Turner Sports and TNT have greenlit a reprise of this past NASCAR season’s July 7 Wide Open Coverage race, a television first that featured no commercial interruptions but used branded content for 10 advertisers that appeared sporadically via a small on-screen window.
The cable network will definitely return with Sprint for next year’s July 5, 2008 telecast, while talks are already underway with the other marketers including Auto Zone, DirecTV, Ford, Goodyear, Miller Brewing Co., Principal Financial Group, Subway and Toyota. Coca-Cola has replaced Pepsi as the on-track sponsor of next year’s race, which will be known as the Coke 400. Turner is also talking with Coke about becoming TV sponsor of the race and buying branded spots in the telecast. This report came from AutoRacingSport.com newsletter.
Some of the biggest names in motor sport will be participating at the event, which will take place in Monaco on December 5-6. FIA president Max Mosley, BMW motor sport boss Mario Theissen, Formula One’s newest team owner Vijay Mallya and Honda Racing CEO Nick Fry are just a few of the major industry players taking part in the conference programme.
Eurosport agreed a deal to be the Platinum Broadcast Partner for the Forum, a deal which will enable motor sport professionals worldwide to follow the conference via a live webcast for the first-time. A full camera crew will be on the ground to film the event bringing the latest news and views, plus on-the-spot interviews with the motor sport industry’s most influential people.
Jacques Raynaud, Vice-Chairman, Eurosport, said: “The Motor Sport Business Forum is a natural fit for us. The Forum is the leading event for the motor sport industry and Eurosport has a deep involvement in televising and promoting major motor racing championships. We are delighted to bring our cutting-edge technology and webcasting know-how to this important industry event.” This report came from European sources.
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course will boast seven major events in 2008, featuring the finest in open-wheel, sports car, motorcycle, historic and grassroots racing at the Lexington, Ohio road course. The 47th season of racing officially kicks off June 20-22 with the EMCO Gears Classic presented by KeyBank, featuring the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. After a year apart, the Daytona Prototypes and GT cars of the Rolex Series will once again face-off in a combined event Saturday evening. The three-day event will also showcase the Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series and the top tuner cars will return for the 5th Annual Triple Crown Tuner Challenge.
Historic automobiles from around the globe will converge on Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on June 27-29 as the Vintage Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio celebrates fifty years of the Austin Healey Sprite, the event’s official marque.
The largest event on the schedule – the Acura Sports Car Challenge and The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio presented by Westfield Insurance – is set for July 18-20 and will highlight the American Le Mans and IndyCar Series. This jam-packed weekend will also include support races from SCCA Pro Racing’s SPEED World Challenge presented by Trenton Forging and the Indy Pro Series, as it aims to be the largest motorsports event in the state of Ohio for the second year running.
The Mid-Ohio season will reach its midway point with two weekends of motorcycle mayhem. The AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days roars into town on July 25-27, bringing with it the history and grandeur of featured marque Triumph. The following weekend, the fast and furious of the two-wheeled variety roll in with the Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire, one of the AMA Superbike Championship Series’ most popular stops.
Two grassroots racing events will conclude the 2008 schedule as the National Auto Sport Association comes to town September 12-14 for the NASA Championships presented by Toyo Tires, while the following weekend welcomes the AMA Road Race Grand Championships / Motocross Manufacturers Cup, September 19-21.
“We’re proud to have one of the strongest schedules in North American road racing,” said Michelle Trueman Gajoch, president of TrueSports, Inc. owner and operator of Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. “Our schedule includes nearly all facets of road racing and the consistency and diversity year-to-year is important as we strive to put on the best show possible for our corporate sponsors and spectators.” Season passes and individual race tickets are now available by calling 1-800-MID-OHIO or by logging on to www.midohio.com.
The Wrangler brand’s original “One Tough Customer” is being honored by the denim icon in a new line of limited edition jeans, tees, and hats. Fueled with the style and spirit of “The Intimidator,” the new Dale Earnhardt Collection by WranglerTM will be available in select Wal-Mart stores for a limited time only beginning in late November.
Let’s check to see what’s on TV in terms of motorsports that will help to chase away the winter blues for the motorheads. On Friday at noon it’s the Porsche Super Cup Rounds 6-7 at the British and German Grands Prix on Speed followed by the next two rounds from Hungary and Turkey. Speed also airs the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Awards Banquet from the Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood, Fla. at 9 p.m. Saturday has the German Touring Cars from Oschersleben, Germany at noon on Speed. At 1 p.m. Speed also offers the Australian V8 Supercars from Barbagallo Raceway in W. Australia. NBC kicks in with Off Road action from Primm, NV at 1:30 p.m. Speed comes back at 2 p.m. with the Laguna Seca and Portland, OR Mazda Cup events. Sunday’s picks are the UIM Powerboats in the GP of Naples, Italy at 11 a.m. on Speed while VS offers ASA Modified Series from Blythe, CA at 2 p.m. (end)
NOTE: INFORMATION FOR THIS COLUMN CAME FROM VARIOUS REFERENCED SOURCES, PRESS RELEASES AND NOTES.
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