SPEED Names Voda to Host Network’s Inaugural Coverage of NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge

Krista
Voda will host SPEED’s inaugural coverage of the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star
Challenge on May 19 at 7 p.m. ET from Lowe’s Motor Speedway in

Charlotte.

“This is
bigger than front row tickets to a Bon Jovi concert!” said Voda, who also hosts
NCTS Set-Up, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series pre-race show on SPEED, as well
as serving as a pit reporter for NASCAR Nextel Cup Series races on FOX in 2007.
“The All-Star event is all about intensity … blink and you miss something.
Every moment is adrenaline-filled and action-packed. No points, no money and
the best drivers in NASCAR … there isn’t anything else like it.

“I worked
with Jeff (

Hammond)
on the old Totally NASCAR show, so I am excited about being paired with him
again on this,” Voda added. “I will be playing off of his energy and definitely
bringing some of my own. I couldn’t be more thrilled about this opportunity … I’m
really psyched.”

Darrell
Waltrip, Larry McReynolds and Mike Joy will be in the SPEED booth for the
NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge, with Voda and Hammond providing commentary.
John Roberts will emcee All-Star driver introductions and Steve Byrnes and Dr.
Dick Berggren will report from the All-Star pits.

“SPEED has
put together an all-star broadcasting team for what will be the most
high-profile event in the network’s history,” said SPEED President Hunter
Nickell. “If the fans voted for an all-star television team, every single
member of this crew would be on it … each and every one of them is familiar
with the history of the event, the players in the game and the stories behind
the stories.”

The
popular NASCAR RaceDay team of Roberts, Jimmy Spencer, Kenny Wallace and Wendy
Venturini will deliver a three-hour NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge pre-race
program beginning at 4 p.m. ET, with the team wrapping things up on

NASCAR Victory Lane
at 11 p.m. ET.

“For a lot
of reasons, SPEED landing the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge is huge,” said
Dave Despain, who will host five All-Star Spotlight specials and a special
90-minute All-Star edition of Wind Tunnel on May 16 at 7 p.m. ET. “On the
business side, it’s about credibility and competition and all sorts of things
that mean a lot to the network. But over on the fan side, it’s all about fun.
The All-Star race is big fun and I’d like to think SPEED’s coverage will
deliver more fun per lap than ever before.”

For the NASCAR
NEXTEL Pit Crew Challenge, scheduled to air on SPEED on May 19 at 12:30 p.m.
ET, Steve Byrnes and McReynolds will call the event, with Hammond and Bob
Dillner reporting.

With both
McReynolds and Hammond participating in the inaugural Kobalt Tools Crew Chief
Race on May 19, SPEED regular Bootie Barker will join Darrell Waltrip and Joy
in covering the wrenchers piloting Thunder Roadsters on the Lowe’s Motor
Speedway quarter-mile oval as part of NASCAR RaceDay.