SPEED Channel is on the “Fast Track to Fame”

By Ryan

speed-logowebI suppose it was only a matter of time before someone created a NASCAR-themed reality talent/game show. SPEED Channel announced that Fast Track to Fame will premiere March 1, filling that hole in the TV schedule for people who still miss Hee-Haw. Here’s the full release from SPEED:

SPEED INTRODUCES FAST TRACK TO FAME MARCH 1 FROM LAS VEGAS
MICHAEL WALTRIP TO HOST NEW TALENT SHOW FOR NASCAR NATION

Charlotte, NC – What would you get if you mixed a grassroots America talent search with a dash of Michael Waltrip’s gregarious personality and spread it liberally over NASCAR Nation?  Answer: SPEED’s super new talent show, FAST TRACK TO FAME.

FAST TRACK TO FAME is a wild, new talent show produced exclusively for SPEED by Stars Avenue Productions in conjunction with FiveBinks, Inc.  David Hill and George Greenberg from Stars Avenue and Michael Binkow and Joe Revello from FiveBinks serve as Executive Producers.

Renowned NASCAR owner/driver Michael Waltrip, one of NASCAR’s most out-going and popular personalities and younger brother of NASCAR on FOX lead race analyst Darrell Waltrip, is set to host.  Charissa Thompson, well known for her work on FOX Sports and FSN, serves as co-host.

“With a massive SPEED presence at every NASCAR race all season long, FAST TRACK TO FAME gives fans and viewers a whole new level of entertainment,” said SPEED President Hunter Nickell said. “This project is all about NASCAR fans having a great time … it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

FAST TRACK TO FAME features real people from across NASCAR Nation including, singers, dancers, musicians, comedians and variety acts of all types! The series premieres Monday, March 1 at 8:00 PM ET, and each show is an hour-long with as many as six repeat airings during the following week.  Each installment is taped at a stop along the NASCAR schedule from late February through May, and 11 shows are scheduled.  After the premiere, the remaining scheduled telecast dates are: March 8, 22 & 29; April 12, 19 & 26; May 3, 24 & 31; and June 7, with all shows airing at 8:00 PM ET.

Acts are being solicited from NASCAR’s legion of fans through local media in most of the locales where the show is taped and beyond, then auditioned by producers.  Once acts are selected, eight to 10 per show, they’ll square-off against each other on the SPEED Stage either Friday or Saturday night in front of a NASCAR fan audience and a panel of three judges representing the worlds of pop culture, entertainment and/or racing.  Weekly winners receive a $5000 prize and compete during the two-show season finale, with 10 finalists going head-to-head to determine the ultimate winner.  SPEED viewers may also have the chance to vote online for a “fan favorite” to compete in the grand finale episodes.

SPEED™, anchored by its popular and wide-ranging coverage of NASCAR, is the nation’s first and only cable television network dedicated to automotive and motorcycle racing, performance and lifestyle.  Now available in more than 79 million homes in North America, SPEED, a FOX Sports Television Group property, is among the industry leaders in interactive TV, video on demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services. For more information, please visit www.SPEEDtv.com, the online motor sports authority.

About Ryan Berenz 2166 Articles
Member of the Television Critics Association. Charter member of the Ancient and Mystic Society of No Homers. Squire of the Ancient & Benevolent Order of the Lynx, Lodge 49, Long Beach, Calif. Costco Wholesale Gold Star Member since 2011.