First Drivers Get on Board for Exclusive New NASCAR HOTPASS(TM) Only on DIRECTV

SOURCE: DIRECTV Inc., Monday January 29, 2007

‘Satellite Television Leader Also Debuts National Advertising Campaign Featuring Dale Earnhardt Jr. as the Debut of the Service Draws Near

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jan. 29, 2007–In 2007, DIRECTV will take the NASCAR television experience to another level as it debuts the highly anticipated and exclusive

NASCAR HOTPASS(TM) only on DIRECTV during the Daytona 500 on February 18 at Daytona International Speedway. Today, the nation’s leading satellite television service provider announced the first five drivers for the debut of this new interactive television service that will enable fans to ride shotgun with their favorite drivers by literally taking them into the cars and pits of the top drivers and teams in NASCAR.
NASCAR HOTPASS(TM) only on DIRECTV, will feature five channels (DIRECTV channels 794-799) completely devoted to specific drivers and their racing teams each week. The service will debut at the Daytona 500 with the following lineup of top NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers:

Dale Earnhardt Jr. - Dale Earnhardt Incorporated

Kevin Harvick - Richard Childress Racing

Jimmie Johnson - Hendrick Motorsports

Tony Stewart - Joe Gibbs Racing

Michael Waltrip - Waltrip-Jasper Racing

“We’re proud that the first five drivers who have decided to participate in this incredible new service are among NASCAR’s most elite competitors,” said David Hill, president of entertainment for DIRECTV. “The drivers are energized and excited about this new way to translate the incredible NASCAR experience, but it is the fans who are in for a truly amazing experience.”

To drive national awareness for this exciting and exclusive new package, DIRECTV has completed its first national advertising campaign for the service, featuring the sport’s most popular personality, Dale Earnhardt Jr. The spot is set to debut just before the Daytona 500 and is a continuation of DIRECTV’s “Fourth Wall” campaign where top actors and athletes recreate a scene from a famous movie or a noteworthy moment of sports competition.

The resulting effect in this case will be Earnhardt Jr. directly addressing the viewing audience while in the middle of a Victory Lane celebration following an actual NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race victory. This same technology was employed in previous DIRECTV spots using footage from popular films such as “Star Trek-The Undiscovered Country,” “Dukes of Hazard,” “Back to the Future” and recently, NFL game footage featuring Colts quarterback and DIRECTV NFL SUNDAY TICKET spokesman Peyton Manning.

With NASCAR HOTPASS(TM) only on DIRECTV, each of the five dedicated driver channels will offer multiple camera angles, real-time car telemetry, in-car audio communication and a dedicated announcer team. The new service, combined with race day telecasts and nascar.com coverage, will give fans the most comprehensive and powerful NASCAR experience possible.

DIRECTV customers can now purchase NASCAR HOTPASS only on DIRECTV(TM). The full-season price of the package is $99, but customers can take advantage of an Early Bird offer by purchasing the package by Jan. 31, 2007 for $79. The exclusive service is also available on a pay-per-week basis for $29.99. More information is available on www.directv.com/hotpass.

DIRECTV is an official sponsor of NASCAR and an official sponsor of Richard Childress Racing (RCR) and the # 07 car.

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR), which began in 1948, is the sanctioning body for one of America’s premier sports. NASCAR is the No. 1 spectator sport - holding 17 of the top 20 attended sporting events in the U.S., the No. 2-rated regular season sport on television with broadcasts in more than 150 countries, and has 75 million fans that purchase more than $2.1 billion in annual licensed product sales. These fans are the most brand loyal in all of sports and as a result, more Fortune 500 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport. NASCAR consists of three major national series (NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series, and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series) as well as eight regional tours and one local grassroots series. NASCAR sanctions 1,500 races at over 100 tracks in 35 states, Canada and Mexico. Based in Daytona Beach, NASCAR has offices in Bentonville (Ark.), Charlotte, Concord (N.C.), Conover (N.C.), Los Angeles, New York, Mexico City and Toronto.’