Catchfence

NATIONWIDE AND CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
AWARDS BANQUET PART OF LOADED FRIDAY NIGHT MENU

NASCAR RACE HUB LIVE FROM LAS VEGAS MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

SPEED’s weeklong coverage of NASCAR Champion’s Week culminates with Friday’s live telecast of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Awards Ceremony from Las Vegas at 9 p.m. ET.

SPEED, in its second year airing the Awards Ceremony, will begin coverage with a live one-hour, red-carpet preview show at 9 p.m. ET, hosted by Steve Byrnes and Jeff Hammond with reporting from Krista Voda and Kenny Wallace. Byrnes hosts SPEED’s coverage of the Awards Ceremony from the Wynn Las Vegas, while NASCAR on FOX’s Mike Joy and Krista Voda introduce drivers and other award winners during the ceremonies. The night includes musical performances by Rascal Flatts, Martina McBride, Colbie Caillat, Eric Lewis and the Viva ELVIS by Cirque de Soleil performers.

As part of its daylong NASCAR programming on Friday, the network also is airing the NASCAR Nationwide Series/NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards Banquet at 7 p.m. ET. The banquet, hosted by SPEED’s Rick Allen and Voda from Miami, marked the first time in NASCAR national series history that four champions in two different series were honored simultaneously. Brad Keselowski and Todd Bodine were crowned as the 2010 driver champions of the Nationwide and Truck Series, respectively, while Joe Gibbs and Kyle Busch were recognized as the owner champions in the Nationwide and Truck Series. Furthermore, Roger Penske celebrated his first NASCAR championship with Keselowski.

“We witnessed a historical year in NASCAR across the board in 2010 and SPEED was there the entire season,” SPEED Executive Vice President of Programming & Production Patti Wheeler said. “There is a lot to celebrate this week and we welcome the opportunity to finish out the season in Vegas with the fans. But at the same time, we’re ready to ring in the 2011 NASCAR on SPEED season with some fresh ideas and looks already in the works, beginning with Daytona testing in January.”

NASCAR Race Hub (Monday through Thursday at 7 p.m. ET) opens NASCAR Champion’s Week with special weeklong coverage from Las Vegas beginning Monday evening. Byrnes and Danielle Trotta are in Las Vegas with interviews with Jimmie Johnson, the latest on preparations for the Awards Ceremony, fan festivals and other driver events. John Roberts will host Monday’s edition from the Hub studios in Charlotte, with Rick Allen taking the reins the remainder of the week.

SPEED is offering encore presentations of the NASCAR Hall of Fame biography specials Friday beginning at 2 p.m. ET. The specials profile the lives and careers of the inaugural class of inductees into the Hall of Fame – Bill France, Sr., Bill France, Jr., Junior Johnson, Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt.

NASCAR Champion’s Week coverage on SPEED:

Monday, Nov. 29 – NASCAR Race Hub (7 p.m. ET)

Tuesday, Nov. 30 – NASCAR Race Hub (7 p.m. ET)

Wednesday, Dec. 1 – NASCAR Race Hub (7 p.m. ET)

Thursday, Dec. 2 – NASCAR Race Hub (7 p.m. ET)

Friday, Dec. 3 – NASCAR Hall of Fame Biography: Bill France, Sr. (2 p.m. ET)

Friday, Dec. 3 – NASCAR Hall of Fame Biography: Bill France, Jr. (3 p.m. ET)

Friday, Dec. 3 – NASCAR Hall of Fame Biography: Junior Johnson (4 p.m. ET)

Friday, Dec. 3 – NASCAR Hall of Fame Biography: Richard Petty (5 p.m. ET)

Friday, Dec. 3 – NASCAR Hall of Fame Biography: Dale Earnhardt (6 p.m. ET)

Friday, Dec. 3 – NASCAR Nationwide Series/Camping World Truck Series Awards Banquet (7 p.m. ET)

Friday, Dec. 3 – NASCAR Sprint Cup Awards Ceremony from Las Vegas (9 p.m. ET)

About SPEED™
SPEED, anchored by its popular and wide-ranging coverage of NASCAR, is the nation’s first and only cable television network dedicated to automotive and motorcycle racing, performance and lifestyle. Now available in more than 80 million homes in North America, SPEED, a member of the FOX Sports Media Group, is among the industry leaders in interactive TV, video on demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services. For more information, please visit SPEED.com, the online motor sports authority.

About FOX Sports Media Group
FOX Sports Media Group (FSMG) is the umbrella entity representing News Corporation’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets under Chairman & CEO David Hill. Built with brands that are capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, FSMG includes ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing partnerships. FSMG now includes FOX Sports, the sports television arm of the FOX Broadcasting Company; Fox’s 19 regional sports networks, their affiliated regional web sites and FSN national programming; SPEED and SPEED2; Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Soccer Plus; FUEL TV; and Fox College Sports. In addition, FSMG also includes FOX Sports Interactive Media, which comprises FOXSports.com on MSN, whatifsports.com and scout.com, reaching over 20 million unique visitors monthly. Also included are Fox’s interests in joint-venture businesses FOX Deportes, Big Ten Network and STATS, LLC, as well as licensing agreements that establish the FOX Sports Radio Network, FOX Sports Skybox restaurants and FOX Sports Grills.

- SPEED, Press Release