little more than 10 minutes. Of the three network combinations televising the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this past season, TNT proved to be the most interview-friendly, as the six mid-summer races on the cable network averaged 15 driver interviews per telecast, with each lasting about 1:15. Races on Fox saw 13 driver interviews clocking in at 1:08 apiece, while live broadcasts on ABC/ESPN generally saw 10 interviews conducted for an average of 1:03.(see chart of 20 drivers at Joyce Julius & Assoc)(12-2-2010)

Media member looking for shoulder bag: Jerry Bonkowski, member of the NASCAR media, has a shoulder bag disappear in the media center Sunday after the Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway. Inside the bag was: driver's license, credit cards, checkbooks and over $1,200 earned selling copies of his book, "Trading Paint - 101 Great NASCAR Debates", during the weekend. More info at jerrybonkowski.com.(11-18-2010)

Aflac Motorsports Journalism Awards of Excellence: Aflac and Charlotte Motor Speedway are proud to continue the tradition of recognizing the best in motorsports media with the 26th Annual Aflac Motorsports Journalism Awards of Excellence in honor of Russ Catlin. The 2010 awards will be presented during the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway in January 2011. The awards are presented to individuals who capture the passion, excitement and compelling stories of motorsports through distinguished journalism.
Aflac Motorsports Journalism Awards of Excellence winners receive a special plaque to commemorate their achievements along with a $1,000 scholarship to the school of their choice, funded by Aflac. As in years past, professors and faculty from the Indiana University School of Journalism provide an independent review of all entries to determine the winners.
The categories for the 2010 Aflac Motorsports Journalism Awards of Excellence are:
· Writing entries for daily newspapers
· Writing entries for other forms of written media (Internet, weekly, etc.)
· Broadcast entries for local radio and television
· Broadcast entries for national radio and television
· Photojournalism entries
Any type of motorsports coverage from the 2010 season is eligible. Entries dated from any other year or season will not be accepted. Judges will review each submission closely and base their decision on the quality of work and its representation of excellence in motorsports journalism. The Aflac Motorsports Journalism Awards of Excellence accepts and encourages all types of motorsports racing media coverage. It is NOT limited specifically to NASCAR. Entries must be postmarked by December 3, 2010. Entry forms and official rules can be downloaded at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/aflacaward.(CMS)(11-5-2010)

SPEED names Wheeler to executive post: Motor sports television veteran Patti Wheeler was named Executive Vice President of Programming & Production, it was announced today by SPEED President Hunter Nickell. “Beginning Nov. 1, Patti will take the lead in two crucial areas at SPEED,” Nickell said. “Program development is key to any network’s continuing evolution, and with our substantial commitment to a live network presence at all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events headlining a massive motor sports production schedule, bringing in someone with Patti’s credentials and experience strengthens the entire SPEED team.” Wheeler, who has produced every major racing series for every broadcast and cable network that has ever done motor sports, started her career at age 22 as a producer/director of live NASCAR races. She later served as Director of Motorsports and Executive Producer for TNN. Prior to founding her own company, Wheeler Television, Inc., Wheeler was President of World Sports Enterprises, the leading motorsports television production company in the U.S. A graduate of Belmont Abbey College, Wheeler lives in Charlotte with her husband, Leo Hindery, Jr., and their two teenagers. She has been named one of NASCAR’s Top 25 Most Powerful People by the Charlotte Observer and was included on the Charlotte Business Journal list of Top Forty Under Forty.(10-14-2010)(SPEED)

Speedway Illustrated Returns: Speedway Illustrated is back on track. And some familiar names are in the driver's seat, ready to steer it in the right direction. "Racing needs a quality magazine more than ever," said Karl Fredrickson, publisher of Traction Media, which has acquired the rights to Speedway Illustrated and will resume its publishing schedule. For a decade, Speedway Illustrated has provided that quality. And after Formula Five, which had owned the magazine only since 2009, suspended publication last spring, Fredrickson immediately launched an effort to buy it. "It's like a driver who decides to run his own team rather than drive for someone else," said Fredrickson, who has been with Speedway Illustrated since it began in January 2000. "We care more about it because it's more than just a business to us. Our reputations and our credibility are at stake. We don't take that lightly."
That means, among other things, that if you have an active subscription to Speedway Illustrated, Traction Media will honor it – even though it is under no obligation to do so. Said Fredrickson, "It's about doing the right thing and treating people fairly."
Back on board are Bones Bourcier, Joyce Standridge, Mike Adaskaveg, Lew Boyd, Rob Sneddon, J.A. Ackley, Dan Anderson, and the rest of the award-winning editorial team – including the magazine's founder and namesake. Yes, Dick Berggren, who launched Dick Berggren's Speedway Illustrated in 2000 but left the magazine in 2009, has returned. Fredrickson cautioned, "It's not for everyone. If you think drawing yellows on purpose is acceptable, or that crate engines should be mandatory, or that age or looks or gender matter more than talent, then Speedway Illustrated probably isn't for you. We will create magazines for people who pour their heart and soul into building a race car, and then think nothing of taking their pride and joy – and the most expensive investment they've got besides their house – and trying to squeeze it between moving steel and immovable concrete because they can't stand the thought of finishing fourth when they might've finished third.
For details on how to subscribe – or for questions regarding your Speedway Illustrated subscription that you paid for under the previous owner – go to www.speedwayillustrated.com.(Dick Berggren's Speedway Illustrated)(9-28-2010)

