Live Coverage Of Daytona SX On SPEED

February 20, 2007, 2:07pm

SPEED CELEBRATES FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF LIVE COVERAGE FROM DAYTONA

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (February 20, 2007) – SPEED will once again bring all the motorcycle racing action from Daytona this March to millions of viewers across the country. Highlighting this year’s television package is live flag-to-flag coverage of the 66th annual Daytona 200 by Honda on Saturday, March 10. Also featured will be same-day coverage of the Daytona Supercross by Honda, the Daytona Superbike, Superstock and Supersport races, as well as highlights from the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track doubleheader from Municipal Stadium.

This year marks the fifth anniversary of SPEED’s live coverage from Daytona. The network set new standards of coverage when it first broadcast the Daytona 200 live in 2002. SPEED continues to build on its legacy as the favorite stop on the TV remote for motorcycle racing fans.

This year SPEED will provide 12 hours of combined live and tape-delayed coverage from Daytona.

The television action gets underway on Thursday, March 8 at 2:30 pm Eastern with the final round of qualifying for the Daytona 200 by Honda. Last year Miguel Duhamel put his factory Honda on the pole. The 13-lap AMA Superstock event takes the green flag at 3:50 pm. In a classic last-lap, run-to-the-finish-line Daytona pass, Jamie Hacking took the Superstock win last March from then teammate Jason DiSalvo. The Pro Honda Oils Supersport presented by Shoei will close out Thursday’s programming with live coverage of the 22-lap final starting at 4:50 pm Eastern. Last year it was Kawasaki's Roger Lee Hayden emerging from a four-rider pack to win the important Supersport event.

Supercross takes center stage on Friday, March 9. The race will be shown tape delayed at 9:30 pm Eastern Friday night. This will likely be the final appearance in the Daytona Supercross for five-time race winner Ricky Carmichael. Carmichael, who is moving to a career racing NASCAR, will face two-time winner Chad Reed and fellow Floridian James Stewart, the Kawasaki ace who is hoping to earn his first victory in the prestigious race.

Racing fans in search of extensive T.V. coverage of Daytona’s races will get what they’re looking for in a big way on Saturday, March 10. From 11:00 am to 4:30 pm Eastern SPEED will bring viewers live action from Daytona International Speedway, as well as AMA Flat Track racing from Municipal Stadium in a taped program.

Saturday’s shows kick off with opening round of the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited. Last year Mat Mladin made a crafty last-lap move to beat out Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Ben Spies for the Daytona Superbike win. This year series champion Spies will try to turn the tables on Mladin.

The schedule then turns to the Daytona Flat Track twinbill from Municipal Stadium. Last year Bryan Smith and Kevin Varnes shared the spotlight with each rider winning a leg of the doubleheader.

Coverage then moves back to the Speedway for the Daytona 200 pre-race show and at 2:00 pm Eastern the green flag drops on the Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme, 66th annual Daytona 200 by Honda. Last year it was Honda’s Jake Zemke taking the victory marking the biggest win of his career.

Wind Tunnel host Dave Despain will anchor SPEED’s broadcast, while Ralph Sheheen will give play-by-play, Freddie Spencer with expert commentary and Greg White will handle pit reporting duties for the road racing events. Sheheen will be joined by Jeff Emig and Erin Bates for the Supercross broadcast and Larry Maiers, Brian Drebber and Scott Parker will call the flat track action from Municipal Stadium.

For additional information on all the Daytona AMA Pro Racing TV programming go to www.speedtv.com or www.amaproracing.com.