SPEED Executive Vice President & General Manager Hunter Nickell today announced the inaugural SPEED Performance Awards, a series of motor sports honors to be voted on by racing fans around the world, all culminating in a one-hour television special to air in December 2006. “We wanted to create an awards program that SPEED viewers and SPEEDtv.com visitors had a vested interest in,” Nickell said. “Whether it’s through our race coverage, our news and highlights or our lifestyle programming, SPEED is thoroughly immersed in the world of racing, giving us a truly unique perspective. The SPEED Performance Awards are the perfect way to highlight that perspective and connect legions of race fans in a meaningful way. “Whether you are a fan of NASCAR, Formula One, sports cars, motorcycles or all of the above, SPEED is your network,” Nickell added. “The SPEED Performance Awards will provide the platform to bring all of those audiences together.” Beginning in November, SPEED will air highlights from multiple categories and multiple race series, allowing fans to vote on their favorites by visiting SPEEDtv.com or through their mobile phone. With categories still in development, “Fantastic Finish” “¦ “Unbelievable Pass” “¦ and “Outstanding Achievement in a Post-Race Celebration” are at the top of the early list. The top honor, SPEED Performer of the Year, will be voted on by a panel of SPEED on-air racing analysts and writers from SPEEDtv.com and announced at the end of the show. With top racers from every racing series eligible for the honor, SPEED will begin a “Performance Watch” later this season, tracking the top candidates for the award on multiple SPEED programs and on SPEEDtv.com. SPEED, celebrating its 10th Anniversary in 2006, is the nation’s first and foremost cable network dedicated to motor sports and the passion for everything automotive. From racing to restoration, motorcycles to movies, SPEED delivers quality programming from the track to the garage. Now available in more than 71 million homes in North America, SPEED is among the fastest growing sports cable networks in the country and an industry leader in interactive TV, video on-demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services.