Daytona 2006 Features a Full Plate of Television Coverage
SPEED features 8 hours of live coverage
PICKERINGTON, Ohio (February 10, 2006) – Fans of AMA championship
motorcycle racing will get their fill of action in March when SPEED
fires up 12 hours of race coverage from Daytona Beach, including eight
hours of live coverage, culminating with the broadcast of the 65th
running of the Daytona 200 by Honda, the opening round of the AMA
Lockhart-Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series.
SPEED’s coverage kicks off March 9 from 2:30 to 6 p.m. ET, including
coverage of the AMA Supersport and Superstock season openers as well as
Daytona 200 and AMA Superbike qualifying. Last year, Yoshimura Suzuki's
Mat Mladin turned the fastest lap ever on the newly configured,
2.95-mile Daytona International Speedway. Repeat coverage of the
Supersport and Superstock races will air at 11 p.m. ET on March 9 and
again at 12 p.m. ET, March 10.
On March 10, the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series takes center stage
with primetime same-day coverage starting at 9:30 p.m. ET. The “Big
Three” of Ricky Carmichael, Chad Reed and James Stewart will bring
their season-long battle to one of the premier events on the AMA
Supercross schedule, featuring the longest and most exhausting track in
the series.
On March 11, SPEED will offer morning-to-evening coverage of Daytona
Bike Week racing. The day starts at 11 a.m. ET with flag-to-flag
coverage of the 2006 AMA Superbike Championship Presented by Parts
Unlimited season opener. Defending champ Mat Mladin will begin his
quest to win a record seventh AMA Superbike title. This year, Mladin
will face an even deeper field of competitors, including the returning
factory Kawasaki squad led by brothers Tommy and Roger Lee Hayden.
Fans of the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship won’t be
left out either. After the Daytona Superbike race, SPEED will present
Thursday night’s Flat Track season opener from Daytona’s Municipal
Stadium. Chris Carr is hoping to close in this year on some of Scott
Parker’s AMA Grand National records.
Live coverage of the 65th Daytona 200 by Honda featuring the AMA
Lockhart-Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series will take the green flag
starting at 1:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 11. This year defending
Daytona 200 winner Miguel Duhamel will face a strong field of
competitors as he tries to become the first six-time winner of the
prestigious race.
“AMA Pro Racing is thrilled to again be working with SPEED for the 2006
racing season and these 3 days in March - with 12 hours of programming,
is a great rollout for another fantastic season of coverage for fans of
AMA racing,” said AMA Pro Racing’s Vice-President of Commercial
Development John C. Farris, Jr. “The Daytona Bike Week tradition
gathers the entire AMA racing community and it is great to have SPEED
bringing it to life for the fans that aren’t able to attend the
events,” added Farris.
Veteran broadcasters Ralph Sheheen, who is also announcing the entire
Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series on SPEED, and Brian Drebber will
provide play by play alongside expert color analysis from former
Daytona winner Freddie Spencer. 2 Wheel Tuesday’s host Greg White will
be reporting from the pits with help from racer Jason Pridmore during
the Daytona 200.
For additional information on all the Daytona AMA Pro Racing TV programming go to www.speedtv.com or www.amaproracing.com.