
THE 22nd ANNUAL CHILI BOWL TO BE TELEVISED
LIVE FOR FIRST TIME!
Stewart
and Kahne to Compete Against Star Line-up
at Toughest Dirt Track Race
Saturday, January 12 from Tulsa, Okla.
Live on HBO Pay-Per-View
TULSA,
OKLAHOMA (December 6, 2007) – For the
first time ever, race fans can watch the
prestigious Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals
featuring a who’s who of racing stars,
including NASCAR’s Tony Stewart and
Kasey Kahne, who’ll battle aboard 800-hp
midgets for one of the most coveted
trophies in motorsport. Broadcasted live
worldwide by HBO Pay-Per-View, the
star-studded dirt track race takes place
on Saturday, January 12, 2008 from Tulsa,
Okla.
“Where
are you going to go in the country where
you have 250 of the best all in one place
for four days running for one prize?”
asks Stewart, the 2007 defending champion.
“You win this race, you’ve got
bragging rights for a year.”
Since
its 1987 inception, the annual Chili Bowl
has built a reputation as one of the
premier and most unique motorsports events
in America.
Champions from various racing
circuits travel to Tulsa’s QuikTrip
Center during auto racing’s winter break
for the opportunity to compete on the
indoor, quarter mile-banked dirt oval in
front of a sold-out crowd lucky enough to
secure tickets the summer before.
“Every
year, the Chili Bowl is one of the hardest
tickets to get in racing,” says Emmett
Hahn, who organizes the event with Lanny
Edwards. “This telecast puts you there
live, but from the comfort of your living
room.”
For
its 22nd edition, the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl
Nationals draws an all-star line-up
featuring Stewart, the defending 2007
champion, and Kahne, both former
open-wheel stars before NASCAR.
Competition includes top stars from all
disciplines, including four-time winner
Sammy Swindell, World of Outlaws star Joey
Saldana, NHRA drag racing stars Cruz
Pedregon and Gary Scelzi, plus NASCAR
drivers and former USAC stars JJ Yeley and
Jason Leffler. Numerous sprint and midget
champions from around the country make it
the toughest dirt track race of the year.
“The
level of competition is what really makes
this race so appealing to Lucas Oil and
race enthusiasts,” says Bob Patison,
vice president and legal counsel of Lucas
Oil. “The drivers approach the event
with an all or nothing attitude.”
The
prize is the coveted Golden Driller trophy
won by the top finisher in a 50-lap
championship feature on the final night
(Saturday, Jan. 12) after four nights of
qualifying.
Motorsports
Media Entertainment is promoting the
broadcast in conjunction with HBO
Pay-Per-View and title sponsor Lucas Oil.
NeWave TV Productions of Tinley Park, Ill.
is handling the event TV production.
General Tire and Dodge are presenting
sponsors.
“HBO
Pay-Per-View is thrilled to bring its
second prestigious dirt track racing
pay-per-view event to a worldwide
television audience,” says Tammy Ross,
vice president and general manager of HBO
Pay-Per-View. “Our goal is to
capture the excitement and competitiveness
of the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals for
fans who cannot be in Tulsa.”
The
live broadcast on Saturday, January 12
begins at 8:00
p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT), with an
immediate pay-per-view replay and
additional replays on Sunday. The HBO
Pay-Per-View racing telecast has a
suggested retail price $24.95 and will be
available to more than 61 million
pay-per-view homes
in the United States and Canada and
millions more worldwide. HBO Pay-Per-View
is the leading supplier of event
programming in the pay-per-view industry.
Ordering
information is available at www.hbo.com.
Viewers
are encouraged to contact their local
cable operator or satellite provider to
order the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals. Customers
must have digital cable or satellite
service to order.
A subscription to HBO is not required.
The
Chili Bowl represents one of several
special auto racing events that
Motorsports Media Entertainment and HBO
Pay-Per-View plan to offer as a premium
live broadcast to auto racing fans.
###
Contacts:
Steven
Pegram, Motorsports Media Entertainment:
(704) 235-5770
Patrick
Byrne, HBO Pay-Per-View: (212) 512-1361
Manuel
Gutierrez, Lucas Oil: (951) 270-0154
Donna
Harris, Chili Bowl: (918) 838-3777
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