Notes & Quotes: Episode 4

ON THIS WEEK’S EDITION OF INSIDE NASCAR™ TONIGHT ON SHOWTIME® — 10 p.m. ET/PT

Congratulations to former NASCAR Driver Geoff Bodine and Team USA Bobsled For an Historic Olympic Gold Medal; “Glory Road” Revisits Fantastic Photo Finishes from Atlanta Motor Speedway; #24 Team Crew Chief Steve Letarte Goes On the Hot Seat; Plus, Inside NASCAR Debuts New Segment ‘Bumper-To-Bumper’

New Episodes Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (March 3, 2010) – Inside NASCAR premieres its newest segment “Bumper-To-Bumper” in tonight’s episode, Wednesday, March 3, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME with host Chris Myers and analysts Brad Daugherty, Randy Pemberton and Michael Waltrip.  Throughout the season this segment will break down the technical ins and outs of racing; from multi-million dollar tools to the most elementary of equipment.  Tonight, see how a can of Coke helped pit crews in Las Vegas stick to their game plan.

Additionally, tonight’s episode features a special congratulations to the proficient veteran NASCAR driver Geoff Bodine and the entire Team U.S.A. Bobsled crew for its effort in earning an historic Olympic Gold in Vancouver. The Inside NASCAR panel discusses whether or not anyone can challenge Jimmie Johnson and the #48 Team in the 2010 season and why NASCAR needs the competition to step up to the four-time champs.

In our weekly trip down Glory Road, Inside NASCAR revisits the fantastic photo finishes that have shaped the history of racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway, site of this week’s races.  The cast of Inside NASCAR puts guest Steve Letarte, crew chief of Jeff Gordon’s #24 car, on the hot seat regarding his crucial decision in the pits in the waning laps of last week’s race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway that arguably cost his team the race.

Inside NASCAR is produced in conjunction with the NASCAR Media Group.  New episodes will air on SHOWTIME Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT for 38 weeks corresponding with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.  The co-executive producers are Ken Hershman, Executive Vice President and General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports and Jay Abraham, Chief Operating Officer, NASCAR Media Group.  The executive in charge of production is Jim Jorden with Mike Wells acting as consulting director.

Episode 4 Quotes:

Discussing Jamie McMurray spinning out teammate Juan Pablo Montoya

(Waltrip) Jamie certainly didn’t mean to spin his teammate out; I will tell you in Jamie’s defense what I saw. He assumed, I bet, that Juan would go in higher and he went in the middle of the track.  I think when you assume a lot of times you get in trouble.

Discussing Jeff Gordon’s crew chief, Steve Letarte’s decision to take two tires instead of four

(Pemberton) When you’ve got the most dominant car all day long, you lead all those laps, you’re leading coming on to pit road, one thing you do not want to do, is take the opportunity to play offense by your driver out of his hands.  I love Steve Letarte, but it was a mistake.

Discussing Jimmie Johnson’s win at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway

(Daugherty) I am just not convinced anyone can beat this 48 crew in the closing moments…two tires, four tires, six tires, eight tires.  These guys do it time and time again.  No one beats these guys come crunch time.

For bonus content including additional segments and behind-the-scenes video and photos visit the SHOWTIME Sports website at http://www.sho.com/sports.

About NASCAR Media Group

NASCAR Media Group (NMG) is NASCAR’s media, marketing and entertainment company that creates and produces programming related to the sport, manages its media partnerships, and forges relationships to integrate NASCAR into mainstream entertainment.  Projects developed by NMG include award-winning television programs and theatrical releases, such as the acclaimed biopic “DALE”; Quest for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup; “NASCAR 3D: The IMAX Experience”; and “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.” Earlier this year, in partnership with BET, NASCAR Media Group announced the development of a new program, “Changing Lanes,” which will spotlight up and coming drivers and those supporting them behind the scenes, and this fall began producing Quest for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, an up close HD look at the drivers competing in NASCAR’s playoffs, for VERSUS.

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