NASCAR.COM, TNT launch 'RaceBuddy' experience

When NASCAR fans across the country gather this summer to watch NASCAR on TNT, they'll have one more way to watch the drama on the track unfold -- with RaceBuddy, NASCAR.COM's live online companion coverage for TNT's six-race NASCAR Sprint Cup Series telecasts, which begin June 8 with the Pocono 500 presented by EA Sports NASCAR '09.

TNT Summer Series

Date	Race	Time
June 8	Pocono	12:30 p.m. ET
June 15	Michigan	12:30 p.m. ET
June 22	Infineon	3:30 p.m. ET
June 29	N. Hampshire	12:30 p.m. ET
July 5	Daytona	6:30 p.m. ET
July 12	Chicagoland	6:30 p.m. ET

• TNT Summer Series

RaceBuddy is an animated character who lives on NASCAR.COM, the official site of NASCAR, and also will make appearances on TNT to remind fans of the unprecedented live coverage available on the site during all six of the TNT races, including live feeds from the Pit Road Cam, In-Car Cameras, Battle Cam, Race Robo and Mosaic View (more information).

RaceBuddy will ride shotgun with viewers during the race by showing fans how to interact through online chats, answering poll questions and submitting questions to "Ask the Booth" which will be answered during the pre-race coverage and the race telecast by TNT announcers Bill Weber, Kyle Petty and Wally Dallenbach. From on air to online, RaceBuddy serves as a multi-platform companion designed to bring fans closer to the race action.

"The integration between TNT and NASCAR.COM allows NASCAR fans to become completely engaged in the race before, during and after the television coverage by providing an opportunity to interact with the telecast and with other NASCAR fans online," said Lenny Daniels, senior vice president of Turner Sports production and new media. "Turner Sports is a leader in utilizing technology to offer fans innovative ways to consume the sports they love via cutting-edge multi-platform experiences."

RaceBuddy's NASCAR.COM companion coverage includes:

• Battle Cam: A camera will stream the most intense competition between drivers on the track throughout the race.

• Pit Road Cam: A camera will focus exclusively on pit road to keep viewers up to speed on the adjustments and changes the drivers make at each pit stop.

• In-Car Driver Cam: Users vote live to select which driver to watch from inside his car; drivers change every 50 laps.

• Race Robo: Video streaming for various camera angles of the racetrack.

• Mosaic View: Fans can view all four streams -- Battle Cam, Pit Road Cam, In-Car Camera Driver Cam and Race Robo -- at one time.

• Ask the Booth: Fans can submit questions they want answered on-air by TNT's Bill Weber, Kyle Petty and Wally Dallenbach during the pre-race show and during live race coverage.

• Chat: Chat live with other race enthusiasts online throughout the race.

• Poll: Answer simple questions throughout the race.

TNT will also have an online presence on NASCAR.COM with a page devoted to TNT's Summer Series of NASCAR racing that offers on-demand features from TNT announcers, bios, TNT's schedule and replays of pre-race series such as Pride of NASCAR, NASCAR Future Stars, Wally's World and Lindsay on Location.

TNT's NASCAR announcers include pre-race host Marc Fein, play-by-play announcer Bill Weber and analysts Wally Dallenbach and Kyle Petty. Veteran NASCAR crew chief Larry McReynolds will also join the TNT announcing crew, serving in a specialty role of analyst and reporter. Finally, the network's announcing crew will be rounded out by veteran pit reporters Marty Snider, Matt Yocum, Ralph Sheheen and Lindsay Czarniak.

Beginning on June 8 in Pocono, TNT revs up for six consecutive races of exclusive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series coverage including races in Michigan (June 15), Sonoma (June 22), Loudon (June 29) and primetime Saturday night races in Daytona (July 5) and Chicago (July 12). TNT's widely touted Wide Open Coverage will return for the network's marquee primetime race, the Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway.