Nextel Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson was named the inaugural SPEED Performer of the Year, edging out MotoGP champion Nicky Hayden and F1 title winner Fernando Alonso for the top award on last night’s SPEED Performance Awards television special presented by BFGoodrich. Other finalists included Sam Hornish Jr. (IRL), Sebastien Bourdais (Champ Car) and Tony Schumacher (NHRA). In the top fan-voted category, Grand American Rolex Series driver Colin Braun was named RACER Magazine Rookie of the Year, topping Marco Andretti (IRL), Bryan Clauson (USAC), Denny Hamlin (NASCAR), Robert Kubica (F1), J.R. Todd (NHRA) and Dan Clarke (Champ Car). Braun will be featured along with other RACER Magazine honorees in a special ‘Racers of the Year’ April issue, on sale March 13. With more than 56,000 fan votes cast on SPEEDtv.com for the SPEED Performance Awards, other winners of the night included: * Best Rivalry – Formula One titans Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher * Biggest Hit – Champ Car rookie Katherine Legge, who walked away from a massive crash at Road America after losing her rear wing. * Biggest Upset – David Gilliland for his ‘David vs. Goliath’ win in the NASCAR Busch Series race at Kentucky in an unsponsored, underfunded entry. * Oops Award – NASCAR driver Brian Vickers for taking out teammate Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Talladega en route to his first Nextel Cup Series win. * Tell It Like It Is – Carl Edwards for his emotional, on-camera assessment of fellow NASCAR driver Tony Stewart after an on-track incident at Pocono, calling Stewart “special.” * Temper, Temper – ARCA driver Michael Simko for his flying sidekick through the front windshield of fellow competitor Don St. Denis at Toledo. * Best Finish – Sam Hornish Jr. passing rookie Marco Andretti on the last lap of the Indy 500. The SPEED Performance Awards, hosted by Patrick Dempsey and Tommy Kendall, will re-air Saturday at 8:00pm/et and Wednesday at 9:00pm/et.(SpeedTV PR)(2-10-2007)