Daytona race on July 3rd will be 3D for the First Time in NASCAR's history: NASCAR Media Group, a media, marketing and entertainment company, and Turner Sports, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., announced that NASCAR's first foray into 3D programming will take place on July 3, 2010 with a special presentation of the Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola. The 3D production, NASCAR's first ever, will be made available through TNT RaceBuddy on NASCAR.com as well as through DIRECTV, and will complement a special television presentation on TNT, highlighted by the network's groundbreaking signature Wide Open format. NASCAR.COM will feature 3D feeds for the Daytona race in addition to the mosaic of HD-quality complementary unique camera angles available on TNT RaceBuddy throughout the six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races televised on TNT. Turner will also make the Sprint Cup Series race from Daytona International Speedway available in 3D through DIRECTV. In order to experience the event in 3D, viewers will need a 3D TV or PC display with matching 3D glasses. The 3D production will feature two custom racing feeds produced specifically for 3D. The first will provide a unique look at the racing action from strategically placed cameras around the track designed to maximize the effect of 3D. The second stream will bring the mayhem of pit row into the third dimension creating a one-of-a-kind visual experience. TNT's televised coverage of the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona continues with live race coverage in its groundbreaking signature Wide Open format. This format is a television presentation in which the network provides continuous race coverage free of national commercial breaks and features more unobstructed race action than that of a standard telecast by using a letterbox widescreen format. Along with title sponsor Coke Zero, featured sponsors-to-date are Burger King, Coors Light, Dimension Films' Piranha 3D, Goodyear, Sprint, Subway and Toyota.(TNT/NASCAR)(6-21-2010)
UPDATE: Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks, in partnership with NASCAR Media Group, a media, marketing and entertainment company, and Turner Sports, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., announced they will air NASCAR’s first foray into 3D programming, the Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola, in next generation 3D. The 3D production will feature two custom racing feeds produced specifically for 3D. The first will provide a unique look at the racing action from strategically placed cameras around the track designed to maximize the effect of 3D. The second stream will bring the mayhem of pit row into the third dimension creating a one-of-a-kind visual experience. In order to experience the event in 3D, viewers will need a 3D TV display with matching 3D glasses.(TNT)(6-24-2010)

Shelmerdine featured in TV series: former championship crew chief and part-time driver, Kirk Shelmerdine, has joined forces with Executive Producer Diane Barnes from Canada in the making of an oval track comedy series called, Thrills & Spills. Kirk confides, “In my opinion, there hasn't yet been a decent TV series centered around cars, racing and the people involved, so that makes participation in this project extra fun for me. I think Thrills & Spills will be a blast for its creators and viewers alike.” As Dale Earnhardt Sr’s former championship-winning Crew Chief in addition to being an independent driver/owner in the Sprint Cup series. Shelmerdine will not only contribute his knowledge and expertise as an industry insider, he will be seen on-screen in a recurring role as himself along with his Crew Chief Phil Harris as himself. “Having the opportunity to work with Kirk and Phil is a real honor; their history in the sport, ingenuity and sense of humor is a winning combination for the making of this show,” says Barnes.
Thrills & Spills centers around the story of Tom “Slick” Donnelly, a driver who loses his major sponsor, is forced to return to his home track for an ego tune-up and is now struggling to be competitive at the local level. Diane Barnes created the story which was inspired by her early days on her brother’s pit crew at oval tracks in Ontario, Canada. Barnes and her writing partner, Dave Francis, shot some footage for a demo a couple years back and decided to keep the project brewing until they found the perfect element to help bring the show to life. That element was Kirk Shelmerdine. The production team is currently in development and was recently shooting during race weeks at Charlotte, NC (PR), the show is not yet found a home on cable or natwork TV and there is no schedule for airing of the show.(6-17-2010)

Get well: wishes to Cyndee Bonkowski, who is undergoing a surgical procedure this week that will hopefully significantly reduce the level of handicap she's endured the last two years after suffering a crushed foot in an at-work accident. Cyndee is the wife of longtime motorsports writer and Sirius Radio personality Jerry Bonkowski who now blogs at Trading Paint.(6-8-2010)

AC/DC to feature song "T.N.T" for NASCAR races: TNT announced that it has joined forces with Hall of Fame rockers AC/DC [Jayski fave] to feature the band's single "T.N.T" as the network's theme song for its 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series coverage. The song will serve as the primary musical bed for all six of TNT's races, which begin with the Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 on Sunday, June 6 in Pocono, as well as for the network's multi-platform marketing campaign surrounding its exclusive race coverage, which includes a presence on social media, print outlets, national television, local radio and print. The song has been re-released on the band's latest album, AC/DC: Iron Man 2 which features 15 of the band's classic songs.(ACDC.com)(5-26-2010)

NASCAR Media Group Receives Emmy Award: NASCAR Media Group, the creative, media, and production services company of NASCAR, has received an Emmy Award for “Inside the Headsets,” a television program which aired following the 25th annual NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star Race last May. NASCAR Media Group and its broadcast partner SPEED were presented the award in the “Live Event Turnaround” category at the 31st Annual Sport Emmy Awards on April 26, 2010 at Lincoln Center in New York. This is the third time in the past four years NASCAR Media Group has won the Emmy Award in the “Live Event Turnaround” category. Other NASCAR-related programming was also recognized at television’s most prestigious awards ceremony. FOX Sports won for Live Event Audio/Sound for its NASCAR broadcasts and HBO’s “24/7 Jimmie Johnson Race To Daytona” was recognized for Outstanding Sports Promotional Announcement – Episodic.(NASCAR)(4-30-2010)

