SPEED Channel Teams with STATS Inc. to Rank Drivers of Four Top Series Together; Weekly List Will Include NASCAR Nextel Cup, Formula One, Champ Car World Series and Indy Racing League

CHARLOTTE, N.C.--April 8, 2005--How does NASCAR’s Jeff Gordon stack up against Formula One’s Michael Schumacher? IRL champ Tony Kanaan against Dale Earnhardt Jr? Champ Car’s Sebastien Bourdais against Juan Pablo Montoya?

Well, since you can’t even get these answers on today’s high-tech video games, SPEED Channel and STATS, Inc. are teaming up to add high-octane fuel to the fiery debates.

STATS, Inc., in partnership with SPEED, has developed a formula for weekly driver rankings, inclusive of NASCAR Nextel Cup, Formula One, Champ Car World Series and Indy Racing League competitors, set to debut April 10.

“We receive an unbelievable amount of e-mail correspondence loaded with passion for a particular racing series or driver,” said Kevin Annison, SPEED Channel VP of Business Development and Operations. “F1 fans tell us they have little respect for NASCAR drivers. NASCAR drivers don’t exactly welcome open-wheel transplants onto their tracks with open arms. So, we decided to come up with something that shows how the best of the best match up.”

Current year results, last 10 races, last five races and last race will be factored in equally, with an adjustment factor to compensate for the series different scoring systems. In addition, a “competition difficulty factor” has been included to balance the competitive depth of each series.

“STATS, Inc. is excited to join SPEED Channel in an endeavor that will further raise the profile of an incredibly popular sport and make racing even more enjoyable for its fans,” said Steve Byrd, Senior Vice President. “Our vast database combined with SPEED Channel’s racing expertise has allowed us to develop a formula that will provide great insights into driver accomplishments across the four top motor racing circuits.”

The initial SPEED Channel Driver Rankings will be posted on SPEEDTV.com Wednesday following the Champ Car World Series season opener in Long Beach.

About STATS, Inc.: With more than 20 years of experience in sophisticated sports data collection, processing and distribution - STATS is the world’s leading sports information and statistical analysis company. STATS provides exclusive information and data from its proprietary databases to fans, professional teams, print and broadcast media, iTV platforms, software developers and interactive and wireless service providers around the globe. STATS, Inc.’s business partners include FOX Sports, ESPN, CBS Sports, WGN Sports, Yahoo!, SI.com, MSNBC, AOL, Sporting News, EA Sports and the Associated Press. (http://biz.stats.com)

SPEED Channel is the nation’s first and foremost cable network dedicated to motor sports and the passion for everything automotive. From racing to restoration, motorcycles to movies, SPEED Channel delivers quality programming from the track to the garage. Now available in more than 68 million homes in North America, SPEED Channel is among the fastest growing sports cable networks in the country.

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