gridironmike

Here's the official press release:
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040628/dcm011_1.html

NASCAR Radio on XM Satellite Radio Adds SPEED Channel Programs to Lineup
Monday June 28, 8:01 am ET


WASHINGTON, June 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- XM Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: XMSR - News), America's leading satellite radio service, today announced that NASCAR Radio (XM Channel 144) is adding programming from the popular cable network SPEED Channel to its premier schedule of live NASCAR races, exclusive interviews, and call-in shows.

NASCAR Radio, one of the most-listened-to channels on XM, now carries 11 programs produced by SPEED Channel, one of the nation's fastest-growing sports cable networks. The SPEED programming on NASCAR Radio includes NASCAR This Morning, Totally NASCAR, Pit Bull, NASCAR Victory Lane, NBS 24/7, Inside Nextel Cup, Trackside, NASCAR Edition Speed News, NASCAR Fast Forward, NASCAR Past Champions and Men Behind the Wrenches.

As part of this new partnership, XM will be the presenting sponsor of the highly-rated SPEED program Pit Bull, which can be seen on SPEED and heard on XM every Saturday preceding a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at 6:30 p.m. ET.

The SPEED Channel programs join NASCAR Radio's stellar line-up, which includes exclusive XM shows such as Dialed In, the enormously popular call-in program hosted by NASCAR Radio anchor Claire B. Lang at XM studios in Charlotte, N.C. Dialed In receives tens of thousands of calls each month as fans heat up the phone lines to talk about the latest NASCAR happenings. NASCAR Radio also carries every live race broadcast from Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Performance Racing Network (PRN), every NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series qualifying session and race, every NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, and series and specials that you can only hear on XM.

"SPEED Channel and NASCAR Radio on XM is a terrific partnership for racing fans," said Tim Farley, Program Director for NASCAR Radio. "NASCAR Radio has become the national water cooler for fans to find out what's happening in the sport, hear the latest racing action, and voice their opinions on the air. Now listeners can enjoy some of their favorite SPEED programs on NASCAR Radio from coast to coast."

"Partnering with XM Satellite Radio is a great opportunity for SPEED Channel to extend its brand, putting our exclusive NASCAR TV properties in front of XM's two million subscribers," said Kevin Annison, SPEED Channel VP Business Operations & Finance. "SPEED's strategic initiatives look to team the network with industry leaders, and XM Satellite Radio certainly fits that criteria."

"This deal threads together two very important media partners," said Jeffrey Pollack, managing director of broadcasting and new media, NASCAR Digital Entertainment. "XM gets quality programming and SPEED Channel gets in front of a powerful audience. Together they will reinforce the access and exposure NASCAR Radio and NASCAR TV create for our fans and industry. This is a classic win-win."

NASCAR Radio, available exclusively on XM, is the first and only 24-hour radio channel dedicated to a single sport.

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BenDee

That will be the last press release that will feature that exact phrase...

gridironmike

Maybe so, but that is not the point of the thread. Wasn't Sirius' racing programming coming from SPEED? What "will they" OR "do they" have now?

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BenDee

I know a bunch are still on Sirius Sports Action. Just because they are on XM does not mean they are on Sirius anymore.

JohnBrowningFan

Notice that XM gets all of Speed's NASCAR programming, but, WE get Speed's leading program 4 nights a week - Wind Tunnel.

theuppergroove

Who cares, why didn't Sirius go get Speed Channel?This one of the reasons why I miss XM radio -because of Nascar Stuff

TulaneJeff

Probably because Nascar is already saturated on terrestrial radio. Or the people who run an extension cord out to the tv with rabbit ears in the front yard.

Jeff

theuppergroove

When is the Wind tunnel on?????

gridironmike

When and where? I only show Sirius having MRN's Sirius Speedway, SpeedFreaks, and Oval Track.

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JohnBrowningFan

Live 10pm Eastern

JohnBrowningFan

Sirius orignally had Speed Channel on 123 and it pretty much sucked. TV audio only of race coverage sucks; "Look at that pass!!!". Sirius needs RADIO coverage of all the racing it can get. I would think that Champ Car and IRL would be pretty cheap, but, Clayton seems focused on NASCAR. I think that we will get the NASCAR races next season, but, we don't need a 24/7 NASCAR channel. A 24/7 racing channel would be good, though.

RyanM

NNC Play-by-Play_ON
NASCAR 24/7_OFF

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Darkbandit

If Sirius was to do a 24/7 NASCAR channel, they could probably learn alot of what not to do by listening to the XM version as of now.

First - Don't air the same programs repetitively. As it stands now on XM, I would venture at least half of the programs that are played have been played about 10 times before.

Second - Air more classic races. Sure, I do like hearing old races, but I have heard the 98 Daytona 500 Classic on XM so much it's getting old.

Third - If Sirius were to have it's own program like Dialed In on XM, Don't hire Claire B. Lang. She is too annoying, makes me want to throw my radio out the window everytime she says something.

The one thing that I do have to say that is good about XM is the coverage of the races on weekend. Qualifying, BGN, Cup, and/or Truck races are aired at least 2-3 times over the weekend and a condensed verison of the race broadcast on Monday (providing there is no race held on Monday due to rain.)

Those are the three things that I would like to see if Sirius was to get the rights and start their own Nascar channel. If anyone disagrees with my views and want to disagree with me, send me a PM.

RyanM

SPEED has programming that could fill in time slots on a racing channel. It could be a format of that mixes Nascar coverage with SPEED programming when there is noting new to play. This channel could also be like ESPN Classics, but for racing. I've seen old races when they a live race is being delayed. They are interesting to to watch and I'm sure to listen too. I think if SIRIUS ever consideres play-by-play for NASCAR, weekend coverage would be a must.

Can you elaborate more on what kind of program this might be?

Besides the question...

EDIT for typo.

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Darkbandit

Dialed In is to XM as Sirius Speedway is to Sirius. It's a call-in show that people talk about what's going on in the racing community.

The only problem that I have with the whole thing on XM is that there are rarely any driver interviews on unless they are done by Claire. Usually, at least whenever I have heard them, they are done when they are at a track for the weekend. Also, Claire seems to think that she can talk to who she wants to when she wants to. Back during the Daytona 500 weekend, most of what I heard her talking about was Dale Jr and the whole DEI team. I'm sure that she talked about other teams, but everytime I turned it on, that's who she was talking about. Now if I am ever listening and she comes on, I have to fight the urge to throw the radio out the window.