Fox to offer extended post-race coverage online UPDATE...no : Fox will offer extended post-race coverage of NASCAR with an online program beginning this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. The Overdrive on FoxSports.com will begin immediately after the network ends its broadcast coverage of Sunday's Sprint Cup race. The program will use Fox's entire nine-person broadcasting crew and consist of live interviews and analysis that will be streamed to its Web site. "It's something we should have been doing all along," Bill Brown, senior producer for Fox Sports. "It's definitely a can't lose, especially when you take into account what the audience wants to see. We are trying to take care of an audience that has invested four hours into the race, wants more, and we can give them more." Brown said the idea for an online show had been previously discussed, but network executives realized the immediate need for extended programming following Saturday night's broadcast at Phoenix International Raceway. Viewers who tuned in for the 3 hours, 48 minutes then received only a brief post-race show of interviews with just the top three finishers. The broadcast ran 50 minutes past its allotted time, and Fox took two commercial breaks after the checkered flag that totaled almost seven minutes. It left no time to follow-up with Denny Hamlin, who received considerable coverage for racing just 10 days after knee surgery. The network also didn't offer any coverage of Kyle Busch, who lost the race because of a late caution. Fox officials said Busch declined to be interviewed, but viewers were not informed of his unwillingness to speak. Brown said Fox will not set a hard time on how long The Overdrive will run since it will be dictated by storylines. He said all four pit reporters will pursue drivers, crew chiefs and owners for live interviews, mediated by studio hosts Chris Myers and Jeff Hammond. The broadcast booth of Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds will also stay to contribute to the production.(Associated Press)(4-16-2010)
UPDATE: Fox's plan for extended post-race NASCAR coverage in an online program was wiped out even before Sunday's race at Texas got postponed by rain. "Unfortunately, due to contractual limitations that we had hoped to overcome, FOX Sports is unable to extend its post-race coverage on FOXSports.com," Fox said in a statement Sunday. "Since this would have been a commercial-free undertaking, our goal was simply to have all parties agree that this would only benefit NASCAR fans, but obviously that didn't happen." Turner Sports owns online video rights to NASCAR content and operates NASCAR.com. In response to Fox, Turner issued its own statement Sunday touting its in-depth coverage on NASCAR.com going into and following each race. NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said Fox and Turner have contracts with NASCAR that "serve our fans very well."
"We expect our partners to respect and abide by the rights that are in place," Poston said. "FOX provides excellent coverage of the race on broadcast and NASCAR.com provides 24-7 coverage including a significant amount of content postrace."(ESPN/AP)(4-19-2010)

ESPN Motor Sports Coverage Earns Five Sports Emmy Nominations: ESPN’s coverage of motor sports earned five Sports Emmy Award nominations, among an industry-leading 54 nominations earned by ESPN, Inc., it was announced today by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. For the ninth time in 10 years, ESPN earned the most nominations of any submitting company. The winners will be announced Monday, April 26. The five nominations in motor sports included both NASCAR and the Indianapolis 500.
Outstanding Live Sports Special: The Indy 500
Outstanding Technical Team Remote: NASCAR on ESPN
Outstanding Technical Team Studio: ESPN Pit Studio and ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage
Outstanding Production Design/Art Direction: The Indy 500
Outstanding Editing: NASCAR Sprint Cup Season in Review (produced by NASCAR Media Group for ESPN2)
In addition, ESPN’s marketing department received a nomination for Outstanding Sports Promotional Announcement: NASCAR on ESPN - Feel Your Heart Race.(ESPN)(3-19-2010)

Craven joining ESPN Nationwide broadcast at Nashville: After two years as a studio analyst at ESPN, former Sprint Cup Series regular and Maine native Ricky Craven is readying to take the next step in his NASCAR broadcasting career. Ricky Craven will leave the cozy confines of the studio behind on April 3 and make his first foray into race coverage when he joins the ESPN broadcast booth for the NASCAR Nationwide Series Nashville 300 from Nashville Superspeedway. Craven, a Newburgh, Me. native former K&N Pro Series East champion, will join Dale Jarrett and Marty Reid in the booth for ESPN's Nationwide Series telecast from Nashville. Its expected to be the first of a few appearances for Craven calling events this year for ESPN. Craven, who retired from full-time racing in the Sprint Cup Series after the 2004 season, will be filling in for regular ESPN Nationwide Series analyst Andy Petree for the Nashville event.(Hartford Courant)(3-14-2010)

