Former drivers NED JARRETT, DAVID PEARSON, BOBBY ALLISON, LEE PETTY and former team Owner BUD MOORE last night were inducted into the NASCAR HOF. The AP's Jenna Fryer noted the ceremony "drew major star power to help with the inductees: Former President GEORGE H.W. BUSH narrated the video to introduce Lee Petty, while newscaster and author TOM BROKAW narrated Moore's." Bush called Petty the "patriarch of what would be one of the most famous families, not only in NASCAR, but in all of American sports." Meanwhile, Brokaw "honored Moore as a member of 'The Greatest Generation,' who was part of the D-Day invasion of Normandy." Univ. of Alabama football coach NICK SABAN "narrated Allison's video" (AP, 5/23).
LATEST TO TAKE A STAND: In Phoenix, Paul Coro noted Suns G STEVE NASH is featured in a new PSA for national gay rights advocacy group the Human Rights Campaign, backing a "marriage equality campaign in New York." The video comes out a week after Suns President & CEO RICK WELTS "disclosed he is gay and Suns players GRANT HILL and JARED DUDLEY appeared in a NBA video aimed at creating an awareness of the prevalence of gay slurs and reducing homophobic language." Nash's video "already was in the works before those events" (AZCENTRAL.com, 5/23).
HAIR TO THE THRONE: BROADCASTING & CABLE's Michael Malone notes as execs at Comcast and NBC Universal "seek the best ways to marry the cable colossus and broadcast giant, many are looking to" Comcast Sports Group Senior VP/News Operations PRINCELL HAIR. Comcast officials said that Hair, "with his collaborative spirit and low-ego approach, is a go-to guy in the new arrangement." Versus and Comcast SportsNet President JON LITNER said Hair is "the architect" of Comcast's studio operations. Hair's responsibilities include "seeing how Comcast's sports networks and NBC Local Media's sports departments can complement each other in common markets." Next month, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area "will start producing the sports reports" for KNTV-NBC in S.F., and the "model is likely to be deployed elsewhere" (BROADCASTING & CABLE, 5/23 issue).
TORNADO RELIEF: The MLB Cardinals, in conjunction with the Double-A Texas League Springfield Cardinals, will make a $25,000 donation to assist families devastated by the tornadoes Sunday in Joplin, Mo. (Cardinals)....Kansas Speedway is offering a promotion allowing fans to drive their own vehicles around the track from 2:00-7:00pm CT June 24 with a $25 donation to the American Red Cross. For $50, fans can drive around the track from 6:30-10:00pm on June 18 “as part of the first event under the lights at the speedway.” The money will assist with relief efforts in the "tornado-ravaged areas of Reading, Kan., and Joplin, Mo." (K.C. STAR, 5/24)….The Colts are “asking fans to drop off bottled water and diapers as part of a drive-through collection event for the victims of Sunday’s deadly tornado” (THEINDYCHANNEL.com, 5/23).
NAMES: PRESIDENT OBAMA and his wife, MICHELLE, last night dined privately with U.S. Ambassador to Ireland and Steelers Chair Emeritus DAN ROONEY and his wife in Dublin (THE DAILY)….Fox NFL analyst TROY AIKMAN has listed his five-bedroom, six-bath home in the Dallas neighborhood of Highland Park for $24M (DALLASNEWS.com, 5/23)….Former MLBer JAY BUHNER has listed his 80-acre estate in Seattle, which includes a batting cage, for $6.75M (SEATTLETIMES.com, 5/20).
