SPEED™ NAMES 12 FINALISTS FOR SECOND ANNUAL SPEED PERFORMER OF THE YEAR NINE SERIES REPRESENTED IN QUEST FOR PRESTIGIOUS MARIO ANDRETTI TROPHY DANICA PATRICK, TOMMY KENDALL TO HOST SPEED PERFORMANCE AWARDS The 15-member SPEED voting panel has named 12 finalists for the 2007 SPEED Performer of the Year honor, with the winner to be announced as part of the SPEED Performance Awards one-hour television special hosted by racers Tommy Kendall and Danica Patrick in February. Two-time NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champion and inaugural winner of the SPEED Performer of the Year last season, Jimmie Johnson, is on a ballot that represents nine different racing series. The top six vote-getters will be featured on the special. Johnson is joined by back-to-back World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series champion Donny Schatz, AMA Supercross champ James Stewart, IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti, four-time Champ Car World Series titlist Sebastien Bourdais, MotoGP champ Casey Stoner, Formula One rookie sensation Lewis Hamilton, Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series champions Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty, USAC National Midget Series champion Jerry Coons Jr., USAC sprint car driver Jon Stanbrough, F1 champion Kimi Raikkonen and NASCAR Nextel Cup Series runner-up Jeff Gordon. The second annual SPEED Performer of the Year will be selected by a panel including “Wind Tunnel” host Dave Despain, veteran broadcasters Bob Varsha and Ralph Sheheen, SPEEDtv.com writers Robin Miller and Tom Jensen and versatile racers Tommy Kendall and Dorsey Schroeder. The winner will receive the Mario Andretti Trophy, created by bronze artist Elie Hazak. SPEED is the nation’s first and foremost cable television 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 78 million homes in North America, SPEED is among the fastest-growing sports cable networks in the country and, the home to NASCAR on SPEED and an industry leader in interactive TV, video on demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services. For more information, please visit SPEEDtv.com, the online motor sports authority. And now, some reader reaction: FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: No, I am not surprised that SPEED has ignored Ben’s achivements, they disrespect motorcycle racing all of the time, what, with the way they schedule WSB, how they broadcast events 6 months after the fact, I could go on, but you guys know how they are. I have tried to get in touch with them, but that is a waste of time, they never respond. What really galls is when they start broadcasting toboggan racing! How I long for the days of SpeedVision. Then FOX sports took over and became NASCARCHANNEL, I wish some other network would take over motorcycle racing. Jose Obando Congress, Arizona