No races in 3-D anytime soon: The NCAA Final Four in a few weeks will be presented by CBS in 3-D coverage for theatergoers. Fox has produced a 3-D Bowl Championship Series football game, and Major League Baseball's All-Star game will be in 3-D carried by DirecTV. ESPN presented the Ohio State-Southern California football game in 3-D and showed it in a handful of theaters and is expected to launch a 3-D channel soon. So could NASCAR end up in 3-D? It's possible but there are several hurdles. Network executives from NASCAR's television partners have recently said they couldn't predict when there would be a 3-D production of a NASCAR race. The biggest hurdle is trying to get it to the fan base. Fox Sports Chairman David Hill wonders if enough NASCAR fans would have 3-D sets to be able to watch a 3-D production. "HD sets have not reached critical mass yet and folks that just bought an HD set, they've got to turn around and buy a 3-D," Hill says. "There's a whole bunch of questions all to do with the chicken and the egg. So the answers [to NASCAR in 3-D questions] are we will have equipment to do a 3-D race, yes it will look fantastic and I don't believe anyone will be able to see it." ESPN Vice President of Motorsports Rich Feinberg says he is fascinated by 3-D and helped make a 3-D movie last summer at the X Games. "There are some technical challenges that need to be overcome," Feinberg says. "The size and scope of these productions in terms of the number of cameras and all the stuff with the pit cams and crew-cam guys, that technology doesn't exist today for 3-D. "What we want to do in working with NASCAR is when we get there, we want to make sure we can do it right. There is a whole lot of technical knowledge that has to be acquired and experimented and tested in order to do that. We don't serve anybody, including our NASCAR fans, by doing a show that is underwhelming in 3-D because of the technical limitations. We've got to wait until we're ready."(Scene Daily)(3-13-2010)

Kyle Petty, Rutledge Wood Try Their Hand At Supercross: NASCAR veteran Kyle Petty has raced stock cars and sports cars at Daytona International Speedway. On Monday he added motorcycles to that list after taking lessons from Supercross legend Ricky Carmichael. Petty, along with his SPEED Channel co-host Rutledge Wood, took part in the inaugural Ricky Carmichael University where the five-time Daytona Supercross By Honda champion and his team of experts shared tips and techniques with Supercross racers of all ages in the one-day only camp. “There are kids here that are five or six-years-old that just worship the ground he walks on,” Petty said. “He’s like Jeff Gordon, Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr. all rolled into one when it comes to motocross. To be able to come and learn from someone like that is incredible.” Petty, who has always enjoyed motorcycles but did not have any previous Supercross experience, equated participating in the event to a kid being able to take a lap around Daytona International Speedway the day after the Daytona 500. Carmichael, who is retired from Supercross competition and now pursuing a stock car career with Turner Motorsports in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, was impressed with the performance of both Petty and Wood. “Kyle is doing fantastic,” Carmichael said. “Rutledge is doing amazing. Racers are racers. When I explained stuff to Kyle, he would go out and execute it. You could see the light bulb click on, if you will. It’s neat to see at their level, guys who are doing it for the first time. It’s so fun to see the progression.” While Carmichael had fun with Petty and Wood, he also enjoyed working with some of the future Supercross stars.(DIS)(3-9-2010)

TNT names new play-by-play announcer: TNT announced that veteran NASCAR broadcaster Adam Alexander will join the network as its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series play-by-play announcer, calling all six races of TNT’s Summer Series. Alexander will be joined in the booth by returning analysts Kyle Petty and Wally Dallenbach. Alexander will debut during TNT’s exclusive coverage of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing from Pocono, Pa. on June 6 and will also call races live from Michigan (June 13), Loudon (June 20) and Sonoma (June 27) and TNT’s primetime Saturday night races in Daytona (July 3) and Chicago (July 10). In addition, Alexander will contribute to NASCAR.COM. In a new role, TNT announcer Lindsay Czarniak will become the new host for Countdown to Green, 60 minutes of pre-race coverage that leads into TNT’s green flag racing coverage. In addition, she will host TNT and NASCAR.COM’s post-race coverage, as well as give mid-race updates and reports. Czarniak will be joined by analysts Larry McReynolds and Petty.
Beyond Alexander’s TNT duties during six weeks of Summer Series coverage, Alexander also works for SPEED as a reporter for the network’s racing coverage. He has also worked as a play-by-play announcer on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and as a pit reporter for its NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide series coverage. Alexander began his career as an announcer for the Tri-State Speedway in Evansville, Ind.
In addition to Czarniak’s tenure as a TNT announcer, she also serves as the full-time sports anchor at NBC’s WRC-TV in Washington, D.C. Prior to that, Czarniak was co-host with George Michael on the syndicated Sports Machine with George Michael. In 2008, Czarniak was a studio host for NBC’s Olympic Summer Games in Beijing, China, and in 2006, she was a sports desk reporter for the network’s Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy. She appeared on various NBC-owned networks.
TNT’s NASCAR telecasts will return with popular production features and enhancements, including TNT RaceBuddy. In addition, the acclaimed Pride of NASCAR series will continue as TNT profiles six new NASCAR legends, highlighting the sport’s history and history makers. Finally, TNT’s innovative Wide Open Coverage will air for the fourth year during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing from Daytona. Also returning to TNT this summer will be pit reporters Ralph Sheheen, Marty Snider and Matt Yocum. This marks TNT’s [TBS] 27th consecutive year of televising Cup coverage, making it NASCAR’s longest running broadcast partner.(TNT)(3-4-2010)

Bill Weber....a magician: Bill Weber, who was TNT's lead NASCAR race announcer before being suspended before a race in July and not returning, says he's performing as a magician. "It's a passion I hope to turn into a profession," says Weber, who says his TNT contract wasn't renewed. "I hope to continue sports announcing, but this is something I've wanted to do for a long time." Weber, saying he worked some NBC motor sports last year, adds he's "waiting for NBC to get back from Olympics to see what motor sports opportunities they might have."(USA Today)(2-25-2010)

