By Jim Hanks
HOLLY, Mich. – The VERSUS network has been added to the broadcast lineup for the Must See Racing TruFuel Xtreme Speed Classic from Bristol Motor Speedway, with an airdate of Thursday, Dec. 1 at 5 p.m. EST. VERSUS, which will be rebranded NBC Sports Network on Jan. 2, is a cable network reaching 76 million U.S. households.
The TruFuel Xtreme Speed Classic served as a spectacular season finale for the Xtreme Sprint Series, as “Xtreme Speed” was indeed the theme of the day. Eight teams shattered the existing half-mile world’s record at Bristol, led by Brian Gerster’s clocking of 150.585 mph.
The race itself saw intense dueling throughout, with breathtaking speeds combined with great competition. The Xtreme Speed Classic at Bristol featured a full racing program of heats, semi-features, and a 25-lap main event. In addition to the race itself, the event decided the 2011 Xtreme Sprint Series championship, as Troy DeCaire, Ryan Litt, and JoJo Helberg battled for the series crown.
The addition of VERSUS boosts the reach of the Xtreme Speed Classic to over 150 million U.S. households. VERSUS joins an existing distribution network that includes the Comcast Sports Network as well as several prominent cable and satellite channels. The Xtreme Speed Classic will debut on those channels on Feb. 1, 2012.
“VERSUS is another important step in bringing our brand of motorsports competition to a growing American audience,” said Must See Racing founder Jim Hanks. “VERSUS has been very supportive of the TruFuel Xtreme Speed Classic and we will continue our discussions with them as we look to 2012.”
Based in Holly, Mich., the Xtreme Sprint Series features powerful winged sprint cars with 800-plus horsepower, competing at a variety of prestigious and historic venues in 2011 including Salem Speedway, Anderson Speedway, Berlin Raceway Park, Winchester Speedway, Auto City Speedway, Dells Motorsports Park, Rockford Speedway, Kalamazoo Speedway, and Bristol Motor Speedway. Based in Holly, Michigan, the series will begin their fourth season of competition in 2012.