Kyle Petty Joins Cast of Inside NASCAR

NEW YORK (Feb. 8, 2011)—SHOWTIME Sports announced today that motorsports legend Kyle Petty will join the cast of Inside NASCAR for the second season of the successful NASCAR Sprint Cup Series highlights, news and analysis program. Petty, third generation of one of racing’s most accomplished families, joins host Chris Myers and returning stars Michael Waltrip, Brad Daugherty and Randy Pemberton for 2011.
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etty is the most notable of the season-two modifications to Inside NASCAR, premium television’s first weekly highlights and analysis show dedicated to auto racing.  The weekly shows will premiere at a new time—Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT—with each episode condensed to 30 minutes of uncensored, in-your-face footage, analysis and commentary. The updated and tighter version aims to provide fans with a succinct, fast-paced and provocative program. Uncensored scanner audio, which is a SHOWTIME television exclusive, vibrant race highlights from the EMMY^® Award winning NASCAR Media Group, interviews with drivers in the headlines and edgy analysis from a renowned collection of NASCAR insiders and experts have combined to create a unique look at America’s No. 1 spectator sport.

"Growing up in racing, I have an opinion on just about everything to do with the sport. I hope to give fans an unfiltered look and a no-strings-attached perspective on the sport we all love." said Petty. "I can't wait to work with Chris, Michael, Brad and Randy."

Son of NASCAR legend Richard “The King” Petty, Kyle Petty has spent more than 30 years in the sport as a driver, owner and media commentator. Currently, Petty serves as a NASCAR analyst for TNT, SPEED and Performance Racing Network.

"The Petty name is synonymous with racing royalty,” said Ken Hershman, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “We are thrilled to have Kyle join Inside NASCAR for our second season. His unique perspective and compelling personality make him a tremendous addition and makes this cast, hands down, the best in the business.

“The show aims to bring NASCAR fans deeper inside the sport than ever before,” Hershman continued. “We delivered precisely that in season one. Now, with the new half-hour format, Inside NASCAR will become the fastest show on television.”

Late in 2009, SHOWTIME Sports signed a multi-year deal with NASCAR to produce and televise Inside NASCAR throughout the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ 38-week season.

Produced in conjunction with NASCAR Media Group, Inside NASCAR is filmed at NASCAR Plaza , the state-of-the-art television production facility at theNASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte , N.C.


About NASCAR Media Group
NASCAR Media Group (NMG) is NASCAR’s media, marketing and entertainment company that creates and produces programming related to the sport, manages its media partnerships, and forges relationships to integrate NASCAR into mainstream entertainment.  Projects developed by NMG include award-winning television programs and theatrical releases, such as the acclaimed biopic “DALE”; Quest for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup; “NASCAR 3D: The IMAX Experience"; and “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.” Last year, in partnership with BET, NASCAR Media Group produced, “Changing Lanes,” which spotlighted up and coming drivers and those supporting them behind the scenes.



About Showtime Networks Inc.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME^®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL^™ and FLIX^®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2^™, SHOWTIME^® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME^®, SHOWTIME BEYOND^®, SHOWTIME NEXT^®, SHOWTIME WOMEN^®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE^® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL^™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD^™, THE MOVIE CHANNEL^™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND^® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL^™ ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel^™. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV^®.