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SPEED will open its 2009 NASCAR coverage with the first episode of NASCAR 39/10: Reviewing the 60th Season on Jan. 7. The series of 10 three-hour specials, loaded with race highlights and extensive pre- and post-race interviews, will premiere Wednesdays and Thursdays from noon to 3 p.m. ET and run for five weeks, leading into the network’s extensive NASCAR programming schedule from Daytona Speedweeks in February. |
In addition, SPEED also will kick off its annual NASCAR Preseason Thunder coverage on Jan. 12 at 6 p.m. ET, with 17 original 30-minute shows and a one-hour special from Daytona Fan Fest on Jan. 17. The popular Trackside Live with Larry McReynolds, Jeff Hammond and Steve Byrnes will open the 2009 season with five consecutive shows from Daytona, airing Jan. 19-23 at 7 p.m. ET. Live NASCAR racing returns to the track with live coverage of qualifying for the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown Jan. 23 at 10 p.m. ET and live race coverage Jan. 24 at 10 p.m. ET. Mike Joy and Phil Parsons will be in the booth, with Dr. Dick Berggren and Jim Tretow reporting from the pits. This report came from Speed TV PR and the Jayski.com webpage.
Chet Burks Productions announced it will be covering the 33rd Annual World Championship Ice Racing Series from start to finish this winter. CPB will be producing series events programming for the progressive men’s television network MAV-TV.
Taping began with the Ice World opener at Topeka, KS in early December and will continue for 7 of the 8 rounds that will contest this year’s World Championship titles, including the season Grand Finale in Hoffman Estates (Chicago), IL. This winter marks the third consecutive year for the International Events/ICE-Chet Burks Productions/CBP-MAV-TV media relationship that has aired this series throughout most of the world.
It includes Manufacturers World Cup Motorcycle division and the Unlimited Outlaw Quads. The Outlaw Quads will celebrate a landmark season as it’s been 25 years years since this class was created and incorporated into the ICE WC Series. Among the championships are Johnny Murphree ’06, Jared Mees ’07 and Joe Kopp in ’08. In the Quads Canada’s Dick Matei 2006 and Dan Bergquist won back-to-back titles in ’07 and ’08. Consider that these riders are at home racing on dirt, pavement and ice which makes them a very versatile group.
Already completed is the event in Topeka, KS with the an event set for January 9 at Glens Falls Civic Arena in NY, Cedar Rapids Ice Arena is scheduled for January 16-17, while the U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington, IL goes off on January 24. The series moves to Sarnia, Ont. on January 30. On February 13, it’s the David S. Palmer Arena in Danville, IL with the finale set for February 27 at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates (Chicago), IL.
MavTV is an independently owned cable network and video brand created specifically to appeal to the interests of men. Launched Oct. 1, 2004, the network features a mix of original sports and gaming programming, as well as general content related to the male demographic. The network can be seen in more than 55 key markets via cable in the United States, and it has distribution agreements on mobile platforms in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and India.
Bernie Eccelstone isn’t the most popular guy around F1 racing these days. Even his family and close friends have turned on him. His wife has filed for divorce and the head of Ferrari has called for him to step down. Slavica Eccelstone, it’s said, has the majority of control of Bernie’s billion dollar empire. So when the divorce is complete, old Bernie won’t be flush with money.
Luca Di Montezemolo, the top man at Ferrari, is unhappy about several issues in F1. Most of all the fact that there are no F1 races in 2009 in North America. The USGP at Indianapolis imploded in 2007 and the Canadian GP disappeared after it’s June performance in 2008, in Montreal, Que. Luca blames Bernie for not coming up with a deal for these two venues.
Consider that the USA is the world largest market and we feel that the biggest chunk of Ferrari’s business is the USA. It’s not unusual to see those red and yellow Ferraris in the passing lane in the LA and Miami area, especially. At over 200 grand a copy the Ferrari appeals to the most affluent customers. LA and Miami have a lot of rich people there not to mention some of the biggest Ferrari dealerships. With the auto business in the tank, these days, and the financial meltdown, Di Montezemolo can see the sale of Ferrari sports cars going south like the rest of the industry.
The Italian automaker knows well that when their cars win on the race track, that gets the attention of their customer base. No F1 racing events in North America translates into poor visibility for the builders of one of the finest sports cars on the market. We have been to auto shows and various cruise events and the Ferraris are always the biggest attractions. Even though the majority of the onlookers can’t afford them. All they can do is fantasize while the folks that have a big checking accounts can fulfill their fantasy.
Let’s check to see what’s on TV this week. On Tuesday Speed offers the SCCA Runoffs from Topeka, KS with the F-500 going at noon and Touring 1 at 2 p.m. On Friday Speed comes back with the Porsche Super Cup from Spain at noon and Monaco at 12:30 p.m. On Saturday OLN Canada offers daily updates on the Dakar Rally Argentina/Chile at 4:30 p.m. Speed airs the AMA SuperX from Anaheim, CA at 10 p.m. Sunday will be busy with VS broadcasting the Dakar Rally Argentina and Chile at 3:30 p.m. OLN Canada comes back at 4 p.m. with a repeat of the Dakar Rally. At 7 p.m. it’s the Speed Report on the Speed Channel. (END)
NOTE: INFORMATION FOR THIS COLUMN CAME FROM VARIOUS REFERENCED SOURCES, PRESS RELEASES, NOTES AND OTHER SOURCES.