New TV deal allows UK fans to watch NASCAR races: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races are again on television in the United Kingdom as the Open Access 3 channel starts covering the series this weekend from Las Vegas. Previous UK NASCAR broadcaster Sky ceased its live coverage at the end of last season, bar a one-off reappearance for the Daytona 500. But NASCAR has now announced a new deal with Open Access 3 - channel 190 on Sky - starting from the next race, with the broadcast beginning Sunday.(AutoSport)(2-25-2010)

NASCAR returns to DirecTV: NASCAR HotPass is available only on DIRECTV and it's now free to all DIRECTV customers. Experience every turn, every lap, every checkered flag of the Sprint Cup Series. With four dedicated driver channels all available in HD — NASCAR HotPass puts you right in the middle of the action, from the driver's seat to under the hood. More info at directv.com.(2-13-2010)

Disney's "Handy Manny Big Race" with Dale Earnhardt Jr: Playhouse Disney's hit Emmy-nominated series "Handy Manny" puts the pedal to the metal with the premiere of the series' second primetime special, "Handy Manny Big Race," starring Wilmer Valderrama and guest starring #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. and N'Sync's Lance Bass, Saturday, March 20, 7:00-7:25 pm/et/pt on Disney Channel. In this exciting primetime event for preschoolers and parents, Manny and the tools hit the motor speedway as a pit crew for the highly anticipated Wood Valley 500.
Earnhardt said: "My 4- year-old niece is a huge 'Handy Manny' fan, so when Disney Channel approached me about doing this role, I did it with her in mind. It was fun doing it, and being 'Chase Crawford' for a while. I know Kennedy will enjoy seeing me on her favorite cartoon."
Valderrama said: "Like NASCAR racing, 'Handy Manny Big Race' is something the entire family can enjoy together. I am so excited that we incorporated one of America's favorite pastimes and the legendary Dale Earnhardt, Jr. into the world of 'Handy Manny."
In the special, Valderrama, Bass (who recurs on the series as surfer-dude Elliot) and the cast of Tools perform the new song "One Step at a Time." A music video for the song will premiere Saturday, March 6 on Disney Channel and online at Disney.com/HandyManny. In addition, PlayhouseDisney.com will give preschoolers the opportunity to decorate their own race car for the chance to have it featured on air during the premiere broadcast of "Handy Manny Big Race."
In "Handy Manny Big Race," Manny and the tools help Elliot fix up his used race car to enter the big Wood Valley 500 race. The car turns out better than expected and everyone is ready to race – except Elliot, who's too nervous to drive. Famous race car driver Chase Davis (voiced by Dale Earnhardt, Jr.) steps in to help, but Elliot's nerves get the best of him. With the tools as his pit crew, Manny gets behind the wheel in an attempt to win the race for the entire team. "Handy Manny" airs weekdays at 9:00 am/et/pt and weekends at 8:30 am and 10:30 am during Disney Channel's Playhouse Disney programming block for preschoolers. The series carries a TV-Y parental guideline.(ESPN/Disney)(2-13-2010)

Congrats: SPEED and FOX Sports on-air personality Krista Voda was married January 23 in Pittsburgh. She wed Phillip "PK" Kelley, an independent contractor for network television, sports and entertainment, and a longtime fixture in the NASCAR garage. Kelley and Voda, host of NCWTS Setup on SPEED, will reside in Cranberry Township, Pa.(SPEED)(2-3-2010)

Fox NASCAR ad sales going well: An improved television ad sales marketplace is breathing new life into Fox's NASCAR sales this season, as the network has sold 80 percent of the inventory for the Daytona 500 and is expecting a full sellout before the race. Ad sales for the rest of the network's 13-race schedule are pacing 8 to 10 percent ahead of last year's levels. Fox's NASCAR sales push is being helped by a more active marketplace, which is seeing advertising sales slowly rebound across virtually all sports. These early returns represent a big relief for the sport and the network considering that last year's TV ratings were the lowest in a decade. Emblematic of the rebounding economy is the automotive category, which Fox said is tripling its revenue commitment from last year. Fox expects to double the amount of auto sponsors that buy into the regular season. Last year, just two autos - Toyota and Ford - bought regular-season schedules. Both are back this year, as is General Motors. Plus, Fox said GoDaddy, Nationwide and Cialis also have stepped up as new advertisers with significant buys. Unlike other sports, NASCAR team sponsors are not required to purchase a network schedule.(Sports Business Journal)(2-2-2010)

SPEED sets Daytona Speedweeks Schedule: SPEED will open its 2010 Daytona Speedweeks coverage Feb. 4 with live coverage of Budweiser Shootout practice, the Budweiser Shootout Selection Show and the Fourth Annual SPEED Performance Awards. On Feb. 6, SPEED will bring race fans live and exclusive coverage of Danica Patrick's stock car debut, as the popular open wheel racer makes her first ARCA Racing Series start for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports race team. To enhance television coverage of Patrick's effort, SPEEDtv.com, will offer exclusive in-car and ISO streaming videos, along with pit-to-car radio communication between Danica and her team. The Gatorade Duel at Daytona takes center stage Feb. 11, beginning with a special edition of NASCAR RaceDay Built by The Home Depot at 1 p.m. ET, followed by live race coverage at 2 p.m. ET. Krista Voda and Jeff Hammond will host. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series opens its season Feb. 12 with Krista Voda hosting NCWTS Setup at 7:30 p.m., followed by race coverage at 8 p.m. ET. Rick Allen, Darrell Waltrip and Phil Parsons will call the race for SPEED, with Ray Dunlap and Adam Alexander in the pits. And on Sunday, Feb. 14, SPEED delivers a special three-hour edition of NASCAR RaceDay Built by The Home Depot, leading into FOX coverage of the Daytona 500. John Roberts hosts, with Kyle Petty and Kenny Wallace sharing their observations as teams prepare for The Great American Race. Wendy Venturini and Hermie Sadler lead a team of SPEED RaceDay voices reporting from all around the race track.(SPEEDtv PR)(1-27-2010)

