Speed Channel's New Ads Debut; Feature Dale Jr.'s Pit Crew

By Terry Lefton, Editor-at-Large, The Sports Business Daily

Earnhardt's Pit Crew Ushers In New Era At Speed Channel

Fox' Speed Channel is celebrating its re-branding with a unique, integrated in-house promo spot that heralds Anheuser-Busch's arrival as a first-time sponsor of the cable network some six years after its launch. Breaking later this week is a TV spot starring the pit crew from Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s No. 8 Winston Cup team, which has Budweiser as its primary sponsor. Bearing air wrenches, the crew is seen furiously changing something and then buffing it up — of course it turns out they are changing the name of the network from Speedvision to Speed Channel. The spot is expected to be in heavy rotation over the next month and will also air during Fox' pre-game coverage of Super Bowl XXXVI February 3. Fox will officially change the motor sports network's name the day after the Super Bowl, February 4. The net was acquired by Fox last July, which has since hired the channel's first dedicated sales force (THE DAILY).