Catchfence

NEWSMAN BROKAW, ALABAMA COACH SABAN SALUTING INDUCTEES

Kyle Petty: “ … When he raced, I don’t think there was a president in the White House who knew what stock car racing was.”

President George H.W. Bush is no stranger to successful family dynasties, and the 41st President of the United States will share some of his perspective as he welcomes Petty family patriarch Lee Petty into the NASCAR Hall of Fame via video on May 23 at 8 p.m. ET on SPEED.

SPEED, the official television network of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies, offers extensive coverage of this year’s events, welcoming David Pearson, Lee Petty, Bobby Allison, Bud Moore and Ned Jarrett into enshrinement.

Pre-event programming begins at 7 p.m. ET with NASCAR Race Hub, with the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at 8 p.m. ET and post-event wrap-up beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET.

“President Bush welcoming my grandfather into the NASCAR Hall of Fame is huge because when he raced, I don’t think there was a president in the White House who knew what stock car racing was,” said Kyle Petty, Lee Petty’s grandson and SPEED analyst. “It’s kind of like when President Reagan was there for The King’s 200th win. That was a big deal for The King but it also was a big deal for our family and our sport. I don’t think my grandfather would ever have expected anything like this because the president recognizing a NASCAR driver’s accomplishments was so far outside of the realm of what he thought possible back then.”

“The participation by President Bush amplifies the significance of the roles these inductees played as part of the fabric of our country,” said SPEED President Hunter Nickell. “SPEED is honored to be sharing an event of this magnitude with passionate race fans everywhere.”

Tom Brokaw, longtime anchor of NBC Nightly News and the author of The Greatest Generation, the best-selling book about the men and women who lived through the Great Depression and fought in World War II, will welcome Moore into the Hall. Moore, a veteran of WW II and successful NASCAR team owner, was among the soldiers who stormed the beach at Normandy on D-Day.

The University of Alabama’s national championship-winning coach Nick Saban pays tribute to Allison, a founding member of racing’s famed Alabama Gang, which included Allison, his brother Donnie, Red Farmer, Bobby’s son, Davey, Neil and David Bonnett and Hut Stricklin.

Richard Petty, a member of the inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the undisputed “King” of NASCAR racing welcomes arch-rival David Pearson into the Hall, as the pair combined for an amazing 63 first/second place finishes. Legendary race broadcaster Ken Squier welcomes two-time NASCAR champion and broadcasting pioneer Ned Jarrett.

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 82 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