SPEED named exclusive TV home of NASCAR HoF: SPEED and NASCAR have reached a multiyear agreement naming SPEED as the official television home of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. As part of the deal, SPEED will continue to offer live coverage of special events leading up to the annual induction ceremonies, including nomination and voting days for each Hall class. As part of the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame opening on May 11, which SPEED will televise live, the network also will offer a special “walking tour” broadcast from the striking new Charlotte, N.C., facility just before it opens to the public, as well as extensive pre-event programming. Beginning in April, SPEED also will produce and air one-hour documentaries on each incoming NASCAR Hall of Fame class member. For more information on NHOF events, please visit www.NASCARHall.com.(SPEED)(1-24-2010)

New Shows, some changes at SPEED: With a slate of new programs, an updated and enhanced Web presence and an upgraded 14,400-square-foot, at-track production and interactive marketing compound offering more to race fans than ever before, SPEED is putting the finishing touches on the most ambitious NASCAR on SPEED season in network history. This week, SPEED signed former NASCAR driver Kyle Petty to a new multiyear deal that will position the veteran television personality with John Roberts, Kenny Wallace and Wendy Venturini on the popular NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pre-race show, NASCAR RaceDay Built by The Home Depot. Petty also will appear on the post-race program, NASCAR Victory Lane, and continue his role on the popular game show, NASCAR Smarts.
As the season gets underway, SPEED is dedicating much of its effort to strengthening its Monday Night NASCAR lineup, with the following rotation beginning Feb. 15 -- NASCAR Race Hub (7:30 & 11:30 pm/et), NASCAR in a Hurry – Monday Edition (8:00 pm/et) and a new 30-minute talk show with fan favorite Jimmy Spencer, entitled What’s the Deal?, at 8:30pm/et.
Nicky Morse, The Racing Chef, will join the NASCAR on SPEED team in 2010, visiting restaurants around the race track and highlighting the culinary expertise of race fans who take enormous pride in their campground feasts. Three additional Monday night NASCAR shows are in development, with a planned rollout following the Las Vegas racing weekend.
Race replays for all three NASCAR national touring series are scheduled throughout the week, beginning with an encore presentation of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on Mondays at 12:00pm/et, Tuesday nights, SPEED will air a cut-down version of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, tentatively titled NASCAR Fast Laps, at 8:00pm/et. The full Cup race will re-air Wednesdays at 12:00pm/et and the full NASCAR Nationwide Series race replay will air Thursdays at 12:00pm/et. In addition, SPEED will air NASCAR Classics on Thursdays at 3:00pm/et.
In addition to its weekly NASCAR on SPEED lineup, SPEED will continue to be the home for the Gatorade Duel at Daytona [Feb 11th at 2:00pm/et], the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race [May 22nd], all three NASCAR national touring series awards ceremonies and the NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The only title not returning in 2010 will be the long-running This Week in NASCAR.
At the race track, the SPEED Stage continues its evolution, as the network teams with Jay Howard Enterprises (JHE) and GMR Marketing to deliver a one-of-a-kind fan experience. First producing shoulder programming from the track in 2004, the original effort took only a single tractor trailer and two JHE employees to deliver. In 2010, the five-tractor-trailer effort now rolls in with three SPEED Stages and a lineup of interactive fan activities, where ‘SPEED Fanatics’ (my.speedtv.com) can experience what its like to operate a camera, sit on mock sets and get autographs from SPEED personalities and other NASCAR stars.(SPEED)(1-20-2010)

NASCAR races not picked up by UK's Sky Sports: Been told that United Kingdom's [England, Scotland, Ireland] Sky Sports did not secure the NASCAR Cup series for 2010, so after two years, there supposedly will be no live television coverage of NASCAR Sprint Cup races in the UK.(from Keith Huewen's website, he was one of the announcers of the races)(1-18-2010)

Lots of NASCAR News next week? Approximately 200 print and electronic journalists from 18 states and as far away as Canada and Germany will convene in Concord, NC next week as Charlotte Motor Speedway hosts the 28th annual NASCAR Sprint Media Tour. An essential part of NASCAR's pre-season schedule, this year's edition of Media Tour begins Monday morning, Jan. 18, and continues through Thursday afternoon, Jan. 21. With support from sponsors Sprint and NASCAR, the Media Tour gives credentialed participants the opportunity to tour race shops; interview drivers, crew chiefs and team owners; and discuss the latest developments and news with motorsports industry insiders.
Journalists from New York, San Francisco, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and Toronto are among those registered to participate, representing such media outlets as USA Today, The New York Times, Bloomberg News, ESPN, Orlando Sentinel, The Associated Press, Reuters Newswire and Sports Illustrated.
Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing, Roush Fenway Racing and Penske Racing are among some of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams scheduled to make announcements. This year, media members will get an exclusive inside look at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and the Tour will also make its annual visit to the NASCAR Research and Development Center.(CMS)(1-13-2010)

Marty Reid Will Call ESPN’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Races in 2010: Marty Reid, whose 28-year career with ESPN has touched all forms of motorsports the network has covered, will expand his role and join analysts Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree in the booth as lap-by-lap announcer for ESPN’s full season of NASCAR coverage in 2010. Reid will call the action for all 17 of ESPN’s NASCAR Sprint Cup races as well as many of the network’s NASCAR Nationwide Series telecasts. He was lap-by-lap announcer for ESPN’s IndyCar Series coverage and selected NASCAR Nationwide Series races in 2009.
Returning to a role he helped define for ESPN for more than 20 years, Dr. Jerry Punch will join ESPN’s team of pit reporters for 2010, working both Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races. Punch was lap-by-lap announcer for ESPN’s Sprint Cup coverage the past three years. “This group gives us the most versatile and comprehensive team in motorsports, and strengthens us in the booth,” said Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president, studio and event production. “We play to the strengths of our announcers, and Marty’s strength is calling the tactical aspects of the race while deferring to the analysts. And from the early days of our NASCAR coverage, Jerry helped evolve the significant role that reporting from the pits plays,” Williamson said. “He will bolster our already-strong stable of pit reporters.”
All other members of the NASCAR on ESPN race coverage team will return in 2010, including analysts Rusty Wallace, Brad Daugherty, Tim Brewer and Ray Evernham, NASCAR Countdown host Allen Bestwick and pit reporters Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro, Shannon Spake and Vince Welch. Specific assignments and schedules will be announced later.
In addition to his expanded role with NASCAR, Reid will continue as the lap-by-lap announcer for ESPN’s five-race IndyCar Series schedule, including the Indianapolis 500. ESPN’s 2010 NASCAR season begins with live, flag-to-flag coverage of the NASCAR Nationwide Series opener at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, Feb. 13. The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race on ESPN’s schedule is at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 25.(ESPN)(12-16-2009)

Showtime Adds Weekly NASCAR TV Show: Showtime said on Monday it will carry a new series, “Inside Nascar,” that will be shown each week of the Sprint Cup season. The hour-long program will be taped at the new Nascar Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C., and shown Wednesday nights at 10pm, starting Feb. 10. It will carry footage shot at each week’s race, as NFL Films does for “Inside the NFL,” with commentary from a group of studio analysts that has not been announced. The 38-week-long series will also have access to the many drivers, crew chiefs and owners who are based in the Charlotte area. Showtime has given the series a two-year deal with an option for a third. Ken Hershman, the senior vice president and general manager of Showtime Sports, said the announcers on the show will be familiar from their work at ESPN, Fox, Turner and the Speed Channel.(New York Times)(12-8-2009)

More races could be shown online: There's a chance you could be watching more races online this season. Right now, the only races you can watch online are the six TNT races since Turner owns all the online rights for the broadcasts. Thus, ESPN, Fox and ABC can't show any race live online. You can watch the TNT races on NASCAR.com's Race Buddy program, which last year featured live shots from four different vantage points. This year, you might get to see more NASCAR races online, so when the race goes to commercial on TV, you wouldn't have to miss anything. Here's what Lenny Daniels, Chief Operating Officer for Turner Sports told [Dustin Long] about the future of having more races shown online: "We are going to attempt to work out a deal with Fox and ESPN. It's an intersectional rights, is what it is. When Turner has all the rights (TV and Internet), we can show it any way we want. If you're ESPN, you don't want us doing anything during that live race window. That's what they bought. That's what they own. So we have to figure out a business plan to work with them and try to get a deal done. Believe me, we would love to have Race Buddy year-round and I think NASCAR would too but it all comes down to the business model. When I [Dustin Long] asked him if it was unlikely that more races would be shown online in 2010, Daniels said: "I wouldn't say that. We're trying. I don't think you're going to see it across the board for every race. We'll definitely do it for our races. We'll work with Fox. We came close to Fox last year on a few things (doing versions of Race Buddy)."(Hampton Roads)(12-9-2009)

No decision on TNT/ESPN/ABC announcers: So, who is going to be announcing where? Remember that Bill Weber lost his job at Turner after a public incident last summer. Ralph Sheheen filled in for Weber. Lenny Daniels of Turner told [Dustin Long] no decision has been made yet but Sheheen remains a candidate for the job. John Wildhack, executive vice president program acquisition and strategy for ABC/ESPN said that no decision has been made on the ESPN/ABC announcing crew as of yet.(Hampton Roads)(12-9-2009)

Aflac and LMS to honor motorsports media: Aflac and Lowe’s Motor Speedway will once again honor the best in motorsports media with the annual Motorsports Journalism Awards of Excellence in honor of Russ Catlin. The 2009 Awards will be presented during the Lowe’s Motor Speedway Media Tour in January 2010. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Catlin Awards, which were created in honor of motorsports media pioneer Russ Catlin. The Awards are presented to individuals who capture the passion, excitement and compelling stories of motorsports through distinguished journalism. Russ Catlin Award winners receive a special plaque to commemorate their achievement along with a $1,000 scholarship to the school of their choice, paid by Aflac. As in years past, professors and faculty from the Indiana University School of Journalism provide an independent review of all entries to determine the winners.
The categories for the 2009 Aflac Motorsports Journalism Awards of Excellence are:
* Writing entries for daily newspapers
* Writing entries for other forms of written media (internet, weekly, etc.)
* Broadcast entries for local radio and television
* Broadcast entries for national radio and television
* Photojournalism entries
Entries must be postmarked by December 4, 2009. More info at lowesmotorspeedway.com/aflacaward.(Breaking Limits)(11-13-2009)

NASCAR takes ABC to task for 'boring' race: Almost everybody who watches TV sports is an instant critic. One exception: Sports leagues themselves, who almost never publicly criticize the networks that cover them. And when it comes to ESPN, and its various TV platforms including ABC, the last criticism you'd expect is that the worldwide leader in hype wasn't enthusiastic enough about something it had paid to cover. But NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston, in a blog posting on nascar.com, specifically knocked ESPN/ABC's coverage of Sunday's Sprint Cup race in Talladega, Ala. At issue: Whether the race was boring.
Usually, TV sports analysts go to great pains to avoid even hinting what they're showing is boring. But Poston suggested ESPN/ABC analysts, including Dale Jarrett, "certainly weren't happy with the race and felt compelled to remind viewers of that virtually every lap. ... And along the way, ABC missed a lot of very good racing." On Sunday's race on a long track with steep banks, NASCAR cited safety reasons for prohibiting so-called bump-drafting to provide extra room between cars on turns. Although ESPN/ABC let viewers eavesdrop on driver Tony Stewart asking his crew during the race to tell him something interesting "so I don't fall asleep out here," Poston says the event had "seriously intense racing." ESPN, in a statement, said only that it had a "strong telecast" and had no comment on Poston's post.(USA Today)(11-6-2009)

Johnson to be chronicled in HBO show: HBO Sports' groundbreaking "24/7" reality franchise, which has captured seven Sports Emmy Awards, will debut its first non-boxing series with 24/7 Jimmie Johnson: Race to Daytona, an all-new, four-episode, all-access series chronicling the driver and his team as they prepare for the Daytona 500. Debuting Tuesday, Jan. 26th (10:00-10:30pm/et/pt), the four-week series spotlights Jimmie Johnson, and gives viewers an inside look at the driver and his #48 Hendrick Motorsports team as they prepare for the biggest race of the year. Ensuing episodes will debut on subsequent Tuesdays - Feb. 2, 9 and 16 - in prime time. The Feb. 16 series finale will debut two days after the race, with cameras tracking all the drama and excitement surrounding Johnson and his team on race day. All four episodes will have multiple replay dates on HBO, and the series will also be available on HBO On Demand. 24/7 Jimmie Johnson: Race to Daytona will provide exclusive behind-the-scenes access, along with in-depth interviews with Johnson, crew chief Chad Knaus, team owner Rick Hendrick and the #48 Hendrick Motorsports team as they prepare for the 2010 Daytona 500. Johnson says that getting his wife Chandra on board with the idea of cameras following them around was not difficult, since they had seen earlier "24/7" shows. "Chandra and I were big fans of the '24/7' series with Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather, and that's kind of how this all came about," says Johnson, who along with his wife founded the Jimmie Johnson Foundation, which has raised more than $2 million for various charities since its inception in 2006. The executive producers of 24/7 Jimmie Johnson: Race to Daytona are Ross Greenburg and Rick Bernstein; coordinating producer, Dave Harmon; Liev Schreiber narrates. NASCAR Media Group, the leading producer of NASCAR on television, will provide production support for HBO Sports.(HBO)(10-15-2009)

Special Pit Suit for Spake: Shannon Spake has been reporting from the pits for ESPN's NASCAR coverage for several years, but Spake is now carrying something extra. Spake and her husband are expecting their first children in January - twin boys. To assist her in performing her duties through the rest of the season, ESPN and Spake worked with firesuit manufacturer Impact to produce a special piece of apparel for her to wear while in the pits during races. The two-piece suit is equipped with a stretch gusset in the back so that it can be expanded as her pregnancy progresses through the fall. ESPN's live coverage of Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Dover will air on ABC, while ESPN2 will air Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide Series race.(ESPN PR)(9-25-2009)

NASCAR HotPass is FREE in 2009 Feel every thunderous turn of the 2009 Sprint Cup Series with 4 driver channels, compliments of DIRECTV:
* Each Driver Channel focuses on one driver throughout the race
* See the network broadcast and video from the driver's in-car camera on one screen
* Listen to the broadcast network audio and the driver's team audio.
NASCAR HotPass has been reformatted for 2009, but still has many of the same features as previous seasons. Some features have changed and are no longer available.(DIRECTV.com)(2-14-2009)

So why no 5-second time delay on race coverage? Some wondered why the "five-second rule", implemented after Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s slip last fall [at Talladega after winning], is not still in force [on Sunday at New Hampshire when #7-Robby Gordon said the 'S' word. That was not explained, although cable-vs.-network may have something to do with it. NASCAR vp/communications Jim Hunter said NASCAR had no plans to call for such a policy. "We're going to tell our athletes not to use bad language when talking on television, that's all," he said.(Speed Channel)
NOTE: last October, NBC announced plans to use the 5 second rule for the rest of the season, and supposedly beyond, no idea if that was carried over to TNT, which is on cable. Fox never implemented the rule and when asked a few months ago, said they wanted to keep it live. MRN Radio also went to a 7-second delay, but PRN Radio did not. Also, since I get questions all the time on this when a driver says damn, hell or a*s, those words are not considered 'bad' by the FCC and are said daily on network TV during the day and primetime and have been for years.(9-19-2005)

About the agreements: